Another ramble.....

January 10th, 1986 I was sitting in the living room at my parent’s house. My best friend asked me why I joined the Navy. There were multiple reasons why, not the least of which was just to get away from home. I had to get out and see life and what the world was all about. The military seemed like the best choice. Understand I do not, for one minute, regret my choice. I have seen and done things I will NEVER forget. Some cement my choice for enlisting while others make me question the machine that is our military. But all of them strengthen my love of my country.

My best friend asked me why. Without thought or hesitation I replied “Wes, we have freedoms others will never know or enjoy. Too many men and women died for those freedoms for me not to contribute to the cause.”

You may think it sounds cheesy or wonder what 17 year old thinks that. I did. My father, every day I was at home, practiced patriotism by simply living live and working hard. He reminded me that no one gives you anything; you get what you work for and if you want it-go get it.

My father was in the Air Force and my Uncle in the Navy. I had cousins in the Army. Love of country runs deep in my family.

But it seems that patriotism is dying and those that are patriots are ridiculed for it. The far left would have you believe that members of the armed forces are somehow less than they. I grew up reciting a pledge of allegiance to my flag and to the United States of America. Yet a small minority group would like you to think the pledge, since it uses the word God, should not be recited in school. Never mind that history proves our founding fathers had faith in God and wanted that biblical foundation evident in our governmental system.

The Constitution states Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Some have distorted it so much that many people now believe that politics/government and religion cannot co-exist. The state and the church must be separated by a chasm. It seems ok to tout your family heritage as an influence to your decisions but it is NOT ok to use your faith, unless that faith is not a Judeo-Christian belief system. Supreme Court Judge, Sonia Sotamayor is a perfect example. Her Latino heritage will allow her to make better decisions than a white male. She hit the big two in one statement, racism and sexism. But she is a liberal so it is allowed. I wonder what would have been said if she had made a statement such as my belief in God and his holy scriptures, I believe, will allow me to make a fully informed and better decision than a male Muslim.

There is no equality in America. There never has been and never will be. AS long as men and women are alive there will be prejudice. It cannot be stamped out or eradicated by any means except a true to the core faith and belief in God. And not everyone will follow that faith and belief. We must stop using this unequal treatment as a crutch. Not everyone gets a great education. Not everyone gets too got to Harvard or Yale. The world needs ditch diggers. The world needs farmers, stay at home moms, stay at home dads and guys to trim your hedges and mow your grass. Life isn’t fair and the sooner we as a society realize that and stop trying to change what cannot be changed, we will be better off for it. You cannot legislate an opinion.

What is more inspiring than a man or women raised in poverty in the United States? They then move on to Community College and have to work to pay tuition. Community College followed by a four year institution of learning. What is more inspiring than having all the cards stacked against you, yet you play the hand as dealt and win. Our hallowed halls of education, government and corporate America are full of stories of people who grew up poor. Some were raised on farms and some were raised in the inner city. Yet somehow, with no government intervention, they thrived and moved on to become movers and shakers. Powerful men and women who persevered and are a living testament to what is, or at least was, the United States story. That story being hard work will get you there; you have to do it for yourself and by yourself at times. The Constitution guarantees the pursuit of happiness, no one will or can stop you from going after it. It never guarantees you’ll find it or get it or even have it handed to you by the government.

It is time for the people of the United States to put up or shut up! Over 200 years ago our forefathers put up. They refused to allow tyranny and greed to rule the new colonies. They believed in it so much they took a gamble and came by boat to a far-away, uncharted land with no infrastructure to help them. There were no roads, no houses, no nothing but land and opportunity to make a new life. All they needed was opportunity, they got it and thrived. They were not perfect, but what was perfect was their resolve. When called for, these men and women showed strength of character and ideals for a better society that paved the way for what we enjoy today. They fought for and in some cases died for our liberty. They did it for their posterity.

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station.... It is time. We have got to stand up, grab a pitchfork and a torch and march on Washington. I am speaking figuratively of course. We must take back our society from the greedy politicians in Washington who stopped listening to us long ago. These men and women no longer make decisions that in any way effect them. They have manipulated their way into positions that, in affect, have made them immune to the laws they enact. They use political manipulation to further their cause and are so influenced by special interest that the special interest groups now run the country. It is as if the politicians were puppets and the special interest groups are the puppeteers, just pulling strings and watching politicians dance. They have either forgotten or no longer care that they were voted into office by us to work for us. WE HAVE LET THEM FORGET and that must change or we will continue to slide down the slope that we are gaining speed on already.