>>Valley Patriot>> |
I happened to be in Washington, D.C. over the weekend of September 23-25 to see the Red Sox sweep the Orioles in three games. And then I finally visited my WW II Memorial site. It was a special moment in my lifetime, which I will never forget. I plan to write about this trip and the WW II Memorial in detail with my November column honoring Veterans Day. On this special day of remembrance, I unexpectedly ran up against a national anti-war protesters’ rally with 100,000 screaming fanatics spewing their hate and venom against President Bush, the administration and anything decent the United States was doing in the world. And, of course, the rally was covered by the Press. In my opinion, these people, ages from young teens to early forties and employment unknown, are causing a great division in this country when we should be staying united during a very dangerous time. In contrast to the ranting and raving crowd of protesters, the WW II site was an oasis of peace and tranquility with many of my former comrades from that campaign enjoying and in awe of this beautiful edifice known as “The Jewel of the Mall.” Meeting those special men and women was a thrill and an honor for me. We did not know each other personally, but instantly recognized our fellow comrades from sixty years ago! Once young and virile, black, blonde or brown curly hair, trim waistlines, fearing no one, from every state in the union, we have all matured through the ravages of time into white haired or balding specimens, expanded waistlines, bent, limping or wheelchair-bound - but still with the same determined look in our eyes of that “Greatest Generation of Soldiers” who sacrificed everything for our country. Greeting each other with a simple nod, a smile, a handshake – “nice to see you … glad you made it to your memorial … isn’t it grand … where are you from? … hang in there … God Bless you.” Yes, it was quite an emotional thrill for all of us. And the national park rangers kept it a peaceful and perfect place, even while all around us there swirled conflict and dissent. Any sign-carrying protesters were ushered off the site by the rangers with warnings of heavy fines for not staying clear of this sacred memorial. We old timers were grateful for that as we remembered the “Big One,” and how “the Greatest Generation won the war against aggression and created and formed the greatest free country on the face of this Earth.” Yes, the liberal press was also in Washington to cover the protesters, and I can only imagine how such a press would have covered a news story in the 1942 era: “Well, we’ve done it now. That shoot-from-the-hip Air Force General Doolittle and his band of flying cowboys have impulsively dropped bombs on the sacred capital of Japan. Now the Japanese will really be angry at us. This calls for an investigation. The public must know who authorized such a reckless action. Never mind that unfortunate skirmish at Pearl Harbor. It was precipitated by our risky foreign policy that moved our fleet to an in-yourface confrontation with the rightful power in the Pacific. Also, ignore that routine prisoner of war transfer that conservatives describ as the Bataan Death March. The few Americans who accidentally dropped out along the way were really victims of marching orders from the Pentagon, which placed them in harm’s way. A bipartisan committee must be immediately formed to get to the bottom of that drastic action over Tokyo. Not one more life should be sacrificed to further Mr. Roosevelt’s war.” If news in the early 1940s had been as liberally slanted as it is today, there would have been an entirely different outcome to WW II. Let’s hope and pray the news media doesn’t change the outcome of the War on Terrorism. See you in Washington in November. Jim Cassidy is Vice-Commander of American Legion Post #219. He served as a combat infantryman in WWII, fighting in France and Germany with the 70th Infantry Division. You can email him with questions or comments at: Cassperryst@aol.com *Send your questions
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Another
liberal judge out of the California judicial system has
ruled in support of an atheist lawyer’s suit to ban
the use of God in the Pledge of Allegiance in California
classrooms. It reminded me of the damage already done to
this country with these “off-the–wall”
decisions, compounded by a decidedly liberal press that
is slanting all of our news – especially in the war
we are waging against worldwide terrorism.