Remember the trailer to the documentary I referenced a few months ago? Here it is in it's entirety. Thanks to the great people at the Cascade Policy Institute for this. Grab a cup of coffee, plop the laptop in your lap, kick back the recliner.
Oct 27, 2009
Oct 26, 2009
Our Annual Apple Orchard Trip
The Hood River Valley dappled in fruit farms. Plus a major fruit processing operation.
Everyone loves apples!
It's a little scary giving this guy an apple. His horns were nothing to dismiss.
Overlooking Hood River, OR. Gorgeous leaves!
The hay ride turned into a tractor ride.
Seriously, the wing span of this creature is about 4 feet. A little daunting.
Our favorite apple orchards.Oct 20, 2009
That School Thing That Never Goes Away.....
You remember that virtual school bill? That one that consumed my entire summer?
Here is an update. One of the things legislated in that was a task force that needed to meet this fall to decide how online virtual schools would be governed in this state to be recommended to the next legislative session this February.
Yesterday was the third of four (probably going to turn into five) meetings of this task force. I missed the second. I attended the first and yesterday's.
Let me give you a summary of the first, and what very cool things happened yesterday.
I don't know who arranged it, but the first session was a gal (and this is how bad the memory goes....sorry for the lack of detail....Mark S. if you're reading this feel free to comment adding details) from Washington DC who knows her stuff with virtual schooling worldwide. She has a resume a mile long that includes being an aid to top people in our government regarding education.
Loved her! She took control of the room like a seasoned teacher and took us on a "tour" of the trends happening internationally regarding online/virtual schooling. Let me give you a summary of that tour:
* Mexico. Right now, all K-12 educators in Mexico are trained in how to deliver K-12 education online. Mexico is working at implementing in the next few years the ability to deliver all of their education online, especially to rural communities.
*India. India realized recently that if they wanted to educate all people in their country, they would need to build 200,000 schools. Not possible. So they have trained all educators in K-12 education to teach online. They are waiting WiMAX technology to kick in to deliver that education in the next 5-10 years. All they need is the technology.
* Southeast Asian regions. Currently are using online learning to combat SARS outbreaks. When a community has an outbreak, the community goes into quarantine. Education still takes place online. There is seamless continuity in education, and online learning allows that to happen.
* China. China is just waiting for WiMAX technology as well. In an effort to educate their entire country in K-12 education, specifically rural communities, China has also trained K-12 educators in how to deliver online education. They recognize this as an efficient and cost effective way to educate their large population that normally would have not received an education.
I could go on and on. Turkey, the Middle East, South America, Africa, etc.
What did I love about sitting there as she did this? Watching the members of the task force (who were also hand picked by those who want to be rid of online education in our state) and their faces. Certainly makes some of the objections to this form of education seem awfully petty now doesn't it? It brought them down several notches at that point, and I think it started this whole task force off on a great foot.
I missed the second task force. They essentially broke into work groups and worked through several points that would be taken to the legislative session in February.
The meeting yesterday recapped those work groups and was great for bringing me right up to speed.
What did I see yesterday? All those players I ranted about in my blog last summer who I was targeting and angry with. Senator Richard Devlin, Representative Sara Gelser, my illustrious House Representative Michael Dembrow. Senator Devlin and Representative Gelser made 180's yesterday. Michael Dembrow still asked cloddish and petty questions....some things never change. Let me give you Devlin's turn about.
Senator Richard Devlin. Remember his town hall meeting I attended in August? Click here. You know, the one where we would have been completely shut out had not the other representative there called on us? You know, Devlin who was the main sponsor of SB 767? The bill that had secret language to shut down the schools that were revealed in a scandal in the end? You know, Devlin. The main sponsor of the bill who is also the Senate Majority Leader who said at his town hall, "Nothing hits the Senate floor unless I let it." Yep, him. You know, the guy who sponsored this bill, yet never agreed to meet with any of us, and continually sent us copy/pasted pat answers about this whole thing. Remember him, good!
Bottom line, he sponsored this bill, pushed it through, and shut parents out of the discussion including not allowing a spot on this task force for a parent. We parents made a stink about that too. Instead he and the unions assembled this task force. We didn't feel represented or "safe" at all as this began.
He took testimony from representatives from the teacher's unions yesterday, the same people who finance his campaign and all his democrat cronies. He shut them down on more than one occasion yesterday, and it was amazing to see.
Union rep: Well, these vendors of these virtual schools. It would so much easier doing the budget and finance of this is we could see their books and they would let us see their profit margin. Right now, their profit margins are a "black box" and frankly, we don't like it. We don't like that a business would be educating our kids.
Representative Huffman: I met two representatives from the virtual schools at a recent conference and asked what their profit margins were and they told me on the spot. 5.4% Have you asked them for these numbers?
Union rep: (Not joking either!) Ummm......no.
Devlin: Then why don't we just ask, okay? And it's not a bad thing to be a business these days. If you're in the business of providing education, then let them be in business. I would expect them to have a profit margin.
Keep in mind.....that has been a huge point of contention this entire legislative session. That "for profit" companies were the service providers for online education. Our contention all along has been that there are many "for profit" providers for education. Scholastic books, Dell computers, etc. Are we now going to expect that all vendors for schools be non profit? Devlin shut that down in one statement after making that a huge issue at his town hall and the entire legislative session.
Several times that happened during this meeting. Representative Gelser had a few turns at doing the same thing as well. I was absolutely dumbfounded.
Have you ever seen a miracle happen before your eyes? Here is what happened. Devlin knows exactly who I am.
Devlin shut me and others out of his town hall discussion.
As he was winding down the discussion of the unions representatives, he looked me dead in the eye in the audience and said "We want feedback this week from stakeholders in the audience. Can we hear from you this week?" I nodded to him, and he nodded an acknowledgment back to me. I hissed at my friend next to me, "Was he looking at me? Did I see that right?!!!" She said yes. He wants feedback from us parents this week. Whhhhhhhaaaatttt???
Seriously? He didn't meet with us during the legislative session. Didn't us include in membership on the task force and avoided us at a town hall. He used his copy/paste feature to return emails. The bottom line, he didn't want us.
He wants our feedback this week. Friday if possible.
*&@$*&(*!!!!
I dunno.......he is still a democrat with his campaign paid for by teacher's unions, but this isn't the Devlin I know. I am somewhat hopeful, but very cautious.
I anticipate that online schools are going to continue in this state. I anticipate that our voice has screamed loud enough that we will get almost everything we have wanted all along, eventually. I anticipate getting what we want will take a few years, and a whole lot of making sure I show up to these kinds of meetings, often.
Amazing, but not over. Don't turn your back on it for a second.
Here is an update. One of the things legislated in that was a task force that needed to meet this fall to decide how online virtual schools would be governed in this state to be recommended to the next legislative session this February.
Yesterday was the third of four (probably going to turn into five) meetings of this task force. I missed the second. I attended the first and yesterday's.
Let me give you a summary of the first, and what very cool things happened yesterday.
I don't know who arranged it, but the first session was a gal (and this is how bad the memory goes....sorry for the lack of detail....Mark S. if you're reading this feel free to comment adding details) from Washington DC who knows her stuff with virtual schooling worldwide. She has a resume a mile long that includes being an aid to top people in our government regarding education.
Loved her! She took control of the room like a seasoned teacher and took us on a "tour" of the trends happening internationally regarding online/virtual schooling. Let me give you a summary of that tour:
* Mexico. Right now, all K-12 educators in Mexico are trained in how to deliver K-12 education online. Mexico is working at implementing in the next few years the ability to deliver all of their education online, especially to rural communities.
*India. India realized recently that if they wanted to educate all people in their country, they would need to build 200,000 schools. Not possible. So they have trained all educators in K-12 education to teach online. They are waiting WiMAX technology to kick in to deliver that education in the next 5-10 years. All they need is the technology.
* Southeast Asian regions. Currently are using online learning to combat SARS outbreaks. When a community has an outbreak, the community goes into quarantine. Education still takes place online. There is seamless continuity in education, and online learning allows that to happen.
* China. China is just waiting for WiMAX technology as well. In an effort to educate their entire country in K-12 education, specifically rural communities, China has also trained K-12 educators in how to deliver online education. They recognize this as an efficient and cost effective way to educate their large population that normally would have not received an education.
I could go on and on. Turkey, the Middle East, South America, Africa, etc.
What did I love about sitting there as she did this? Watching the members of the task force (who were also hand picked by those who want to be rid of online education in our state) and their faces. Certainly makes some of the objections to this form of education seem awfully petty now doesn't it? It brought them down several notches at that point, and I think it started this whole task force off on a great foot.
I missed the second task force. They essentially broke into work groups and worked through several points that would be taken to the legislative session in February.
The meeting yesterday recapped those work groups and was great for bringing me right up to speed.
What did I see yesterday? All those players I ranted about in my blog last summer who I was targeting and angry with. Senator Richard Devlin, Representative Sara Gelser, my illustrious House Representative Michael Dembrow. Senator Devlin and Representative Gelser made 180's yesterday. Michael Dembrow still asked cloddish and petty questions....some things never change. Let me give you Devlin's turn about.
Senator Richard Devlin. Remember his town hall meeting I attended in August? Click here. You know, the one where we would have been completely shut out had not the other representative there called on us? You know, Devlin who was the main sponsor of SB 767? The bill that had secret language to shut down the schools that were revealed in a scandal in the end? You know, Devlin. The main sponsor of the bill who is also the Senate Majority Leader who said at his town hall, "Nothing hits the Senate floor unless I let it." Yep, him. You know, the guy who sponsored this bill, yet never agreed to meet with any of us, and continually sent us copy/pasted pat answers about this whole thing. Remember him, good!
Bottom line, he sponsored this bill, pushed it through, and shut parents out of the discussion including not allowing a spot on this task force for a parent. We parents made a stink about that too. Instead he and the unions assembled this task force. We didn't feel represented or "safe" at all as this began.
He took testimony from representatives from the teacher's unions yesterday, the same people who finance his campaign and all his democrat cronies. He shut them down on more than one occasion yesterday, and it was amazing to see.
Union rep: Well, these vendors of these virtual schools. It would so much easier doing the budget and finance of this is we could see their books and they would let us see their profit margin. Right now, their profit margins are a "black box" and frankly, we don't like it. We don't like that a business would be educating our kids.
Representative Huffman: I met two representatives from the virtual schools at a recent conference and asked what their profit margins were and they told me on the spot. 5.4% Have you asked them for these numbers?
Union rep: (Not joking either!) Ummm......no.
Devlin: Then why don't we just ask, okay? And it's not a bad thing to be a business these days. If you're in the business of providing education, then let them be in business. I would expect them to have a profit margin.
Keep in mind.....that has been a huge point of contention this entire legislative session. That "for profit" companies were the service providers for online education. Our contention all along has been that there are many "for profit" providers for education. Scholastic books, Dell computers, etc. Are we now going to expect that all vendors for schools be non profit? Devlin shut that down in one statement after making that a huge issue at his town hall and the entire legislative session.
Several times that happened during this meeting. Representative Gelser had a few turns at doing the same thing as well. I was absolutely dumbfounded.
Have you ever seen a miracle happen before your eyes? Here is what happened. Devlin knows exactly who I am.
Devlin shut me and others out of his town hall discussion.
As he was winding down the discussion of the unions representatives, he looked me dead in the eye in the audience and said "We want feedback this week from stakeholders in the audience. Can we hear from you this week?" I nodded to him, and he nodded an acknowledgment back to me. I hissed at my friend next to me, "Was he looking at me? Did I see that right?!!!" She said yes. He wants feedback from us parents this week. Whhhhhhhaaaatttt???
Seriously? He didn't meet with us during the legislative session. Didn't us include in membership on the task force and avoided us at a town hall. He used his copy/paste feature to return emails. The bottom line, he didn't want us.
He wants our feedback this week. Friday if possible.
*&@$*&(*!!!!
I dunno.......he is still a democrat with his campaign paid for by teacher's unions, but this isn't the Devlin I know. I am somewhat hopeful, but very cautious.
I anticipate that online schools are going to continue in this state. I anticipate that our voice has screamed loud enough that we will get almost everything we have wanted all along, eventually. I anticipate getting what we want will take a few years, and a whole lot of making sure I show up to these kinds of meetings, often.
Amazing, but not over. Don't turn your back on it for a second.
Oct 14, 2009
Where I Come From and What I Believe
UPDATE: Regarding the apartment complex story referenced here. Not only did the apartment management relent and post their own American flag, a pretty nice rally was held by citizens to one thing--wave their flag. Tell you what, how precious is your Saturday? Would you have gone? Would you have put aside the bazillions of other plans to go? I don't know, my weekends are packed tight. But I am absolutely warmed to see a crowd did go and show their patriotism. Click here for the story. Huge thanks to them for the initiative and seeing that waving the flag of the country you live in is worthy of making such a point. Thank you.
Here in Oregon we have had a few incidents recently that really question "where are we again?" A local conservative talk show host (Hi Victoria!) talked about these incidents tonight and gave a challenge to her listeners. Let me tell you the incidents, for the out-of-staters who certainly have had incidents like these I am sure.
1) Local apartment complex manager has tenants who are displaying American flags on the exterior of their apartments or the cars parked in the apartments. She was afraid people would be offended. Here is the link to that debacle and the awesome results. Please take a moment to read the comments, it is heartwarming to see people making sure it's known.....we live in America, hence we fly American flags, and go to another country if you don't like it. We certainly aren't going to start flying any other flag here just to rub someone's ego so they feel good.
2) A small town outside of Portland, McMinnville. Their city council (I can't find a news link for this, so I am going by memory here) couldn't decide for weeks if they could or should recite the Pledge of Allegiance before their meetings convened. They sat and mulled it over for several meetings before finally coming to a consensus that this was okay, and if I recall, had the Boy Scouts come in and recite it in a kind of ceremonial way. And why would elected government officials, who represent the very best we have to offer in our democracy and that is representation of the people by elected vote, need to be reminded that they represent the government and the freedoms we have....why do they need to stop for one second and think if this is okay to do? Why are they even in office representing the government of America if they have to think twice about the Pledge of Allegiance? Who else were they thinking they need to pledge what allegiance to?
Both of these stories finally had common sense prevail. Flags are flown at the apartments and the Pledge of Allegiance is not in question in McMinnville. This talk show host brought up all kinds of questions about this. Whenever there is a skirmish like this, who always wins? Why do people even have to stop and wonder who will be offended? What are people so ashamed of?
Here is what I want to declare, with no apologies and no shame. I hope you share it with me.
My blood runs red, white and blue.
I am the daughter of a decorated Air Force Officer who served 22+ years in the Air Force.
My dad served in the Air Force when radar intelligence was just an embryo. He was a key member of what made Norad great. Norad? Seen the 80's movie "War Games"? Yes, he was one of the pioneers of that great technology that made sure Russia wasn't getting too close.
Norad was also the same technology that made sure Saddam Hussein didn't have anything bigger than a scud to huck over the Pacific at us. When everyone was freaked out that after Desert Storm might incite Hussein to bomb us, my dad said with a chuckle, "he can't shoot that far." So instead he hucked rocks (okay, scuds) over to Israel. What technology shot those out of the sky? Radar, laser technology. Huh.....yep, dad was a part of that technology too. Interesting that as the years went by, Saddam sure was looking for something to huck over here. And yes, he had WMD's, we know this for a fact. NBC doesn't, but everyone in the intelligence community was scared to death, including my dad. Why? Because we knew he had the technology, and he would use it. Too bad no one could get past their dislike of Bush to realize he was right.
My dad was an officer during key times in intelligence in this country. He served in the Middle East during the late 70's when Carter had no idea what a mess he was dealing with. My dad was there, and we had no idea when he was coming back.
My dad served during the 80's when the Russians were still a menace. As much as the cold war is glorified in movies, it was scary for those involved. And I mean scary. Ask anyone who was there, the Russians were a constant, ever present threat. My dad was there. He was a key pioneer during the development of Stealth technology. You know, that technology that makes it so that our planes can't be detected by radar and shot down. The technology that was developed under Reagan, thank God, because it wouldn't have been had there been a democrat in office. Certainly Carter would not have built up the necessary military needed a the time.
And you know what, that technology, that my dad was a pioneer of saves lives daily right now in Afghanistan and Iraq.
My dad retired from the Air Force and continued the same job in the private sector working on government contracts. Now ask me what he did truly in the military and private sector. I have no idea truly. I know what I am allowed to know. Yes, he is one of those people that never saw combat, but has stuff in his brain, and has seen stuff he will carry to his grave because he knows stuff. Even now, being retired from his private sector job, he is still protected by our government. Because he knows stuff. Yes, picture all the 80's espionage movies (ie Patriot Games, War Games, Hunt for Red October). Trust me, as his daughter it wasn't that glamorous. He was never directly threatened but the threat was and is still constant. What he knows makes him a marked man. The enemy is just different these days.
Aside here, talk to men like my dad, they will tell you not to take your eyes off of Russia. The cold war is not as "over" as you think. Read the international news recently? Go three or four pages into your paper, look at the tiny articles. Seen who Putin has been dining with lately? Keep your eyes on that. We may not be chasing MiG's with Tom Cruise. It will be worse than that, I am afraid.
I was born on a military base. The sound of fighters taking off from the airport doesn't bother me like it does others. It makes me feel safe and I love the rumble of it I feel in my gut.
So maybe I don't have a son in Iraq. Maybe I haven't served in the military. Maybe I don't make red, white and blue cupcakes for every Fourth of July.
I can tell you this. When I see footage of soldiers coming home and grasping their kids with joy, I cry.....hard. When I see soldiers in khaki green flight suits, I cry. When I see pictures of MIA pilot Scott Speicher in his green flight suit, my heart jumps a bit and hurts.
Why? Because I was that little kid who's parent grabbed them for dear life after being gone for 8 months. Why? Because when my dad came home from work every day, he wore that green flight suit. I have washed those green flight suits. I was the little girl crying her eyes out when she heard her father packing to leave for a long TDY (temporary duty something) and Christmas was two weeks away. No he didn't see combat, but my family sacrificed.....my dad sacrificed for this country.
So before anyone goes and wonders whether it's "okay" to raise a flag or say the Pledge. Just by wondering in that split moment, you dishonor a whole brigade of people that gave all of us the freedom to think that freely for a moment.
Freedom comes at cost, a very high cost. Do not cheapen it. Do not presume it will always be there either. As long as there are doubters of who we are and what we stand for and what we have fought for over the centuries, our freedom is in jeopardy. If anyone has to question for one moment where they are and what we stand for, then hit the road Jack and find somewhere else. I am sick of the sacrifices of our military being casually dismissed.
It starts from the top. Obama needs to stop going on Apology Tours and quit saying things like, "Our country has made mistakes." Let me blunt-- if Obama wonders if he can be loyal to America, why did he run for office? If he can't defend it and be proud of it, whether he agrees with it or not, he shouldn't be in office. Whatever he personally doesn't agree with, as our Commander in Chief, he needs to shut his mouth. We are at war, Mr. President. Be proud, out loud. Any doubt he shows is an insult. He shouldn't have run, and he shouldn't be calling himself the president.
If he isn't careful what he is doing in Afghanistan right now, it will be blood on his hands, and will he make apologies then? This flag waving girl thinks not.
So when you see pictures like this one I saw recently, and cried my bloody eyes out when I saw it, think of me. Or the video where the kid is aching to see his father, think of me, and my childhood friends who didn't know where their dads were and when they would be home. I was the little girl about so many umpteen years ago. Don't you dare question what that soldier and his family are doing for all of us. And don't you dare think for a second that any little girl in that position wonders if this might be the last time she sees her daddy.
Wave your flag and say your Pledge, out loud, proud. I do and I will if I have to die to do it.
Here in Oregon we have had a few incidents recently that really question "where are we again?" A local conservative talk show host (Hi Victoria!) talked about these incidents tonight and gave a challenge to her listeners. Let me tell you the incidents, for the out-of-staters who certainly have had incidents like these I am sure.
1) Local apartment complex manager has tenants who are displaying American flags on the exterior of their apartments or the cars parked in the apartments. She was afraid people would be offended. Here is the link to that debacle and the awesome results. Please take a moment to read the comments, it is heartwarming to see people making sure it's known.....we live in America, hence we fly American flags, and go to another country if you don't like it. We certainly aren't going to start flying any other flag here just to rub someone's ego so they feel good.
2) A small town outside of Portland, McMinnville. Their city council (I can't find a news link for this, so I am going by memory here) couldn't decide for weeks if they could or should recite the Pledge of Allegiance before their meetings convened. They sat and mulled it over for several meetings before finally coming to a consensus that this was okay, and if I recall, had the Boy Scouts come in and recite it in a kind of ceremonial way. And why would elected government officials, who represent the very best we have to offer in our democracy and that is representation of the people by elected vote, need to be reminded that they represent the government and the freedoms we have....why do they need to stop for one second and think if this is okay to do? Why are they even in office representing the government of America if they have to think twice about the Pledge of Allegiance? Who else were they thinking they need to pledge what allegiance to?
Both of these stories finally had common sense prevail. Flags are flown at the apartments and the Pledge of Allegiance is not in question in McMinnville. This talk show host brought up all kinds of questions about this. Whenever there is a skirmish like this, who always wins? Why do people even have to stop and wonder who will be offended? What are people so ashamed of?
Here is what I want to declare, with no apologies and no shame. I hope you share it with me.
My blood runs red, white and blue.
I am the daughter of a decorated Air Force Officer who served 22+ years in the Air Force.
My dad served in the Air Force when radar intelligence was just an embryo. He was a key member of what made Norad great. Norad? Seen the 80's movie "War Games"? Yes, he was one of the pioneers of that great technology that made sure Russia wasn't getting too close.
Norad was also the same technology that made sure Saddam Hussein didn't have anything bigger than a scud to huck over the Pacific at us. When everyone was freaked out that after Desert Storm might incite Hussein to bomb us, my dad said with a chuckle, "he can't shoot that far." So instead he hucked rocks (okay, scuds) over to Israel. What technology shot those out of the sky? Radar, laser technology. Huh.....yep, dad was a part of that technology too. Interesting that as the years went by, Saddam sure was looking for something to huck over here. And yes, he had WMD's, we know this for a fact. NBC doesn't, but everyone in the intelligence community was scared to death, including my dad. Why? Because we knew he had the technology, and he would use it. Too bad no one could get past their dislike of Bush to realize he was right.
My dad was an officer during key times in intelligence in this country. He served in the Middle East during the late 70's when Carter had no idea what a mess he was dealing with. My dad was there, and we had no idea when he was coming back.
My dad served during the 80's when the Russians were still a menace. As much as the cold war is glorified in movies, it was scary for those involved. And I mean scary. Ask anyone who was there, the Russians were a constant, ever present threat. My dad was there. He was a key pioneer during the development of Stealth technology. You know, that technology that makes it so that our planes can't be detected by radar and shot down. The technology that was developed under Reagan, thank God, because it wouldn't have been had there been a democrat in office. Certainly Carter would not have built up the necessary military needed a the time.
And you know what, that technology, that my dad was a pioneer of saves lives daily right now in Afghanistan and Iraq.
My dad retired from the Air Force and continued the same job in the private sector working on government contracts. Now ask me what he did truly in the military and private sector. I have no idea truly. I know what I am allowed to know. Yes, he is one of those people that never saw combat, but has stuff in his brain, and has seen stuff he will carry to his grave because he knows stuff. Even now, being retired from his private sector job, he is still protected by our government. Because he knows stuff. Yes, picture all the 80's espionage movies (ie Patriot Games, War Games, Hunt for Red October). Trust me, as his daughter it wasn't that glamorous. He was never directly threatened but the threat was and is still constant. What he knows makes him a marked man. The enemy is just different these days.
Aside here, talk to men like my dad, they will tell you not to take your eyes off of Russia. The cold war is not as "over" as you think. Read the international news recently? Go three or four pages into your paper, look at the tiny articles. Seen who Putin has been dining with lately? Keep your eyes on that. We may not be chasing MiG's with Tom Cruise. It will be worse than that, I am afraid.
I was born on a military base. The sound of fighters taking off from the airport doesn't bother me like it does others. It makes me feel safe and I love the rumble of it I feel in my gut.
So maybe I don't have a son in Iraq. Maybe I haven't served in the military. Maybe I don't make red, white and blue cupcakes for every Fourth of July.
I can tell you this. When I see footage of soldiers coming home and grasping their kids with joy, I cry.....hard. When I see soldiers in khaki green flight suits, I cry. When I see pictures of MIA pilot Scott Speicher in his green flight suit, my heart jumps a bit and hurts.
Why? Because I was that little kid who's parent grabbed them for dear life after being gone for 8 months. Why? Because when my dad came home from work every day, he wore that green flight suit. I have washed those green flight suits. I was the little girl crying her eyes out when she heard her father packing to leave for a long TDY (temporary duty something) and Christmas was two weeks away. No he didn't see combat, but my family sacrificed.....my dad sacrificed for this country.
So before anyone goes and wonders whether it's "okay" to raise a flag or say the Pledge. Just by wondering in that split moment, you dishonor a whole brigade of people that gave all of us the freedom to think that freely for a moment.
Freedom comes at cost, a very high cost. Do not cheapen it. Do not presume it will always be there either. As long as there are doubters of who we are and what we stand for and what we have fought for over the centuries, our freedom is in jeopardy. If anyone has to question for one moment where they are and what we stand for, then hit the road Jack and find somewhere else. I am sick of the sacrifices of our military being casually dismissed.
It starts from the top. Obama needs to stop going on Apology Tours and quit saying things like, "Our country has made mistakes." Let me blunt-- if Obama wonders if he can be loyal to America, why did he run for office? If he can't defend it and be proud of it, whether he agrees with it or not, he shouldn't be in office. Whatever he personally doesn't agree with, as our Commander in Chief, he needs to shut his mouth. We are at war, Mr. President. Be proud, out loud. Any doubt he shows is an insult. He shouldn't have run, and he shouldn't be calling himself the president.
If he isn't careful what he is doing in Afghanistan right now, it will be blood on his hands, and will he make apologies then? This flag waving girl thinks not.
So when you see pictures like this one I saw recently, and cried my bloody eyes out when I saw it, think of me. Or the video where the kid is aching to see his father, think of me, and my childhood friends who didn't know where their dads were and when they would be home. I was the little girl about so many umpteen years ago. Don't you dare question what that soldier and his family are doing for all of us. And don't you dare think for a second that any little girl in that position wonders if this might be the last time she sees her daddy.
Wave your flag and say your Pledge, out loud, proud. I do and I will if I have to die to do it.
Oct 12, 2009
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