Maybe that is what, in my mind, will be the principle reason why he will never be considered to be a great President and may well eventually end up in the lower one-third of his class. In going where I’m going, I am in no way subscribing to the Al Gore or John Kerry theories about how to run the country. Putting Bush up against either of these jerks would still be a “no brainer” for me; I’d vote against Gore or Kerry, but not necessarily for Bush.
Understand that both sides of my family go back to the 1600’s as far as being residents of this continent. So, my issue is naturally this: Just when does your duty to our country end? Is it after you serve in the military? Is it after you retire as a civil servant? Is it after you serve eight years as President? Or, is it after your patriotic fanny lands in a cemetery?
I recently read a pro/con opinion in the November 2010 issue of U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT. The gist of the question posed was whether or not Americans should serve their country in some manner. The arguments were along the lines of yes, and it should be required versus yes, and it should be voluntary.
Well, is this your country or not? How far are you willing to go to defend your country and your way of life? Should defending your country be mandatory, or should you be able to skate, (let somebody else do the heavy lifting so you can reap the benefits)?
I am flatly amazed at the number of military personnel who lose limbs, eyesight, hearing and so forth, who want so desperately to continue on in the service of their country. When you talk to a Viet Nam vet, one of those gray-haired old geezers who got so badly mistreated by our country for doing their job, every one of them to the last man will tell you that they will not hesitate to stand up and fight for their country today or tomorrow. Some are crippled, old, feeble…. Yet willing to fill in for an able-bodied man or woman in a desk job so that person can in turn go fight.
Countless Americans have dedicated their lives to the betterment of their country and I’m not just talking about paid civil servants. People have served on community advisory boards, they have served in lower-level elected or appointed positions, they have volunteered with different agencies or organizations and they have given, given and given to support America and its citizens.
Given my heritage, I don’t know how any man or woman can say that they have given enough to their country. Bush is a young man and still can give plenty to his country. If the enemy came knocking at his doorstep, how far would he get by saying that he was retired from being an American; he’s done his job? He’s contributed all he needs to contribute?
Somehow, this attitude implies to me that our duty to country has prescribed limits beyond which we do not need to venture. Well, I’m sorry, but I simply must disagree. Our duty to country begins the day we are born and it doesn’t end until the grim reaper wins the day. The failure of a large portion of our country to recognize this fact and to abide by its rule is the very reason we are in the trouble we are in today. Had we been vigilant as Americans, had we always been willing to stand up for what is right and to condemn what is wrong, we would not be in the moral, ethical and economical quagmire in which we find ourselves today.
We need to gather our strengths and seek out the compass of continuous and passionate service to country so that we can, indeed, take it back. We must not rest or retire from our obligation to ourselves and our children to always, every minute of every day, be American.
Sorry, George. You’re a cop-out.
That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
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