Tears trickled softly from the clouds,
Down the face of the sky
They spilled into my empty heart
And welled up in my eye
Too many tears fall in the night
Too many tears I’ve cried
Too many tears for each young man
Who lived and fought and died
I stood beside their empty boots
Beneath a tear streaked sky
And when no voice answered the roll
All I could do was cry.
To the nine young men who left Ft Lewis a month and a half ago and have come home too soon. Buffalos!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Project 2996 - In Memory
Ronald Tartaro
Age: 38
Killed: September 11, 2001
Mourned by his wife, three children, his family and friends. He was a cyclist who dreamed of sailing around the world. He loved spending his free time cycling with his family and riding tandem with his wife.
Thomas E. Sinton III
Born: July 23, 1960
Killed: September 11, 2001
Thomas is mourned by his wife, daughter, family and friends. He was a sharp, witty gentleman who had a talent for making money and making devoted friends of all who knew him.
September 11, 2009
The misty September morning
The silent tears of prayer
The voices of all those who grieve
The hush of those not there
The love that time can not abateThe memories that won't die
The strength to stand within the storm
The courage to defy
The truth of what you faced that morn
The truths we face today
God hold you closely in His arms
God give you peace this day
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Post Updated, We've lost 3 More
We've lost 3 more of our brave soldiers from the 1/17. The funerals for the first two are today. They've had boots on the ground for less than a month and IEDs have claimed 9 already. I've updated the original post with the new names. Please pray for them and their families.
http://standuptothem.blogspot.com/2009/08/taps_27.html
http://standuptothem.blogspot.com/2009/08/taps_27.html
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Gone and, Hopefully, Soon Forgotten
I have delayed writing this post because each time I started to write it I found words appearing on the page like “despicable, debauched and depraved”. I thought that if I mulled this post a bit longer I could find less denigrating terms to apply to Ted Kennedy than those. Alas, it was to no avail. As I mentioned in a previous post, Ted Kennedy behaved as a weasel all his life. He was also a murderer and a philanderer; openly, flagrantly and arrogantly. The only thing more pathetic than Ted Kennedy and his life choices were the pitiable people of Massachusetts who knew what he was and kept reelecting him to a position of power and authority.
I was once told by a dear friend that, “the Kennedy’s have been good to Massachusetts”. Well Massachusetts sure was good to Ted Kennedy, too. The last, and least, of the brothers who sought to build a dynasty in a republic, Our Republic, Kennedy got pass after pass from the people of Massachusetts time after time. I guess if you are buried up to your nose in stench then you get used to the smell… as long as the ones who are piling on the stench toss you a bone now and then.
I’m sorry the Kennedy family is grieving the loss of a loved one. I’m sorry the Kopechne family is still grieving the loss of a loved one and aching from the horrendous miscarriage of justice that kept her murderer from ever facing punishment for his crimes. Sadly, Kennedy might have even been forgiven this crime by the time he died if he had admitted to his actions and accepted a just punishment for them. As it is history will mark his name with shame and he will pay for the crime for which he escaped punishment in life for as long as history remembers him. Although, for all he has been given a large send off by the sycophantic press, his actual contributions to this nation were small and he is likely to be forgotten more quickly than that same press would believe.
Though I was a child when Mary Jo Kopechne was murdered, I still remember her death. It is my hope that, if he is remembered at all, the name Ted Kennedy will conjure up more memories of the shame he brought to his office than any of the false glories now being attributed to him by those who vested themselves up to their noses in the stench of his life. He didn’t answer for his crimes here on earth, but he stands now before a greater judge than any of this world. I will cease to fret that Ted Kennedy has gone unpunished and defer to The Lord’s judgment of the man and his soul. May Ted Kennedy never cross my mind again!
I was once told by a dear friend that, “the Kennedy’s have been good to Massachusetts”. Well Massachusetts sure was good to Ted Kennedy, too. The last, and least, of the brothers who sought to build a dynasty in a republic, Our Republic, Kennedy got pass after pass from the people of Massachusetts time after time. I guess if you are buried up to your nose in stench then you get used to the smell… as long as the ones who are piling on the stench toss you a bone now and then.
I’m sorry the Kennedy family is grieving the loss of a loved one. I’m sorry the Kopechne family is still grieving the loss of a loved one and aching from the horrendous miscarriage of justice that kept her murderer from ever facing punishment for his crimes. Sadly, Kennedy might have even been forgiven this crime by the time he died if he had admitted to his actions and accepted a just punishment for them. As it is history will mark his name with shame and he will pay for the crime for which he escaped punishment in life for as long as history remembers him. Although, for all he has been given a large send off by the sycophantic press, his actual contributions to this nation were small and he is likely to be forgotten more quickly than that same press would believe.
Though I was a child when Mary Jo Kopechne was murdered, I still remember her death. It is my hope that, if he is remembered at all, the name Ted Kennedy will conjure up more memories of the shame he brought to his office than any of the false glories now being attributed to him by those who vested themselves up to their noses in the stench of his life. He didn’t answer for his crimes here on earth, but he stands now before a greater judge than any of this world. I will cease to fret that Ted Kennedy has gone unpunished and defer to The Lord’s judgment of the man and his soul. May Ted Kennedy never cross my mind again!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Taps
Scalded my broken heart
The desert that just took your life
Has torn our world apart
The names we spoke in brighter days
Now shine before God’s throne
And though we know you fought for us
We’re still left here alone
Too many loved ones lost to us
Too many nights we’ve cried
Too many wives have wept alone
Too many friends have died.
Your wife won’t hold you close again
Nor touch the face of love
Though in the sleeplessness of night
That’s all that she’s thinking of
Your kids sleep far from where you fell,
They’ll wake to find you’re gone.
They’ll grow up without knowing you
And learn to carry on
Because that’s what we have to,
The families left behind.
We stand together and we wait,
Our lives are intertwined,
Those whose husbands, sons and dads
March home to laugh and brag
And those whose men come home alone
Beneath a tight draped flag.
Too many loved ones lost to us
Too many nights we’ve cried
Too many wives have wept alone
Too many friends have died.
The hollow ache of ceaseless grief
The bitter salt of tears
Give way in time to memories
And slowly fading fears
But we won’t let your names be lost
Through all the passing years.
DOD Identifies Army Casualties
The Department of Defense announced today the death of soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died in Afghanistan. The soldiers were assigned to 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
Spc. Troy O. Tom, 21, of Shiprock, N.M.
Pfc. Jonathan C. Yanney, 20, of Litchfield, Minn.
Capt. John L. Hallett III, 30, of California.
Capt. Cory J. Jenkins, 30, of Arizona.
Sgt. 1st Class Ronald W. Sawyer, 38, of Trenton, Mo.
Pfc. Dennis M. Williams, 24, of Federal Way, Wash.
Spc. Jonathan D. Welch, 19, of Yorba Linda, California (C CO)Pfc. Jordan M. Brochu, 20, of Cumberland, Maine (C CO)
Spc. Tyler R. Walshe, 21, of Shasta California (C Co)”
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Townhall Meeting....
... with Adam Smith (D-WA) http://adamsmith.house.gov/
Let me start by saying Thank You to Mr Smith for holding a Townhall Meeting and for handling it with grace and courtesy towards all. The meeting took place in Clover Park High School’s stadium. It was not well advertised and the Union presence was obviously well planned and well staged from the booths set up at the entrance of the event to the gauntlet of union workers lining the exit route through which everyone had to leave… complete with Obamacare petitions that were thrust into the face of every passer-by. There was a definite Astroturf feel to the meeting with so many attendees wearing union T-shirts or name badges with their Union logos on them.
Planned Parenthood made an apprearance, too, of course.
Note in this last picture the pile of signs on the ground to the bottom left. This Union had made a bunch of signs that were intended to look like homemade signs rather than mass produced "astroturf" signs, which is exactly what they were. Union members were picking up their "home made signs" as they checked in at the booth!
There were constituents in attendance from King, Pierce and Thurston Counties for this meeting. I was quite certain that we’d hear a lot of pro-Obamacare speeches as a result of the union presence, however, the bulk of the comments were anti-Obamacare, some were quite calm and direct while others were more passionate. Mr Smith listened attentively to them all.
From his answers, it was quite clear that Smith is a Democrat, but in a more conservative district. He is supportive of the military and gave a very good answer to the gentleman who asked him to get us out of Afghanistan. He indicated that if HR Bill 3200 comes to the floor as is, he would vote against it. However, he did add the huge caveat that it would not come to the floor as is. His answer became something of a “skirting of the intent” of the question with that caveat, but he’s a politician. That propensity for “skirting the question” appeared again later in the evening when he was asked if he would take the same health care plan that was being foisted on the American people by this legislation. His response was totally disingenuous as he said that he IS on the same health care plan as the American people are… he has private health care and he will opt to keep that when this legislation goes into effect, “as can everyone”. RIGHT!
At one point a constituent asked where the Congress derived it’s authority to dictate to free citizens what type of health insurance they can have. He started his answer with, “The Constitution…” but he got no further than that when the crowd let him know CLEARLY that we know the Constitution does not authorize that power to the Federal Government. He backtracked quickly and his next attempt at an explanation was lost to me in the continued rumble of outrage. I’m not sure if he ever adequately answered that question.
The traditional Lynden Larouche Democrat showed up with his Obama/Hitler poster. He was physically assaulted by his fellow Democrats and several Union members. His sign was ripped from his hand and a shoving match disrupted the meeting. While I find his approach repugnant, he too is a constituent and a citizen with a right to be heard at this meeting. I found the thuggery of those who assaulted him equally offensive.
Again, as we were leaving, we had to pass through a gauntlet of union members waving signs and thrusting petitions at everyone. It literally became a process of telling petion holder after petition holder, "NO!" and some required more than one No before they accepted it.
There were some great signs, as usual…
And all in all, I must admit real respect for Mr Smith because he held a Townhall Meeting. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell don’t have the sense of responsibility to their constituents to hold any Townhall Meetings and, while Norm Dicks is actually holding two meetings, they are both in remote and heavily union locations… Fort Worden and Bremerton. I guess those three have the courage of their convictions…. Or lack thereof! Be forewarned Norm, we think these meetings are important and we're driving all the way up to discuss Obamacare with you in Bremerton! See you there!
Oh... I almost forgot.... Do you remember this guy from the Tea Party? (Posted on Dryadshaven.blogspot.com) Well he apparently hits all the significant political events in the area. You gotta admire a man who's politcally active and consistent in his message!
There were constituents in attendance from King, Pierce and Thurston Counties for this meeting. I was quite certain that we’d hear a lot of pro-Obamacare speeches as a result of the union presence, however, the bulk of the comments were anti-Obamacare, some were quite calm and direct while others were more passionate. Mr Smith listened attentively to them all.From his answers, it was quite clear that Smith is a Democrat, but in a more conservative district. He is supportive of the military and gave a very good answer to the gentleman who asked him to get us out of Afghanistan. He indicated that if HR Bill 3200 comes to the floor as is, he would vote against it. However, he did add the huge caveat that it would not come to the floor as is. His answer became something of a “skirting of the intent” of the question with that caveat, but he’s a politician. That propensity for “skirting the question” appeared again later in the evening when he was asked if he would take the same health care plan that was being foisted on the American people by this legislation. His response was totally disingenuous as he said that he IS on the same health care plan as the American people are… he has private health care and he will opt to keep that when this legislation goes into effect, “as can everyone”. RIGHT!
At one point a constituent asked where the Congress derived it’s authority to dictate to free citizens what type of health insurance they can have. He started his answer with, “The Constitution…” but he got no further than that when the crowd let him know CLEARLY that we know the Constitution does not authorize that power to the Federal Government. He backtracked quickly and his next attempt at an explanation was lost to me in the continued rumble of outrage. I’m not sure if he ever adequately answered that question.
The traditional Lynden Larouche Democrat showed up with his Obama/Hitler poster. He was physically assaulted by his fellow Democrats and several Union members. His sign was ripped from his hand and a shoving match disrupted the meeting. While I find his approach repugnant, he too is a constituent and a citizen with a right to be heard at this meeting. I found the thuggery of those who assaulted him equally offensive.
Again, as we were leaving, we had to pass through a gauntlet of union members waving signs and thrusting petitions at everyone. It literally became a process of telling petion holder after petition holder, "NO!" and some required more than one No before they accepted it.
There were some great signs, as usual…
And all in all, I must admit real respect for Mr Smith because he held a Townhall Meeting. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell don’t have the sense of responsibility to their constituents to hold any Townhall Meetings and, while Norm Dicks is actually holding two meetings, they are both in remote and heavily union locations… Fort Worden and Bremerton. I guess those three have the courage of their convictions…. Or lack thereof! Be forewarned Norm, we think these meetings are important and we're driving all the way up to discuss Obamacare with you in Bremerton! See you there! Oh... I almost forgot.... Do you remember this guy from the Tea Party? (Posted on Dryadshaven.blogspot.com) Well he apparently hits all the significant political events in the area. You gotta admire a man who's politcally active and consistent in his message!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Pardon Me While I Rant...
My, My, My, where to start! I Know - I’ve been absent for a week and a half. Those pesky friends and family who come to visit, the annoying need to work and pay my bills and, of course, those outside projects in the sun and the sweet air that fill the weekend hours when I’d much rather be sitting here at my computer in my stuffy room…. Okay, even I don’t believe that last one. What I do believe, however, is that there is A LOT upon which I intend to have a say and for which I would have needed to flag myself. If only the White House of ill repute had not shut down its snitch line. I was getting used to my weekly self flag-ellation.
Let’s start with: “Death Panels” and how that phrase offends President Obama. Except that he has reinstated a booklet for older veterans that, effectively, encourages them to opt for suicide rather than continue as a drain on society. I know you’ve heard that the VA medical system is a great example of the concepts of Obamacare and this is the proof. Maybe there are no death panels in the plan … YET. But don’t believe for one moment that they aren’t integral in the concepts of the plan!
Ted Kennedy still behaves in a despicable manner! The man who left a woman to drown, hoping to protect his own public face, has now stepped up off his death bed to prove that a weasel is a weasel to the end of his days! When Massachusetts had a Republican Governor who would appoint the replacement for John Kerry, should he have won the election in 2004, Ted Kennedy demanded that the State change its constitution to allow a vote of the people instead of an appointment by the Governor when a Congressional Seat needed to be filled. Hey! I’m Good With That!! I’ve always thought that the people should be making those choices, not a politician. But now…. With a Democrat governor in place and Ted himself at the point of needing to step down, Mr Kennedy is asking that the constitution be changed back to take the vote AWAY from the people and give it back to the Governor. If I lived in Massachusetts I’d be outraged. Although, if I lived in Massachusetts I’d be outraged to be represented by the weasel brothers, Kennedy and Kerry, anyway so why not pour a bunch more salt in that wound!
Al Megrahi… What is left to say on this one? Way to go Scotland! Oh how the blood has thinned! And Mr Brown, don’t pretend for one minute that your administration didn’t drive that decision in an effort to ensure more favorable treatment. Did anyone ever tell you that feeding your friends to the alligators only delays the inevitable? The 21st Century update to that adage is that high speed communications and research techniques such as the internet throw light on the darkest secrets, thus tending to inform and, thereby, tick off the remaining friends that you had planned to throw to the alligators for your benefit! OOPS!
Yard Sales: Hey!!! Did you know that the Obammunists, as one of our local Conservative DJ’s calls them, have decided that you and your neighbors will be held responsible for selling anything that might be construed as dangerous as if you were the originator of the defect? Meaning… those hand me down toys with breakable parts on them… you can be prosecuted for re-selling them. And guess who is going out to garage sales and flea markets to look for such items… YOU GOT IT!!! BIG BROTHER! Don’t believe me? Read this: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/thrift/thrguid.pdf
Eric Holder, The US Attorney General under Barak Obama, who is prosecuting CIA Investigators for the tactics they were authorized to use to interrogate those who attacked the United States on September 11th, 2001, was a senior partner of Covington and Burling. Guess who they are… Go on, Guess! They are one of the firms currently defending the terrorists in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Yep!! Does the phrase “Conflict of Interest” spring to mind when you hear that the people who are working to prevent more attacks are being prosecuted by the TOP LAW OFFICIAL IN THIS NATION who has spent the past few years defending those who ATTACKED US in the first place? Kind of makes me wonder where General Holder’s head is. Well, I don’t actually wonder where his head is, in fact I don't even care, but it’s obvious that oxygen depletion to the brain could be an issue where ever his head is located.
Let’s start with: “Death Panels” and how that phrase offends President Obama. Except that he has reinstated a booklet for older veterans that, effectively, encourages them to opt for suicide rather than continue as a drain on society. I know you’ve heard that the VA medical system is a great example of the concepts of Obamacare and this is the proof. Maybe there are no death panels in the plan … YET. But don’t believe for one moment that they aren’t integral in the concepts of the plan!
Ted Kennedy still behaves in a despicable manner! The man who left a woman to drown, hoping to protect his own public face, has now stepped up off his death bed to prove that a weasel is a weasel to the end of his days! When Massachusetts had a Republican Governor who would appoint the replacement for John Kerry, should he have won the election in 2004, Ted Kennedy demanded that the State change its constitution to allow a vote of the people instead of an appointment by the Governor when a Congressional Seat needed to be filled. Hey! I’m Good With That!! I’ve always thought that the people should be making those choices, not a politician. But now…. With a Democrat governor in place and Ted himself at the point of needing to step down, Mr Kennedy is asking that the constitution be changed back to take the vote AWAY from the people and give it back to the Governor. If I lived in Massachusetts I’d be outraged. Although, if I lived in Massachusetts I’d be outraged to be represented by the weasel brothers, Kennedy and Kerry, anyway so why not pour a bunch more salt in that wound!
Al Megrahi… What is left to say on this one? Way to go Scotland! Oh how the blood has thinned! And Mr Brown, don’t pretend for one minute that your administration didn’t drive that decision in an effort to ensure more favorable treatment. Did anyone ever tell you that feeding your friends to the alligators only delays the inevitable? The 21st Century update to that adage is that high speed communications and research techniques such as the internet throw light on the darkest secrets, thus tending to inform and, thereby, tick off the remaining friends that you had planned to throw to the alligators for your benefit! OOPS!
Yard Sales: Hey!!! Did you know that the Obammunists, as one of our local Conservative DJ’s calls them, have decided that you and your neighbors will be held responsible for selling anything that might be construed as dangerous as if you were the originator of the defect? Meaning… those hand me down toys with breakable parts on them… you can be prosecuted for re-selling them. And guess who is going out to garage sales and flea markets to look for such items… YOU GOT IT!!! BIG BROTHER! Don’t believe me? Read this: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/thrift/thrguid.pdf
Eric Holder, The US Attorney General under Barak Obama, who is prosecuting CIA Investigators for the tactics they were authorized to use to interrogate those who attacked the United States on September 11th, 2001, was a senior partner of Covington and Burling. Guess who they are… Go on, Guess! They are one of the firms currently defending the terrorists in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Yep!! Does the phrase “Conflict of Interest” spring to mind when you hear that the people who are working to prevent more attacks are being prosecuted by the TOP LAW OFFICIAL IN THIS NATION who has spent the past few years defending those who ATTACKED US in the first place? Kind of makes me wonder where General Holder’s head is. Well, I don’t actually wonder where his head is, in fact I don't even care, but it’s obvious that oxygen depletion to the brain could be an issue where ever his head is located.
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