Monday, September 10, 2012

Eleven Years Ago

Eleven years ago, I was sitting here just like this, poking around on the computer.  I had walked home from the auto repair shop where I had dropped off the van for repairs after dropping our middle son off at high school.  Bob took our youngest to his private school in Fort Worth, where he was taking special classes for dyslexia.

As I watched events unfold, and heard radio reports, I was able to find tiny postage stamp size coverage online, and walked into our backyard to tell Bob's brother, studying in our little house, that a tower had fallen.  He dropped me off at the repair shop and then headed to his in-laws house as he wanted to see coverage on a tv.  We did not have a tv at the time, trying to focus on the boys reading skills, and trying to control the garbage on tv to impressionable young minds.

Our firstborn was a sophomore in college...band member in one of the most patriotic colleges, in the ROTC program.  I was not worried about him.  But, knowing we were now at war, it would not be long before his upper classmen were sent to meet this enemy of radical islam over there.  I was so thankful our new president had a military background and respected the advice of his military admirals and generals. 

Remember how quiet the skies were that next week?  Remember the stories that came out of the events---stories of heros and selfless bravery.  I could not get enough.  Even last year, on the Tenth Anniversary, I learned so much from the stories.  These stories should be taught in our schools, but sadly, the schools have been hyjacked by teachers unions, liberal professors and teaching to look good on tests rather than history.  And since we are not learning from history, we are doomed to repeat the mistakes. 

Eleven years later: I am a grannie of four beautiful, healthy grandchildren.  Two of my sons are captains! They have both done funeral duty.  One more than the other.  We are empty nesters.  I can no longer make 4 mile long hikes on a beautiful September morning.  Sometimes my hip gives out. I move slower.  I need larger font. 

I am concerned that people are allowed to come live here without proper screening.  We should only allow people to live here that embrace our God given freedom. rights. justice. the desire to live respecting the religion of others. Our borders should be secure.

I am concerned that our leaders are afraid to declare a purpose, a mission in Iraq, and Afghanistan.  Did we learn nothing from Vietnam?  There should be consequences for killing our soldiers---especially, the soldiers trying to train them to govern themselves.   Eleven years out, we have all lost friends and relatives over there.  My husband has a cousin buried at Arlington in Virginia.   But, the media does not mention the fallen unless you live in their city. Where is the monument to the now over 6,000?  Are their stories, their acts of heroism being taught at school? 
Scott Baker on the Blazecast posed the question: why no outrage to the story on disrespect shown the flag at a university.

It was a super big flag.
Supposidly for dimocrats---some of us do not expect them to show respect.

But, here on the Eleventh Anniversary from September 11th, 2001, have we been teaching patriotism to our children in schools?  Are we outraged when children are not taught the pledge let alone given the opportunity to say it each day?

The flag is a symbol. It is dear to some of us.  Madison Rising, a conservative rock band of which a member is a vet, is promoting a new version of the Star Spangled Banner.  To meet the criticism that no one has the SSB on their ipod, Madison Rising has a version that will get your blood pumping.  Elderly folks may find it offensive.  But, if it gives our national anthem new life, so be it.

In eleven years of watching the radical islam animals enjoy burning our flag too much---even constructing crude copies just to burn them, it is as if we are picking our battles and choosing not to play their game.  If they want to go ape shit over our flag, we can't stop them...short of turning them to glass.  We are too nice.  We instead desire to be a beacon.  A place of refuge.  If you come here, you will find freedom, and fairness and justice....unless you are the fetus in a black teenager. 

Both of my sons have presided over funerals where their job, their duty and privilege was to hand the widow a folded up flag.  It is up to their generation to decide. I defer to them.  Only on military installations do you stand to honor our flag and all it stands for---before a movie.  Only on military installations have I heard the daily honor given the flag raising, lowering, and salute to all fifty states. 

It is if there is nothing sacred anymore.  People are told to remove their signage at campsites because it is political and hence "offensive?"  Soon, flying the flag may be deemed offensive to half our country.  And that is sad.

If I personally witnessed someone on my street, in my city disrespecting the flag, I will try to gently teach.  But, best to give the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be concerned about the soul of the one disrespecting that flag--for only then, when the soul is right with God, will they then be given the desire, as I was, to honor and revere our God given rights, and learn that under God there is a worthy and unworthy manner of doing everything.