Found this at the Anchoress…compare and contrast.

I think my cynicism just ramped up! (So sorry Michelle.)

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” Thomas Jefferson

IMHO…ignorant is voting on a 1,073 page spending bill…without reading it

“The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.”

“The principle of spending money to be paid by future generations, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.”

“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”

“A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor any bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.” “

To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”

“The beauty of the Second Amendment is that is will not be needed until they try to take it away.”

“To take from one because it is thought that his own industry and that of his father’s has acquired too much, in order to spare others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association–the guarantee to every one of a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it.”

“Most bad government has grown out of too much government.”

“Delay is preferable to error.”

All quotes by the above.

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.”

Just sayin’…

Nah…after all…this is…change.

Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch

In 2003, Sgt. Popaditch, along with 1st Tank Battalion, rolled into Baghdad from Kuwait at the start of the Iraq War. They had just taken the city and the tank that Sgt. Popaditch was in had rolled up to a 40-ft statue of Saddam. I think we all remember that statue. Popaditch was given a cigar by a fellow Marine and as he smoked it an AP photographer snapped a picture of him.

Fast forward to April 7, 2004. Sgt. Popaditch’s wife was vacationing with their son when she received a phone call informing her that her husband had been injured in an attack. The turret of his tank, that he was situated in, had taken two direct hits from RPG’s. He fell through the hatch to the floor of the tank. As he struggled to his feet, he began to shout orders to his men but go no response. He then realized that the attack had caused him to go deaf in both ears. But that was only temporary. He then reached up and felt that his head was wet and knew it wasn’t good.

In the aftermath of the attack, Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch had lost his right eye. And because of that he now proudly wears a prosthetic eye with the Marine Corps. logo embossed on it. On November 10, 2005 Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch was awarded the Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest award for heroism in combat. He also has a book out titled Once A Marine.

You can read more about Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popaditch here and here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

This Weeks Post Was Suggested And Written By Cynthia

Sgt James E. Craig
27 years old from Hollywood, South Carolina
1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
January 28, 2008

James, 27, was killed on January 28, 2008, in Mosul, Iraq, along with four other soldiers when the unit encountered an IED, followed by an ambush from a nearby Mosque. It has been a year since James was killed. I miss him each day.

James was on his third deployment to Iraq. There are so many things about James that I admired. He was ‘loud’ and funny and articulate and sweet - even calling himself ‘Sweet Soldier’ - and brave and tough. He was a devout Christian and more comfortable with telling people he was than anyone I ever knew - he had a enviable, easy comfort with this faith. It would be so easy to write and write about James, but let me share some portions of his letters - his long and articulate letters.

“…I am very much looking forward to this war being over. However, I fully support everything that is going on over here ever since I saw first hand what the real situation was. Our media doesn’t portray the truth of this operation or the necessity to the people here. They need freedom and desperately cry out for someone to help them. … I know one thing, God wants me here.”

“The war here is stating to come to an end. It will be a slow transition period where the responsibility of the battle space is handed over to the growing Iraqi Army. It all depends on the Iraqis if we are able to leave them with it safely.”

“…it is a tale of my wonderful journey where I made memories I will never forget and stood up for something that I believe in…that sweet taste of freedom when the day is done and the knowledge that I have done something to ensure the positive future of my loved ones. And, you should know that it comforts me the most that what I do protects wonderful people like you.”

To read more about Sgt James Craig, go here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

And so it ends …and so it begins.  The orderly transfer of the leadership of our country.

I am an American.  I’m not a citizen of the world or a child of the universe (at least not until the grays or the Klingons show up).

American.

As an American…I have a new president.  On one end of the spectrum there are people who are so hyped up on hope…I’m pretty sure they think the clouds are going to part and the angels sing at noon today.  On the other end are those who are sure the end is near.  I’ve heard people say they will afford this president the respect that was given to President Bush.  (How tempting that is.) There are those who fought vigorously against Obama’s election  and now say they hope he succeeds.  I suppose the question is…whose definition of success?  (I’d say the chances of President Obama becoming the second coming of President Reagan are fairly slim.)

So…my thought for the day…

I want  my country to succeed…always….to live up to the vision of the authors of our Constitution and that we continue to be the best and most blessed nation “on God’s green earth.”  And so in keeping with that…I wish my new President well.

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Deb

Capt. Ed Freeman
Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)

While reading the info on Cpt. Freeman, I found that I couldn’t have put it better than this.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.