A Dark September Morning

[Jeff]

Now there is our other voice of reason!

[Bruce]

Mary Jo Bailey posted a letter from her son on FEDUP Forum titled A voice of reason.  He is on active duty with 19 1/2 years continous service with the Air Force stationed at Dover, DE.

Since I want to be more careful at what I post on the forestry forum, the following link gives anyone the opportunity to review his thoughts.  I have responded to him and he and others on active duty are ready and prepared for what may lie ahead.  His insight and focus makes me feel more secure. http://www.imfedup.net/forum/msg_toc.htm

[L. Wakefield]

   Tom, I looked up your verse, there..that's one that was most vividly brought home when I went through divorce, at which time I literally felt like my right arm was being torn from me- but that indeed it had to be done because otherwise I was going into Hell. I will ponder that verse which has become personal truth for me in this connection.  lw

[Bruce]

Tom:

I don't know if my story of something I was foolish enough to do illustrates anything other then reflection of my past and your post "This is a time to rejuvenate Patriotism,"; but your right, its time to expect our seats of government at all levels to respect the American Flag.

Not everyone understands the value in proper handling of the American flag as you and others do.  Presently I'm not flying an American flag because there's no way for me to personally raise and lower the flag dusk to dawn or for the matter, properly fold the flag as I'm disabled.

Years ago when I left the Navy, I got drunk one night and decided to sleep on the front bench of City Hall of Jefferson, Oregon.  I had noticed previously that no one was carrying for the American Flag flying in front of the City Hall.  It was always flying at all times of every day, even when it rained.  The Flag was dirty and crumpled up.  As I was laying on the bench I thought to myself, why doesn't someone in the city care about our symbol of liberty and freedom.

It was around 3:30 in the morning and I was drunk enough to make a statement, so I climbed the flagpole and took down the flag and used it for a blanket.  I awoke at around 6:30 in the morning and even though the City Police Department was directly in front of the City Hall, with much activity going on across the street as a friend of mine drove his jeep on the bluff, no one at the police station was very observant.  Upset that no one across the street kept a good eye on the City Hall in a town with a population posted for years of 1776 citizens; I walked home that morning, about a two-mile hike through the city and across farms to our farm with the flag draped around me and still no one noticed.

I kept the flag for three weeks thinking surely someone would notice the flag being gone but no one did and no one replaced the flag at city hall.  I had the flag cleaned and folded it properly and contacted a policeman in the city and told him what I had done and that I was willing to return the flag.

He told me he understood why I did what I had done and just to return it where it belongs.  He told me there was no one assigned to raise or lower the flag so the city just flew it 24 hours a day.

When I returned the flag to the flagpole I purposely hung it up side down to see if anyone would notice their American flag flying in correctly.  During this time there was even a town hall meeting that I attended and no one noticed.  A week later I fixed the flag properly.

My mission was to find out if anyone cared about the American Flag in Jefferson, Oregon.  

Up until recent events, the American Flag as been over looked throughout America, by Americans and City governments whom don't have a clue as to the proper handling of the American Flag.

End Note:  It could be argued I didn't properly handle the American Flag even though I under took a self guiding mission.

[Don P]

Ya'll are more charitable than I. I was mad at this guy a ship or so ago, now I'm sad for the lives lost due to our inaction.

Yes, we trained him to throw off an opressor. We did not then move in to opress him, he chose the fight.

I'm pretty sure Florida would have coughed him up if asked.

There's no hate here, but I will survive. He and his followers are incompatible with that, not my choice, theirs.

[Gordon]

On the subject of anger and fear. When we act in or out of anger we will a lot of times act in haste. Without thinking clearly. That is the reason I have a job is because of people who have acted like this in the past. Made a decision out of anger instead of thinking it through. ------We must not act out of anger----

When we act out of fear our survival instinct comes into play. Run Forest run. Sometimes it's better to run to fight another day.

So from a military standpoint we can react in neither fear or anger. We must react with the proper planning so there will be minimal losses on our side. This will be a drawn out way to do it but in the long run it will be the best. This is a time that we must stand behind our president like it or not. We must stand as one. UNDIVIDED and have a well calculated plan.

There will be losses in the upcoming war and each one of these losses has a mom and dad. Some have children, so we must think this thing out and not just go off half cocked.  

To me anyway a quick killing of him is way too kind. He has dealt death and destruction for a few years but has never struck the USA in such a high manner. That is all I will say on that part in a public forum.

You see that is why I didn't do much of a post earlier in the week---why--- because I was darn angry that something like that happened in my backyard. Don't get me wrong I'm still upset but you can't be the judge and jury. Although at times it sure would be nice.

 In the backs of our minds we all knew something like this was bound to happen but none of us wanted to admit it. Nor accept it. Now is a time for prayers to the families who have lost loved ones. The time is coming to get our satisfaction. If there really can be any. It's a sad time for the great USA but remember, we are with no if's ands or buts the greatest nation to live in!

God bless our forces for the upcoming troubles ahead
Gordon

[Ron Wenrich]

I'm not sure anyone is real certain on how this next war is going to be waged.  I get the feeling that people believe it's going to be like the Gulf war.  Go in, bomb Afganistan, and go home.

Not the case.  This is far larger than we can imagine.

Bin Laden has at least 55 cells in 30-40 countries, including our own.  Get rid of him, and someone takes his place,  and he becomes a martyr.  Those cells are blended with the general population.  Mighty hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys.

One thing I am certain of.  There will be more retaliatory strikes in the US.  Those are some of the sacrifices they're talking about.  

Hang on to your hat, it's going to be one heck of a ride!

[Tom]

Through my anger and "Monday morning quarterbacking", I try to remember that we, the taxpaying public, have appointed and hired professionals whose assignments are to design the best means of defense and retaliation

As much as I would like to get into the mix, better judgement tells me to stand aside and await my orders.  There will be aplenty to do for each of us before this is over.

One thing to remember while watching TV, reading the newpaper and listening to the radio is that those people are paid relative to how much of your time they occupy.  That converts into "entertainment value".  If you really want to know what is going on and where we are headed, listen to the people who are making the decisions.

[L. Wakefield]

   You're absolutely right there, Tom. I get so fed up at the 'talking heads' They do their best to tell us how to think. Granted, without media coverage- and the more complete the better at least on the (truthful) facts- we would not know what we know. We would not have had the opportunity to see what we saw. If I think about it happening with a cloak of silence over it- that would be unbearable. People disappearing and us not knowing where they went. But I can do without the spin- without the 'massaging' of public opinion.There comes a point... :(      lw