Summer got an early start Saturday under a cool northwest cloudy sky and showers. For the balmy raining day the car turn out was tremendous, many people coming out to Boppin’ Bo’s for an afternoon of eats, cars and Rock n Roll.
The day started with decorating and loading a truck graciously supplied by Waste Connections with banners promoting the Clark County Veterans Court, sound equipment and of course, the entertainers to treat spectators lining the route of the Hazel Dell Parade of Bands to a taste of what they would find at Boppin’ Bo’s.
The lovely Petya Grozeva, Champion Fiddler Cynthia Hamm and Elvis Tribute Artist Mark Stevenz manned the float, singing and playing as the float slowly traveled the parade route.
Route 66, once known as the Main Street of America since it was one of our early roads cutting through the heart of America. Its fame spawned songs, a hit TV show of the same name and epitomized the American love affair with our cars as many envisioned cruising down the highway, with the top down, listening to the cool songs of the era by the Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, Jan & Dean and of course, Elvis Presley.
The once famous highway has been bypassed by modern Interstate Highways today and is but a historical memory, but our visions of cruising in a cool car, like a vintage Corvette remain imbedded in our souls as does the songs like ‘409,’ ‘Little Deuce Coupe,’ ‘Maybellene’ and so many more.
Comedian George Carlin said the above in 1990 as part of a much longer routine, Euphemisms, on how we have taken the humanity out of words to make them sound softer and with less importance.
While I do not fully agree with his assessment of the Vietnam war as “lies and deceits surrounding that war,” he does make a valid argument on Veterans in the past not having the help they would need in dealing with the horrors they might have been subjected to when they try to return to their previous lives.
Jane Fonda, aka ‘Hanoi’ Jane Fonda for her treasonous exploits offering aid and comfort to our enemy at a time we had Troops in harm’s way doesn’t seem to like that so many Vietnam Vets still despise her. Part of why was stated in Hanoi Jane, It Wasn’t a ‘Mistake,’ It Was Treason
She clings to the canard that all she did wrong was succumb to the moment, posing for a very inflammatory set of photos of her sitting at an anti-aircraft gun. The below video should explain why her actions are considered “treasonous” by us and that it goes much further than those photos.
She expressed “regret” for the photo, but stands by her other actions and today, claims, “I have never done anything to hurt my country or the men and women who have fought and continue to fight for us.”
TREASON: The betrayal of one’s own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.
Hanoi Jane Fonda is at it again. She just can’t shut up and fade away to the cesspool of herself. And as expected, being a leftist loon, she plays the victim over her treasonous activities long ago during the Vietnam War.
In her latest rant she cries, “I Will Go to My Grave with Unforgivable Mistake,” the “mistake” being the infamous photo of her sitting at an enemy anti-aircraft gun in North Vietnam taken during her 1972 visit to the communist nation while our Troops were engaged in war against the Communist North Vietnamese.
Shortly after the end of World War One, a small group of Veterans erected a plain, simple cross in the middle of the vast expanse of the Mojave Desert, far away from civilization to honor their fallen brethren.
The wooden cross erected in what was open land in 1934, sat silently in the desert, subjected to the weather, occasional vandals but maintained by those Veterans and later by friends of the Veterans.
The land was made part of a Federal Reserve in 1994 and due to deterioration of the original wooden cross, caretakers replaced it with a metal cross, somehow enraging a park ranger, Frank Buono who waited until he retired on a comfortable taxpayer paid pension, to seek the assistance of the ACLU to file a lawsuit to have it removed.
In today’s modern society, filled with time-consuming activity and daily distractions we all deserve a time out simply to enjoy ourselves, be entertained, escape from daily woes that face us all and if we can do that while helping someone in need, all that much better.
We live in increasingly partisan times. It seems more and more we are divided as we bicker among ourselves on issues of the day. Be it taxes, civil rights, infrastructure projects or any number of issues facing us, we remain divided and apparently unable to find a compatible middle ground.
But when it comes to supporting veterans, we are united. Even though our bickering extends into partisan rancor over sending them off into harm’s way, we remain united in appreciating their willingness to stand between us and our enemies, having learned decades ago that those that we send to war are not the designers of war and THEY deserve our support.
Most of us know what the Medal of Honor is and why only a few receive it. Unfortunately, many receive it posthumously, having sacrificed their life to save others. Recipients still alive are few in number and like real heroes, wish to honor others who deserve recognition for heroics.
This blog was among many that posted last year of the Medal of Honor Society search for others in civilian life who have bravely risked their own lives to save or benefit others. Hundreds of heroes were recommended, but only a few selected as semi-finalists and now, four have been selected to receive the Citizen Service Before Self Honor from the Medal of Honor Society.
Amongst finalist is 15 year-old Marcos Ugarte of Troutdale, Oregon who risked his own life to rescue a smaller boy from the second floor of a burning home last year.
As a Vietnam Veteran I, along with millions of other Veterans receive healthcare through the Veterans Hospital system. I have received very good care in both the Vancouver, Washington Campus of the Portland Veterans Hospital and at the Portland Veterans Hospital itself. But it seems not everybody has been as fortunate as I have been.
One Veteran, medically discharged from the U.S. Navy has alleged he is the victim of a staff member assigned to care for him while he was an inpatient at the Vancouver Campus. To say the least, this particular staff member has quite a peculiar background that leaves me questioning just how he was able to gain employment at the Veterans Hospital.
An inquiry submitted to Public Affairs Officer, Dan Herrigstad has not yet been responded to. But the history of this staff member, Patrick Henry is well documented as he was the subject of both a book titled Deadly Intentions and two subsequent made for TV movies on his conviction for attempted murder of his ex-wife in Tucson, Arizona in 1979 that led to his being stripped of his license to practice medicine as a Doctor and another on his “itching to exact revenge on those who put him away while at the same time working hard on destroying the sanity of his second wife.”
We all enjoy good entertainment as well as helping our Veterans when they are in need. As previously shown, we have a great chance to do both at the same time this Valentine’s Day here in Vancouver, Washington.
Although tickets are selling well, there are still a few available for you to spend an enjoyable evening with your sweetheart and be entertained like we rarely see in Vancouver.
The headlining acts lined up are unmatched in our area and can only be described as ‘world class’ and all for just $20 a ticket, far less than you would expect for such a line-up of talent.
A sampling of some of the entertainment lined up to perform,
Few people reaching the age to enlist in today’s Military will remember the TV Show, Combat. It aired from 1962 to 1967 and hasn’t seen a wide syndication. But reading some comments from a few women and supporters of opening combat positions to women tells me they have unrealistic views of just what combat is, almost as unrealistic as it is portrayed in TV Shows, Movies and Video Games.
In announcing the end of the ban on women serving in combat roles, Leon Panetta said “everyone is entitled to a chance to become a combat soldier in a military that will now adopt gender neutral standards.”
One big problem for Mr. Panetta and those who feel they have something to prove, there is no such thing as “gender neutrality.” We are born male or female with distinct differences. One being upper torso strength, on average females having much less. And yes, I acknowledge that some females might have sufficient upper torso strength to equal the average male and even some men do not.
But our Military isn’t geared to individuals, it is geared to teams, units that are no stronger than their weakest link.
But what I find disturbing is quotes from former Military members who are female that were interviewed by the media bout the ending of the ban.
Few entertainers have achieved the lasting notoriety as did Rock n Roll singing star, Elvis Presley. Presley died August 16, 1977 after a 24 year career on stage and in movies with his fame growing after his death, spawning the careers of many impressionists keeping his name and songs alive.
Many of today’s ‘Tribute Artists’ hadn’t been born when Presley was reaching the peak of his fame, but even they draw crowds to their shows as well as a competitions held throughout the land, judging which ones offer the overall best tributes to Elvis.
We are fortunate in Clark County to have one of the better artists, Mark Stevenz, a top 20 in the world Elvis Tribute Artist who has performed and delighted crowds all over North America, including Las Vegas and Memphis.
Former President George H.W. Bush released the following statement from his hospital bed,
“Barbara and I mourn the loss of a true American patriot and one of the great military leaders of his generation. A distinguished member of that Long Gray Line hailing from West Point, General Norm Schwarzkopf, to me, epitomized the ‘duty, service, country’ creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great Nation through our most trying international crises. More than that, he was a good and decent man — and a dear friend. Barbara and I send our condolences to his wife Brenda and his wonderful family.”
Schwarzkopf’s sister says he passed away from complications with pneumonia.
A great gift to give to veterans with stress this Christmas or for the new year is information about or sponsorship in the unique “Join-Up”® equine therapy program of Monty Roberts, the internationally famous horseman, horse trainer, and humanitarian known as the “Horse Whisperer.”
Roberts’ “Horse Sense & Soldiers” workshops, through his International Join-Up® Organization, are being credited with transforming the lives of veterans wounded by service-related post traumatic stress injury by teaching them to use his unique method of working with, and ultimately “joining up” with, untrained horses without the use of any violence whatsoever.
Most of us that served in Vietnam were occasionally treated to some entertainment in the form of Go-Go Dancers, singers and musicians who would come to Vietnam and entertain us.
The best known was the Bob Hope Shows, but few of us were ever actually able to attend one of his Christmas Specials. Most of us who saw such shows were treated to Filipino bands or occasionally Australian or American entertainers.
Not until today did I know that many of those entertainers were not under the USO, but were booked privately to play at various Military Clubs and remote bases, being largely left to their own accord for security and protection, except of course when at a Base camp performing.
As we all know, Sunday, December 7, 1941 saw a sudden and deliberate attack on the U.S. Navy at anchor in Pearl Harbor Hawaii. The attack drew America into World War Two and was labeled by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as “A day that will live in infamy.”
But few of us know much of what those men in the ships saw and endured on that fateful morning.
I was fortunate to have attended the 70th Commemoration of that attack last year and recorded the words of the few remaining survivors in our area.
May we never forget or let our guard drop like that again.
It takes ordinary people doing extraordinary things in order to be a recipient of the nation’s highest honor for bravery, the Medal of Honor. Millions of men and women have served in our wars and performed heroically, but out of those millions, only 3,471 have received the nation’s highest honor.
Of that number, less than 100 are alive today. Ordinary people who, when it really counted, ignored the dangers and placed their own lives in jeopardy, heroically saving others.
We look upon these Military men with awe, many of us wondering if we would act as they did in the same situation. Most of them look upon themselves as the lucky ones, the ones that survived the battles, many thinking others are more deserving of the honor.
But heroes are not restricted to the Military in battle nor are all heroes only men. We pass heroes every day in our cities, most often not seeing a hero, but a Fire Fighter, a Police Officer or just a friendly neighbor who responded to calls for help, ran into a neighbor’s home on fire to get people out before First responders arrive.
UPDATE: Lindsey Stone resigned from her job, November 21, 2012. Both her and Jamie Schuh are no longer are employed by LIFE.
By now just about everybody know of the reprehensible photo taken of 30 year-old Lindsey Stone mocking the ‘Silence and Respect’ sign next to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington Cemetery. If somehow you missed it, you can read about it here
The photo has gone viral in the last 24 hours and elicited hundreds of thousands of comments throughout the internet, most condemning the act in strong terms and several others either agreeing with her, saying she has freedom of speech (she also has freedom to be held accountable) and some not understanding why so many are outraged.
For those who do not understand our outrage, please view the Canadian video below produced and performed by Terry Kelly addressing a man who showed disrespect during their two minute time of Remembrance of their fallen heroes.
Latest Update: Lindsey Stone resigned from her job, November 21, 2012. Both her and Jamie Schuh are no longer are employed by LIFE. The employer issued the following on their facebook page,
Vandalization of our Veterans Memorials has been a problem for some time. If it wasn’t vandals then it was the ACLU, atheists, anti-war ilk and more and each has been met head on, in one way or another informing them that our Memorials are sacred and sit on hallowed ground. But, as the photo below shows, some take their disrespect too far.
Summer got an early start Saturday under a cool northwest cloudy sky and showers. For the balmy raining day the car turn out was tremendous, many people coming out to Boppin’ Bo’s for an afternoon of eats, cars and Rock n Roll.
