[Rhodes22-list] Political: How California liberals treat a war hero

[Hank]

My uncle just sent me this and I thought some of you on the list might
appreciate it.

Hank

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Neil F Shearman <neilthai at usa.net>
Date: Jul 18, 2006 4:54 PM
Subject: How California liberals treat a war hero
To: ". Friends" <nfshear at yahoo.com>

  *4th of July in California Assembly*

*From John Campbell, **
California Republican Assemblyman *

*4th of July**: In each of the 4 years that I have been a member of the
state Assembly, we have had many "celebrations" on the Assembly floor.
These "celebrations" are orchestrated by the Democrats who control the House
and often involve singing and dancing.  Every one of my 4 years have seen
substantial celebrations of Cinco de Mayo (which Commemorates the Mexican
victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla ), St. Patrick's Day (for
the patron Saint of Ireland), and Chinese New Year's Day, among others.  But
never once have we celebrated America's Independence Day, the 4th of July. *

*So, this year, Republican Assemblyman Jay LaSuer of San Diego arranged for
Vietnam war hero Admiral Jeremiah Denton to come to California to be a part
of a 4th of July ceremony.  As you may know, Admiral Denton was a Navy pilot
i n Vietnam who was shot down and spent 8 years in a Vietnamese prison.  In
1966 while in prison, he was interviewed by North Vietnamese television in
Hanoi after torture to get him to "respond properly."  During this
interview, he blinked his eyes in Morse code to spell out the word
"torture."  He was asked about his support for the war in Vietnam to which
he replied "I don't know what is happening now in Vietnam, because the only
news sources I have are Vietnamese.  But whatever the position of my
government is, I believe in it, I support it, and I will support it as long
as I live."  Four of his 8 years in prison were spent in solitary
confinement.  He later wrote the book "When Hell was in Session" chronicling
his experience in Vietnam. *

*When he stepped off the plane after being released from prison in 1973, he
said "We are honored to have had the oppo rtunity to serve our country in
difficult circumstances.  We are profoundly grateful to our
Commander-in-Chief for this day.  God bless America." *

*Suffice it to say, Jeremiah Denton is unquestionably an American hero. *

*The Democrat leadership refused to allow him on the Assembly floor, and
there was no 4th of July celebration.  A memo from the Democrat speaker's
office said "problems have arisen both with regards to the spirit, content,
and participation of various individuals with regard to the ceremony."
Apparently, they said that he did not believe in the "separation of church
and state" and therefore they would not allow him to be on the Assembly
floor or to speak. *

*Upon hearing about this, Governor Schwarzenegger offered his meeting room
for a ceremony with Admiral Denton.  The room was overflowing with people.
Only one elected Democrat was in attendance.  A number of veterans of the
last 4 wars were present.  Admiral Denton gave a very moving speech about
the 4th of July and about the undeniable commitment of our founding fathers'
to their faith in God.  He talked about how the war on terrorism may be the
most difficult war we have yet fought.  And he went on to say that he fears
that partisan attacks on our mission and our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
sound too familiar to what he experienced in Vietnam.  Following his speech,
The Governor came out to personally spend time with him. *

*Then this American hero, whose debt from us all can never be repaid, flew
home to Alabama. *

*The Assembly did meet on that day.  And we did have a ceremony that lasted
nearly 20 minutes.  That ceremony was to celebrate the career of a reporter
from the LA Times on the occasion of his retirement.  Democrats universally
praised him as being "balanced."  He was allowed to speak for about 10
minutes.  Admiral Denton was no longer in the building. *

*Four years of Cinco De Mayo and not one recognition of the 4th of July.  An
LA Times reporter praised, and the very person whose sacrifice allows him to
express his opinion is banned.  It is perverse.  It is wrong.  And it is
disrespectful to all the men and women in uniform who have stared death in
the face and to those who gave the ul t imate sacrifice for the American
people. *

*Admiral Jeremiah Denton is a hero like all the other men and women of the
Armed Forces, because he defended the ideals set forth with America's
independence. *

*Democrats are always railing about intolerance and discrimination.  But yet
in practice, it is they who engage in regular state-sanctioned
discrimination and who are intolerant of the presentation of other views.
Maybe they are worried that people will listen. *

*I do not send you this to bash Democrats.  I send you this to demonstrate
the huge chasm that exists between registered, voting Democrats, and elected
Democrat lea dership.  I hope those of you who are not Democrats, will send
this to your friends who are.  If you are a Democrat, don't be ashamed.  Be
angry.  Straighten out your party and your leadership, or leave it. *

*Fortunately, we do not need the approval of the Speaker of the Assembly to
celebrate our nation's independence.  Nor do we need his permission to thank
those who fought to give us and to maintain our freedoms.  On the 4th of
July, as the burgers cook and the fireworks fly, let us always
remember......and give thanks. *

*As a final offering, I give you a poem that Admiral Denton read to us,
through eyes clouded with tears:*


*"It is the soldier, not the reporter,** **
        Who has given us freedom of the press.*
* It is the soldier, not the poet, *
*        Who has given us freedom of speech.*
* It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,*
*        Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.*
* It is the soldi e r, Who salutes the flag,*
*                         Who serves beneath the flag, *
*                         And whose coffin is draped by the flag,*
*        Who allows the protester to burn the flag." *




"If we do not protect our troops, why should they protect us?" - Major Frank
Stolz



"Demonstrate to the world there is 'No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy' than a
U.S. Marine."

-- J. N. Mattis, Major General, U.S. Marines Commanding General's *Message
to All Hands,* March 2003