Thank you to our Veterans

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month the war to end all wars also know as World War 1 came to an end. Of course we now know that World War 1 was not the war to end all wars it wasn't even the war to end all world wars. Still this day as been chosen to honor all veteran's living and dead. I just want to take a moment to thank our soldiers who are fighting and Iraq and Afghanistan and who are stationed in foreign lands across the world. Their sacrifices along with the families of these soldiers is what makes America the greatest country on earth. Thank You you to all the soldiers who volunteer to protect this great land and even more thanks to the ones that never made it home.

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.


It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.


It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.


It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.


It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.


It is the VETERAN, not the politician, Who has given us the right to vote.


It is the VETERAN who salutes the Flagand


It is the VETERAN who serves under the Flag

The Berlin Wall

I was nine years old when the Berlin Wall fell, but I still remember the event. Back then the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. were seemingly always about a moment from destroying each other. We were long past the days of duck and cover. (Perhaps because someone pointed out the absurdity of hiding from a nuke under a small wooden desk.) However the threat was still very real until the moment the Berlin Wall came down.

Their is great history behind the Berlin Wall. The Wall was completed on August 13, 1961. This closed the border between the communist East Berlin and the democratic West Berlin. The Wall was more than 87 miles long. Many families were separated and would not be reunited until the Berlin Wall fell. On June 26, 1963 President John F. Kennedy went to West Berlin and uttered the now famous phase "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a Berliner). The phase was intended to be a shot at the Soviets as well as the encourage people in West Berlin. Another American President would deliver a similarly iconic speech on June 12, 1987 at the Brandenburg gate. "We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Just a little over two years later the wall did come down.

The fall of the Berlin Wall was the first visible sign weakness from the Soviets. While it is now well known that many of their shows of might were just that shows in 1989 they were still viewed as the one of the World's two superpowers. When the people in East Berlin took their sledgehammers to the wall twenty years ago they did so under the threat or maybe in their minds the certainty of death. The people of East Germany and West Germany decided that they'd rather die than live one more day without freedom. Only because they were willing to die for freedom did they received freedom. Men can only have freedom if they are willing to die for it and can only keep it in the same way.

Here in America we must never forget as President Reagan so eloquently said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." Here in America has long has we have brave men and women willing to go across the world to fight for freedom we will always be free.

The Revolution Has Started

Last night we saw a glimpse of what could happen in 2010 if Republicans stick to their guns and continue fighting run away spending and irresponsible government that is coming out of the Obama Admission. With Republicans winning the top three spots in Virginia for the first time since 1997, and with Chris Christie upset victory in New Jersey it became a big night for the Republican Party. On the downside upstart Doug Hoffman was defeated in the NY 23rd, but I expect him to run again as a Republican and win that seat a year from now.
Regardless of the results from last night we simply cannot become complacent. We must continue to call out our own party when they are in the wrong. We must demand accountability from all Republicans. I expect RINO's will see several primary challenges in 2010 and 2012. If conservatives are to take back this country it will be one election at a time. Last night was a good start, but that is all it was a start.