July 04, 2005

Independence Day - a Tribute

In honor of Independence Day, ladies of The Cotillion are getting together to honor and recognize our Milbloggers.  A heart-felt thanks goes out to every soldier - active, retired, or in a better place.  Thank you for freeing our country - thank you for fighting in wars to preserve our freedom and to ensure freedom and protection from tyranny exists for those in dire need.  Thank you for the sacrifices you have made to make this country a place I can raise my children.  I'd like to highlight a handful of Milibloggers - please go to their sites and offer your support and encouragement.  They have done so much for our country!

American Soldier is on a journey home and made a stop along the way to visit Arlington and to pay respects to some of the soldiers - friends - who are buried there. 

I finally found one site. I sat down next to it as if he was there, sitting beside me. The stone was to the right of me and I was looking out at the sky. Like two buddies’ who were taking a break from a mission. I stayed there for a bit. I then got up and said goodbye and that I wished things could have been different. I touched the stone and said I’d see him on the other side. I visited a few other friends and said my peace with each of them.

May God bless you on your road to recovery. 

Ma Deuce Gunner gives us the perspective we need state-side as he serves in Iraq.

A lesson in patience is in order. Again, my wife would not say I am the one to give it. Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, the current Prime Minister of Iraq, said "You cannot fix in six months what took 35 years to break." Think about that.

There are hundreds of things that are better in this country, just ask Arthur Chrenkoff, who compiles a bi-monthly list of good things happening here. There are hundreds of things that need work. These things take TIME. These things take EFFORT. To this effort we must continue to add RESOLVE and PATIENCE. In the grand scheme of things, the two years that have passed since the end of 'major' hostilities, in all reality, is a very short time to reestablish a nation.

You are right on, MDG.  It is obvious that the work you do in Iraq is impacting the Iraqi people positively every day.  Thank you so much for *your* resolve.

Drill Sergeant Bob at An American Soldier points out the interesting flopping of liberal judges with regard to the Supreme Court Ruling on Kelo v. New London (seizure of private property for development by other private citizens or corporations):

I thought it was particularly interesting that the more liberal justices voted against the little guy and in favor of big business, (It’s not just developers. Pfizer benefits greatly from this deal now.) and the Conservative justices all dissented in favor of the private citizen. Not quite the picture the Liberals like to paint in their PR blitzes huh?

Eagle1 at Eaglespeak publishes a reminder from America's past which is at the core of our Independence Day celebrations:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

As an American, I recognize that there are so many things to be thankful for.  In particular, I am thankful for the freedom we enjoy.  Freedom, they say, isn't free.  That is a statement laden with truth.  There are thousands of families in the U.S. sacrificing as their loved ones fight to preserve our freedom today.  There are even more families who suffered loss of a loved one who gave their life in the line of duty.  May God bless each and every man and woman who has made the sacrifice to serve their country.  So many would be lost without you.

Thanks to Teach over at Pirate's Cove for the great pics!