Elizabeth Kilbride

"Last Wish" A novel by Elizabeth Kilbride

2011-09-22T15:30:00.001-04:00

Over the last few years, many of my military fans have begged me to create a story that tells their story – why they serve. After careful forethought, I have created a very compelling story wrapped around one woman, the main character, Kendra Doyle.

In “Last Wish,” Kendra has had a hard life since the day she was born. Kendra is the daughter of a Marine, who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam. Unfortunately, she was brainwashed by academia during Desert Storm. After eighteen years of not speaking to her grandfather, Saimus Doyle, she learns of his death. His will has special provisions she must follow before she can receive what he has left her. While complying with those provisions, she learns a great deal about herself and why she’s been so bitter all her life.

"On the Brink of losing her job and facing financial ruin things can't get any worse in Kendra Doyle's life, until she learns her grandfather has died. Will his last wish solve her problems or add to them?"

To all my veterans, both past and present, “Last Wish” has been a labor of love and an honor to write. I hope you enjoy it.

NOTE: This book is only available for digital reading devices at this time.

You may obtain “Last Wish” on Kindle and other digital reading devices through the following links

FOR KINLDE LOVERS:

KINDLE USA LINK

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005O17CXI

KINDLE UK Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005O17CXI

FOR SONY and other digital reading devices:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=Last+Wish

If you don't have a digital reader yet, consider downloading http://calibre-ebook.com/ which allows you to read e-books on your personal computer at home. Calibre software is free.

Summer Fun Isn't So Fun to Some

2011-07-28T07:00:00.001-04:00

During this difficult time in our economy, more families are choosing to travel locally because they can’t afford a luxury vacation abroad. Instead their packing up the kids and taking to the road to explore their own back yards. In order to save money, instead of stopping at high priced hotels; they’re stopping at Mom and Pop motels along the way, saving a ton of money.

Many of the lower grade hotels and motels get a bad wrap, because of wall paper peeling off the wall in the lobby or lack of privacy because of thin walls. You can forget about the amenities, there might not be a microwave or fridge in the room or those fancy shampoos. Sometimes these places will remind you of those road trips you took with your parents or grandparents as a kid. There’s no room service and the pool might not be working but at least it’s cheap. Could there be another reason why these places are so cheap? Ya darn toot’en there’s a reason.

As the hotel industry is hit hard by the economy many hotels are reevaluating how they can make ends meet each month. This has forced many to think outside the box and be creative in order to keep the lights on and their staff paid each week.

For those who are finding themselves without a home they have three options; a shelter, under a bridge or taking one of the many rooms being offered by owners of motels and hotels struggling to survive.

Paul, a forty year old father of four, lives in a two bed, room with his wife at one of these types of motels in the middle of the heartland. “It’s better than living under a bridge or in a shelter, where I’d get no sleep at night for fear of someone hurting my two girls,” he said as we sat down to a cup of coffee. “It’s ironic that I’m forced to live in this place”, he said closing his eyes in shame. Before my life turned ugly, we lived in a beautiful home, had two cars, a good job and money in the bank.”

When asked what type of work Paul had before the bottom dropped out from beneath his feet, this writer was shocked at his response. Paul is one of thousands who is classified as Reservist in the United States Navy and who owned his own consulting company that catered to the defense industry. Due to frequent deployments, six in total, his consulting company failed. Without the added income life as he knew it began to spiral down into an abyss. His credit rating was destroyed, he owes more money than he can make and he’s driving a clunker to get back and forth from his temporary construction job. “At least we have a roof over our heads,” he says with a smile. Paul isn’t alone in his struggle; there are thousands just like him trying to survive after serving his country while in uniform.

Three former National Guardsman and their families are also living in hotels such as these because when they returned home from the combat zone, they lost their homes too. With no jobs available in the area in which they lived, they packed up what little belongings they have and took to the road in search of work. Construction work is great if you can find it in this economy and thank heavens they found it near a military base about to bring in over 25,000 new personnel. Each man feels the same as Paul does, serve your country honorably and return to an ungrateful nation. David’s son is in a wheelchair because he had MS, without a job he has no insurance. Without active duty orders he has no insurance. The only way he can get his son the medical attention he had to have an address in order to qualify for social services assistance; the manager of the motel allows his residents to receive mail to gain the assistance they need. The manager, John, is former Army enlisted during the Gulf War. “Kevin, David, Steven and Paul are all great guys, they help me maintain this place by cutting the grass or fix things when needed. It makes it a win-win for all of us,” said John. “We’ve become a family here over the last couple of years. Ma’am. We watch out for each other and help each other figure out life. We even share our food, our wives drive each other to appointments, even watch the kids so the parents can have some quality time together,” said David.

Theresa, a sparkly female in her mid-forties lives a few doors down from Paul and his family. After a bad car accident that totaled her car, leaving her with three slipped disks, two surgeries, therapy and a ton of medical bills, she lost her job as a secretary in a law firm. “I’ve got skills, but I can’t sit at a desk for long. Can’t find a real job and the only employment I’ve found is as a housekeeper at another hotel down the road”. When asked if she contacted any churches in the area, her response was, “Of course I did, but I was turned down for any assistance. “Actually, I was told that if they helped me, they’d have to help everyone else too,” she said shaking her head in disgust. “I’ve been a devout Catholic my entire life and my own church turned me down when I asked for help,” she added as tears began to trickle down her cheek. At the very moment when you need strength of God and you turn to your church for help and spiritual guidance, only to be turned away, feelings of abandonment rush through your veins like molten lava. You also feel as though God has forsaken you completely, when in fact it’s a member of his flock who has forsaken you because they’ve forgotten what the Bible says about helping those less fortunate then you.

Both Paul and Theresa would love to enjoy the privacy of their own home, but society won’t allow it, their credit report has been destroyed because of unforeseen circumstance. Neither of them have a bank account because any money they would deposit would be snatched by creditors. Money earned weekly is helping them survive day to day expenses for gas, food and shelter; basic necessities of life. By reducing rates to $35-$40 per night, both owners and those who have found themselves homeless and in need of safe shelter from life on the streets, they’re helping each other survive.

There is only problem with this perfect situation; local elected officials, developers, zoning enforcement agents and snobby neighbors are trying to force hotel owners to limit extended stay clients to only 40 days. To this writer this doesn’t make sense. Why would local officials want people living on the streets rather than helping a business owner continue to operate and be able to pay that tax revenue every business owner is required to pay for operating a business? The only thing that comes to mind is developers want the land.

The cost effectiveness for a community to help motels become temporary safe housing, for families who have fallen on hard times, is much cheaper than the alternative – life on the streets. First of all, these families are not drug dealers or hookers; they’re family units vulnerable to becoming victims of criminal activity on the streets. This in itself saves the community money in the long run –fire and police budgets won’t increase due to increase in crime or unnecessary expense in manpower and overtime for uniform officers. Secondly, real estate damage will not occur when these families seek shelter from the cold, whereby saving the banking industry and property values from plummeting even further into the abyss caused by the mortgage disaster. It’s also cheaper than building temporary housing to help keep these families off the streets. It keeps an existing business in operation too.

“At this motel, the lights are always on for those who live here,” said John as I began to walk away from the group. “We are a family and family takes care of family in my book.” He added with a smile.

Unfortunately, not all managers and owners are receptive to this concept to earn revenue to keep their doors open. Instead they would rather have an empty room and no y revenue in the cash box rather than open their doors to those in need. This will be the downfall of those hotels when no one is able to pay for those high priced hotel rooms they so carefully safeguarded throughout the year.

Until we as American’s take responsibility for our neighbors and offer a helping hand, the situation described above is going to get worse. If churches and community groups would understand a renovated motel with supportive services is the best option for these families instead of turning them away when they ask for help. Each parish would be able to raise more money to help those in need if only they’d offer help to those within their own community. Their flock is begging for their embrace. The hotel industry is begging for their help too.

Financial Crisis – What caused our Pending Doom?

2011-07-27T17:40:00.000-04:00

With the deadline for America’s pending financial doom on the horizon, Washington needs to revisit history fast.

There have been three periods in American history that ultimately brought this country to its knees: the “Progressive Age”, known as the “Gilded Age”, or the “First Industrial Revolution”, 1866- 1897, this period caused a financial crisis known as the “Great Panic of 1893”. The second period was the “Technology Era”, better known as “The Roaring Twenties” (1920’s) which sparked the “Crash of 1929” and ultimately caused the “Great Depression”. The Third; well according to Wall Street Analysis’s and Capitol Hill what is happening across America today, hasn’t fully materialized into a depression. Hey, I have a bridge to sell you real cheap if you really believe them.

Let’s start with the Progressive Age, better known as the Gilded Age created millionaires on the backs of the working class. Just as England’s Nobility created companies to capitalize on industry and trade throughout the 1700 and 1800’s, America’s Elite produced “Trusts” such as the Railroad Trust, Meatpacking Trust, Farming Trust, Manufacturing Trust, Steel Industry Trust and Financial Trusts that ultimately made them all millionaires. Because of these trusts, the steel industry out produced Britain, France and Germany making America the richest country in the world. The Railroad industry Trust skyrocketed, tripling its network throughout America between 1860-1880. Who were the men behind these various Trusts, rich industrialists of the era - Rockefeller, Mellon, Carnegie, Rogers, Morgan, Vanderbilt and Astor; each had a hand in creating the elite status every entrepreneur of today wishes to emulate.

These same men introduced the mechanization of industry. Machine driven production produced more products for sale faster than man could produce; this replaced skilled labor leaving many without jobs. Creativity became a thing of the past. While machines took over labor, the railroads created bureaucratic complex systems to control time and travel. Roles of management became the norm causing nepotism and who would receive a jobs. Mindset of business in general began to change.

With the increase in productivity rose in the industrial complex, patents were becoming more and more popular to safeguard person’s innovative creation. Over the course of a thirty year period, over 500,000 patents had been issued. Thomas Edison received a few of these patents for his electrical devices which lead him to co-found General Electric Company. With the creation of the telephone, Theodore Vail created American Telephone and Telegraph Company, better known as AT&T.

Individuals who once held jobs became angry and violent because they couldn’t’ feed their families. Union organizers began to stir the pot of discontent sparking two major strikes – 1870 workers demanded shorter hours and better wages; 1877 the Great Railroad Strike that lasted forty-five days and ended in violent attacks on property owned by the railroad conglomerate; 1886

While the first industrial revolution created the Gilded Age, the second industrial revolution lasted well into the 1920’s.

During President Grant’s term in office the phrase Lobbyist was created because those who wanted the ear of the President found him in the lobby of the Washington Hotel which is next to the White House, sipping his bourbon and smoking a cigar. It was during his time in office coupled with the reconstruction of the South that groups learned they could get what they wanted by lobbying his favor. Over the next twenty years, a sense of government favoritism became the norm throughout the political arena. It became more apparent in during the Gilded Age where bribes, kickbacks, inefficiency, waste and corruption gained larger voices in Washington, DC. Therefore, corruption and waste in politics isn’t a new phenomenon.

Each of the voices of the Trusts created a monopoly and exploited their employees. The Elite Wealthy Barons of the time helped perpetuate the establishment of unions throughout America causing further destruction and downfall of the American Dream.

Political wars between Republicans and Democrats isn’t a new phenomenon either, American history will show that it’s been going on since this time too. Voters were manipulated heavily during the 1870s. The political machine supporters who helped dominate the political field were rewarded for supporting the hand picked candidate. It was called “Patronage” back in the 1870’s where individuals were given favors back from the government once the candidate was elected. The candidate chosen had to agree to this form of support at the time and their willingness gained them tremendous support in return. If they didn’t agree, they were blackballed by the members of the industrial elite. Does this sound familiar? It should because it happens every day here in America.

Media was no better during this time; they resorted to “Yellow Journalism” and it took speed with negative reporting of political issues, a candidate’s stand on that issue and resorted to personal character attacks to diminish an opponent’s character. The media propaganda machine took on a new role of inflicting fear and unrest with their so called sentimental stories which ultimately were taken as fact, but were actually lacking in true facts. This still happens in today’s political arena.

With immigration on the rise with over 10 million coming to the United States for a better life from Europe and the United Kingdom, skilled craftsman and farmers who built our bridges and helped our farmers increase their production. The railroad industry needed skilled labor too, and over 64,000 come from China to build our railroads and railways, but they never got the credit for their hard work.

Inner cities swelled with these new inhabitants causing crime to increase and ethnic gangs formed which pitted each against each other even though they wanted the same thing – freedom, prosperity and a new life in America.

The Gilded Age also created many social movements: Susan B Anthony lead the Woman’s Suffrage Movement while religious temperance movement was born to bring morality back to America. Thanks to author Edward Bellany who wrote “Looking Backward” the birth of the socialist utopia was born. Bellany’s writing influenced Karl Marx and other socialist of the 20th and 21st century which has lead to the voice of the Gilded Age to reappear once again in 2011. Bellamy wasn’t the only socialist of his time, so was Laurence Gronlund who authored “The Cooperative Commonwealth: An Explosion of Modern Socialism” (1884). These two authors sparked Saul Alinsky’s teachings.

As the country came out of the 1800’s with a financial flourish, the Progressive Age continued with politicians such as Woodrow Wilson who believed in government controlling the lives of its people. As President, Woodrow Wilson established the income tax system to ensure the government had the necessary funds to pay off the war debt. The first tax revenue collection was enacted in 1913 at a rate of 7%. This wasn’t enough Wilson said to Congress, therefore, it was raised again in 1917, this time at a rate of 70%.

With the increase in tax collection, more innovative technology being introduced, World War I coming to a close, excessive gambling and speculation through the Stock Market and a mentality of “buy today, pay later” the “Roaring Twenties” was a decade of partying by the wealthy. Unfortunately, it wasn’t so bright for those who didn’t have their wealth.

The best example of this type of behavior occurred during the “Technology Era”. No I’m not talking about the nineteen eighties, I’m referring to the “Roaring Twenties” (1920’s) During the “Roaring Twenties” innovation became the new craze with new technology, such as automobiles, radios, and other goods that were in mass production for immediate purchase. The only problem was, this new technology was expensive, only those with wealth could afford it. There were other new innovations enhancing aviation technology and with the creation of the power grid system, people who could afford it stayed up all night partying. The “Roaring Twenties” became even more financially prosperous for the Industrial Moguls who gained power and wealth during the Gilded age of the 1880’s. They used their money to help start new corporations like Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and General Motors Corporation. They Silent film era became a thing of the past with the creation of talking movies and they invested heavily into this new industry. This new innovation allowed films to include sound, music and sound effects. Hollywood was born.

Traditional values were thrown out the window in order to break free of the bonds of social constraints.

With the right the vote, women became more empowered; raising skirts higher and higher, some throwing away their virtue while others got married and used their husbands paychecks to buy, buy, buy.

Then the Crash of 1929 hit and the world as we know it spiraled into despair. The Great Depression had started and lasted until the early 1940s. Those who had money and were affluent on Wall Street found themselves living in tent cities, squandering for food and a place to sleep. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt implemented the New Deal Act that brought social programs to the forefront of our nation. What most people in America don’t understand about the New Deal Act is this; the social programs established were supposed to be a temporary band-aid in order to help the people of America get back on their feet. Like everything in Washington, DC, these programs became political and more money was poured into the wound of a country for the next 65 years. Another thing America doesn’t know is that these very programs were copied from the socialist party programs throughout Europe. While FDR himself wasn’t a socialist sympathizer, his wife Eleanor certainly believed in their ideology.

The critical indicators that caused the first two stock market crashes and drove this country into despair are the same indicators sending us into an even more devastating depression. Washington needs to stop playing politics with the lives of Americans and prevent our financial doom from happening next week. Those who believe they understand the situation that is before us also need to relearn history, because they just don’t get what is truly at stake, American Lives! America needs to wake up fast and take control of this situation personally, individually and throughout the government. The gravy train of government spending must stop. Excessive trips that are not fiscally sound must be stopped. If Congress and Senate truly want to prove to the American people, they’re serious about protecting the American financial interest, cut out all the payback jobs that are truly unnecessary, like those special committee positions that do nothing to help the security of America. Instead of sending money to wealthy countries to help their starving citizens, use that money to help our fellow Americans stand on their own two feet once again. That would be a better return on investment for the future.

The question is simple, is Washington willing to gamble with the future of America, or will they learn from history?

Reality of the Real World

2011-07-26T17:28:00.000-04:00

The roller coaster of success is the most exhilarating ride everyone should take at least once in their life. You get invitations to all the great parties and social events, all across the social network. You walk into a room and everyone knows your name, and your well placed reputation. You’re called upon to make a donation to a local charity, but you never take the time to find out what the problem is or offer to help come up with a plan to fix it. You ignore the problem because you’re so afraid the horrible problem might rub off on you one day. Remember, you’re one of the fortunate ones; you have plenty of money, a roof over your head, food in your belly and those invitations are still coming in the mail every day. It’s wonderful to live the life of the rich and famous, because you’re sipping champagne in the back of a limousine, wining and dining with socialites, politicians and the who’s who, and then...

Then one day, slowly the bottom begins to drop from beneath those dancing feet. You’re frantic to fail, so you call a few of your friends for assistance and guess what; they don’t return your call. Word spreads fast; you’re broke and have nothing to give anymore. Without money and position, you’re no longer welcomed into that sacred circle you once enjoyed. After all, it’s a double edged sword of the haves and have-nots’ of the world.

For generations those who have paper wealth or real wealth have looked down on those who have nothing; until they themselves have lost it all due to the economy. This is when they realize what they could have done with all that power and wealth – help those less fortunate within their community.

Throughout the country there are thousands finding themselves in this strange situation. A situation they never imagined themselves to be in; jobless, homeless, just trying to survive, one day at a time.

Although they've tried everything they could to gain momentum to live a comfortable life, something happened and their lives were never the same again. The causes are simple ones, stock market downturn, economic downturn, loss job, medical emergency that resulted in excess medical bills not covered by insurance, loss of business, returned from a combat zone, etc. There are so many causes and I could go on and on, but you get my point. Unforeseen reasons we never think will happen to us, but they do.

During a time of financial uncertainty, a human being will do what ever it takes to survive. They’ll look for a job, only to be turned down for one of three reasons, lack of experience, education or their age. In some cases, they’re turned down for having too much experience, or jealousy from the very person to whom is interviewing them for an average job.

This same person will sell everything they own in order to meet their financial responsibilities and pray things will turn around before the next round of bills are delivered by the post man.

When times are tough and a person is on the brink of homelessness, many emotions arise during this time of uncertainty; anger, frustration, scared, nervousness. To the naked eye, they’re seen as on the edge. On the edge isn’t the half of it, the fear of not being able to keep a roof over their heads, food in the bellies, and the loss of credit rating and a sense of hopelessness takes over.

After exhausting all their funding, selling everything they have worth selling and in an economy where jobs are scarce, society is forcing them to turn to the system. With reluctant fingers they dial churches and service organizations in hopes of spiritual guidance, humanitarian charity and a little compassion; only to find they’re being profiled by the person on the phone, as a lowlife refusing to get a job and be a productive citizen. This further destroys their sense of self worth.

With each call or visit, a person down on their luck must repeat themselves over and over again, until they’re frustrated, crying and begging for assistance. After each interaction, they feel as though they’re not worthy of assistance. Without knowing the whole story which brought them to contacting a program office, the person in need is judged by the person who is working for the program, as to their worthiness of receiving assistance. They’re turned down over and over again until something within them breaks and their soul is completely shattered.

Instead of being compassionate for another person’s plight, maybe helping them find a solution to create a viable option that will help them regain a sense of self-worth, those who work in these social and charitable programs demean a person over and over again, until they have no self esteem left.

After a while, the person in need begins to doubt themselves, their ability to find a job and their own survival. Staring out the window at an unforgiving future with their lives shattered; they contemplate leaving this world and all its evil behind.

A Legacy Forgotten

2011-07-19T09:00:00.001-04:00

At one time in this country, American mothers birthed men who were courageous, caring, compassionate and protective. Many of those men grew up to be successful businessmen who made millions; industry barons, bankers and corporate moguls. With their much earned success, not only did they take care of their families and businesses, these same men turned into philanthropists helping their community prosper.

While they built businesses, they helped to build libraries, schools, museums and community parks. In their travels, they meet other like minded businessmen and began corresponding with their counterparts in major cities. As they learned new techniques to grow their business, they learned about people in need of assistance. When these men heard of someone in need they reached out and sent them letters of encouragement along with a little financial help.

Every American identifies with the big names of Carnegie, Morgan, Rockefeller and others, all of whom built empires, but they aren’t remembered for their companies, instead they’re remembered for giving millions of dollars to charities across America. None of these men gave because they had compassionate hearts; they gave because they loved to read their name in the paper, after all their lives were played out on the front pages of the morning news. This was especially the case after giving to charities.

Since the beginning of American history there have been many such men, who have given to others out of compassion in their heart. Many of our founding fathers were philanthropists in their day, not because they were seeking fame, but because it was the way they were raised.

One such man hailed from Ohio. Thomas Corwin was known as the “Wagon Boy” under General William Henry Harrison during the War of 1812. Although Corwin was born in Kentucky, he was raised in a sleepy little town called Lebanon, Ohio. After the war, Corwin went on to become a lawyer and became known as the lawyer with a big heart throughout the Ohio valley, a heart filled with compassion for his fellow human beings.

Thomas Corwin

He was an eloquent orator and a successful lawyer with a great sense of humor. His sense of justice and compassion lead him into politics, first serving as a member of the Ohio State Legislature, then the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1840, Corwin campaigned for and won the Governor seat, serving only one term. He returned to Washington, DC, this time as Senator and became known as the most vocal Senator to oppose the Mexican-American War. That opposition would later land him the position of Minister of Mexico.

Corwin was best known for his famous quote describing his fellow politicians: “The world has a contempt for the man who amuses it. You must be solemn, solemn as an ass. All the great monuments on earth have been erected over the graves of solemn asses.” Maybe modern day politicians should read Corwin’s words, because they seem to still apply to many on Capitol Hill today.

After President Taylor’s death, Corwin resigned from the Senate and became the Secretary of Treasury under President Fillmore. A man of strong convictions, Corwin was a staunch supporter of those who worked within industry throughout the United States of America. When Congress wanted to make drastic changes and modifications to the 1846 Free Trade Tariff Law, Corwin’s protective nature shown through when he objected to the provision that would charge the manufacturing industry a higher tax on imported raw materials. He stuck to his principles when he stated to Congress in 1849 “such provisions certainly take from the manufacturer and artisan that encouragement which the present law was intended to afford”. Even back then, Corwin could see that by over taxing our manufacturing industry it would eventually destroy productivity throughout America.

Frustrated with the inept representation in Congress, Corwin left Treasury and returned to Ohio, only to return to Washington in 1859 as a newly elected Congressional Representative. He continued to serve until 1861. After Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated Corwin resigned his position on Capitol Hill and become the new Minister of Mexico. As Minister of Mexico he was responsible for keeping the peace between the two countries during the Civil War.

No matter what position Corwin held throughout his life, he remained consistent to his roots - taking care of others. As a lawyer, he defended those who needed defending. As a politician, he protected the rights given to all Americans under the Constitution. As Secretary of Treasury, he protected those within the manufacturing industry from being taxed beyond their means of producing goods to be sold at a fair price both at home and around the world. As Minister of Mexico he kept things friendly between our two countries during a war.

But the most important action he took throughout his lifetime should be the legacy remembered of this one man. Throughout his career Corwin wrote letters of encouragement to those he learned were going through a rough time. It is not known how he learned about their plight, but he felt their pain and wanted to help them by lifting their spirit just a little. Each person received a hand written letter that contained encouraging words and a five dollar bill. Thomas Corwin, a simple lawyer from a sleepy little town in the valley of Ohio touched many lives with his generous heart and compassionate ways. Men like Thomas Corwin have gone to their grave with a smile, knowing they were raised to watch over their fellow Americans. It was people like him who helped make this country prosper and become great because they gave of themselves when they heard of someone down on their luck and hurting.

The philanthropy world has changed over the last one hundred years. Men like Thomas Corwin don’t exist anymore. Millionaires of today don’t seem to have a heart, maybe because they’re more interested in giving to those in another country, rather than helping their fellow Americans who have fallen on hard times. They aren’t interested in reaching out with encouraging words to lift the spirits of someone in need. America needs more men like Thomas Corwin, who were born from mothers who taught their children to have courage, compassion and love for their fellow Americans in need. We need mothers to teach their children American Values so they will respect each other once again in order to protect America and its citizens. We need mothers to teach their children to help those within their community who need food, shelter and jobs, before helping those in another country. By taking care of those here at home first, we can build a stronger community and a more powerful nation that has compassion and courage with a commitment to freedom and prosperity.

Couponing: Does it really work?

2011-07-18T10:00:00.004-04:00

As the recession forces companies out of business, leaving thousands without a job, those already strapped for cash are finding it difficult to make ends meet. Many are contemplating bankruptcy, but don’t want to ruin their already broken credit ratings. With the uncertainty of the federal deficit getting ready to blow off the ceiling of American, add in soaring utility and rising gas pump prices we as Americans are facing a future of financial insecurity.

Thousands of baby boomers will recall their parents and grandparents telling them to stock up for a rainy day. Unfortunately, many of them failed to learn the art of saving and stocking the pantry for when there is a loss of job, shortage of cash or that unexpected emergency. In recent years many of them have fallen on hard times and are struggling to make ends meet because they didn’t heed the warnings of their parents and grandparents. Unfortunately because the baby boomers, their families and their children didn’t listen, they’ve been forced to humiliate themselves by visiting food pantries, or resort to social programs in order to survive.

To make matters worse, with gas prices soaring to record highs, the trucking industry has had to increase their delivery price which has caused food prices to increase; making matters even worse in a declining economy. This end result is now causing many parents to cry at the grocery check out counter.

Recently, I’ve met many families who are finding it harder and harder to stretch those grocery dollars. Mothers have cried because they can’t seem to make ends meet. Their self esteem has been shattered, because they themselves have gone without in order to provide for their families, yet still find they must visit food pantries or apply for food stamps to feed their children. This isn’t something they want to do, but as a mother, they will do what is necessary in order to feed their children.

Many families are finding what they believe to be a new trend, but if they speak to their mothers and grandmothers, they would find they’ve been doing it their entire lives. What are they doing to save money; they’ve learned what this writer calls the “Art of Grocery Shopping” - Couponing! Using coupons is an easy way to stretch those grocery dollars each week to ensure your family has what it needs to survive.

There is no mistaking that couponing is time consuming, but the benefits to using coupons can save you thousands upon thousands of dollars that can be used to be used for other things. The money saved can be used to pay off debt, take a vacation or save for a rainy day.

When parents work together to save money on their grocery store bill by using coupons, they’re teaching their children essential life lessons. If they make couponing a family affair, researching deals, cutting out coupons and planning the trip to the store, everyone benefits from the end result. – saving money. This procedure also creates quality family time that children will remember later in life.

How do you save money by using coupons? It’s easy, but first you must get organized. Buy yourself a zippered binder organizer with dividers and coupon holder inserts – approximately $80 investment. In the meantime, stop by your local grocery store and map out what’s on each aisle and then divide your organizer accordingly. Divide your organizer between perishable and non-perishable items. This will help you not only file your coupons correctly, but also find them when you get to the store. Never enter a store without your complete organizer. You don’t want to be caught without a coupon if something is on sale and you can save money.

Begin starting to collect coupon flyers from your local newspapers. Ask your friends and family to save their coupons for you weekly. Check out your local recycling center to see if they have a stock pile of coupon flyers. You can also check with your local newspaper to see if they have any left and offer to haul them away for free. Go through each flyer and cut out all coupons and file them in your organizer by item and category. Once you’re organized its time to start saving money. Remember just because you don’t use a coupon doesn’t mean you can’t gather them, get them for free and donate them to your favorite charity.

Thousands of people pay pennies for thousands of dollars of items each and every day, so why shouldn’t you save money too. Buying in bulk at the local Costco or BJ’s is one thing, but they don’t usually take coupons, so why not buy those same items at your local grocery store and get them free or for little out of pocket money. Be sure to check out the sales at the Family Dollar or Dollar General in your neighborhood because they also take coupons.

Saving money at the check out register can be stressful, but if you plan out your meals, note what necessities you truly need to survive the month, grocery shopping with coupons will not only save you money, but help you eat better in the long run. Ladies don’t forget to look into saving money on make-up and hair products too.

Should you stock pile more than you can use in any quarter, consider donating some items to your local church or food bank to help those less fortunate. Even if you don’t have pets, there are pet food banks in your area that need donations. Your family fun could help feed your neighbors and their pets, so have as much fun as you can handle while saving money and helping your community at the same time.

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Dividers: http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/990655/Avery-Index-Maker-30percent-Recycled-Clear/

Coupon Page holders http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QO3CRY/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002A9H0D4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1QJQSGMF35E2PP48TQXJ

Signers of the Declaration of Independence

2011-07-02T17:12:00.000-04:00

Why would fifty-five prominent men sacrifice their lives to declare independence from a King? Although each of them came from similar backgrounds, similar educational roots, they were prominent in their community and had wealth of their own right, they all had one thing in common – they wanted to be free to live their lives according to their own pursuit of happiness.

They were men chosen by their fellow citizens to lead them: 28 Lawyers, 11 Merchants, 4 Physicians, 1 High Sheriff, 8 Farmers, 1 Clergy and 2 Career Soldiers. They were also writers, poets, educators, philosophers, fathers, husbands and stewards of the land.

How could they have envisioned their experiment of a country free from tyranny and oppression being taken over by people who would have the same selfish grandeur as King George II? How could they have envisioned future generations losing sight of what was important – their freedom? When they signed this document, how could they have envisioned these United States of America to flourish without a citizenry filled with generosity and compassion towards their fellow Americans? With all the selfless acts performed by these men and many others including women and children alike, before, during and after the American Revolutionary War who sacrificed their lives for freedom, how could they have known we would come to this stage in 2011?

Due to the current political environment of today, many questions haunted my thoughts. What prompted these men to gamble on their future and the future of their family, when they agreed to be a delegate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on that fateful day of July 4th, 1776? What happened in their lives that caused them to take such a gamble? After all, they weren’t high stake gamblers at the crap tables of Las Vegas or Atlantic City. With this in mind, I decided to do a little research to find the answers. What I found was fifty-five similar stories, but chose to highlight one man. This one man represents them all, for they had courage enough to stand up to tyranny and oppression, and the determination to right a wrong done to all their fellow citizens.

The 1st Signer, the President of Continental Congress, John Hancock.

"There, I guess King George will be able to read that."

John Hancock, Delegate from Massachusetts

Who was John Hancock? Hancock was the wealthiest man in the colonies. Having inherited the House of Hancock Shipping Company from his uncle, Thomas Hancock, along with land and homes, Hancock was known as the Baron of Beacon Hill. The House of Hancock was the largest shipping company in the Colonies because it not only imported manufactured goods from Britain, it also exported a wide variety of commodities from the Americas.

Hancock’s introduction into politics was partly due to his relationship with Samuel Adams, his mentor. It all began in 1766, when Hancock entered the Massachusetts House of Representatives and began learning the ropes of being a politician. One year later, the thrill of being a representative diminished when Parliament established the Townshend Act; Hancock was enraged. Throughout the next year, he raised his voice more than once at how the Townshend Act would eventually destroy the shipping industry and cause more hardship to those who import and export goods. Due to his stepping forward on behalf of all merchants in the colonies, Hancock became the political target of the crown. Accusations of smuggling, violations of the Navigation Act and trading with ports outside the realm of the British Empire to ensure not paying import taxes were levied against him. Outraged by these accusations, Hancock refused to attend Governor Francis Bernard’s soirees, if Custom officials were invited. As a result, Customs agents were sent to inspect his ships upon entering the harbor to publically humiliate him.

In early 1768, Tidesman (custom agents) attempted to board the sloop “Lydia” owned by Hancock without the benefit of a search warrant, Hancock refused them access. Hancock’s refusal gained him Patriot Resistor status and his reputation as a Patriot grew throughout the colonies. In May of that same year, when his sloop the “Liberty” arrived in port with a shipment of Madeira Wine, a favorite libation of Governor Bernard and other representatives of the Crown, the ship was seized by Bernard’s Custom agents. The taking of the “Liberty” wasn’t about duty taxes; it was politically motivated to destroy the character and integrity of Hancock by the Crown. This was a scheme to plunder his vast wealth, his homes and his land for the Crown. Although all charges were dismissed without any explanation, his “Liberty” was never returned. The Crown used the “Liberty” to enforce the Crown’s duty tax regulation over the next year. Upon its arrival in Rhode Island, the citizens took matters into their own hands and set the “Liberty” ablaze in a stand against the duty tax. Governor Bernard was removed as Royal Governor and returned home to England.

After the Boston Massacre occurred Hancock was once again outraged and met with the new Royal Governor, Thomas Hutchinson and Colonel William Dalrymple, Commander of British Regulars demanding the removal of all British soldiers. It was Hancock not Paul Revere who advised Hutchinson that there were over 10,000 armed colonists prepared to march on Boston if they didn’t leave. Shortly there after, the British Army moved to the outer part of Boston Harbor known as Castle William. Hancock was again regaled as a Patriot Leader for this accomplishment.

Tensions remained over the next year until the Townshend Act was repealed. The streets of Boston became quiet, but tension was still smoldering among the colonists.

Royal Governor Hutchinson knew he had to gain Hancock’s assistance in order to maintain peace, so he began cultivating the young politician in an attempt to lure him away from his fellow Whigs. He appointed him as Colonel of the Boston Cadets. Two years later he appointed him to the Council, the Upper Chamber of the General Court. However, Hancock began to see he was being manipulated and declined the appointment. Realizing his political mistake, Hancock immediately regrouped and proposed moving the General Court who was meeting outside the city, back into Boston to avoid lengthy travel for all concerned.

By 1772, the Committee of Correspondence had been formed and although Hancock was invited to join them, he declined this too. A year later the passage of the Tea Act was established by Parliament. This new tax impacted Hancock both personally and professionally. In December 1773, the imfamous Boston Tea Party took place. Hancock didn’t participate in this act of defiance, but he quietly approved of their actions.

Outraged by the defiance, Parliament and King George II wouldn’t give up and responded with yet more acts. The two that fueled the fires of a simmering colony’s anger were called the Boston Port Act and Coercive Acts. These were known as the “Intolerable Acts” authorized to strengthen British control over the Colonists. Royal Governor Hutchinson was removed from office and replaced with General Thomas Gage.

The year was now 1774 and the First Continental Congress was being formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as a result of the “Intolerable Acts.” Delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies were represented – Georgia didn’t send anyone.

At the same time the First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, Royal Governor Gage was enforcing his power over Massachusetts. The House of Legislators fought back by convening the Provincal Congress, independent of British Control and John Hancock was elected as its president. First course of action under Hancock’s leadership was the creation of the first minuteman units.

When the Second Continental Congress was called in Philadelphia a year later, the Massachusetts Provincal Congress elected John Hancock to be one of their delegates.

After attending the Provincal Congress session in Concord, Massachusetts in April 1775, Hancock and Adams rested a few days before leaving for Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Gage outraged over losing so much control over the colonists prepared letters of instructions to arrest the principle actors in the Provincal Congress who appeared to be engaging in acts of treason or rebellion. On the evening of April 18, 1775, Gage sent British Regular Soldiers on their fateful last mission that would spark the American Revolution.

When the gun smoke settled over Concord and Lexington, General Gage made yet another mistake by proclaiming a general pardon which stated, “To all who would lay down their arms and return to the duties of peaceful subjects.” This wouldn’t have been a problem with the colonists if he hadn’t added, “with the exception of Hancock and Adams.” That one line singling two of the most prominent men in the area added more fuel to the fire of distain and proclaimed Hancock and Adams true Patriots against the Crown.

In July 1776 John Hancock signed his name to the Declaration of Independence with a flourish. Many historians say it was because of his elitist stature of wealth and ego that caused him to sign his name so boldly. In reality, after learning the true facts of why Hancock joined the fight, it is very clear to this writer the symbolism of John Hancock’s bold signature – for “LIBERTY” I sign this document in defiance of your greed. The symbolism of his signature and story is so profound, yet it was lost even to this writer until recently.

Each of these men joined forces not for wealth or grandeur, for they already had that before. Josiah Bartlett said it best when he stood before his fellow delegates and said,

“The time is now at hand when we shall see whether

America has virtue enough to be free or not.”

Josiah Bartlett, Delegate from New Hampshire

These men were selfless in their actions to give us a country based on freedom, integrity and strong character, yet somewhere along the way, we've lost our way. We've lost our strength and our honor. We've forgotten that thousands gave their lives for freedom so that we could be free. Our failure to engage our elected officials in Washington, DC have now resulted in our freedom, our LIBERTY, and our pursuit of happiness being taken away from us by modern day equivalents of King George II and his merry men of Parliment.

The question I ask myself now is equally profound – Does America have any virtue left in order to remain free?

Where’s the entertainment?

2011-07-02T13:49:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time, a person could turn on their television and be entertained by actors performing in a show filled with comedy, mystery or intrigue. “I Love Lucy,” “Sherlock Holmes Series,” or “Masterpiece Theatre,” made us laugh, cry and use our brain to solve a problem.

Today, the entertainment industry has hit an all time low in how it entertains its viewers. Go turn on your television and you’ll find nothing but reality show after reality show. First, you have the dating shows where one person must choose from ten in the hopes of finding love. Each of the guys and the gals use the same pick up lines for each show. Then you have the various talent shows where instead of encouraging a person to practice their talent, they belittle them before a million people, believing its entertainment. What ever happened to a talented individual paying their dues by performing in the dive clubs, honky-tonks, local fairs while living on the road, honing their craft before a live audience as they struggle to become discovered? The young person who is chosen is thrust into an industry filled with thieves who rip them off and leave them high on drugs, that’s not fame that’s being taken advantage of by shifty individuals.

What’s with the lifestyle changing shows? Have we as a society plummeted so low that we enjoy watching someone else suffer with their self indulgence, hoarding addiction, weight gain and loss struggle? What about the star studded drug rehab shows? These shows are like watching a different version of the Jerry Springer show without Jerry at the helm. We’re not interested in watching someone break down on camera about their childhood, their broken marriage or cheating spouse. We have our own drama to deal with, why shove someone else’s drama down our throats; it’s not entertaining, it’s annoying.

Instead of providing us with real entertainment, the industry believes that a show about a young woman in search of the perfect bridal gown, or a show about the antics of a high maintenance nail shop owner is entertainment. We can’t forget the supernatural and those hoax shows where we might find a ghost or spirit that will tell us the winning lottery numbers to the future. How many different varieties of a survival show do we have to watch before we scream for something that will entertain us?

Has the entertainment business truly lost their perspective in what is entertaining? Where are all the script writers who grew up watching entertaining movies, comedy skits, or reading murder mysteries and dreamed of following in their footsteps? Where are the script writers who craved to enter the industry to create the new exciting Capra movie? What about the comedians who craved to follow in Lucy Ricardo’s foot steps? Instead of talented writers, we have lazy script writers who have no creativity or motivation to produce viable storylines, amazing plots or comedic dialogue; instead they expect us to watch cookie cutter shows based on the every day life events. Geeez, and I thought television was to help us escape reality by capturing our attention in order to escape into shows that make us laugh, make us cry or make us THINK!

Parents, who are so busy with their own lives, seem to fail at keeping up with what their children are watching, much less reading these days. There are shows targeting children with underlining political and social propaganda messages weaved into dialogue to encourage your children to make you feel guilty about a subject.

Just about every show on television has sex, violence and foul language these days. Where are the shows that a family, including children can sit together and enjoy quality time while watching a show? The creative juice machine of the entertainment industry must be broken because all we, the consumer, are being offered as entertainment are mindless activity shows that have no substance, no ability to escape everyday life and enjoy a simple one hour of entertainment. No wonder people have turned away from watching television. Why bother spending money for cable when every channel has the same nonsense.
Many have turned away from going to the movie theater too. This is because just about every movie has too much violence, sex, and way to much of the foul language. What ever happened to leaving certain things up to the imagination of the viewer? We don’t need to see two people in bed banging each other in different positions to know that they are having sex. The old entertainment industry would have left that up to our imagination and still have a winning movie on your hands. We don’t need to see so much violence and blood either. Do the script writers or producers really think this is necessary? As a consumer who enjoys a good movie or television show, I can tell you we don’t.

The entertainment industry is now driven by corporate America and politics. It’s no longer an industry filled with creative individuals inspired by their own imagination; instead it’s driven by those who have their hands in the pocket of every politician in Washington, DC. Their main objective is to create a society who is ignorant of creativity and incapable of creating anything new. They remake old classics that don’t even come close to the magic that made it a classic. Industry executives are so busy they ask for what’s called a treatment instead of a full script. They do this to encourage their writers to cherry pick (Steal) that treatment in order to legally steal that writer’s creative work. When a writer or studio steals another creative person’s work, they have diminished their own industry and encourage society to steal from each other. This isn’t just exclusive to the television and movie entertainment industry; it’s rampant in journalism, talk shows and the nightly news too.

When a writer’s words and scenes depict violence, brutal murders, or foul language, we encourage society to do the same. This is what is destroying the morale fabric of America. There are so many talented writers who have fresh new ideas for movies and television shows that actually entertain, but instead of giving them a break, they discourage them based on politics. Instead of fixing this problem, the industry encourages their sheeple writers to include political agenda’s into their dialogue. Why does this continue, because the American Consumer is to busy being brainwashed to realize they're being controlled by an industry not worthy of their hard earned money! This will continue until the actors return to being actors and not politicians, writers return to being creative individuals using their imagination to create new entertaining stories, and producers are more interested in having a real blockbuster, instead of a politically driven plot that is helping to destroy the America they claim to want to save.

After six years of not wasting my time with mainstream television or mainstream movies, I can truly say I haven’t missed much at all. For the very reasons I have outlined above, I’d rather read a book or watch a real movie classic DVD.

Independence Day 2011

2011-06-29T18:48:00.000-04:00

This 4th of July marks the 235th anniversary when fifty-five men stood before God and pledged their lives, fortunes and security by signing the Declaration of Independence.

In anticipation of this most celebrated day of American History, this writer began to wonder what made these men choose between their fortunes, position in society and the possibility of their own demise to take such a bold act in challenging the King of England. As I read their historical biographies, I found something very interesting; each had their own individual personal reasons. It wasn’t just taking a stand against tyranny and oppression.

One line in the Declaration of Independence stood out like a beacon in the night “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” and made me wonder why this line was included into this famous document. Was it because these men wanted control over their lives, or was it something more? I think I’ve finally figured it out.

The Crown controlled everything throughout the colonies during the time this document was signed. The lives of the people who woke up each morning and cultivated the earth, ground the wheat into flower, baked that bread, made those candles, shoed those horses and delivered those messages from one city to another was distinctly controlled by those in authority. These individuals although able to live their own lives, were in essence slaves to the Crown and its appointed representatives throughout the colonies. They weren’t considered free, they were in essence indentured servants to a greedy King. Therefore, the word “Life” used in the Declaration of Independence meant, to live their life as they decided without interference from another; including those who are in authority.

The word “Liberty” in this document has two meanings. The first is the obvious as defined in the dictionary as “a concept in political philosophy that identifies the condition in which human beings are able to govern themselves, to behave according to their own free will” and what we as American’s believe this word to be use for in this document. But in essence there is another hidden message in using this one word, a personal message from one founding father to the King himself. It is the real reason why John Hancock signed his name with a flourish and the largest signature on this document. The first spark to fuel the revolution was created by representatives of the Crown when they conspired against the wealthiest man in the colonies - John Hancock when they took control of his sloop “Liberty,” owned by Hancock’s shipping company. The “Liberty” was used in an attempt to destroy Hancock’s character and plunder his vast fortune and destroy any attempt by others to fight the Crown. The use of this one word sent a message to the Crown, we the people will not be your pawn and you will not plunder our lands.

The “Pursuit of Happiness” what does this really mean and what was their intent in using this phrase? Some will say it’s one of those “unalienable rights” derived from the Declaration of Independence. Then we have some scholars who claim it’s the right “to pursue any lawful business or vocation, in any manner not inconsistent with the equal rights of others, which may increase their prosperity or develop their faculties, so as to give them their highest enjoyment,” as explained in the United States Code, 111 U.S. 746, 757. Although the Pursuit of Happiness isn’t laid out specifically in the United States Constitution or the U.S. Code, one believes it is not enforceable by the courts. No one knows or understands the true purpose of the use of this phrase, therefore, when it’s raised in legal arguments against government regulations and interference it befuddles the minds of those placed in authority. Just because it wasn’t laid out in layman’s terms in the Declaration of Independence many believe it has no degree of forcefulness.

Each and every one of the Founding Fathers has been called a patriot, a traitor and my personal favorite an elitist. Yes, they were considered patriots because they were willing to use their name and position to stand for something larger than themselves in fighting the injustices inflicted on their community by a selfish King. Yes, during their time in history they were committing traitorous acts against the King of England. Today, we’d call these actions simple politics. Finally, the word elitist; yes they were in their own sense of the word elitist. Wealthy individual’s with large landing holdings, prominent status in the community as leaders. It was also their wealth that funded the beginning of the American Revolution. Because of their individual sacrifices, many of them died broken men. They might have been elitists before the signing of the Declaration of Independence because of their prominent status, but after signing that document, they became simple American citizens just like you and I. When a modern day American calls these men elitists, they dishonor their sacrifice, their accomplishments and their legacy as our founding fathers.

Accordingly, when you celebrate the 4th of July this year and every year, bow your head and say a special prayer of thanks to all those who sacrificed their lives, their fortunes and their principles so you can have the freedom of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” You represent the American legacy so enjoy this the 235th anniversary of our Independence!

A Day of Remembrance - Memorial Day

2011-05-26T21:43:00.000-04:00

Arlington National Cemetery

Many American’s believe Memorial Day is a day for family parties, or community gatherings to mark the beginning of summer vacations. To a veteran or member of our military it has nothing to do with parties or vacations, it is deeper and more personal; it is a day to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the name of Freedom.

The history of Memorial Day is rich in tradition and ceremony. From dawn to noon the American flag is flown at half mast in memory of those who gave their lives for this country while fighting for freedom. At noon the flag is raised to signify those among the living will never allow that sacrifice to be in vain. It also signifies to the world that those who wear the uniform of the United States Armed Forces will continue to fight for liberty, justice and freedom for all throughout the world.

Unfortunately, some American’s have forgotten the true meaning of why we should remember the fallen of our nation. Instead, they think of gimmicks to use in order to promote sales for profit and gain. Then we have community leaders who feel it necessary to denounce the American Flag being flown on utility poles in a community of a fallen warrior.

Having been raised in a town built for returning heroes from the battlefields of Europe, the Pacific and Korea called Levittown I know first hand the significance of Memorial Day. Each year I’d accompany my father, a retired Army Major, to many events throughout the county. Memorial Day started with a sunrise service at the beach to remember those who died at sea, to a Parade down Hempstead Turnpike that ended with a wreath laying ceremonies before the library. Then it was a trip to Pinelawn National Cemetery for another wreath laying ceremony. The day always ended at the VFW Post 9592 on Hickory Lane where the veteran community would gather to enjoy each others families and share stories of fallen brothers. To a young impressionable child, these surviving veterans instilled the value of our military’s sacrifice to a nation.

There was a time when the citizens of our country honored those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Unfortunately, it seems those times have perished along with our fallen warriors. Today, we have greed and profit outweighing patriotic observance. Majority of our utility companies across America forgo permit fees when the citizens of a community attach the American Flag to their utility pole lining our streets.

This week, I learned New York State run utility LIPA – Long Island Power Authority, which used to be known as LILCO, Long Island Lighting Company, feels it necessary to charge $5.00 for each American Flag affixed to their utility poles. How Un-Patriotic is that? LIPA claims it’s the law in the State of New York to charge a customer for attaching anything to their poles. The American Flag isn’t a flyer for a yard sale LIPA, nor is it attached with disrespect. LIPA now a Non-profit Government entity owned and operated by the State of New York wonders why the price of a permit fee needs to be an issue. It’s an issue LIPA because before you were taken over by the state, you had a heart. When LILCO was a Private entity, the company would send out their utility workers to do the job New York Citizens have been doing before you came along LIPA, raising that American Flag upon your utility poles for free. I know this for a fact because I witnessed it personally.

Verizon Telephone Company, a company filled with Patriotic Pride and reverence for our military, veterans and our fallen never charges for the American Flag being attached to their poles. They wave all permit fees, so why can’t you LIPA? Has New York State lost what I used to refer to as NEW YORK PRIDE? After hearing how the citizens of Shelter Island were being charged a fee to display the American Flag on LIPA poles in remembrance of one of their own killed last year on the battlefield, I’m embarrassed to admit I’m originally from Long Island.

Has the director of LIPA and the Governor of New York State forgotten the sacrifices made by people willing to die for freedom? Have they forgotten what the Statue of Liberty stands for? Have they forgotten what the American Flag Stand for? I believe the Director of LIPA and the Governor have lost their pride in the heritage of being a New Yorker. The New York I grew up in would not accept such behavior.

Unless we as American’s begin to respect what Memorial Day represents and instead of sucking down a beer or two, bow your head in silence and thank those who put on the uniform of the United States Military who gave their lives for your freedom.

SEAL TEAM 6 attacked by Walt Disney Company

2011-05-25T18:48:00.000-04:00

It has come to my attention that the United States Navy is in a battle over the ownership of one of the Navy’s elite SEAL team name and insignia (SEAL TEAM 6) as a result of corporate greediness by none other than the Walt Disney Company. The day after it was announced that members of SEAL Team 6 took down Osama Bin Laden, attorney’s representing CEO Robert Iger and the Disney Family Entertainment Corporation trading as The Disney , filed a trademark application to own the term “SEAL TEAM 6.” Their application stated to include all clothing, toys, insignia, name, gaming and entertainment venues and any other product produced by Disney Company in the future. Profiting off the backs of those brave enough to lift a gun and enter a battlefield in the name of FREEDOM is despicable!

For those who read my article entitled “Restoring America’s Cookie Jar” this week, this is a perfect example of what I was talking about when I referred to corporate America. This is clearly an infringement on intellectual property.
As a strong supporter of our military and the Navy SEAL Community, I am appalled that a company founded on FAMILY VALUES, would monopolize and attempt to profit on the backs of the brave members of SEAL Team 6 in this way. Doesn’t Mr. Iger and those who represent The Disney Company understand the history of their own company, or its founder? If not, let me give them a little bit of a history lesson.

During World War I, at the age of sixteen, the founder, Mr. Walt Disney tried to join the United States Army, but was denied entry because of his age. Young Walt Disney wasn’t discouraged, instead his determination to assist his fellow American’s who were fighting against the enemy; Disney joined the Red Cross and served in France, driving an ambulance until the war ended. Upon his return he continued his support for those in uniform by donating many of his creations for charity to help those wounded and unable to work.

Because of his devotion to those who serve in uniform, the United States Army contracted Disney to create instructional and home-front morale short films because they knew he was a patriot and wanted to help the war effort. After the war, Walt Disney employed many returning veterans to ensure they had an opportunity to support their families. His company became a success because of the blood, sweat and tears of those who worked for him – members of the military community.

In building his company from the ground, Walt Disney stressed family values together with Patriotic Values instilled in all of us by the Founding Fathers. It was these values of “taking care of your own” family values that became the cornerstone of his company. The Disney Company flourished because of their family value system and what attracted the military community to support them over the years; because the military family too is a tight knit family.

NOTICE TO THE DISNEY COMPANY AND ITS CORPORATE GOVERNANCE BOARD - Just because the Disney Entertainment company has been a strong supporter of our military community throughout the history of your company’s existence, it does not give you the right to infringe on the rights of every member past, present or future who wear the uniform of the United States Navy’s “ELITE Team’s,” that of “SEAL Team 6.” Does this mean you’ll attempt to capitalize on the term “Semper Fidelis” and strip the United States Marine Corps of their history too, or any other branch of the military service? What gives you the right to take away the history of a military branch of service, its units or the brotherhood that makes them great? How Unpatriotic that is Disney for your company was created by a patriot or have you forgotten?

Disney Company would be the first to strike at anyone who dares to infringe on their family insignia’s such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck or even my favorite, Goofy. Actually, no one would attempt such a thing because the American people have integrity and respect in the rule of law whereby never infringing on your intellectual property. So what gives you the right to infringe on SEAL Team 6 and its members to use their insignia and team name as they determine best for the United States Navy?

Under the rights of the United States Government and the US Patent Laws, the branding name of “SEAL TEAM 6” belongs to the United States Navy and the elite team members of SEAL TEAM 6. Therefore, it’s already protected under the law of the land. Disney has no rights to this brand name for their own profit because it’s already considered as intellectual property and owned by the United States Navy as stated in the Copyright Laws of this land.

If Disney doesn’t back off from their attempt to capitalize on the bravery and sacrifice the members of SEAL Team 6, then they will reap no more rewards from the military community in the future. When one corporation fails to see the public relations nightmare staring them in the corporate face, they’re blind to reality. Not only do I recommend every American Citizen show their support for our Brave Navy SEAL’s of SEAL Team 6, but I encourage everyone across the globe to show their solidarity by showing Disney the military community doesn’t accept greedy companies taking advantage of members of our community. Show them we mean business by not purchasing any Disney products, to include their movies, clothing, games, entertainment programs on television, and most importantly don’t frequent their theme parks. Maybe then they will realize the power behind the NAVY SEAL COMMUNITY AND THAT OF THE MIILITARY COMMUNITY! Their greed is not accepted by anyone who wishes to capitalize on the bravery of those who took down the most wanted man this world has ever seen before. Why don’t they trademark Osama Bin Laden’s name instead. Maybe then they can raise funds to support their CEO and Board of Directors salaries and special trips by capitalizing on someone whose very name instills greed and glory of one’s own gain. They clearly don’t comprehend their own family value system of taking care of their own, maybe when their profit margins begin to falter, they will begin to realize they must take care of their family of employees.

I stand with the Navy SEAL Community and the members of SEAL Team 6 and so should you!

Poor Walt Disney is turning over in his grave at his legacy being destroyed by greedy corporate individuals under his company name.

RESTORING AMERICA'S COOKIE JAR

2011-05-23T12:16:00.003-04:00

America faces a very serious problem, both liberal and conservative alike, and it has nothing to deal with politics, the environment or economical plight; it is much more serious than anyone wishes to admit too or address. This writer is bold enough to address it and put certain individuals on notice at the same time – beware of dipping your hand into my cookie jar again.

What is the problem I am referring to that we as a nation must address? It’s the overwhelming infringement on another person’s intellectual property and copyrighted work! This problem is not limited to the writing profession, television and movie industry, corporate world, but reaches into the private sector too.

Every writer who has ever written anything throughout history is flattered when another writer utilizes their work. When a writer references or refers to another writers work, it gives value to their hard work and long hours of research. However, when certain people who have no creativity within their veins to create an idea or produce prose, feels it necessary to steal another individual’s creative ideas or published work, it shows the world you lack the ability to do your own research in order to produce a viable product. When an individual, writer or reporter must cherry pick another’s work or steal another’s intellectual ideas and claim them as their own; their not professional people, their thieves. This type of behavior show’s the world a lack of integrity and character and says you shouldn’t be trusted.

Those who feel it necessary to infringe on another’s intellectual work fail to understand the history of America. Maybe they just don’t know the history behind why the founding fathers felt it necessary to create the intellectual, copyright and patent laws we hold sacred in this county. Allow me to give them a history lesson as a reminder.

Throughout the 1700’s both Britain and Europe had a serious problem whereby inventions and creative works were being stolen or taken by those who held titles such as Count, Earl, Marquees. These men of nobility claimed works of intellectual property, inventions and innovative ideas created by others because they felt it was their right based on title to take ownership of said works. This caused great strain for those who tirelessly researched, created and worked to produce such writings and inventions, but they had no recourse to fight and lost their own work and inventions. These individuals might have retained their research material, but credit for their findings was stripped from them without any profit or fame.

When the founding fathers began laying out plans for their experiment of a new nation, they addressed the travesties befallen on those creative individuals whose work had been stolen by the nobility throughout Europe and Britain. Benjamin Franklin, a writer and inventor himself, brought before the Continental Congress the plight of his fellow writers and inventors from across the sea and requested a new law that protected their rights as creative individuals across America. While drafting up our new laws, our founding fathers included a strong intellectual property, copyright and patent law to ensure an individuals creative ideas were protected America became the promise land for creativity and inventive promises whereby making it attractive to new settlers who wished to be so creative and innovative to come to America. Their creativity can be seen throughout America today.

If it were not for this one law, America wouldn’t have prospered so quickly. This law made us stronger, more powerful and more attractive to the world as leaders in every field. It allowed for the freedom to produce writers of amazing books, poetry and screenplays. It protected inventions that have transformed the world of science, medicine and technology

It is because of these laws that I as a professional writer, pride myself on doing my own extensive research before I produce an article. As a sign of respect for my fellow writer’s hard work, I give credit where credit is due because PROFESSIONAL RESPECT is a two “Way Street!” Unfortunately, there seems to be unprofessional individuals out there who lack respect of another’s work or the laws that protect a person’s intellectual property. The major culprits are those so called writers who feel it necessary to cherry pick my work, then claim it as their own. When YOU write an article or produce any other creative work; you should give credit where credit is due - to the person who did the original hard work. By citing your source of information, you’re not only acknowledging a fellow writer’s work, you’re also giving respect to the other person’s endless hours of research.

What makes this country great is our intellectual property, copyright and patent laws, so respect these laws or don’t call yourself an inventor, writer or creative person.

For those who feel it necessary to cherry pick my intellectual property from the “Picasso – The Art of War” series which clearly has a United States of America and International Copyright Clause at the bottom of each segment, understand this: I am the original source of this material and I am the one who put the dots together. I am also the one who has the loyalty of the owner of this piece of artwork along with the supporting information contained therein. If you feel your liberal or conservative political cause outweighs professional responsibility and courtesy, you are gravely mistaken. Your profit and gain is not capitalism, its theft and infringement on my copyright and intellectual property. Either do your own research, or respect my hard work of endless hours of research in order to put the dots together and give credit accordingly.

This will be your only warning for the future because there is a ball peen hammer ready to strike the next hand that dips into my cookie jar and steals my intellectual property or copyright material.

"Picasso - The Art of War" Part 10: Art and Culture, a World Apart

2011-05-10T11:00:00.024-04:00

“Computers are useless. They can only give you answers” Pablo Picasso

The art and culture world is just like a computer – many forms of communication that creates a web of intricate deception. A world all its own filled with an array of characters ranging from artists, poets, writers, intellects, musicians, dancers, stage and screen, media and surprisingly enough, diplomats from all countries.

It is no wonder why Picasso, a master seducer and lover of women would relish the artistic world, not for the art, but for the sex. If a person craves sexual activity, they enter the art world, because at least it’s safe; secrets are always kept, instead of venturing into the bad section of town where it’s much more dangerous. Secrets are kept close which makes this arena the best opportunity for intelligence gathering. A culture of sleazy back room deals in who will succeed and who will fail. Those with the power to grease the wheel of profit do so with lies and deception. It’s a world filled with art, but is the art real or fake? Two worlds intertwined into one: those who create the art because they love being creative and those who profit from them by selling their souls by becoming a propaganda artist because a patron of the arts waves dollars before their starving eyes.

Picasso started his career much the same way when a patron by the name of Gertrude Stein, a American millionaires offered to take him under her wing in 1905 Having such a wealthy patron doors began to open for the young artist. Stein and her two brothers, Michael and Leo helped his career launch by purchasing many of his early works. Quickly he became a hit among those within Paris and soon he had a following of other artists following him around.

Through his patronage of Gertrude Stein, Picasso was introduced to many important figures; one of them was Serge Diaghiley’s Ballets Russes. As the artist who would create the scenery for the Russian Ballet troop performing in Rome, Picasso’s web of characters would expand, thanks to his marrying Olga Khoklova, a ballerina with the troupe. It was through his involvement with Olga and the cultural world she belonged, he would be introduced to a man by the name of Nicholas Roerich, a Russian artist. After returning to Paris, it was Khokhlova with her social connections that would raise Picasso from just another artist to that of one worthy of being included into high society. Picasso no longer needed the likes of Stein, he now had his own personal patron in Khokhlova who helped him achieve his ultimate fame and fortune, allowing him to enjoy the social niceties in life during the 1920s Paris.

Roerich would later become a world famous artist in his own right, but he was also an ardent supporter of the Soviets in the 30's and WWII. Picasso being a member of the French Communist Party before he arrived in Rome made for an instant friendship between these two men. It is believed that after meeting Roerich, Picasso began his propaganda campaign to help further the cause of the Communist Party.

Picasso became the number one propaganda artist for the Communist Party for the next twenty-five years and his following grew to a network worldwide which made him a key player in the propaganda wars.

The Art and Culture world would be transformed during Picasso’s lifetime into an invisible government filled with creativity, intellectual freedom and cultural power warped by communist ideology wrapped in a nice neat package ready for sale to the willing buyer.

American in the meantime was being accused of being a cultural desert by the Soviets and in 1947, the Department of State began fighting back. An exhibition called, “Advancing American Art” was organized and paid for by the Department of State and went international. This created a stir across the globe. While the Soviets became the patron to many Russian artists, musicians and writers, the American Government countered their effort by becoming patron too.

Realizing the Soviets and the KGB were using art and culture as a tool to further their cause, America counter attacked by creating the Congress of Artistic Freedom. The Congress of Artistic Freedom was a covert unit under the CIA with a budget of approximately $160,000 (3 million by today’s standards), in 1950 as the Cold War begin to escalate. Politically this helped them promote their cause of Anti-Communistic behavior via the visual arts and the written word; it also gave them a golden opportunity to gather intelligence to safeguard America.

Over the next seventeen years, while Picasso continued with his propaganda work, the Congress of Artistic Freedom would open offices in thirty-five countries, while creating and publishing two dozen magazines world wide. The unit would be headed up by a CIA Agent, yet the staff comprised of academic intellectuals from Harvard, Yale and other Ivy League Universities who were known for collecting works of art and writing novels in their spare time, A treasure trove of liberalism became the new culture of the art world with a new breed of writers, poets, artists and musicians.. Abstract Expressionism was created because it didn’t make any sense. Socialistic Realism made Abstract Expressionism appear to be non-conformity which drove them mad.

How did the CIA conduct their patronage of the arts? It was a simple, they would approach a known millionaire and convince them to create a non-profit wherein the CIA would funnel money to them and direct them on what exhibitions, artists and magazines to support. Through their intricate web, the Rockefeller Foundation which was the main patron of the Museum of Modern Art and largest holder of Picasso artwork, the Ford Foundation, and many others did what they could to assist the CIA in their mission. New York City would become the mecca of the art world in the United States. Greenwich Village or SoHo became the liberal hotspot of writers, magazine editors, fashion designers and drugs. On Long Island the Hamptons attracted an international crowd of series art collectors, many with hidden art work never to be seen by the average person, would be come the power broker capitol of art dealing.

In 1967, the Congress for Cultural Freedom was exposed and embarrassed because of its CIA sponsorships connections throughout the previous decade. Although it was successful in ultimately helping to negate the Communism's appeal to artists and intellectuals; undermining the Communist position of moral superiority. It must be said that the untimely halt of this program helped perpetuate the spread of Communism throughout the United States throughout the Vietnam Era and beyond.

Today, the top five cities for dealing in art are NYC, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Singapore. Each of these cities has museums that hold thousands of works of art displayed for public view. Only question is, are these pieces of art truly the original pieces or are they fake? With the cost of maintaining precious artwork coupled with the cost of insurance to safeguard these pieces, one has to wonder if they are the originals. It’s a known fact within the art world that many museums sell off their valuable pieces because they can no longer afford to insure them in their collections. Curators throughout the world are known to quietly sell them to private collectors to ensure their museum can continue to flourish financially. A duplicate copy is created and hung in its place.

While the world views art as beautiful and alluring, why is that Picasso’s art work from 1965 through 1967 still eludes the public? The hunt for Picasso’s Tarnschriften (German for camouflaged art that was used by the Resistance in WWII) is on ladies and gentleman; where are these pieces? I know of one piece, but it’s the final piece in his collection, I’d be interested in seeing what the other pieces have to show of his covert spying network. Why are they hidden from the public? The Picasso family is in search of them and so are Chinese Art Dealers, WHY? In fact, Chinese Art Dealers are buying up his later work faster than they can be put on the market. Is it because Picasso sent these pieces to friends and colleagues, his Cold War Trophy Pieces, to ensure they had the hidden keys to his success for the Communist Party?
Picasso’s intricate web of deception and influence throughout the occult world of Art and Culture was driven by his ego. While he seemed like the mad scientist yearning to find the final formula to his experiment, in the end the occult of socialistic ideology used him for their own deception.

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"Picasso - The Art of War" is a series written & copyrighted to Author Elizabeth Kilbride 2011

All information contained within this series will be used in a book entitled “Picasso – The Art of War” all rights reserved and copyrighted to Elizabeth Kilbride. Permission is not granted to anyone for the copying or distribution of this information in print or media without the express permission of the author. This copyright is under both U.S.A and International Copyright Laws.

"Picasso - The Art of War" Part 9: Political Take Over

2011-05-05T11:00:00.033-04:00

Progressivism isn’t a new phrase nor is it a new ideology. In order to understand current day politics, and how it is directly connected to “Picasso – The Art of War,” one must look into history to understand

Throughout America, many believe the progressive movement is a new trend in politics, when in fact; it started almost one hundred years ago. Its origins go back to the campaign between Theodore Roosevelt, the Progressive ("Bull Moose") Party candidate, Republican nominee William Howard Taft and Democratic candidate Woodrow Wilson. During the 1912 election the infighting between Roosevelt and Taft divided the Republican Party right down the middle, which afforded Wilson enough votes to win the election and become our 28th President.

Before this campaign, many stones were put in place in the mortar to lay the foundation of the progressive movement. Many of those stones were put in place by Teddy Roosevelt during his presidency with favoritism and concessions for votes given; authorizing contracts to US Steel and many others during his presidency. Because of his love of the wilderness, he aligned himself with certain groups who told him by saving a forest he’d be saving America. Now I can’t complain about preserving land for future generations, but that wasn’t his objective. His objective in creating the land trust was to ensure future votes from those groups (founders of the Save the Planet Organizations). In essence these were bribes for their cooperation. During the 1912 campaign Roosevelt began his double speak campaign tactic, agreeing to give every group something in exchange for their votes. Meanwhile, another grassroots effort was in the development stage, organized labor was formulated. In addressing labor groups, Roosevelt stepping up on his “Bully Pulpit” encouraged small groups of labor workers to join what was being called unions so their joint voices could be heard in Washington, DC. Then President Howard Taft was being bullied by Roosevelt because Roosevelt was upset Taft was undoing certain programs he had put into place.

Because of the infighting within the Republican Party, Woodrow Wilson’s win wasn’t just a win; it was the foundation, the wood that would one day create the fire in which modern day progressivism would become the fuel to set the tinder’s a blaze beneath our Constitution. During that one campaign many factors were at play that ultimately transformed this country from a freedom loving country to a country of dependency. Let’s examine Wilson’s administration and what came out of it that brought us to today.

Who was Woodrow Wilson? Wilson was the Governor from New Jersey who in 1910 laid out a very aggressive progressive platform that transformed the state into what it is today – over taxed, government run state that has lost its history and its integrity. During the 1912 campaign, his small scale plan for New Jersey was applied to the entire country. He believed each state should give up their individualism and become a greater part of these United States – the beginnings of destruction for America’s Constitution.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes a political grassroots effort was being put into place to over throw the government and take control, slowly and methodically. The father of the term “New World Order” systematically created the Federal Reserve as a private organization, institution of a forced income tax as a regular way to raise funds for government use and let’s not forget his creation of the Federal Trade Commission to ensure they could control every aspect of domestic and international trade of goods. .

Meanwhile, he gave the order to send troops to Latin America between 1914 and 1918 to overthrow Mexico, Haiti, Cuba, Panama and Nicaragua. In Nicaragua he personally selected the replacement of a new President to force the passage of the Bryan-Chamorro Treaty. In Haiti, he controlled the election to ensure his hand picked President was elected, whereby controlling the interests of the country. He also ordered troops to enter the Dominican Republic. While negotiating a treaty with Columbia he was apologizing for America’s role in the Panama Revolution in which Teddy Roosevelt was involved in during 1903-1904. This was the first time a sitting President ever apologized for another Presidents action while in the White House to a foreign country. This was a strike against Roosevelt for his acts in Latin America during his presidency.

Wilson was a coward! As American allies died throughout Europe during World War I, he refused to get involved. It wasn’t until after his reelection in 1916, he was forced to engage after being told German ships and submarines were attacking British Passenger Liners carrying American Passengers in the Atlantic Ocean.

During the middle of his second administration he openly welcomed socialists who supported the war efforts, but covered his six by creating the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918. All the while he was creating his League of Nations and in 1920, still suffering from his stroke; he sent a request to Congress to vote in favor of the League of Nations to take over America. Congress voted against it. This wasn’t just his idea; it was the conception of a large group of individuals within his circle who wanted to control everything, including the United States of America. At the same time he was lobbying for the League of Nations,

This writer was surprised to learn that former Senator of New York and former Secretary of War, Elihu Root who was the Chairman of the Republican Party in 1912 was the spearhead of the Progressive Movement. After researching Mr. Root’s background it’s clear he was turned somewhere along his career. As a Diplomat for the Wilson Administration in 1917, he was sent to Russia and was instrumental in convincing them to stay in the war, even though he was sent there to talk peace. FDR also a Progressive Democrat became Secretary of War under Wilson.

Seven years after Wilson left the White House, those who were part of the progressive movement joined forces with the Democratic Party. Each of these people had communist leanings although on the surface they appeared to be patriotic Americans.

Since 1928, politics had taken on a whole new role for the Communist Party in how they dictated domestic and international policies.

FDR was another progressive who helped change the American Dream by creating program after program to dominate the American people. He created and orchestrated the New Deal Coalition whereby helping to form labor unions, corporate machines, which ultimately created a welfare state of mind among ethnic groups. Although he was on the surface a patriot, quietly he used his powers to transform the failed League of Nations into what’s now known as the United Nations. FDR was responsible for the Bretton Woods System which was the corner stone to what is now known as the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Together with the IMF the creation of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) was created, both of which are now part of the World Bank Group. All these organizations became operational in 1945. Although the objective of the Bretton Woods System obligated each country involved to adopt a join monetary policy to maintain the exchange rate system world wide by using the U.S. dollar as its base, it gave way to much power to the IMF to bridge any balance shortfalls. FDR’s New Deal Act and the creation of the Bretton Woods System were each based on the Keynesian economics.

The Keynesian Economic Theory was created by John Maynard Keynes in the 1920’s. Keynes authored a book called "The Theory of Money and the Foreign Exchanges” wherein he states. “Active government policy could be effective in managing the economy. Rather than seeing an unbalanced government budget as wrong, he believed that “countercyclical fiscal policies’, were a sure bet. Anyone in business knows you can’t spend what you don’t have, however, reinvesting in your company by tightening the purse strings is good business practices. Keynes believed in “deficit spending when a nation's economy suffers from recession or when recovery is long-delayed and unemployment is persistently high—and the suppression of inflation in boom times by either increasing taxes or cutting back on government outlays”. His approach works on paper, but it’s nothing more than a band-aid approach to a fiscal problem. This has been the approach of the Federal Government and other countries for the last sixty years. Keynes says it best “"in the long run, we are all dead." In other words, put a band-aid on the problem now because by the time they figure it out, we will be gone. As is evidenced by the last sixties years, the Keynesian theory of Economics has failed miserably.

Another Progressive (Richard Nixon) unilaterally terminated the United States ability to convert dollars to gold when he signed an Executive Order announcing the U.S. will no longer back its currency with gold, declaring "[t]he Bretton Woods system officially ended and the dollar became fully 'fiat currency,' backed by nothing but the promise of the federal government." This has been dubbed the Nixon shock. This decision left the U.S. Currency vulnerable and at the mercy of the Federal Reserve.

Each of these individual actions were progressive movement decisions, each strategically planned and executed by those within the Communist Party. Those involved helped impact the world stage by furthering the New World Order agenda of the Communist Party without realizing it.

Its no wonder why in the 1950’s when McCarthy began his Un-American investigations everyone in Washington, DC and across the country was in a panic. According to historical records McCarthy had a long list of suspected Communists who had infiltrated the State Department; the War Department later renamed Department of Defense, Dept of Commerce, Labor Department, staffers in the White House and even a few within Congress and Senate. He also had a long list of Union Bosses who were Communist Sympathizers. With so many already in positions of power, one has to wonder if McCarthy wasn’t strategically taken out of the great game, would he have been successful in his attempt to clean up Washington, DC? What would have happened if he was able to charge these people with treason or subversion; would we have the problems we have in today’s political climate? We will never know.

In today’s political arena one has to wonder if those involved in the Progressive movement even realize how they have been used as pawns to perpetuate the Communist agenda set in motion during the 1912 election. Many in elected office today use the same type of propaganda machine that helped get Wilson and the others elected, yet they just don’t give a damn because it’s not about America, it’s all about their next election and not about upholding the United States Constitution.

The ideology of the Communist Progressive movement is what enticed Pablo Picasso to use his talents as an artist to incorporate propaganda into his art. Picasso wasn’t a great artist, but he was easily persuaded because of his ego into using a talent God gave him for evil.

NEXT: "Picasso - The Art of War" Part 10: Art and Culture, a World Apart

"Picasso - The Art of War" is a series written & copyrighted to Author Elizabeth Kilbride 2011

"Picasso - The Art of War" Part 8: Creating a Puppet President - Obama

2011-05-04T11:00:00.021-04:00

Picasso's new version of the Dove of Peace Circa 1962

While researching the Picasso for this series, I was astounded to learn Picasso was Barak Obama’s favorite artist. When we look at the list of people Obama claims to admire, Lincoln, FDR, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, John Coltrane and Picasso; Picasso just didn’t fit. It is because of his admiration for Picasso that I started looking into the connection between the two men and why Obama would admire a communist artist. It is for this reason I began looking into the background of Obama and the whole birth certificate issue to find a connection between him and the Communist Party. Could it be that Obama was sending a clear message to those in the Communist Party - I’m with you in your cause?

Is it a coincidence that his half sister was named Maya? No, because his mother was a staunch Communist supporter and follower of Picasso’s art work and Picasso’s oldest daughter’s name is Maya..

After finding the connection between Obama and his family history with the communist Party, I began to get curious with the debate over President Obama’s birth certificate. It’s ironic that those who have been researching this piece of paper, have failed to see the most important key piece of research - not in where Obama was born, but instead how and why his birth was registered in Hawaii. The other question they should be asking is why he ran for elected office in Chicago, Illinois instead of Hawaii.

Obama has confirmed he was born in 1961, yet he refuses to say exactly where that birth had occurred. Let’s look at the evidence and chain of events.

According to the Hawaiian Registry of Birth which was verified by the Hawaii Law Library, the legal registry of any birth didn’t have to be provided by a hospital or parent in 1961; in fact it could be accomplished by a grandparent or relative. It has also been verified by both the Registry and Law Library that up until 1979, anyone could enter the Department of Health for Vital Statistics and register a birth of any child. It didn’t matter where they were born as long as the person registering the child was a citizen of Hawaii. In 1979 these rules changed. If a child was born in Hawaii then the child would be listed as born on what Island and in what hospital. If the child was born in a foreign country it was listed accordingly. Therefore, in 1961 a registry of birth was filed in Hawaii for a boy child born to Ann Dunham but that birth was not registered by Ann herself, rather it was accomplished by her mother, Madelyn Lee Payne Dunham. In 1970 Obama’s half sister Maya Soetoro was born in Jakarta, Indonesia and within a few days of her birth, Madelyn Lee Payne Dunham registered her birth with the registrar’s office in Hawaii too. She could do this in both cases because she was a resident of Hawaii. One must remember, Hawaii had only been a state under the United States of America for less than two years and their registry of birth procedures were still under the old system. It was not until 1977 when the U.S. Vital Statistics office began to change procedures and those changes included registry of foreign birth instead of live birth within the new state of Hawaii. Those changes took effect in 1979. Accordingly, any registry of Obama’s birth in the state of Hawaii in 1961 was the direct action of Madelyn Dunham not any doctor that was registered to practice medicine within the state, nor any hospital employee. Although Stanley and Madelyn had many friends throughout the Hawaiian Islands they could call upon to help in accomplishing this mission.

While living in Indonesia as a child, Obama was schooled as a British Citizen, under a British Passport. He was schooled in the Muslim faith by the highest Imam of the community. In the Islamic community, once you are a Muslim you can never denounce your faith to Allah, even though he claims to be a Christian – you can’t be both in the Islamic community.

So if he was under a British Passport how could he be a citizen of the United States? Coming from a low income family as he claims, how could he have afforded to go to college at Occidental College in California, Columbia University in New York and Harvard University in Boston?

While the country goes into a frenzy over whether Obama is truly a United States Citizen, all one has to do is look at the facts to answer these puzzling questions.

Let’s start with his grandparents. One major question to be asked is who were Stanley Dunham and his wife Madelyn Lee Payne Dunham. Although Stanley served in the Army during WWII and Madelyn worked in a bank, they didn’t move to Hawaii for the sun, sand and surf, instead they moved there in the fifties because they wanted to leave the United States of America to be among their own kind – other members of the Communist Party. Their entire circle of friends were all displaced Communists who left the United States to ensure they wouldn’t be caught up in the McCarthy investigations during the fifties.

One of their closest allies in the Communist movement was Frank Marshall Davis, a journalist, poet and Communist supporter who moved to Hawaii from Chicago in 1948 on the advice of Paul Robeson, another known Communist sympathizer. Hawaii during this time was going through a major change politically and socially. They were experiencing non-violent revolution between colored labor workers and the white elite known as the Democratic Revolution. As an instigator for the labor movement spreading across the country, Davis was excited to meet Harry Bridges, an Australian-American who was a known Communist Party member. Davis began helping Bridges organize workers along the docks and encouraged them to get involvement with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) headed up by Bridges.

Throughout the 40’s, while living in Chicago Davis denounced the Communist Party in public, but quietly helped them through the publication of his articles by including certain propaganda phrases. Through mutual friends at the Abraham Lincoln School in Chicago, he was introduced to Saul Alinsky during one of his community organizing events in the south side of Chicago and soon after Davis began supporting Alinsky’s efforts.

As a member of the Civil Rights Congress and a teacher of Jazz at the Abraham Lincoln School he used his position to help spread the word of Alinsky’s programs whereby promoting his socialistic ideology. The Civil Rights Congress run by William Patterson was later found to be a Communist propaganda front. Patterson was also the head of the Abraham Lincoln School in Chicago.

It was Davis who mapped out Obama’s career and school path even before Obama left Hawaii for the mainland. Through Frank Davis’s connections in California through the ILWU, Obama left Hawaii in 1979 for Occidental College, using his British Passport to register as a foreign student, whereby allowing him to receive U.S. federal government grants for his education. But I thought he was an American Citizen you might ask? Wait it gets better lets look at his entire career until now.

In 1981 he traveled to Indonesia, India and Pakistan under the opus of visiting his mother and school friends. Upon returning to the United States he transferred from Occidental College to Columbia University in New York. After graduating from Columbia, he worked for a company called Business International Corporation, a known CIA front Company. After leaving BIC he went to work for New York Public Institute Research Group also in New York.

It was a known fact that during the late 1940’s and throughout the 1950’s infiltration of top government agencies, academic universities and the cultural arts community by the Communist Party was being investigated by not only McCarthy’s Un-American Activities Committee, but also the FBI. Unfortunately, McCarthy’s efforts to thwart the rise of socialistic infiltration were halted because of Roy Cohn’s attempt to subvert the United States Army hearing with a doctored photograph. Was this a covert sabotage of the investigation or just a stupid mistake?

1985 he moves to Chicago Illinois – why would a man who lives in Hawaii want to move to the cold windy city of Chicago? There is a very important reason why he decided on Chicago. Let’s look at the facts and the connections to the Communist Party throughout his career in Chicago.

From 1985-1988 Obama worked for the Developing Communities Project in Chicago; an Alinsky ideology group. During this same time period he also worked with Gamelial Foundation (founded in 1968 based on the principles of Alinsky which were actually Karl Marx principles and ideologies) who was supported by the PICO National Network out of Oakland California, another Alinsky ideology group. He also worked for the Woods Fund of Chicago as a member of their Board of Directors (1994-2002 along side his friend and colleague Bill Ayers a known communist sympathizer who is a staunch supporter of anti-war and peace movement), He was on the board of the Joyce Foundation and Chicago Annenberg Challenge (the planned restructuring of our school system to help indoctrinate our children).

During 1988 he also traveled to Europe for three weeks, then on to Kenya for another five weeks. He’s never explained nor described where he went or who he met during this timeframe. Upon his return from his travels he entered Harvard University and returned to Chicago during breaks to continue his work for his many community organizing groups. He also worked for Hopkins and Sutter who just so happened to be on the board of directors of the Gamalial Foundation. One of the attorneys who worked for Skinner became the Chief of Staff for George H.W. Bush during his presidency.

Between the years of 1994-2008 Obama worked for Project Vote which was to coordinate unregistered voters throughout Illinois to ensure voter registration. The main group to coordinate this project was none other than ACORN. It was in 2002 that Obama allowed his law license to lapse, claiming an oversight in paperwork, but in reality it was because he had unpaid parking tickets from his Harvard University days. This later piece of evidence is a breach of the Cannon Rules of being a lawyer.

Now let’s look at his political career. He was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 2004 and was endorsed by every union in the area. His constituents were all from the South Side of Chicago. The South Side of Chicago is the very area in which Alinsky and the Communist Party created their community organizing organizations to create their plan of eventual take over of America by using the people of the community as their ultimate pawns for success.

During the presidential campaign Obama was seen on many occasions to never place his hand over his heart while the American national Anthem was played. He couldn’t because that would go against everything he was brought up to believe in – the Communist Manifesto. One must remember that his mother, grandparents and family friends were all Communist sympathizers to the cause.

Throughout his campaign for President he received endorsements from academia 40, Nobel Peace Prize winners 69, Unions 36, Newspapers 125, current and former president/vice presidents 2/2, current and former US Senators 48/18, current and former Congressional Reps 196/20, current and former Governors 17/22, but the kicker is the list of Foreign Endorsements 20 which include 19 socialist party members. Since the 2008 election evidence has surfaced that the majority of our elected officials in Washington DC who represent the Democratic Party have admitted to being socialist sympathizers or who have accepted money from the Communist Party. Each of these representatives are on the list of Endorsements for Barak Obama which only goes to show you how much the United States of America has been infiltrated by the Communist Party. The majority of the Nobel Prize winners who endorsed him are also connected to the Communist Party. There is no wonder why the famed Nobel Prize organization felt compelled to awared Obama the Nobel Peace Prize when he didn't do anything to deserve it after taking office in Washington, DC.

His words and actions since taking the office of President have spoken for him. First action against the American government was when he took the oath of office, he purposefully screwed up the oath so as to appear as though he was saying it properly, but in fact he could not bring himself to swear an oath to protect and defend the United States Constitution. There has never been any video produced whereby showing the American people he properly took the oath, therefore, he doesn’t have to defend the Constitution and the laws of America. This was all part of the plan by people like Pablo Picasso and the Communist Party – subvert the American political system and control America. Picasso himself dreamed about this vision, which is why he gifted the Chicago Picasso to the City of Chicago. He was clearly sending a message to his comrades, one day your prince will take over America from the very city this statue stands. This is the reason why I chose the Picasso art work you see above - it clearly shows his Dove stomping on the very symbols of freedom.

Throughout my investigation it is apparent Barak Hussein Obama is clearly a Communist Sympathizer, and has systematically infiltrated and subverted the power of the United States Political system and it’s Government which makes him a threat to the national security of America.

NEXT: "Picasso - The Art of War": Part 9 - Political Take Over

"Picasso - The Art of War" is a series written & copyrighted to Author Elizabeth Kilbride 2011

"Picasso - The Art of War" Part 7: Counter Culture & the Vietnam War - The Promised Utopia

2011-05-03T11:00:00.010-04:00

Picasso envisioned a world as beautiful as Utopia. Only difference is, his Utopia was in dominating the world for the Communist cause and its evil purpose. This can be easily understood in many ways; not just through their propaganda campaign. Look around you and you’ll see their attempts at destroying America, England and Europe over the last forty years.

Transformation Scene from the movie "Avatar"

In order for my readers to understand what Picasso’s intent was in creating his own Utopia, one must watch the movie “Avatar” because within this movie his dream comes true. This movie is about a warrior shaman (much like Picasso) as he does not himself physically engage, but does so through mystical (shown in the movie as scientific) means. When he turns against his own, it’s because he has identified with and becomes the enemy.

“Avatar” is life imitating art because the man in the wheelchair represents non other than Ron Kovac of the famed movie 4th of July. During the 70’s this decorated Marine joined the ranks of the peace movement and turned his back on his country. He lost his values, his convictions and all he once held dear as a Marine. Brainwashed by the drug induced crowd, he believed the Utopia, Picasso and the Communist Party was trying to achieve was the answer to the future of America.

Marlon Brando's Character Colonel Kurtz,
in Apocalypse Now

Avatar Warrors

This movie shows how easy it is for those sent in to infiltrate the enemy can be turned to their cause. One line in the movie struck a cord because it is being used today, “Winning the Hearts and Minds of the enemy”- does this phrase sound familiar to any of my readers? This is the same thing depicted in Marlin Brando’s character in “Apocalypse Now”. Marlin Brando's character Col Kurtz is in fact leading a rouge force that is ruthlessly attacking the VC and NVA using some of the same methods of the VC and NVA, except even more extreme. As the Special Forces Officer that he is, he leads an indigenous force against the enemies of the US and S VN but as shear indiscriminate barbaric killers, and then refuses to report or accept orders to stand down as to disengage and come in. He is in fact something of an ultimate warrior, but also an insane war criminal that is no longer a soldier. As in “Apocalypse Now”, the turncoat becomes the leader of the enemy, as in mythology with symbolism that depicts the Shaman priest - Mind manipulator over the people.

After World War II, this was the intent of Picasso and his fellow Comrades - regroup, rebuild and reinforce their new army – using their form of arrows, horses, banshees and brut force. When they attack it will be with brut force and they will be ruthless in their destruction, until they have completely dominated America and the world. If you notice in the movie, the “Protectors” are large and fierce, protecting the enemy in the beginning and at the end. This represents those in the corporate world who are protecting those within the Communist Party today.

“Avatar” storyline is a clear and present danger to the free world, if Picasso was alive today; he would call this movie his UTOPIA!

In the Attributed Unknown Picasso art work the woman's right arm has been cut off on purpose. If you were to aquate this woman to the statue of Liberty, the right arm holds the torch of light for freedom. Therefore, the loss of freedom when discussing freedom of speech, one can easily see how the media the very essense of freedom of speech depicted in Benjamen Franklin's own words, "Without Freedom of Thought there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as Public Liberty, without Freedom of Speech." writing as Silence Dogood, No. 8, July 9, 1722. Throughout the sixties we witnessed propaganda being carefully inserted into newspapers, radio and television promoting drug induced flower children slurring their words of peace, promise of Shangri-La or Utopia. Lack of understanding throughout the media world, that they had been infiltrated by the Communist or Socialist agenda, produced a viable weapon for the enemy on the ground in Vietnam. Phrases such as "Unwinnable War" uttered by Walter Cronkite, and a multitude articles that caused more damage to American Miltiary forces such as journalists such as Peter Arnett who wrote "Death of Supply Column 21"that was filled with words of hatred towards those fighting for their lives in the jungles and rice fields of hell. These quotes were used in other publications such as the New Republic, New York Times, and newspapers across the nation that helped destroy the nation and its support for our military in the midst of war.

This movie along with other movies produced since the 1960's have been an insult to every member of our military forces, who fought bravely and in many instances gave their lives for freedom. Movies such as this and Apocalopyse Now are an insult to Freedom, Liberty and individual rights and prosperity. Is this movie a call to arms to the flower children of the world? You’re damn straight it is and unless we the people stand and fight, they will win in their objective of complete and utter domination of all freedom throughout the world.

For those in Hollywood who grew up during the sixties and was spoon fed information by the Socialist Network system of KGB, GRU infiltrators through the finely tuned and orchestrated peace movement, you have been brainwashed to spread more and more propaganda through your artistic endeavors. As the Chicago Picasso statue clearly showed a pawn being dominated by a Trojan horse; you have clearly proven my theory of the great game played out by Picasso and his fellow Comrades. You’ve been their most ardent pawn of all for the last forty years.

In the current situation throughout America, England and Europe, the Communist Party’s final phase is taking place right before your very eyes - one country at a time. This is their final moment; they’ve been able to overthrow governments with propaganda, violence and terrorism - their own version of the Ride of the Valkyria. They’ve taken over businesses from the top, in order to control and destroy the world’s economy. They’ve planted the seeds of indoctrination whereby forcing everyone to submit to their tactics with fear and control.

Throughout the world they have achieved their goal of taking over countries by corrupting the media with their political correctness. By the way, Political Correctness is a standard throughout the Communist way of life, just look at history where the media was controlled in what they could and couldn’t say. What books they could read and how people interacted with each other. In America, we are seeing the same thing, but this time its not just in our business community, or our media, it’s within our own government – starting with those who got their start in politics from the very city in which Picasso planted his seed of “Hope” for his Utopia – Chicago. This wasn’t a coincidence readers, this was their signal to begin the transformation of the world.

For those countries who believe that interaction with the Muslim world community is a good thing, you should think again before believing they are willing to work with you and your government. The majority of those countries are under a communistic type belief system.

The world needs to wake up and realize they’ve been duped into believing their way of life has changed because of stupid decisions; it has not, it has been planned since the fall of the Communist Party in Germany, 1945. Picasso was only one who was duped into believing their way was the best way for the world. Most people in the art world don’t realize how many of Picasso’s artwork hangs in homes and government buildings throughout China. They too wish for his dream of Utopia, because his dream is their dream. We the people of America are now in debt to China, thanks to those who have lead us into destruction and slavery. Now we must suffer at the threat of their taking over America because of politician’s who have sold themselves to the Communist Party for those campaign donations.

Throughout the educational system around the world, history books are already being rewritten to eliminate certain facts and replace them with a new belief system; whereby giving credit to certain cultures for accomplishments they never earned.

Picasso’s Utopia has begun; I just hope he’s happy from the depths of hell for helping to destroy the free world and all it holds dear.

NEXT: "Picasso - The Art of War" Part 8: Creating a Puppet President - Obama

"Picasso - The Art of War" is a series written & copyrighted to Author Elizabeth Kilbride 2011

"Picasso - The Art of War" Part 6: Picasso's Legacy of Arrogance

2011-04-28T11:00:00.002-04:00

Part 6: Legacy of Arrogance

“We all know that art is not the truth, art is a lie that makes us realize the truth” Pablo Picasso

Attributed Unknown Picasso Circo 1967 (c) DXK Collection

In his own words, Picasso said it all, but what he doesn’t tell you is his work was full of truth; the truth of his own activities, deception and manipulation. Known for his womanizing and lack of respect for females, its ways to see how he conducted his life’s work. He was known to have said – “It is your work in life that is the ultimate seduction”. It was through his seduction of the art world that he was given the liberty to promote his propaganda, seed after seed of death and destruction – all in the cause of the Communist Party.

It was through his seduction those who bought his work supported his activities, believing he was a genius, but in reality because they were in a prominent position in society, those who first purchased his work were themselves believers in the cause of Communism. They gave his work credibility and the outlet to spew his hidden messages. Through this alliance he gained prominence and accessibility to representatives of various countries, including representatives and politicians from America.

Believing he was just an eccentric artist representatives of various countries allowed themselves to be seduced by the man and whether innocently or on purpose, confided secrets not to be shared outside their circle of people in the know; possible secrets to national security of a nation. It was through these interactions Picasso was able to play maestro and orchestrate his deception in using such information for the cause or planting seeds to the destruction of certain historical events.

Either this piece of art is his ultimate Cold War Trophy because it reveals his triumphant achievements or because he had such an ego, it reveals his arrogance. It is a very complex diary of his work for and with the communist party, plus his revenge on America. Let’s examine a few interesting letters and symbols here, and then I direct you to spending a few hours reading and examining Mr. Kenney’s work more carefully via his site. (Website address at the bottom of this article)

The letters contained within this piece have variant meanings, but first let’s look at the obvious translations: TARN and TT which stands for Tarntel and Tarnschriften. Tarantella or Tarntel in German means Tarantula or wolf spider. Tarnschriften is the name of a camouflaged publication printed from 1933 to 1945 wherein information was shared throughout the European community to avoid censorship by the Nazi’s. Within this publication many articles and stories were written by prominent members of the Communist Party to share secret information and messages. It is believed that the first “T” represents the writer from this publication that ensured these messages were printed within its pages. One can assume the translation of tarantula or wolf spider might have been his code name within the party, which is why Picasso made sure a spider, was included in this piece of work.

Now let’s look at the letters and numbers throughout this piece and what they refer to in history.

SS could only mean Soviet Secret Service which was created by Stalin when he established his network of intelligence gathering escapades throughout Germany, Great Britain, France, Japan and the United States. This network ensured the Communist movement was able to infiltrate the highest levels of each government and relay information.

SEC in French mean Secret or Secretariat which can only mean the person to whom was involved with the SS network of intelligence was or inferred as the Secretariat of France.

Letters surrounding the head of the woman:

S, T, Tarn, EL, ARM, C, P.I.C.A.S.S.O

The letters from P through O as referred to above clearly spell out Picasso’s name and are to make sure the person who this piece of work was sent to after its completion knew he was involved in everything mentioned in this his Cold War Trophy. The other letters can only mean specific words, terms or persons.

C – at the base of the nose surrounding what appears to be an image of Fidel Castro with full beard. This could only mean he was either referring to the two telegrams he received from his comrade Castro (telegram wishing him a happy 80th birthday in 1961 and upon being awarded the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962), or it is confirmation to a direct connection between the two men from a distance.

#51 is clear and has two meanings: First representing Castro’s involvement in the Cold War and his direct involvement with China’s Communist Party in the Korean War. The second refers to the completion of his work called “Massacre in Korea” wherein he depicted the slaughter of women and children by South Korean and US forces of Communist sympathizers. One has to wonder if Picasso ever has an original thought in any of his work, because this one piece of work looks just like the Goya painting “The Third of May 1808” wherein Goya shows Napoleon's soldiers executing Spanish civilians. Where Goya was a true artist in his work, Picasso’s depiction looks like a child’s rendition of the same artist work.

There are multiple Dragons throughout the piece holding paint brushes. The symbol of a dragon in connection to the Communist party refers to the Russian Folklore “Sword & the Dragon” both of which are also found in mythology and mystical findings. Both these symbols can also be attributed to the Ride of Valkyria. (More about the Ride of Valkyria in Part 8 of this series). These dragons can be found on the leg of the female, again in group 2 photos’s as it paints a white dove (this represents Picasso’s famous Dove of Peace) and again as it encircles a U in the black area, in the gray area as it forms an S and then it wraps around an A. These last letters can only mean U.S.A.

There are many themes throughout this piece of work, mythical and mystical as well as Cold War, World War II and Spanish War. Picasso through his ego and arrogance ensured the world would one day understand and praise him for his involvement and assistance in these three endeavors for the Communist Party.

Items I’ve pointed out in this piece throughout this series is only the tip of the iceberg found at http://romanofficer.com/Picasso/PicassoPage.htm . I highly recommend you spend some time to view and read Mr. Kenney’s amazing work in deciphering Pablo Picasso’s hidden Diary of deceit and vengeance against not only the world but against America and its freedom.

Next: "Picasso - The Art of War" Part 7: Counter Culture & the Vietnam War - The Promised Utopia

Picasso - The Art of War" is a series written & copyrighted to Author Elizabeth Kilbride 2011

"Picasso - The Art of War" Part 5: Picasso's Hidden Code's and Secrets

2011-04-27T11:00:00.001-04:00

Attributed Unknown Picasso Circa 1967 (c) DXK Collection

Throughout history archeologists and scholars have ignored miniature or micro art carved, sketched or painted on various pieces of pottery, shields, swords, statues and parchment they have excavated throughout the world. Those who created these various pieces were telling hidden tales - to leave for someone to find in the future. Rarely if all have any of these pieces ever been studied, deciphered, and understood so that we could possibly understand some histories greatest mysteries.

Unless someone points out the varying layers of symbolism within a piece of art, the average observer would never see them to understand their true meaning. Picasso was the master of hiding hidden messages throughout his work during his career. Only those who understood the codes hidden could read them swiftly.

One has to wonder why Picasso would put so many micro and miniature art messages and symbols into one piece of art such as this one; then again he was a clever or should I say devious artist. Throughout this piece Picasso tells us of his involvement in the Cold War and how he was able to manipulate those around him to do his bidding. We have to remember, he believed no one was as clever has he was or capable of figuring it out for hundreds of years. Is this Picasso’s true trophy piece? His ultimate message to the world that he expected would evolve after a Communist victory – this is what I was able to accomplish right underneath the noses of the foes of communism as the ultimate Warrior Shaman of revenge?

Well, one man has figured out the symbols, the letters and the hidden messages of this cleverly crafted piece of art. His name is David Kenney. Although Kenney’s primary area of research and focus has been with ancient artifacts and militaria with a concentration on Roman legionary, his work also extends to works of art of certain modern masters. In 2004, Kenney began noticing miniature art on various artifacts from the Roman Era, which led to similar discoveries on artifacts from the Paleolithic era and other works clear up until the 1960's. For years, he had been noticing miniature and micro art on artifacts but could not define exactly what they meant; that is until this past decade. “Miniature art appears to be the self expression of one's true beliefs and a connection to the divine; it has been with us for at least 600,000 years, and it all but disappeared by the late 1960's. It appears that over the last 2,000 years it has been most popular with artists, artisans, royalty, the nobility, soldiers, and prostitutes,” he explains.

In 2005, after purchasing this attributed unknown Picasso from a Dutch dealer in Holland, he noticed the varying levels of hidden micro and miniature art. As an artist, sculpture and Cold War Warrior, it was easy for Kenney to see the hidden messages contained within this piece of art. After careful study and examining every centimeter of it, researching the various symbolisms for their meanings, Kenney began to see the story Picasso was clearly hiding and how they connected to various historical events. No wonder the Picasso Family doesn’t want Picasso's work from 1965 – 1967 seen by the world as this may have been the period when Picasso was most active with his reflections on his "gains" as a Cold War Warrior for Communism – this truly is his ultimate trophy piece of corruption, manipulation and calculating Communist behavior around the world.

Before you view the art work, think 1960’s, Cold War, Vietnam War, Peace Movement and Civil Rights movement, then look upon this piece of art, what do you see? Clearly there is a man sitting on a chair? Could this represent Johnson? In the center is a woman with her hand at the man’s throat. Who does that represent? Could it be Olga, Picasso’s girlfriend and love? Maybe it’s a symbolism of the Statue of Liberty. Below the man is a bucket, as if to show he’s about to relieve himself. Within the fold of her right eye (black on white area) is a figure with horns, it is a Shaman Warrior that no doubt is Picasso himself in this fashion. There is micro art picture of Castro on the nose and a hook. A dragon holding what appears to be a paint brush. A baby can be seen on the head of the woman. It appears to be a tarantula near the head along with the letters TT and SS too. Look closely, there’s a canary on the lips. So many symbols and hidden messages it’s hard to keep up right? This was the intent of Picasso, to confuse the person who is viewing this piece of work. It is his arrogance that makes this one piece so important because it’s not only his trophy piece, it’s his personal diary of his life’s work for the communist party.

In tomorrow’s segment I will explain more of what these symbols and letters mean and their connection to possible historical event. If you’d like to view each symbol closely, please visit http://romanofficer.com/Picasso/PicassoPage.htm and read Mr. Kenney’s painstaking research of this Attributed Unknown Picasso work.

Next: "Picasso - The Art of War" Part 6: Picasso's Legacy of Arrogance

"Picasso - The Art of War" is a series written & copyrighted to Author Elizabeth Kilbride 2011

"Picasso - The Art of War" Part 4: Picasso's Secret Diary

2011-04-26T11:00:00.001-04:00

“Painting is just another way of keeping a Diary” Pablo Picasso

Picasso didn’t just say the above quote, he lived it. Throughout his career he utilized his canvas to tell the story of his life; his inner most thoughts, actions, desires, and most importantly, his accomplishments - hiding propaganda messages within his work. His canvas was his Diary!

“We all know that art is not the truth, art is a lie that makes us realize the truth” Pablo Picasso

In his own words, Picasso said it all, but what he doesn’t tell you is his work was full of the truth; the truth of his own activities, deception and manipulation. Picasso was known for his womanizing and disrespect for females, so it’s easy to see how he conducted his life. Again, in his words, “it is your work in life that is the ultimate seduction”. It was his seduction of the art world that gave him the liberty to promote his propaganda. It was through the European art world where he planted seeds one by one of hatred for freedom. Yet it was that freedom that gave him his voice

In the two pieces of his work I have already brought to your attention, the Dove of Peace and the Chicago Picasso, one can clearly see they weren’t designed for the pleasure of the eye, but like a Shaman cultivating his seeds of deception, he used them to manipulate the weak with his hidden messages. Messages he used to further the cause of the Communist Party agenda.

Today, I am unveiling an unknown attributed work of Pablo Picasso, a gouache on paper that shows miniature art and cleverly hidden art, some of which contain symbols and codes that span decades - dated 1967. With each symbol, each set of letters and cleverly hidden character I will show a direct connection to historical events in which he was involved. This piece of art is his final message to the world – I’ve been able to manipulate and control you, world events while assisting my beloved Communist Party from my little piece of the world.

Attributed Unknown Picasso 1967 (C) DXK Private Collection

This is definitely one in a series of works the Picasso family is in search of – those missing pieces of art from 1965 – 1967 - they don’t want the world to see. Why would they want to prevent the public from seeing these pieces of art; maybe because they will clearly show just how dangerous the man was in life?

When this work was produced he was just about 87-years old and it’s not clear why he decided to put his propaganda work on one canvas like this; maybe he thought it would never be deciphered by anyone for centuries. We’ll it has been deciphered by someone and thank the heavens it has, because it clearly helps to unravel the destruction and complicated web that has been weaved by the Communist Party to control everything within the free world.

The United States Government suspected Picasso of being inside the highest level of the Communist Party, but he always denied it. Well this piece of art proves he was not only privy to information before it was made known, but he helped orchestrate it. How else would a painter know of such things?
In tomorrow’s segment, I will point out and explain certain symbols and codes to help you understand what they mean.

Next: "Picasso - The Art of War" Part 5: Picasso's Hidden Code
"Picasso - The Art of War" is a series written & copyrighted to Author Elizabeth Kilbride 2011

"Picasso – The Art of War" Part 3: Army of Dove's

2011-04-21T11:00:00.001-04:00

After being denied access to the United States in 1950, due to his involvement in the Communist Party in France and strong connections to the party in the Soviet Union; Picasso stepped up his efforts for the cause by redesigning, once again, his Dove of Peace. The drawing above shows his Dove of Peace surrounded by colorful flowers –these flowers represent the children of the world.

By early 1950, the Communist Party in Europe were low on followers because of World War II, therefore, they needed a new army to help them combat freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness spreading around the globe. Master manipulator Picasso together with others within the Communist Party devised a new plan - they needed a new Army; a young, impressionable army that could be molded and manipulated into doing their bidding for a new future of the Communist Party. They needed an Army of Dove’s but how would they achieve their goals? They decided to use the International Peace Movement and other organizations with the same objective to build a new Army of Dove’s.

The Soviet Union being the strongest of Communist countries together with members of the Communist Party in China, Vietnam, Korea and other countries around the world, banned together to collectively create their new Army of supporters. Picasso of course being a strong supporter of the Communist Party loaned his name to the cause and was once again invited to be a part of the new Peace Movement to ensure his efforts were carried out precisely as planned.

Although their Cold War Activities weren’t a sure thing, the Soviet Union had to ensure they would be successful. With the help of some powerful businessmen in America who they already had duped and were controlling, they began funneling money through them to the right philanthropy organizations who were already involved in the so called movement to prevent war. By using these noted and worthy causes, they were able to begin to control how the movement’s activities could benefit them and their Cold War Activities. These same businessmen helped them gain control over political campaigns in America and throughout the world.

This was confirmed in the autobiography of Russian foreign military intelligence directorate (GRU) defector Stanislav Lunev called “The GRU and the KGB.” Although Lunev never revealed the names of those involved, he did confirmed funding was funneled into the United States for anti-war and peace movement activities during the Korean and Vietnam War. In his book he stated that over 1 billion dollars was strategically funneled throughout America to help undermined the American people in supporting their cause during both wars. This funding wasn’t just for anti-war and peace movement activities; they were calculating and manipulative in helping to brainwash and undermine how the American youth perceived their activities. Money wasn’t the only thing smuggled into the countries they targeted, so was mind altering drugs.

Mind altering drugs such as the use of marijuana, hashish, peyote, cocaine, heroine and other mind alter drugs were smuggled into America and freely dispensed to American youth. One has to wonder what American pharmaceutical groups profited from these lies and deception. Who in the US could have profited the most from such an attack on American youth? Which high priced businessmen were involved in the pharmacy companies during the fifties and sixties who were in line with the Russians to have helped them – knowingly or unknowingly perpetuate the issuance of such drugs? You’ll have to be the one to research that objective.

Once the drugging of American youth objective was underway, they turned their efforts to Phase two of their plan; reeducating the country. Through the help of their operatives within the academia world, set in motion back during the Wilson Administration, they carefully selected certain groups who could easily be persuaded. Under the cloak of wanting to help academia better educate their students, they set out to fund non-military, anti-war peace conferences and youth conferences; all directed at a campaign to create an illusion of education to defund and downsize the American military. With the help of their already corrupt business leaders, they stepped up their plan by recruiting politicians with larger campaign donations. These activities weren’t just restricted to America; they were spread throughout the world.

Another group infiltrated was the woman’s movement throughout America. This was a cleverly orchestrated plan of attack. These groups helped to undermine the sanctity of the very foundation of family life. Through various women’s organizations, they were able to brainwash the mothers of our youth and reshape the way America prospered and grew. It was through these organizations and the women who were behind them they were able to obtain legal precedence with Roe vs. Wade. As a result, an increase of funding through Planned Parenthood and other groups who were hell bent on destroying America from within was underway.

As a result of his contribution with cloaked calculating deception, Picasso, the master manipulator of the Communist Party, gained the nickname “The Father of Peace” and was awarded for his efforts by receiving the International Lenin Peace Prize in 1962. It is widely known throughout the world just how much Moscow used Picasso’s reputation and his ability of hiding messages within his work for propaganda purposes. Although they gave him praise and accolades on the surface, in private they despised the man personally and dismissed his works as self-indulgent. His work was never shown throughout Russia, yet they gave him the honor of a postage stamp to help promote their cause and gain the support of his followers.

What was the end result of Picasso’s efforts overall? In reality he helped create a drug induced youth who walked around with his Dove of Peace plastered to their chest, their backs and their asses for the world to see during the 60’s. This achievement showed just how successful the Communist Party had become. Picasso’s Dove of Treachery and Revenge plan worked – he created a new Army of Dove’s to carry out the work of the Communist Party. Each individual who participated in these peace demonstrations in the streets of America were used, duped and spoon fed information they had no understanding about, all in the cause of the Communist Party effort to destroy America from within.

Today, the majority of those who participated in the peace and anti-war movement throughout America, during the fifties and sixties, are now the professors teaching in our colleges. Each of them is gladly teaching their wisdom to the youth of today. Karl Marx was correct, capture the mind of youth and you can control the country. With Picasso's Dove of Peace, he surely helped capture the minds of our youth during the 50's and 60's. Together Picasso and the Communist Party helped brainwash those within the peace movement around the world to do their bidding – a new type of warrior in their great game of chess or should I say strategy to defeat their opponent – The United States of America.

Next: "Picasso - The Art of War" Part 4: Picasso's Secret Diary

"Picasso - The Art of War" is a series written & copyrighted to Author Elizabeth Kilbride 2011

"Picasso – The Art of War" Part 2: A Dove of Peace or Revenge

2011-04-20T09:00:00.009-04:00

When we think of the Dove of Peace, we think of purity, love and humanity. The world renowned symbol of Peace is a pure white dove, flying with a leaf in its beak, surrounded by colorful flowers reflecting tranquility and serenity.

The picture depicted above is what the International Peace movement wants you to believe, but in reality, it’s nothing more than a cover story for what the real intention has been since 1949.

After Allied Forces won World War II, Hitler’s army was defeated and the Communist Party throughout Europe had been crippled, or so we thought. They were thwarted yes, but not totally crippled to the point where they laid down their ideology and commitment. Instead, they regrouped silently and began planning their next attack; this time without bullets or war. They would launch a new attack that would take a considerable amount of time if their plan was to work.

Shortly after World War II ended in 1945, or maybe before it ended, Pablo Picasso was livid at the course to which world events turned against the Communist Party. His beloved Communist Party was losing ground and events in Paris during that time made him very angry at the United States of America; after all they thwarted the effort of the cause. No one knows if he consulted with anyone in the party, but we must assume he did because he created a new piece of artwork; a small painting of a Dove. This is no ordinary Dove, because if you look very closely, you will see it is not a Dove of Peace at all. In fact, it’s a Dove ruffling its feathers and on the wing in front, there’s clearly an upside down flag that can only be the flag of the United States of America for it has strips, but no stars.

Picasso was the master at disguising hidden symbols and meanings in all his artwork. This was his way of sending messages to those within the Communist Party throughout the world of what the party planned for the future. It is clear in this one piece of art, he was letting his fellow Communist members not to despair they were planning to ruffle the feathers of their enemy – America.

Later in 1949, Picasso having a strong knowledge of mythology, religion and history combined these three things into a new piece of work, the Dove of Peace and introduced it to members of the Congress of Peace. He again redesigned his famous Dove of Peace when the International Peace Movement started.

One must understand the history behind the symbol of the Dove based on biblical writings. First mentioned in the Old Testament wherein it says, Noah released a pigeon to see if the flood waters had receded. When it returned with a twig in its mouth, it was proof a new world had emerged from the flood waters and a mighty change had occurred.

In mythology, most all birds were associated with the creation of the life or a new world. In Ancient Egyptian mythology it was believed a new land rose out of the primeval waters of chaos and horror. Upon this new land appeared a bird perched on a branch.

Throughout Europe birds were used to symbolize power and strength. In 1917 the German Government printed a poster depicting a white dove with an olive branch flying under a black eagle. Now mind you the black eagle was the national symbol long before Hitler and the Nazi Party hijacked it. In fact according to Germany’s own history, the eagle has a rich heritage as their national insignia deriving from the heraldic Roman Aquila, including the German Empire and the Weimar Republic.

Taking into consideration all of the above, Picasso used his ability and talent yet again as the master of propaganda messages by using the symbolism of the Dove for the treachery campaign the Communist Party was creating.

The symbol of the Dove surrounded by colorful flowers was created as a symbol to be used by people all around the world under the cloak of deception. Many variations of his original symbol have been used by artists around the world; each with their own variation of their own interpretation. Throughout China the Dove can be seen in many Communist propaganda paintings and drawings. In many European communities there are pictures and posters of young children holding a Dove, this isn’t done by accident. In many Middle Eastern countries there are artist renditions of a Dove squatting on a scarf, or on top of a camel out in the desert. The symbol isn’t meant for peace, but for war.

After Picasso was denied access to the United States in 1950, his campaign intensified. It was time to enact his and the Communist Party’s plan for world domination, their numbers were low because of the war and they had to recruit unsuspecting individuals to help them – they turned to those within the new Peace Movement.

Did Picasso’s Dove of Treachery and Revenge plan work? We'll find out in Picasso - The Art of War," Part 3: An Army of Dove's.

Next: "Picasso - The Art of War," Part 3: An Army of Dove's

"Picasso - The Art of War" is a series written & copyrighted byAuthor Elizabeth Kilbride 2011

"Picasso - The Art of War" Part 1: The Chicago Picasso or Secret to the Great Game"

2011-04-19T09:03:00.007-04:00

Throughout history, the game of chess was originally designed as a strategy game of war. Originally found in Persia where the pieces were played as if an army was at war. The concept of the game is played like a battle on the battlefield - one army trying to gain dominance over their opponent’s army.

Originally, each piece represented a specific member of the military – King represented the General, Queen represented his wife and someone who needed protection. Bishop represented spiritual advisor, Knight (or Trojan horse) represent the warriors who followed the orders of the General, while the Rook symbolized the chariot of olden days and the pawn represented the common people who were expendable or collateral damage in a battle. It wasn’t until the game became popular in royal courts throughout Europe, the pieces changed to depict a courtly theme, but the strategy is still the same – war.

In researching Pablo Picasso’s artwork and his connection to the Communist Party during World War II and throughout his lifetime until his death in 1973; one piece of art stuck out like a sore thumb – The Chicago Picasso. Although he was commissioned to create this piece, by the City of Chicago, upon its completion, he refused to be paid; instead he donated it to the people of Chicago in 1967. Why would any artist refuse to be paid for his artwork you might ask yourself? Could it be because they relished having a piece of their art displayed before the public in the middle of a town? Could it be because they didn’t need the money? Could it be the artist was making a statement and those who accepted it never understood the true meaning of the sculpture? You got it!

Pable Picasso was known for his Communist propaganda messages in his artwork. After all, Picasso was the master of disguise in his work. He was also anti-American for a number of reasons. First was because he was a member of the French Communist Party since 1944 and became a celebrity among the party members. He was often called upon to create unusual pieces that also held special propaganda messages meant only for the person to whom the piece was sent too. The second reason, America helped thwarted the Communists in World War II. Last but not least and the most important reason of all, his ties to the Communist party in Soviet Russia and it was because of this connection that in 1950 he was denied access to the United States with a delegation who wanted to attend the Peace Conference in Washington, D.C. Therefore, his hatred for America became widely known and the Chicago Picasso was his way of making sure America knew he hated them with a passion. The Chicago Picasso is without a doubt his defining work for the Communist Party and one of his final propaganda pieces without exception.

To anyone who strolls down the streets of downtown Chicago and comes upon the Chicago Picasso, their first impressions are to marvel at the craftsmanship, the artistry and the magnitude of its size. What they don’t see is the symbolism of the statue itself. Within this one statue lays the artists pure hatred for America and all it holds dear. It is a true masterpiece by man who felt Communism would win out in the war against freedom. Look closely at this statue for it is the symbolism within this fifty foot sculpture that is the true message – a Trojan horse better known in the game of chess as a knight’s dominance over a pawn. Remember his life’s work was games of strategy in helping the Communist party achieve their goal of world dominance through propaganda. When you relate the game of chess, a strategic game of dominance over your opponent, you can plainly see the Trojan horse, or knight, a chess piece known as the warrior dominating over its pawn - the common people.

Now if you factor in Picasso’s love of mythology, religion and history then look at this piece a little differently;, you will see within the cut out of the back piece, it appears to be shoulders and a head. What you don’t see, unless you look at the statue from the right lower angle, where you see the wings are pointing downward, but in the center cut out is the symbol of one large ax head pointing downward. In ancient mythology the ax head pointing downward is the symbol for the Angel of Destruction or the Goddess of Death and Destruction. The ax head is also the symbol of a midevil execution by ax. The multiple rods holding the piece together are in a circular fashion and at the angle downward, this represent the symbol of arrows or darts. In contrast to the American eagle on the great seal wherein the arrows are pointing upward.

In order for my readers to understand the reference to the Angel of Destruction, you must understand Norse Mythology and Valkyria. The ancient symbols found in this statue can be clearly understood when we look into what Valkyria symbolism truly means – horse, wings, axes, arrows or darts. The mythological understanding of Valkyria is know as the chooser of the slain or decider of who will die in battle. As a Communisit, was Picasso telling the American people in this one statute is very clear – we will destroy you. If you still don’t understand the power of Valkyria, go rent Apocalypse Now (1979) or listen to the power and intensity of Wagner’s movement, “Ride of the Valkyria” which was played during the helicopter attack in the movie. Wagner's Ride of the Valkyria

So the question remains, why did he donate the piece rather than accept his rightful fee? Could Picasso have used the people of Chicago as his unwilling Pawns in his strategic propaganda game to ensure they accepted the world renowned artist’s work?

Picasso truly "locked and loaded" that symbolic Trojan Horse as his way of telling the American people they would one day be dominated by the Communist Party. Is his dream coming true?

NEXT IN SERIES: Picasso – The Art of War" Part 2: A Dove of Peace or Revenge

"Picasso - The Art of War" is a series written & copyrighted to Author Elizabeth Kilbride 2011

"Picasso – Artist or Covert Spy?"

2011-04-14T08:56:00.004-04:00

It is widely known throughout the art world that Pablo Picasso was a tyrant to his family, his children and in many cases his friends. He was also very generous man too; giving away gifts of his work in all shapes and sizes to friends, other artists, writers and in some cases those who did work for him and his wife Jacqueline.

Over the years, a few unknown pieces of Picasso’s work have surfaced by aging individuals who once worked for him in France, or mysteriously appeared at auction houses like Christie’s or Sotheby’s - who have the exclusive rights from the estate to sell his work. The hunt for these unknown pieces, especially his works from 1965 to 1967 are in high demand by not only the art world, but most importantly, the Picasso family heirs.

One has to wonder why the estate would be so eager to find these pieces. Is it to preserve the Picasso legacy? Is it because their strapped for cash and they want to sell them at a high price through their exclusive connection with Christie’s and Sotheby’s who can sell anything with the name Picasso on it. Or is it because these unknown works tell a story they don’t want known to Picasso admirers?

Upon learning about the case of Picasso Estate vs. Pierre Le Guennec I became intrigued about this case. The more I learned about it, the more I got upset and began researching Picasso’s work. Over the last month, I have been reviewing dozens of his masterpieces and noticed a few things that caught my eye. Symbols hidden in each piece that struck me kind of odd, so I began digging into his career, his work and his involvement with the French Communist Party.

With the help of a specialized art and antiquities expert who was kind enough to explain the variations in the artists work, I began to see a pattern of subtle messages and hidden meanings within each of his artistic works. In order to understand the art, you must first understand the artist. What I found in my research will certainly rock not only the art world, but the world as a whole.

It is also widely known throughout historical writings and memoirs, Pablo Picasso never hid his support for the Communist Party, especially during World War II, post-war and this continued until the artist died in 1973.

As a member of the French Resistance, Picasso was known for assisting with the dissemination of propaganda messages through his many masterpieces’. All one has to do is look at his work to see various religious, mythological and historical symbols deep within each stroke. As you look closer, each of these have a hidden propaganda message; messages hidden in the dark areas unseen by the average art enthusiast. Once you see one message, your eye will begin to detect other symbols in his many paintings, drawings, collages or his miniature art gouache pieces.

Over the next few weeks, I will release a number of articles that will help set the stage for my final piece – the unveiling of an unknown attributed work of Pablo Picasso, a gouache on paper that shows miniature art and cleverly hidden art, some of these contain symbols and codes that span decades, it definitely tells the story of a man who was much more than just an artist.

Next In Series: "Picasso - The Chicago Picasso or Secret to the Great Game"

Picasso's Black Hearted Heirs Sue 71-year Old Electrician

2011-04-13T20:13:00.001-04:00

It was reported in November of 2010, that a 71-year old electrician, Pierre Le Guennec, who periodically did work in the home of Pablo Picasso, had stolen over 271 pieces of precious artwork and had been hiding it in his garage since the sixties and seventies.

How was this so called theft uncovered? The situation all started when the aging electrician, putting his own affairs in order, sought to have the pieces of artwork given to him as gifts by both Pablo and Jacqueline Picasso during the time he worked for the Picasso family, authenticated by the Picasso estate. His motive wasn’t for himself, but for his grandchildren’s future education.

It is widely known within the art world that an artist of Picasso’s talent would continually draw, sketch and create minor pieces he never thought would sell. Artist of his caliber would often finance their living arrangements, food substance and travel expenses by trading these pieces instead of paying money for these transactions. Some would even give them as gifts to friends, associates or people they liked.

Pierre’s collection consisted of stray sketches, watercolors and Cubist collages created by the master painter.

The attorney’s for the Picasso Estate has not only authenticated this collection as Ole Pablo’s work, they valued the collection at over $80 Million dollar. Not only did they admit to this, they accused the old electrician of stealing the previous works of art and hiding them all these years. Talk about a pompas attitude towards an old man who was only trying to authenticate items given to him in his younger days.

Just because someone doesn’t have a receipt or a letter authenticating a gift there is no reason why the Picasso Estate would turn on this man who lovingly preserved these pieces of art, and then insult him even further by suing him for being a thief. If the man stole these pieces of precious art, does anyone really think he would contact the family directly to have them authenticated? No, he wouldn’t he would go to his grave claiming they were reproductions or never say a word.

Apparently Picasso’s son Claude Picasso and the other five heirs who make up the Picasso estate didn’t know their father at all. If these pieces were considered “Unknown” that means they didn’t know they existed, therefore, how could they claim they were stolen if they didn’t know about them?

It is widely known throughout many memoirs, including Pablo Picasso’s own writings, and letters from his friends and others that he was very generous with his discarded pieces of art. He would often give them away instead of throwing them out. He knew his name held value in the art world and although he personally never kept a record of his inventory, especially who he gave it to as a gift or gave it to in lue of payment for services rendered.

It was reported in various news articles here in the United States, including ABC news and CNN where the lawyer for the Picasso Estate stated, "It doesn't make sense that Picasso would give away 271 works. There are no documents which prove that this man was Picasso's close friend. It is simply unbelievable." I guess this lawyer gives a letter with every gift he gives a person within his circles. Le Guennec insisted in many interviews that, "It was Madame who gave them to me, because he was pleased with my service."

Either Picasso himself instructed his wife, Jacqueline to give them to him in appreciation for his dedication over the course of the three years he worked for the Spanish Painter, or Jacqueline just gave them to him because he continued to work for her even after the great painter died. Remember she out lived him by fifteen years and had to pay to keep up the name of Picasso.

One has to wonder if Claude and Polamo, Picasso’s children by his first wife Françoise Gilot are just being vengeful because Jacqueline refused to allow them to attend their father’s funeral which was Picasso’s wish after all. To think the Picasso children and the other heirs of his Estate would turn black hearted all in the name of money. Wonder how much they plan to auction off those new unseen 271 pieces for? Just think of the money they'll make when these end up at Christie's or Sotheby’s!

If I owned a Picasso I'd put it in the closet so I wouldn't have to be accused of stealng it!

All For Liberty - The Movie

2010-07-29T11:40:00.006-04:00

Every so often American's need to be reminded just how many sacrificed and died so we could be free - "All For Liberty" is that REMINDER!

There comes a time in everyone's life when a movie so moves me, emotionally, that long after the credits have been shown, I can't stop thinking about it. Some will say it's the wonderful acting, dramatic action, dialogue or the colorful costumes. Those are normal reactions to any movie. For this reviewer, it's the message within the storyline that moves me. Dialogue in any movie is important, but when a single line or phrase strikes a cord within my soul, it's not just good writing, its divine providence.

I love history, therefore, I gravitate to movies that surround it. Recently, I was introduced to an Independent Film called "ALL FOR LIBERTY from Moving Images Group, a division of Actors Theatre of South Carolina and Coral Gate Media LLC. (Release date 2009). When I first picked up this DVD, I thought it was going to be just another historically based movie about hte American Revolutionary War's fight for Independence; then I learned the story behind this amazing story.

"ALL FOR LIBERTY" is based on the true story of one man - a German-Swiss immigrant who was brought to America in 1735 at a young age, forged a life in the backcountry of South Carolina and rose to the rank of Captian - Henry Felder. The story focuses on the price Captain Felder, his family and his community paid for their determination to resist tyranny during the long bitter fight agaisnt the British Empire during America's war for Independence.

After the movie credits finished rolling, I felt compelled to visit it's website to learn more about this story; what I found brought me to tears.

The lead actor portraying Henry Felder is none other than Clarence Felder; veteran of Hollywood, television and Broadway. Clarence Felder just happens to be a direct descendent of Captain Felder. With a love for history and his family's connection to the war for independence placed Felder on a journey to rediscover this courageous man's forgotten heroism. As an author of history, I was brought to tears to discover these two men were related. What a beautiful tribute to bestow on an ancestor by honoring their memory, their accomplishments and the sacrifices he and his fellow citizens endured for our liberty.

This movie is not just about one family and its bravery; it's about all the people who were involved in creating a nation free from oppression and tyranny. One line puts this movies message into perspective and keeps repeating in my mind - "Names you never hear of - It is people such as these. The one's you neer hear of. The names you'll never know. No statues or monuments honor them. But without them, where would we be. I could only talk about liberty, they were willing to die for it."

I hightly recommend this movie to all PATRIOTS across America now more than ever before in History. Visit http://www.allforliberty.com/liberty/store/ and obtain your copy of this amazing tribute to those who helped give us our independence. It's only $15.00 plus s/h and worth every penny.

Veteran Actress of both screen and stage, Chris Weatherhead together with Award Winning Director/Screenplay writer Ron Mangravite and Clarence Felder, have created a realistic portrait of America during its figh for freedom and independence from the British Empire. OUTSTANDING JOB! Five Stars Given by this reviewer.

ALL FOR LIBERTY is the winner of 7 international awards, including a Special Jury Award, 2009 World Fest Houston; Best Actor (Clarence Felder), 2008 Accolade Awards and the Audience Award for Best Feature Film, 2009 Charleston International Film Festival.

ECONOMIC BAILOUT or TREASON?

2008-10-13T14:28:00.001-04:00

Where the Patriot Act failed to give the United States Government the resources it needed to invade your privacy, and circumvent the United States Constitution, H.R. 1424 - the Emergency Relief Act of 2008 has given them the power to not only undermine the American People, it literally allows them to rape and pillage the United States Constitution of all your rights as an American Citizen.

When Congress failed to pass H.R. 1424 I was relieved because the initial legislation would have caused more harm than good to the citizenry of the United States of America. Unfortunately, one week later, Congress reintroduced a revised Bill and passed H.R. 1424 with a vote of 263 yeas to 171 nays claiming that this one piece of legislation would “provide authority for the Federal Government to purchase and insure certain types of troubled assets for the purposes of providing stability to and preventing disruption in the economy and financial system and protecting taxpayers, and for other purposes.”

I thought the first piece of legislation was bad, but this new legislation has created a more dangerous outlook for the American way of life. After reading H.R. 1424, I immediately thought of Operation Bernhardt (1942) where Hitler implemented a clever scheme to destroy the British economy by flooding it with counterfeit British Pounds in order to topple the British economy. Those who could or would dispute the authenticity of the counterfeited 132 Million British Pounds were placed in concentration camps along with those of the Jewish heritage in and around Germany. While the target nation in 1942 was Britain, today our own government has targeted the United States of America with the Federal Reserves plan to capture our private assets. This legislation was not a bail out scheme to help it was a complete and total take over by one entity, the Federal Reserve. Oh and by the way in case you didn’t know the Federal Reserve is a private entity, it is not under the federal government in any way shape or form. We all know what happened to those who never made it out of those concentration camps. Will we face the same treatment by our own leaders? Hitler would be so proud of our representatives in Congress because they have just succeeded where he failed to topple the one country he despised with a passion – The United States of America.

Think of it this way, if it were the Al-Qaeda and not the Federal Reserve that was the mastermind behind this form of take over, their actions would be considered a deliberate act of war. By targeting the economy for destruction by flagrantly flooding the market with counterfeit currency is, by any measure, a threat to any nation. Therefore, the one major question I pose to my fellow American’s today is this: Why are we allowing the Federal Reserve and our own elected officials to commit these acts of economic warfare and treason, yes treason, against us and the United States of America?

What is the answer? It is simple, a private entity known as the Federal Reserve has declared war with America. There will be no bombs dropped on American cities, there will be no bullets flying towards your person, however, their will be many casualties which will hit you harder than any amount of actual blood shed. The Targets will be your savings accounts, retirement funds, bank accounts, jobs, businesses, pensions and your rights under the Constitution of the United States.

Today, we as American’s face the same faith Hitler implemented on the German and British back in 1942 with this one piece of legislation. It is not a war between countries; it is a war between the wealthy and the working American. CEO’s and big business has taken advantage of Americans since the Gilded Age back in the late 1800’s, and after the stock market crash in the 1920’s; these resulted in a depression never seen before in this country. Yet its about to happen again, this time worse then we have ever seen before.

Now lets break down just a few major problems that were found in this legislation, so you my fellow American’s will understand the seriousness of this problem. This legislation is an insult to your intelligence and your right as an American Citizen. Your elected representatives in Washington, DC, have accomplished what the terrorists could only dream of in a lifetime.

'Section 101 (a)(1) establishes what is termed the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to which substantial portions of what the American people currently owe to their banks and financial institutions is to be turned over the US Government for redistribution to foreign banks.

Section 101(c)(3) Designates for the first time in American history these foreign banks as financial agents of Federal Government with full law enforcement authority over the citizens in the US.

Section 3 (b) allows the US Secretary of the Treasury to put any kind of debt, including credit card, home loans, personal loans, automobile loans, etc., into the TARP program.Section 112 allows the US Secretary of the Treasury to astoundingly extend financing to foreign banks to purchase the debt of the American people.

Section 112 (1)(a) allows the US Government to hold stocks in companies for the first time in their history and which completely destroys the capitalist economy of their Nation.

Section 119 (2)(a) gives the US Secretary of the Treasury dictatorial powers not reviewable by courts making this position the most powerful one in America.

Section 122 increases the US public debt to the incredible amount of $11,315,000,000,000 (Trillion)Section 204 puts the United States under emergency economic rule and states, 'all provisions of this Act are designated as an emergency requirement and necessary to meet emergency needs'.

But, the two most chilling measures put into this new law are titled 'Section 511 'Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008' and 'TITLE II-SPECIAL PROJECTS ON FEDERAL LAND Section 201'.The new mental health provisions contained in these new laws allows the United States to label dissident citizens as being 'mentally ill', and the 'Special Projects' section allows for the reimbursement to US cities and counties for the building of concentration camps for these mentally ill dissidents. (This provision insults the memory of Paul Wellstone and the accomplishments he and Pete Domenici have done for this country.)

I hope by now you have realized that we are witnessing history in the making: it’s called an economic coup where the money supply is the ammunition to their act of war. But there is more to it than just money, it’s also POWER!

Ladies and gentleman this is not a movie on your television, you can’t turn this off and go about your daily life, this is real and you need to understand it. The United States of America has just turned into a monarchy; the one fear our founding fathers had for our future. Henry Paulson and his accomplices have just taken control of your lives and our future. In this one legislation, our elected officials have just given the power of over fifty percent of the housing market and over thirty percent of the entire U.S. economy to the controlled of one person -- Henry Paulson. He will answer to no one, not even you. He is not elected, he is appointed by the President of the United States, not even Congress or the Senate can remove him from office. He is not going to be bound by the checks and balances of our laws; he can make his own, because the Federal Reserve is a private entity. Are you pissed off yet?

The monarchy of Henry Paulson, who will be known as King Henry now controls unlimited funds. He now has the power to print any amount of money, or confiscate anything from you the taxpayer. He can bail out his friends on Wall Street, the rich elite, when ever he so wishes. The Federal Reserve has accomplished what the Third Reich never could.

When Congress voted to surrender our economy to the Federal Reserve by voting for H.R. 1424 they did two things: the first was to give power to one single man who could, with the stroke of his pen, turn what you hold dear and sacred into worthless digits overnight, the second was to abandon the Constitution of the United States and commit an act of treason against the American People. Without some form of control in place on the distribution of this large amount of money, Paulson is in control. Think about it, Bill Gates is a pauper compared to the Secretary of the Treasury now. Without checks and balances, there is a large opening for corruption. With the Federal Reserve being in charge of the countries assets and one man at the helm, corruption has already reared its ugly head in this battle. With the war over, your bar tab is now being called in, with the stock market plummeting on a daily basis, by Election Day, you might be eating scraps of paper fried in your own motor oil.

Therefore, as we prepare our minds and our hearts to select our next President of the United States of America, along with who will represent us here in Washington, DC, I wanted you all to think long and hard before you cast your vote. Each and every Representative on this list, (the actual voting list for this bill),(http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll681.xml) who voted YEA should be removed from office this coming November. This is your wake up call to action for America, this is not about political parties, it is about AMERICA. If you vote strictly for a political party, you have become a puppet for one political party. If you call yourself an American, now is the time to stand up and make your voices heard loud and clear - vote your conscience and clean house in Washington, DC. As you vote for our next President, remember to vote for a patriot, not someone who is willing to sell out American’s and side with terrorists. The future of America and the future of your children and grandchildren depend on how you vote in November.

"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." Thomas Jefferson

CALLING ALL PATRIOTS TO REPORT TO THE CITY OF BERKELEY

2008-03-19T21:42:00.000-04:00

Has there ever been an issue in your hometown, where the local elected officials voted a certain way and it made you madder than hell? Then the opportunity to voice your opinion had come and gone, all because no one told you he or she was taking a stand. Well consider this a personal invitation from me to all of you. If you live in or near the City of Berkeley area, which is located in California’s San Francisco Bay area, then you have no excuse not to be at this event. If you don’t live nearby, then invoke your email list to tell your friends and family who live close by to help our military community this coming Saturday. This is NOT just for bikers - anyone that can wave the flag for our American Hero's is invited.

Objective is to flood the streets of Berkeley in support of the United States Marine Corps having the right, just like every other business in the city, to have an office in the City of Berkeley. There is a Catch though. One I know you will like.

Be a tourist and spend the day in beautiful Berkeley and only pay for parking the entire day! That’s right crowd the streets, take their parking spots, let your voices be heard by the City Council and the citizens of Berkeley and across the Nation, that their treatment of our military will not be tolerated in America. Spend no money in the city of Berkeley unless you absolutely have to. Be sure to gas up, buy your food and drinks, etc, outside of Berkeley before you arrive. That’s right Saturday the 22nd of March should be family day of boycotting Berkeley. Talk about a tourism nightmare where they come to town, but spend no money. Here are the rules as sent by the organizers.

One Rule, Meters must be fed and all laws must be adhered too. If you park in a lot that is for "Customer's only," you must enter a store and by something small, a soda or a bag of chips BUT keep that receipt to present as proof that you are a customer.

Many of the citizens and businesses are fed up with Code Pink’s disruptive, annoying and disrespectful ways. Some will WHISPER they're fed up with the City Council too. Therefore, everyone must be respectful in dealing with the citizenry and businesses, all the while planting the seeds of change in their minds in a positive way. Ask them how they feel about Code Pink and City Council’s behavior over the last few months. No matter what their response is, politely smile and wish them well as they walk away. Be sure to let them know you look forward to seeing them over and over again as this will be a monthly pilgrimage to Berkeley, their quaint little city by the City. Of course, always mention that veterans and patriots are looking for a sincere, public apology from the City Council and Mayor - not a phony one either. Be respectful. We can prevail as long as we don't cause any unnecessary "heartburn." The voting public is the only one who can make a change and it is time that the Military family and Veterans community help educate the masses on what it is to be an American at a time of turmoil. . There's more at stake here than the above - small groups of idiots around the country are trying to cause similar problems as Code Pink and they are citing Berkeley as the example. Cowardly acts of violence are beginning to show through the cracks of our country’s foundation. This must stop now and each of you can help stop it, by showing up on Saturday March 22nd.

I know it is a lot to ask that you sacrifice a Saturday over a holiday weekend, but that’s what this weekend is all about – SACRIFICE. Jesus did it for all of us when he sacrificed himself, lets show him that the citizens of America are not cowards and are willing sacrifice one day of his special weekend to do what is right for those who are sacrificing for all of us – Our Military Forces around the world.

I call upon my friends at Harley Davidson, Rolling Thunder, Hell’s Angels, Nomads, and the Patriot Guards located on the West Coast to rally your people and help these American Veterans have a successful event. Each of your organizations has websites and large lists of members; contact them, sound the trumpets, sound the bugles and alert them to this event’s information. If I don’t hear there was an overwhelming response to this and others requests for attendance, I will know this country has been lost completely. If there is a small turn out, then I know it has all been talk about how dare the City of Berkeley do this to our Marines and our Military. How dare Code Pink stand up and protest our involvement overseas. Let's seee if this has all been just talk at the VFWs, the American Legions and from the people I have received thousands of emails from saying we need to organize rally’s and events to help take back this country from those who are doing their best to destroy it. I for one will never give up on this country and its legacy, the question is WILL YOU!

Currently the organizers need 10 Ride Captains that will double as "Staff" while in town. Staff is not muscle, but point of contact people the police and talk to when needing assistance. They need 5 or 6 people experienced in first aid to be acting Corpsman and Medics. And a half a dozen "multi-tasker’s.” For those available, send email Doug at west@eaglesup.us if you wish to be part of their wining team.

They need HUNDREDS of participants to make this a successful event. schedule 3/22/08

0815 - 0900 Stage at Watergate Market, 2200 Powell St. Emeryville (Watergate Towers) - a guide will be at the Shell Station at 1800 Powell - just off the freeway.
0945-1030 Staggered Departures to Marine Recruiting Office at 64 Shattuck Square.
1000 - 1100 Riders Find Parking. Riders politely inform merchants that City Council must apologize to the Marines and the American People for their Actions.
1200 Assemble at Recruiting Office for rally and Speakers
1245 Lunch: Brown Bag or go get OUTSIDE Berkeley (suggest using the MC rotation idea - bikes 1 & 3, and the 2 & 4). Use afternoon to relax, visit businesses, visit with each other, come by the USMC to say thanks, etc. The time between
1330 - 1430 will also be used for other speakers if there is a need or a desire. For various reasons, we need to keep that flexible for now.
1430 Riders return (if necessary) to Recruiting Office at 64 Shattuck Square 1430 - 1445 Rally, Collect Receipts
1500 Final speakers/presentations
1600 Riders, mount up and depart - carefully - for home, for any diners, or get together. I'm assuming with Sunday being Easter, the bulk of our veterans and Patriots will head out. Those that wish to get together for diner, coffee or a soda, please let Doug know during the morning staging, and he will do what he can to help organize something.

Good Luck to Doug and his amazing Warriors. I pray the right message is delivered to an ungrateful town who’s very existence was saved by the United States Armed Forces. I am with you in spirit.

Part 4: HEALTHCARE SYSTEM vs. IMMIGRATION

2008-03-01T09:21:00.000-05:00

America is known for the slogan, “the home of the free, home of the brave.” The Brave warriors are those who uphold the rights of every American by fighting for freedom and liberty. These individuals don’t ask for much, except what was promised. They are individuals who love this country more than life itself. Their fellow Americans, born in America don’t ask for much either. They work, pay taxes, and might even own a home. They plan and squirrel away their hard-earned dollars for their golden years in retirement.

What do you think happens when it is time for the brave to enjoy their freedom? What do you think happens if there is an emergency and they need to call upon one of the various programs, their tax dollars supported all those years? Those very programs are not available to them. Why are they not available you might be wondering; because illegal aliens have taken over the system that was designed to help American’s in their time of need. In today’s society, the “home of the free” only applies to those who were not born within the borders of America it seems.

Pick up your phone and call any local, state or federal agency for assistance in obtaining medical care and you will hear what I hear: Do you speak Spanish? Are you an Illegal Alien? Do you have assets totaling over $2000? Do you own a home? If you answered yes to the last two items, you are out of luck, but if you answered yes to the first two questions, you have just won the Healthcare Lottery... what have you won – all the free healthcare you could want! Yes that’s right, you can get your teeth fixed. You can have an operation for whatever you like. You can even have as many kids as you like and the American Taxpayer will pay your medical bills. However, if you are a natural born citizen of the United States of America, you are out of luck! Well, that’s unless you are willing to sell your home, sell your assets, dispose of all your savings, 401K plans, CD’s and IRA’s. You will then be totally, dependent on the social welfare system in which we live in, and you too can have it all, just like the illegal aliens, who are taking advantage of the many programs your tax dollars pay for. What a deal!

I am appalled at the local, state, and federal levels within our own government who allowed our healthcare system and social program system to be given away to every person who comes to this country illegally. If the Department of Labor can demand all employees fill out an I-9 form to ensure that they are legal residents of the United States of America, why can’t our healthcare system do the same? Why is it that our social programs, i.e. social services, welfare, food stamps and Medicaid and Medicare allow illegal aliens to receive benefits they are not entitled too? If these agencies verified alien status, the federal government could reallocate the money they spend on deportation to the Department of Homeland Security to protect us better, Immigration could fix their failed tracking system on these illegal aliens, and help better fund the Border Agencies to prevent them from coming into this country in the first place. Our programs would save millions of dollars and be able to help Americans when they need assistance.

Since realizing these programs have run amuck, I have begun to notice that only aliens are the ones with the wick checks, welfare cards, and food stamp cards at the grocery store. Turns out in further investigation that many a hospital staff has complained to administrators, about having to turn away American-speaking individuals who were born here for lack of insurance, or financial means, but are required to treat illegal aliens who don’t speak English, nor have insurance or funds to pay for treatment. American’s being denied assistance to medical care in America! What is wrong with this picture?

If I travel to another country and ask for medical assistance, I would be paying for it out of my own pocket. Other countries do not give away medical assistance to people who enter their borders, so why should we give it away. When is our government going to step up and say, enough is enough. Is there anyone else out there, just as fed up, as I am, willing to take a stand and start making noise in this country? I think its time that these bow hunks running for the Presidency start talking about reducing the services to illegal aliens, instead of placating to them for their votes. Votes that don’t even count, since they are not voting citizens! These Candidates need to come up with a plan to help AMERICAN’S who were legally born in this country!

In a country where its citizens work hard to own a home, pay their bills, pay taxes to better their communities, and ask for help, they should not be denied because there are Americans. When our healthcare system is more interested in providing illegal aliens with medical assistance, whereby discriminating against American Citizens, who need the same type of assistance, our society has deteriorated into a society of unbalanced values. “Home of the free, home of the brave” is only if you speak another language. WAKE UP AMERICA!

HIS VOICE IS SILENT, BUT HIS SPIRIT LIVES ON

2008-02-27T15:00:00.000-05:00

Today, the world learned of the passing of William F. “Bill” Buckley, Jr, a man who lived a life to the fullest for eighty-two years. To his Son Christopher, my heart and soul is with you as you mourn the loss of your father. He was a great man.

The world knew William F. Buckley, Jr. as the political icon, but he was so much more than just politics. He was a man who loved to go sailing, loved people, loved to read not only the classics but also works of unknowns. He cherished history; not just the history you read in scholarly books, but the history of humanity. I remember him once saying, “in order to understand history, you must first understand people.” He understood people better than anyone I know. He always looked at the behavior of a person; their character, the history, and times that surrounded them in order to formulate an understanding of what made that person who they are in life. He had a way of never attacking a person, personally, but eloquently reminded them of what was right and wrong through his writings.

Unless you truly understood this man, his sense of humor would go right over your head. His wit could make you laugh or cry; depending on your mood. On many occasions, I found myself doing both at something he'd say. His remarks were hilarious and very profound. If only more people could grasp his understanding of the world, it might be a better place to live in for all humanity.

It was not even a year ago that WFB lost the love of his life, his beloved wife Patricia. When I heard the news of Pat's passing in April of 2007, I knew it was only a matter of time before we would lose WFB too. It is comforting to know that she was waiting for him at the golden gates.

All who knew him will miss his wonderful knowledge and personality.

Special Note to Christopher: Knowing your Dad, he is currently holding an Irish court in Heaven as the members of our families greet him. I can see it now WFB and JPK together again, bantering over who is going to win the election this coming year. I can only laugh at the thought of it.

Part 3: THOSE LEFT BEHIND

2008-02-26T16:21:00.000-05:00

“... for his widow and his orphan…” Abraham Lincoln

What happens to the widow and family when a veteran passes on to the great parade ground in the sky? We know they must endure a life without them. Without their laughter, their tears, their smile and companionship they enjoyed for so many years. In the case of the veteran I mentioned in part one of this series, the spouse has endured not only the loss of a husband, but also the loss of much more than one person can endure in life; the loss of healthcare coverage.

While many friends and fellow veterans have felt the loss of George Davis’ passing, none feels it the same as his wife, Patricia who stood by him for thirty-four years. Through life’s difficulties, they stood together without wavering. George was the wind beneath her wings and his sudden death struck her like a bolt of lightening, sending shockwaves to her core.

The daughter of a strong military man herself, her family was proud in how she stood tall during the first few months after losing her husband. While trying to move on with life, it has been difficult without George by her side. Unfortunately, now she faces the toughest fight of her life, a fight that entails pain, frustration, and abandonment. Each day is a new lesson in life for the struggles of those left behind when a veteran dies.

Like most veterans, George worked hard in the civilian world and tried to take care of those around him, yet he never filed for benefits under the VA. Why would he, his employer provided him the benefit of healthcare insurance, so why bother to seek out any other type of coverage to take care of those emergency medical issues. His sudden massive heart attack, causally related to his service connected diabetic condition, left his wife, without health care insurance. As with so many employers, George's boss could not find it in his heart to continue her coverage therefore; she has been left to fend for herself while mourning the loss of her husband. Four months after the loss of George, her world was suddenly turned upside down when she was given the news she needed a total hip replacement. That was in mid-October of 2007.

It has now been almost five months that she has had to endure severe pain and lack of sleep as a result of not receiving proper medical assistance for her hip. Without the benefit of having healthcare insurance, she is stuck in the proverbial loop of political red tape. She does not qualify for public assistance because she owns a home and her assets are over two thousand dollars. She does not speak Spanish, nor an illegal alien of a foreign country, which gives her access to free medical care her in the United States of America. Her condition is now considered preexisting; this prevents her from obtaining new health insurance. Being the wife of a Vietnam Veteran, she turns to the Veterans Affairs Department for widow benefits.

Dependents of those eligible for benefits consist of the surviving spouse and minor children that might be currently living under the age of eighteen. If a dependent has been enrolled in the program known as ChampusVA, they can receive medical benefits just like under Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Only problem is, in most cases the veteran does not know this benefit existed, or did not file for benefits to cover their spouse before they died. Any intelligent human being would wonder why they didn’t do this. Well the information given out by the VA it is not only confusing, it is down right mumbo jumbo. A person needs a deciphering code in order to understand if they are eligible or not for various benefits.

Under the VA criteria for coverage of these benefits you must prove that you spent at least one day with “boots on the ground” in order to qualify. This is also one of the main issues under the Blue Water Case. How could they have spent time on the ground in Vietnam when they were aboard floating vessels? Therefore, any widow benefits sought would be denied based on this criteria. Here we have a spouse of a Vietnam Veteran who is in crisis, struggling with a medical emergency and is stuck in the political red tape of a program that was established to render aid “for his widow.”

When I joined forces to help advocate on behalf of Veterans benefits, I never once thought about the spouses, or the families that would be left behind; the veteran had not died, so why would I. I only thought about the issue at hand, called upon my vast network, and voiced the opinion I knew would help honor those who put on the uniform. Never once did I look at what benefits were available for the widow or widower of these brave individuals. I also never envisioned that the Blue Water Cases would have a direct link to someone I knew personally, that of George Davis and his wife Pat. You see Pat Davis is my older sister.

In an attempt to help Mrs. Davis, I have spoken to many city, state and federal agencies, as well as medical providers, who have asked me the same string of questions: "was she born in this country? Not a foreigner ok, does she qualify under the criteria of social services – less than two thousand dollars of assets?" Only to be told that if she was an illegal alien she could qualify for free medical assistance. What is wrong with the mindset of our society? We are willing to help others, but not our own.

As an American, Mrs. Davis is being denied access to necessary medical assistance in the United States because of the current system. Under the current medical system, if she were not an American, she would have received the necessary care long ago. One case I learned of recently was of a student at a nearby college, here in this country under a student visa who brought her mother here illegally for an operation. The mother, an illegal alien smuggled into this country from Columbia, South America for the express purpose of obtaining free healthcare at the Univeristy of Virginia Medical Facilty at Charlottesville, Virginia. The hospital administrator knowing the woman was here illegally, approved a total hip replacement at the protest of surgeons and medical staff who could not doing about it. I come to find out that hospitals do not check for immigration status in our current healthcare system. Why has the Department of Homeland Security not checked into this problem?

At the cost of over one hundred thousand dollars (doctors’ fees, rehabilitation, and medication), the American taxpayer pays for emergency medical assistance to illegal aliens, yet the wife of a veteran is denied access to the same medical care and assistance. One has to wonder what is wrong with a country that is willing to take care of those who come here illegally, and not take care of their own who is in serious pain and anguish. I doubt Mrs. Davis is alone in her fight. There must be thousands of widows out there who have had this same problem. Widows left behind who are the silent majority, between the ages of 58 and 62, who are stuck between the working class and the senior citizen benefits they are to young to receive. Will there ever be a time when these individuals and our veterans do not have to fight. Will they be taken care of without having to give up their life savings for emergency medical care?

Where are the benefits President Lincoln once pledged this government would provide to those who served in uniform? Why are the benefits that President Hoover signed into law so hard to obtain? Why should a widow be strapped with paperwork and red tape when they hold a death certificate and DD214 of a veteran in their hand? Where is the respect for those who protected and defended our country? Where is that grateful Nation our veterans defended?

Part 2: Fight for Benefits

2008-02-14T08:32:00.001-05:00

“…to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan…”
- Abraham Lincoln –

On March 4, 1865, Abraham Lincoln, then President of the United States, made a pledge during his second inaugural speech, wherein he pledged to care for those who served our nation in uniform. The imfamous words “...to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan” gave birth to what is now known as the Veterans Affairs Department of our government. With these simple words, he pledged the United States of America and its government’s obligation to care for those who served, were injured during a time of war, and to provide for the families of those who perished on the battlefield. What happened to that pledge?

In typical Washington, DC fashion, it would take sixty-five years before Congress would become organized and present President Hoover with a program outlining and establishing the Veterans Administration. When President Hoover signed the executive order, mandating the governments’ responsibility to provide these necessary medical services for our veterans, he should have left instructions to never abandon its original intent and obligation.

As with many programs established by our government, the original intent of this program has been lost. Over the years, the VA has gone through many changes, growing pains, the majority of them related to a change of administrations. As I look at the system today, I can clearly see how President Lincoln’s pledge has been lost between the cracks of political mismanagement.

Veterans who have served since the establishment of this program have encountered blatant disrespect by those who work within the hollow walls of this agency. Feeling as though they have been reduced to beggar status, many shy away from obtaining these benefits due them for their service. Therefore, it is exhausting when trying to obtain these benefits. Benefits that were considered a special thank you, to those who put on the uniform in the defense of a grateful nation. Where is this grateful nation?

These are the same men and women, who served with honor and dignity, who now need to be defended and taken care of as promised. In today’s world, the constant battle for these veterans has become a sea of political red tape. They have been subjected to undue stress during the remaining days of their life; never being able to live out those days with dignity and peace with family and loved ones.

Far too many cases have been embroiled in battle over proof of service, or establishing presumptive service connection to a medical injury or illness. Yet, their condition is obviously related as is evidenced by previous cases that have been proven combat or military related illnesses. The question remains why they are continuing to use the case-by-case scenario when they know these issues are related to military service. Does the Veterans Affairs want these members to die before ever receiving benefits? Is it because the funds once earmarked for them, could be allocated to newer programs to help make the VA look good – educational programs, public service announcements, kinder more softer type of programs that are all about improving the image of the VA and not helping the veteran.

Case in Point for my argument: In 2006, I was brought into a fight and educated regarding an issue currently before Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs regarding the United States Navy; known as Blue Water.

The Blue Water Navy are those individuals who served off-shore during the Vietnam War, providing gunfire support, search and rescue, supply delivery, aircraft carrier-based jets, and numerous other direct combat support activities in support of land based troops. Even though their vessels were often only 50 or 100 feet from the shore line, and traveled miles up some of the larger rivers, these sailors are being denied medical care and compensations for disabilities caused by dioxin, the carcinogenic component of Agent Orange. This denial is despite the fact that all medical studies have shown Blue Water Navy personnel have a higher incidence of cancers and other illnesses than the land-based soldiers, who do receive VA health care and disability compensation because they had boots on the ground. {The Blue Water Navy includes Coast Guard and Marine personnel stationed offshore Vietnam during the period of the Vietnam War.}

My argument is this: no matter what, these service members served during a time of war in the uniform of the United States military. Agent Orange fumes were in the same air they breathed as well as those on the ground. Many have endured life long damage from breathing in fumes, or drank tainted water; poisoned by the toxins from dioxins [Agents Orange, Blue, or White]. There are cases of sailors receiving wounds while on deck, others with ailments associated with asbestos and the list goes on. For many of these veterans, the benefits will never be paid according to the VA; they were not considered “Combat Related.” They never had “boots on the ground” in Vietnam. As stated before, Blue Water Navy vessels were close enough to shore, to see and hear the explosions of bombs being dropped from planes, see the glow of tracer fire and hear the cries of their fellow Americans, or the enemy, as the wounds of war took hold of them. If not considered combat veterans, then what should they be considered - active bystanders?

One would say these Sailors were fortunate to have never stepped foot on the ground of a country in the midst of war. Those in charge of disbursing these benefits promised have penalized them for never having that opportunity. The authorities do not consider them as “Combat Veterans,” just a veteran of Vietnam. This to me is an injustice and play on words. This use on words is their escape hatch so they do not have to pay out benefits for serving their country honorably. They have been abandoned by their own country. This is not only a travesty but also a disgrace.

If we were to compare who gets more respect in this country – those who serve with honor and dignity in uniform, or those within the entertainment industry and criminal world who earn tens of thousands of dollars – society will choose the later. Society has chosen the entertainer because they live in a fantasy world where the hero makes millions of dollars and has lost their values, dignity, and understanding of what it is to be an American.

Many of our current soldiers are feeling the same pain their predecessors are feeling. In today’s environment, they are being subjected to the same case-by-case scenario when they request treatment, services, and benefits promised to them upon entering the military. Like their fathers before them, they feel abandoned for answering the call “Serve your Country.”

Therefore, the main questions posed by this writer are this: Why does the U.S. Government not fulfill their obligation to those who have served? Is it right that this government neglect the wishes of a previous President and defy his own pledge? On the other hand, is it simply poor fiscal planning responsibility, or was it they never intended to fulfill their end of this once honorable pledge in the first place?

Part 1: Loss of a Veteran

2008-02-12T17:14:00.000-05:00

On June 10, 2007, we lost an amazing individual who warmly welcomed visitors to the Washington, DC area with a smile and a hug, welcoming them back. His bright smile and kind heart for those less fortunate then him warmed visitors to this area for over thirty years. George Davis, a Navy veteran who served proudly aboard the Shangri La, during the Vietnam War (68’-70) as an aircraft mechanic ensuring those who flew bombing raids over land were able to return back safely with equipment in check. He also served aboard the USS Independence (70-72). America lost a patriotic American, and the Veteran’s community lost a friend who left us suddenly that fateful evening.

Like many veterans of the Vietnam War, George had his ailments, but never sought benefits from the Veterans Administration, to proud to ask for something that he was due. To meet George, you would never know he had been diagnosed with diabetes fourteen years ago, because he never complained about not being able to have those luscious donuts or sweet cakes. After the diabetes triggered a stroke in 1999, which left him with little use of his left arm, he never stopped or wavered. He continued working as the General Manager of the legendary MacArthur’s Café, (now a Ledo’s Pizza), located inside the Quality Inn Iwo Jima Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. Over the years, thousands of tour groups filled with students, senior citizens, and families filled his restaurant as they came to experience the legacy of America. His guidance and directions saved many a visitor from a bad experience while on vacation to the Nation’s Capitol.

Two groups gave George the most satisfaction above all others, the first was that of the military reunions that brought back his fellow Veterans year after year to enjoy George’s hospitality. During their stay, after a day of touring the various monuments and museums in the area, they would join him at the bar, laughing, and sharing stories of the past. On many occasions, I laughed and cried with them as I listened to the truth, the white lies, and jokes within their stories. Through George and his fellow veterans, I began to understand who these men were during a time of war. They were once young, high-spirited warriors, now they are gaining speed towards retirement.

The second group was just as important to him; they were the family members of a fellow veteran who was being intern in a place of honor, Arlington Cemetery. Located behind the Marine Corps Iwo Jima Memorial, hence its name, and not far from Arlington Cemetery received one family a day who was attending a funeral for a loved one.

Throughout my travels, I have come across many people who have come to Arlington to bury a family member at Arlington Cemetery and listened to their stories about a man with a gentle heart and a passion for those who served. A man who helped ease their pain, as they grieved for a spouse or family member that they came to bury on that trip. Although they could not remember his name, in that moment, they never ever forgot his kindness. That man was George Davis. I could not help but chuckle as I mentioned his name and described him to the person standing before me only to see their eyes began to sparkle at remembering how kind he was to them in their time of grief. “Yes, that’s him” they would reply with excitement. “Do you know him?” they would ask enthusiastically. I laughed as I told them how I knew this special man they spoke so fondly about.

George’s passion for those who served was not only for those who visited the area from out of town, his passion even reached to those in the streets of Washington, DC– the homeless veterans. Throughout his lifetime, George often took care of those less fortunate than the rest of us by helping the homeless veterans throughout the Washington, DC area. Those he helped leave the streets and regain perspective in society have felt his loss the hardest. He was their strength, their mentor, and their confidant.

Continued in Part 2: Fight For VA Benefits

BERKELEY THE UNGRATEFUL CITY

2008-02-11T14:30:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow, February 12, the City of Berkeley’s City Council will again hear arguments regarding the removal of a recruiting station run by the United States Marine Corp Recruiters, within their city limits. Before they make their final decision, I suggest they look into their own past.

Berkeley City Officials have heard from citizens across the country denouncing their decision to pass two items condemning a Marine recruiting center that opened a year ago within their city limits. The first item called for the city clerk to send a letter to the Marines telling them they are unwelcome. The second was to grant Code Pink, a known anti-American Radical Group permission to park in front of the recruiting office every Wednesday afternoon and allow them to disrupt access to the recruiting station and other businesses in the area with their Anti-American onslaught of degrading slurs against those in our military.

Throughout this past week, I have received thousands of emails regarding their decision. I was just as outraged to hear that elected officials within the borders of the United States of America would denounce members of our own military forces as being unwelcome in their city. How had we become a communistic country and I not know anything about it. My first thought was to contact the President and Governor Schwarzenegger demanding that no National Guardsman or military units in and around the City of Berkeley be activated now or in the future should they warrant emergency assistance. Logic took over and I began thinking about their federal funding.

Apparently, I was not alone in my thought process; Senator DeMint announced the next morning, he would begin lobbying to remove federal funding earmarked for the City of Berkeley. Then I received a message that a very well connected executive, Brian G Dennard, sent a letter to Mayor Bates informing him that he will no longer do business with anyone in the Berkeley area. Bravo to Mr. Dennard for his take charge initiative. I wonder if any other American business will take his lead and do the same thing. As I put together the triangle on the fiscal aspect of this city, I began to also think about the history and its origin. What I found was very interesting to say the least. First, let me start with the fiscal information I found.

Since fiscal year 2000, the city of Berkeley has received in excess of $73,541,486 in federal funding to help fund various programs in their city. According to their current budget, the City is to receive federal funding in excess of $1,678,280 in support of their disability, employment training, healthcare, homeless, housing and rehabilitation, advocacy and youth programs. These amounts do not factor in state funding received from the Federal government that has filtered to the City by ways of State Grants from Homeland Security funds. However, it does show that the city receives approximately a third of its budgetary requirements from the Federal government.

The history of this city is quite another matter. Berkeley has always been associated with its radical uprisings and anti-military behavior, but little do they realize how much their roots are entrenched in military history. If city leaders would take a history lesson into their own past, they would not be so ungrateful towards our armed forces today.

According to their own website, they describe themselves as “The city of Berkeley rests in a natural amphitheater, sweeping down from the coastal hills to the shores of San Francisco Bay. You can see out to the far Pacific horizon, framed by the Golden Gate; you can see the distinct skyline of San Francisco; and the gentle peak of Marin County's Mt. Tamalpais.” What they don’t revealed in this description is that if it were not for the United States Military they would be nothing at all, just a blip on the map with nothing to show for its efforts. So soon, they forget in this sleepy little town how grateful they should be to the United States Military.

It was an emotional rollercoaster in the early 1900s for the Bay area. An earthquake hit nearby San Francisco in 1906. A huge fire destroyed over 640 structures in the city of Berkeley in 1923 and then the crash of 1929 brought this city to its knees. The University of California at Berkeley struggled financially throughout this same timeframe; only to be brought back to life with a grant from the United States Military towards its Gilman research and development in the fields of physical, inorganic, and nuclear chemistry. It would only be a few years later that this same University would receive millions of dollars in Military grants and gain the recognition as a historical landmark in our history books.

There would not be an increase of economic development or growth in the City of Berkeley until the 1940s when Pearl Harbor was attacked and World War II began. The United States Military brought the town back to life when it leased 12.56 acres of land in order to established Camp Ashby, in 1942 as part of the San Francisco Port of Embarkation and its garrison. With Camp Ashby came the United States Army’s 770th Military Police Battalion with over 645 soldiers and officers for training. During the war, Kaiser Shipyards brought thousands of jobs into the local area with its Shipbuilding contracts from the War Department in nearby Richmond and San Francisco Bay area.

According to National Archives Records, in 1942, even the University of California at Berkeley was very much involved in the war effort. Gilman Hall’s top floor, the famous Room 307 known as the “Attic” was where Glenn Seaborg and his fellow team of scientists conducted classified testing for the War Department. Seaborg later took the knowledge learned to the Manhattan Project and helped develop of the Atom Bomb. When the war was over Camp Ashby’s lease ended in 1946 and its soldiers transferred to other units. Kaiser Shipyards and their employees had successfully built over 4600 ships in the war effort.

Today the City of Berkeley seems to have such disdain towards our armed forces, even though it is because of our military that they are not just a blip on the map of California. I implore the members of the city counsel to think about the history of your own town. Remember who rescued you from ruins and how your ancestors stood proud against communism while helping this country win a war against them. Do not allow the communistic behavior of Code Pink and its followers to destroy your very existence and future economic well-being. Should you decide to continue an alliance with Code Pink and what it stands for, do not be surprised if your city does not go bankrupt in the very near future. Heed this warning, City of Berkeley; if you continue on your present course, recommendations will be forthcoming to remove your charter from the rolls of famous American Cities. If you wish to be your own little dictatorship country, withdraw from American boundaries and create your own country. All eyes of America are watching you. Economic destruction is only a click away.

Christmas Thoughts and Special Request

2007-11-27T08:42:00.000-05:00

The Christmas rush is upon us once again as December fast approaches. Malls and shops are all a flutter, with shoppers searching for those special deals to wrap and place under the tree for loved ones. The aromas of Christmas infuse the air around us with nutmeg, cinnamon, and pine.

Our hearts will take hold of the season while we enjoy the evergreens, fresh baked cookies, and cakes, as the winter wonderland of fresh snow begins falling. We will snuggle under the covers of our warm comfortable bed, as the wind howls outside our window, reminding us that good ole Saint Nick will soon be here.

On Christmas morning, we will gather to celebrate the holiday with family and friends, then share the opening of presents stored under our beautifully decorated trees. We will attend services in our local churches, or venture off to soup kitchens to help feed the less fortunate.

While we each enjoy this holiday season, I ask that everyone take a few moments and think of our fellow Americans around the world who will have a different type of Christmas.

For many, Christmas will be just any other day; they have a job to complete. There will be no evergreens, fresh baked cookies, cakes, or warm comfortable beds, only cold chilly days in a land far from home. There will be no beautifully decorated Christmas trees, evergreens, or stockings hanging by a fireplace. For most of the day there will not be thoughts of presents or goodies, because where they are, there are none. As they drive along the streets of this far off distant land, they might see a child missing a leg, smiling brightly and waving hello, as they drive by. Thankful for the security these men and woman provide them each day, neighborhood children appear out of nowhere, smiling and waving, cheerfully.

There will be no lavish meal to weigh them down during the day, for they only need one hour in a day to find nourishment; thirty minutes for breakfast and dinner, it is just another day. Throughout the day, these men and woman will not share gifts, nor will they complain about things taking up space, because they do not need much to survive, only each other. Many will share remaining minutes of a calling card, so someone may call home. They will give an old CD or something they once valued, to a friend to show how much they care. The will read holiday cards to each other, from loved ones, knowing that the love from one belongs to them all. Their tree is barely three foot tall and decorated sparsely with ornaments. Maybe there might even be mini lights lining the interior of their room or makeshift offices. Someone will wish for one hour of peace and quiet, and dream, if only, they could get away from the humming of the generators. They will adopt a neighborhood filled with children and deliver gifts sent from home; soccer balls, toys and goodies. To them there is nothing more worthwhile than to see a child who has nothing at all, light up like a Christmas tree, filled with bright lights at receiving a new toy. To them the children of the little neighborhood in which they have adopted are the key to their success. The children will help them influence and convince the elders they are not evil, they have been portrayed as.

While they drive through the desert, they will wonder what the Magi (the three wise men) thought of as they walked through the desert, making their way to Bethlehem, which is only five hundred miles away from where they are now. Knowing all the while, if they fail in their mission, what the will result will be; to living in a country without being able to celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas ever again. Where the mere mention of Christianity would result in a head being cut-off and they realize why they are there.

Some will stay up until three in the morning to watch a football game allowing their thoughts to transport them back to their high school days, youth, and family. This provides them with a sense of familiarity of home for a little while. At the end of the day, they lay in their bed after an eighteen-hour workday, reading that letter they saved from home. Wondering about their family, praying they are able to enjoy Christmas without worrying about them. In the blackness of night, others will stare into the sky, devoid of smog and lights to gaze upon the most incredible stars shining brightly overhead.

The people I speak of should be clear to my readers, for they are our fellow Americans standing tall and proud - the men and woman of our Armed Forces stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan and throughout the world. This holiday season, I ask each and everyone to put aside their political ideals and think of them because they are representing us all in a foreign land, protecting those around them. They are sacrificing time with their families and loved ones by protecting the less fortunate on this earth. While they carry out their daily duties, they have within their hearts the hidden key many of us have failed to understand: the compassion and strength to do what is right for the people they are protecting. Their veins flow with the blood of the founding fathers and those who went before fueling the torch they carry with them - the legacy of what it is to be an American.

Merry Christmas to the brave men and woman of the United States Armed Forces, may God be with you and keep you safe.

Veterans Day Message

2007-11-12T11:36:00.000-05:00

"I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, (OR AFFIRM) THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC; THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME; AND THAT I WILL OBEY THE ORDERS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE ORDERS OF THE OFFICERS APPOINTED OVER ME, ACCORDING TO REGULATIONS AND THE UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE. SO HELP ME GOD."

Every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Coast Guardsman takes the above oath upon entrance into the Armed Forces. These words set them apart from the rest of their fellow citizens, for they are the defenders of what made this country great. They stand ready to defend and protect the ideals and sentiments declared in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

Today, Veterans Day, we honor the men and woman who have taken this oath, and thank them for their service to our country.

A Veteran is an individual who loves a country more than life itself and is willing to give up that life defending it. Why would they do such a thing you might wonder, three words deep within their soul - Freedom, Independence, and Liberty.

“Freedom” is the opportunity given for the exercise of one's rights, powers, and desires.
“Independence” no restrictions of movement, thought or discovery.
“Liberty” is the exercise of both freedom and independence in one’s daily life.

Today, I thank those who have “chosen” to take the above oath to put on the uniform of the United States Armed Forces. Your selfless sacrifice, dedication, and love of country, freedom, independence, and liberty set you apart from all others.

May God Bless every one who has answered that call to protect and defend the United States of America. The yearning to defend that is deep within your soul makes me proud to be an American and I for one, stand behind you in your mission.

GATHERING OF EAGLES SURPRISE ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS OUTSIDE LOCAL RECRUITING STATION IN DC

2007-09-18T07:03:00.000-04:00

WASHINGTON, DC: Anti-War Protesters eager to continue their weekend havoc converged on a local Armed Forces Recruiting Station at 1099, 14th Street, NW, Monday morning found a surprise at the front door. Larry Bailey, Founder of Gathering of Eagles, along with fellow Eagles were waiting to pleasantly greet them.

It was early on Monday morning, when Anti-War Protesters converged on the local recruiting station in an attempt to disrupt anyone from joining the ranks of the honorable. Bailey and his Eagles were victorious in preventing protesters from entering the building.

Many of the Protesters were former Soldiers and were bewildered to find a few feisty Blue Star Mothers among the Eagles, who confronted them about their tactics and comments. Unfortunately, the cowards showed their true colors and quickly began slinging rude and disrespectful comments towards the Moms. These women could have been their own Mothers, but that did not matter to them; it was all about disrupting the recruiting station and preventing anyone who wanted to join the ranks of the honorable. I bet their Moms would have been so proud of them yesterday.

ANTI-WAR PROTESTORS AND THE MEDIA TOGETHER TAKE FREEDOM OF SPEECH TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

2007-09-18T05:56:00.000-04:00

I scratched my head this morning as I read articles about the Anti-War Protest this weekend, wondering if I was at the same protest this past Saturday. One article said the rally was 100,000 strong; they were lucky if they hit 9000 combined on both sides. Another article claimed tens of thousands of protestors marched along the eight-lane road of Pennsylvania Avenue. What city was that reporter in; it was not in Washington, DC because protesters only covered the entire street in the first few minutes of the march. Behind the initial group, they only occupied one lane on either side and the entire center of the road was devoid of protestors. (This was done so they could marched along side the road, trying their best to entice arguments from those who were pro-victory which were lining the streets.)

In many of the same articles, anti-war organizers claimed the metro system was deliberately shut down, whereby, preventing their people from attending. I had to laugh as I read these stories of fabrication, because I entered DC via the Metro and there was no delay. Throughout the morning, I walked passed four Metro Stations – the Smithsonian, Archive, McPherson and Farragut (the two latter stations are for Lafayette Park area) and there were no delays. The alleged shut down was apparently between the hours of ten and eleven-thirty, this never happened. I sat near the Archive Metro entrance drinking a cup of coffee while waiting for the protest to begin during that time. It was the same Metro line as those of McPherson and Farragut. During that hour and a half, I witnessed a continual stream of people exiting and entering the Metro’s entrance (tourist groups and anti-war protestors alike).

During this same timeframe, I had a long conversation with a female reporter from the Washington Post. I was honored to have been quoted in her article, but unfortunately, what she said was not what I said to her - "It will be a lot of bull horns, a lot of 'singing God Bless America', said Betty Kilbride.” The reporter dreamed up that inaccurate quote. I never once uttered those words at any time during our conversation. Our entire conversation consisted of various possible resources with back up information that she could refer to for her article, which she wrote down in her notebook. I guess she lost that piece of paper when it was time to phone in her story. I appreciated her using my name for a quote; but I really wish she had used some of the information I gave her as one of my quotes instead.

Anti-War Protestors claimed they were utilizing their First Amendment Right of Free Speech and Expression. They were from an eclectic background: retro-Vietnam Protestors reminiscent of their drug induced youth and teenagers who are not even of age to vote. The most dangerous of all were the non-American individuals from South America and the Middle East, who were clearly communist and terrorist supporters chanting obscenities at those lining the streets. Among in the group, were several active duty soldiers wearing the uniform of the United States Army. These Soldiers talked as if they were forced to enter the military; only to be shuttled off to Iraq like cattle being sent to slaughter. These cowards did not care about bucking regulations under the Uniform Code of Military Justice for wearing their uniform during a political protest, just wanted out of the military before they could be sent into a combat zone.

Besides the throwback hippies, there were young men dressed up like militants in black, wearing bandanas to cover their face; Muslims wearing traditional dress to show their support for the insurgents and terrorists; non-Americans groups clearing showing whose side they were on with tattoos of swastikas’ and Communist Stars, waving upside down American flags and Communist flags. Unfortunately, their actions and tactics were nothing about First Amendment Right to Free Speech; instead it was an opportunity for anarchy and communistic behavior to engage in chants against the United States Government and the American troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It was very clear throughout the day who was funding these anti-war protesters – Anti-American Organizations who were only interested in promoting civil disobedience and irresponsibility. Almost every protestor tried to engage the pro-victory protesters into some form of altercation. One woman by the name of Medea runs one of worst groups of all. I was surprised to learn in my research that this same woman was Jewish. She grew up in New York, and then moved to California where she legally changed her name to Medea and lived in Fidel Castro’s back yard for many years. Who in their right mind would denounce their own family heritage, knowing that Hitler’s Communist forces throughout World War II caused the Jewish persecution and align themselves with Communist organizations? What I also found ironic was that she chose to change her name to Medea from Greek mythology and known for being a ruthless evil murderer. Who with a sane mind would want to be associated with a woman known for killing the innocence of her own children? This woman is either psychologically damaged, or just an evil woman looking for attention. What surprised me even more was that her followers seemed to be just as bad as she was. They had no class, no manners and apparently no understanding of world affairs. They believe the propaganda that both the media and their organizations spew. On the other hand, maybe they could not find a date for the weekend so they came out to show their friends they could get on television. How pathetic

The proof is in the pudding; the media never reported anything about the Pro-victory supporters, I wonder why? Maybe because they did not cause any civil disobedience and the number of arrests throughout the weekend for the anti-war protesters were over 200. One has to wonder what side of democracy these anti-war protesters are on - good or evil. This is not Rocket Science people – its pure evil!

Kerry Disrespects Vietnam Veterans Yet Again

2007-09-17T10:41:00.000-04:00

When I hear, elected officials are disrespecting military veterans it breaks my heart, but to witness such behavior it is altogether a different story – it is sickening!

It seems that since returning home from Vietnam, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) has made it his personal mission to disrespect his fellow Vietnam Veterans and veterans alike every chance he gets.

It was after the taping of “Meet the Press” on Sunday morning when Kerry showed his true colors yet again. While a group of Vietnam Veterans stood outside the NBC Studios in Washington, DC waving American flags and Support the Troop’s signs to show their support of our troops, two fellow Vietnam Veterans were inside discussing our troops in Iraq - Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator John Kerry (D-MA).

After the show, two vehicles descended the studios long driveway. The first contained Senator John McCain. McCain graciously stopped, got out of the vehicle and shook hands with his fellow Vietnam Veterans, thanking them for their service to our country. Unfortunately, Senator Kerry was not so gracious when his vehicle came to the bottom of the driveway. Kerry in his classic disrespecting way showed his distain for those who serve honorably in our Armed Forces by flipping them the bird as his vehicle turned out of the driveway.

Although humbled by Senator John McCain’s acknowledgement and respect for their shared military service, Kerry insulted them yet again by being the rude and disrespectful man that he is. I hope the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is happy to have such an honorable man representing them here in Washington DC.

Why have I not posted in a while???

2007-08-23T01:58:00.000-04:00

When I post a new piece on this venue, I usually try to write something prolific to entice thoughts, feelings and action in all of you who read this blog. Therefore, I must apologize for not writing something new in recent months. Allow me to explain why I have neglected this very important venue for my writings.

Along my journey this past year, I have discovered something unique about our Armed Forces. A side of our military that I never knew existed. I have been so enthralled researching this unique side, that I have lost track of time. On a daily basis, I find something new and exciting to add to the article series I am currently working on.

I have a few more strategic interviews to conduct to ensure that the warriors involved in this program are properly recognized. In the meantime, I am confirming the tremendous amount of research and cross-referencing to ensure accuracy, before I put pen to paper.

What is the topic you might be asking; well, I am going to keep you on pin’s and needles just a little while longer.

I will be finalizing the articles shortly and begin posting them one by one. When I am done, you will learn about the amazing accomplishments, capabilities, leadership and strength of our Armed Forces - a side no American knows about unless they are involved in this very special program.

Stay Tuned!

A Fallen Hero was more than just a Marine

2007-05-11T22:28:00.000-04:00

It takes a very special person to be a United States Marine, anyone can choose to become a Marine, but not many are born to be one. Major Doug Zembiec was one of those chosen few who were born to be a Marine.

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post and pass on the news that we have lost not only a patriot but a true American Hero. Major Douglas Zembiec, USMC gave the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq yesterday and my personal condolences go out to his wife Pam and beautiful daughter Fallyn, along with his Parents and family.

When I heard the news we had lost a brother, I picked up my bible for inspiration and the passage that was revealed was as if God directed me to this passage on purpose - for this truly describes Major Zembiec.

“if anyone sees his brother in need but has no pity on him,
how can the love of God be in him?
Let us love not with words or tongue
but with actions and in truth.”
John 3:17,18

He did not enter Iraq just because he was under orders to go there. This was his fourth tour of duty. He went back because he believed in helping to aid his fellow human beings with his “actions and truth”. His love of God, Country and Corps allowed him to lead his fellow Marines into battle many times and survived each with minor wounds. In April 2007, he returned to Iraq once again with one thing in mind, to finish the job he started, to help aid his fellow human beings in a battle for survival and freedom. Freedom is not free and there is always a price to be paid for such freedom. Major Zembiec knew the price of freedom, because the essence of freedom flowed through his veins. He was a Marine through and through.

His story is one that Hollywood will eventually write about of heroism, selflessness, compassion and tragedy. As the Commanding Officer of Echo Company in the Battle for Fallujah he led his men to victory many times over. His compassion for his brothers went beyond the norm as he inspired his Marines to continue to fight and over come adversity on the battlefield. His compassion didn’t just stop there. His leadership exemplified the motto of the Marine Corps, Semper Fidelis, Always Faithful. He was an old soul and believed that an officer should shed a tear for his fallen warriors and because of that compassion he took the time to write a personal note of bravery, heroism and purpose of their sacrifice to the families of his Marines. There are officers and then there are officers in the military. Major Zembiec was a special officer who lead by example of what leadership truly should be and because of that he earned the respect and admiration of each and every one of his Marines.

Although we mourn the loss of a brother, we celebrate his life as a Marine because that’s what he would have wanted us to do. But today, America lost a Hero

Your Mission is Complete Major Zembiec

“Wherever you go in life, whatever stage or place you reach, a friend who has entered your soul, is always with you, gently guiding, faithfully following, and most of all, Forever walking beside you! “ ©EAK

Education or Political Bully Pulpit?

2007-02-21T22:16:00.000-05:00

{Recently, a friend sent me an article that was written by an associate professor of a prominent institution of higher learning in the Chicago area. The article sent me over the edge because of its contents and subject matter. This piece also brought me to think of my own educational experience and I wondered if did I had such a teacher like that as I was going to school.)

Teaching is a profession for those who have the talent to make learning exciting. It is a profession worthy of admiration for those who achieve the ultimate goal of breaking down the walls of the mind, and allow it to become a sponge to the knowledge being put before a person, so they might use that knowledge to succeed in life.

Like many of you, I can look back on my learning years with fond memories of certain teachers who inspired me, giving me the fundamental tools which helped get me through the rough times when I didn’t want to learn things I never wanted to learn. They taught me the basic fundamentals of critical thinking and encouraged me to derive my own opinion based on the facts before me. They challenged me to research the facts so that I might create my own opinion from my own personal research. These same teachers gave me guidance and became a role model to me and my fellow classmates. Along with my parents, they instilled a strong sense of ethics, morality and integrity which I still carry with me to this day. Now don’t get me wrong, there were a few who never should have received teaching credentials because they couldn’t teach to save their lives, nor did they even know the subject matter at hand.

As I looked back on my own education I could not remember any teacher who gave their personal views on a subject. To confirm this, I contacted a few of my friends from the old days and asked them one question. “Do you remember ever having one of our teachers give us their political views about a subject when we were in school? None of them could recall ever hearing about a teacher’s personal view of politics in any way, shape or form. Believe me I would have known if they were giving me a political view, because I was the daughter of a prominent political mover and shaker back then. I lived with politics every day of my life from one campaign after another.

Over the years I have seen a serious problem within the educational system of our country. There is only one issue I am going to address at this time and save the others for another article. In the last ten years or so there has been an increase in unorthodox behavior amongst the teaching profession. Instead of having dedicated individuals teaching our children, we have teachers who are blatant egotists and elitists spouting off their own personal political agenda’s in the classrooms. Case in point: Grade School Teacher in Maine telling children that their parent is a baby killer and are going to die because they are a member of the United States Armed Forces and deployed to the Middle East. Teacher in Florida defaming free speech under the Constitution to spout off their own political party’s propaganda in the classroom and encouraging their students to go home and convince their parents to vote a certain way in an upcoming election. What is wrong with our educational system that they would allow this kind of unorthodox behavior in the classroom? Have we literally gone soft in our educational system?

Then just this past week an associate professor of Social Justice from a well known college, posted an article that described a heated discussion within her social justice class. In the article she made the following statement:“The American military and mercenary soldiers who “sacrificed” their lives did not do so for the teacher’s freedom to teach the truth about the so-called war on terror, or any of US history for that matter. They sacrificed their lives, limbs and sanity for money, some education and the thrills of the violence for which they are socially bred. Sacrificing for the “bling and booty” in Iraq or Afghanistan, Philippines, Grenada, Central America, Mexico, Somalia, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, or any of the other numerous wars and invasions spanning US history as an entity and beginning with their foundational practice of killing the Indians and stealing their land.” This coming from an educator who holds a doctorate! She apparently received her doctorate in ignorance because she knows nothing about American History, the military, or what is happening in the Middle East conflict.

In order for me to calm down from this teacher’s comments, I did two things: First, I opened a book of quotes from our founding fathers and found one that says it all. It is by Thomas Jefferson “if a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what ever was and never will be... if we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.” Then I pulled out my trusty dictionary and looked up the following words: Education, Teacher, Social Justice, Politician and this is what I found...

1) Education: The word education is derived from the Latin educare (with a short u) meaning "to raise", "to bring up", "to train", "to rear", via "educatio/nis", bringing up, raising. In recent times, there has been a return to an alternative assertion that education derives from a different verb: educere (with a long u), meaning "to lead out" or "to lead forth". The activities of educating or instructing or teaching; activities that impart knowledge or skill;

2) Teacher: In education, teachers are those who help students or pupils learn, often in a school. The objective is typically a course of study, lesson plan, or a practical skill, including learning and thinking skills. The different ways to teach are often referred to as the teacher's pedagogy. When deciding what teaching method to use, a teacher will need to consider students' background knowledge, environment, and their learning goals as well as standardized curricula as determined by the relevant authority.

3) Social Justice: is both a philosophical problem and an important issue in politics. It can be argued that everyone wishes to live in a just society, but different political ideologies have different conceptions of what a 'just society' actually is. The term "social justice" itself tends to be used by those ideologies who believe that present day society is highly unjust - and these are usually left-wing ideologies, advocating a more extensive use of democracy and income redistribution, a more egalitarian society. The right-wing has its own conception of social justice, but generally believes that it is best achieved through the operation of a free market, and the promotion of philanthropy and charity. Both right and left tend to agree on the importance of rule of law, human rights, and some form of a welfare safety net (though the left supports this to a greater extent than the right).

4) Politician: A politician is an individual who is a formally recognized and active member of a government, or a person who influences the way a society is governed through an understanding of political power and group dynamics. This includes people who hold decision-making positions in government, and people who seek those positions, whether by means of election, coup d'état, appointment, electoral fraud, conquest, right of inheritance (see also: divine right) or other means.

Now that you have read these four definitions I direct your attention to the third one. This is the course in which the college professor teaches. It is a course which is supposed to teach critical thinking of ideas based on current issues. However, she must have forgotten the most important point of her own course “Critical THINKNG”. It is clear by her own statement that she only sees things one way. If you look at the definition of education and teacher you will notice that neither definition states that a teacher should give his or her own personal views on any issue. Teachers are to entice a student to derive their own thoughts based on a subject matter. The forth definition brings me my final thoughts. Take a look at the last underlined words ‘divine right’ this clearly explains why these teachers feel it necessary to go against the long tradition of educators to EDUCATE. They believe that it is their divine right, although misguided as it may be, to give their own personal opinions within the walls of a classroom.

Please don’t get me wrong I am not against Teachers in any way. Actually I admire those who choose to enter the ranks of the teaching profession. On a daily basis they enter a room filled with fragile minds and have an opportunity to thrill them with the history of the ages while molding them into productive individuals who will eventually enter into our society as productive citizens. Yet there are some who have entered this profession for the wrong reasons. Either they are afraid to enter politics or have no desire to do so, but still want a sense of control over individuals and how they think, decide and act in society. These are the bad apples which I am addressing today, like the one’s I mentioned above. They enter into the profession of teaching so they can have their own private bully pulpit to convey their personal political views to the youth of America. It is people like them that give teachers a bad name. Many of these same teachers have never even traveled the United States much less traveled the world. They leave college and grab the first job they can get to begin receiving that long over due paycheck. Yet they have no real life experience from which to draw from and educate.

If the college professor were to ever enter a war zone she would cry like a baby. She would not be able to handle it. She would also not be able to open up her mouthed when she returned home, because she would be dealing with what she had seen first hand. Once she was able to talk about it, she would be praising the service members of the armed forces for their courage, dignity and strength to endure that lifestyle on a daily basis. While she lays in the comfy confines of her bed at night her fellow Americans are sleeping on a very uncomfortable rack in a war zone. While she enjoys the luxuries of taking a shower with hot water, her fellow Americans are taking a shower in the desert every few days, if they get a shower at all. If she were to leave those comfy confines and venture into a war torn country, or a devastated country to see people not being able to feed themselves and their families, having no running water, electricity or dignity, she would be singing a different tune. Let her go to one of those countries and then open her mouth - I bet it would be a totally different set of words. I was with the United States Marine Corps in Iraq for a time and I can tell all who read this article that none of them would come home spouting the crap she claims they said. She heard what she wanted to hear in order to get her fifteen minutes of fame. Let her for once shut her mouth and listen to those who were trying to help those who were being oppressed on a daily basis by those in power who had no regard for human life or dignity. Then and only then will she be able to spout off at the mouth with PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF AN ISSUE. Just because you have a piece of paper hanging on the wall that says you received an education doesn’t mean you are intelligent, it just means you are ignorant to real life.

This teacher not only insulted me personally as an American, but has also insulted my entire family and friends who are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces. She has dishonored all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this country since its conception. If this is truly what she thinks of those in the military, then she needs to think about moving out of the United States, because she doesn’t know or understand what the Declaration of Independence was all about, nor does she understand the Constitution of the United States.

If I was one of her students I would be storming into the Deans office demanding for her resignation. If she calls her statement freedom of speech, I can use my right of freedom of speech to call her an ignorant, over educated, elitist who has no conception of American History. Loyola College of Chicago should fire her from their rolls of academia because she is not worthy of being called an educator!

Freedom of Speech, or is History Simply Repeating Itself?

2007-02-12T20:35:00.000-05:00

It was March of 1966 when students revolted against the establishment on every level, and gathered to protest at the drop of a dime for any reason. Why would they revolt, you might ask. It was because President Johnson announced he would be sending more troops to a place called Vietnam, thus escalating the war. Vietnam was a fight entered into to help the South Vietnamese government and its people defend their freedom against North Vietnamese guerilla insurgents terrorizing their fellow citizens for control of their country. American students who did not understand international politics, the South East Asia Treaty Agreement signed after World War II, our pledge to help defend smaller countries who could not defend themselves, and what could be lost here at home as a result, gathered to protest against something they knew nothing about.

Fearful of having to pick up a rifle and be shot at, they took to the streets and began protesting the war. Many were pacifists, dissenters, or drug addicts resisting the draft, but the majority of them were the children of those of privilege who were afraid to be called upon to defend the very country that gave them the riches they enjoyed daily. Among them were former service members who returned home from war disgruntled and thus opposed it, claiming it was an illegal rule of authority. As time passed the war heated up, and those who were searching to score acid, pot, pills and other drugs joined in the protest. Mothers who were grieving the loss of their sons and daughters wanted someone to blame and thus joined the protest against the war, further dishonoring their memory. They carried flag-draped boxes which represented those who had given the ultimate sacrifice. Protestors became extremely confrontational and anarchy began. This was the beginning of America Unraveling...

Today history is repeating itself once again. This time it is educated individuals who are fueling the fires of the past and gathering once again to revolt against something they do not understand – terrorism. We currently find ourselves facing a changing time, but unfortunately we have not learned the lessons of the past and history is repeating itself once again. Just like during the Vietnam War, service members returning from war are now being disrespected by their fellow Americans:

o Soldiers beginning spit upon and beaten up by fellow Americans;

o Soldiers not wanting to wear their uniforms on Metro trains and while traveling;

o Desecration of War Memorials by fellow Americans who know nothing about
Duty,Honor or Sacrifice;

o Soldier funerals disrupted by Americans making political statements;

o College Officials allowing students to disrespect pro-American speakers;

o Eroded support of the general public toward the war effort;

o Military feeling as though they are a closed society once again;

o No one is asking the service members how they feel about fighting this war,
and the purpose for which they are fighting;

o No one has asked the service member's what differences we have made thus far;

o The media is once again measuring the war based on the number of casualties
and using their tag line of “If it bleeds it leads”;

o No one is controlling the media’s propaganda campaign for political reasons;

o “Sick” soldiers being touted as the norm, while “normal” soldiers are simply
drinking the Pentagon Kool-Aid;

o Politicians calling soldiers Nazi’s and Terrorists;

o World community against US policy abroad; and

o The use of the term “Political Correctness” (which has a communist origin) to
control the thoughts of those they wish to control.

At a time when our country should be uniting our energies in support of those who are fighting the terrorists who attacked our country, including those on the battlefield fighting the enemies who are fueling the fires of terrorist activities on the streets of Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead we are again directing this energy against each other, instead of the enemy at hand.

As a result, history is repeating itself right under our noses and it is time we stand together against those who do not understand the perils of the current enemy. If we lose the fight against terrorism, we will lose our country’s values, liberty, inner strength, and the very existence and foundation on which this country was founded. Our enemies are capitalizing on our ignorance.

In January of this year a similar group of protestors, mirroring the past, gathered in Washington, DC to protest the war in Iraq. They gathered for the purpose of making their voices heard before Congress, but they made one major mistake – they defaced the steps of the Capitol with their anti-war messages. Those that carried out this criminal act did so with malice and were not interested in freedom of speech, lawful assembly, or the liberties this country affords them. Their actions were strictly preformed for personal gain. Like an enemy of war, they too manipulated the media to achieve their fifteen minutes of fame and bring attention to their cause. This type of destruction of public property is a crime, yet nothing was done to prevent or stop it. Freedom of speech and expression is a privilege, not a license to destroy.

On March 17, 2007, this same group plans a return trip to our Nation's Capitol for a march on the Pentagon. Talk about history repeating itself! They plan to gather at the veteran’s memorials which are located on the Mall in Washington, DC, and proceed to the Pentagon from there. We have it on good authority that they plan to deface these monuments during their march, especially the Vietnam Wall Memorial, to send a message to Congress. For further information about their protest march, I am providing links below for educational purposes only. Please know I am not supporting their cause, nor am I trying to promote it.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1774684/posts

www.mecawi.org/March%2017%202007%20demo%20in%20DC.html

http://www.troopsoutnow.org/

If you are a patriotic American and/or a Veteran of any branch of the Armed Forces who is appalled at the conduct of those protestors who disrespected all Americans by defacing American property, and you do not want history to repeat itself, I encourage you to go to www.gatheringofeagles.org or www.unitedAmericanpatriots.org and make your arrangements to join those of us who are willing to defend the monuments that represent our fallen American brothers and sisters.

Let us stand together and have our voices heard once and for all that Military families and the Veterans who have served honorably to defend the rights of the Constitution, will not allow criminal acts that deface our sacred monuments that represent our families, brothers, and fellow Americans!

"Without Freedom of Thought, there can be no such Thing as Wisdom; and no such Thing as publick Liberty, without Freedom of Speech; which is the Right of every Man... This sacred Privilege is so essential to free Governments, that the Security of Property, and the Freedom of Speech always go together; and in those wretched Countries where a Man cannot call his Tongue his own, he can scarce call any Thing else his own. Whoever would overthrow the Liberty of a Nation, must begin by subduing the Freeness of Speech; a Thing terrible to Publick Traytors."

Benjamin Franklin writing as Silence Dogood, The New-England Courant, July 9, 1722

Update on the Journey and future of this Blog

2007-02-12T12:36:00.000-05:00

Wow, I can not believe how long it’s been since I have written anything for this blog. No wonder why I have received many inquiries as to why I haven’t posted anything new. Allow me the opportunity to briefly bring you all up to date on the journey thus far and to tell you why I am planning a new series of short pieces for this blog in the coming weeks.

As most of you know I am working on the new book series which launched me on a most incredible journey this past year. While I am drudging through the process of writing my book, I have also been asked by many of you to write short pieces based on what I have learned or what has been in the recent headlines. I could not pass up your requests because the media has been giving me too many topics to as of lately. First let me start by giving you a synopsis of my journey thus far.

My journey really began long ago as a child as I watched two men I admired very much go off to war in Vietnam. Their stories influenced my life from that day forward and put me on a long quest for the truth.

This past year my quest for the truth took me to the battlefields of Iraq. Where I spent time with those in uniform in the combat zone, learning first hand what is it is like going to war with active and Reserve- component U.S. Marines, soldiers, sailors and airman, experiencing their daily life and their willingness to give the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. I also discovered an inner strength to endure the rigors of combat life alongside those who serve in uniform, a strength I never knew I had.

Upon leaving the battlefields of Iraq, I traveled to the once battlefields of a war long ago. The country was Vietnam and the war that was fought there more than thirty years ago that changed the course of American history. While traveling throughout Vietnam with several veterans of the Vietnam War, I learned of the horrors of that war, how it changed their lives, and was touched deeply by their stories. I learned of the hardships and struggles they had to face, not only on the battlefield, but at the hands of their fellow Americans upon returning home.

As I returned home to America I looked at things in a different light. This journey has changed my life forever. I have learned some very powerful lessons throughout this adventure; how the destruction of our social, economic, political and ethical systems is systematically dividing our country. With a renewed understanding of what is at stake, I can now see the impending breakdown of our country from within.

During my journey I have discovered a truth that opened my eyes to the way we entrust our lives to politicians and civilians who oversee our military, both of whom have personal agendas, and a media that plays a key role in manipulating our laws, our military, and government for their own personal power, greed, and tabloid sales. With this new knowledge I can now see how the very foundation, on which our country was created, is shattering and self-destructing from within because of ignorance.

The strength and values of our country are the hidden keys which are found in the hearts of those of our Armed Forces - these brave American’s will never be seen on the front pages of your newspapers, or on the news, unless they are included as fodder in negative reporting.

Like the pieces of a puzzle which have fallen into place, the key to understanding what we are to face in the future is education and understanding in how our social, economic and political issues interact with each other.

Education is the key to success of our daily lives. No matter what level you are at in society, no matter what level of education you obtain, when you are truly educated with the truth about the issues at hand and how they interact with each other in the world, one can make a more informed decision.

With that said, let me caution you on my future posts. These posts will not be politically correct because I am not a politically correct person. The first lesson for all Americans is simple: they must stop using the phrase “Politically Correct.” This phrase was derived from the communist party and was used by them to control the people throughout the world as a way to control individual thinking. As an American, with a mind of her own, I for one will speak my mind on issues that affect me personally and those around me, my fellow Americans, because it is the responsible thing to do. I take my lead only from the founding fathers, not those who wish to control my every thought and words. I will also be expressing my thoughts in a responsible manner, unlike those in the media and elected office. We put them in authority because we trusted them to make informed decisions for all our benefit not just themselves, unfortunately they failed to read that memo.

If you should return to this blog in the coming weeks, and I hope you will, I want you to return with one clear understanding - you can not be selfish or self-absorbed in your thinking. I want you to forget about the political party you belong to and the propaganda you have been forced to listen to from our media and politicians. I want you to open your mind and look at the bigger picture that is affecting all of us as Americans. It is time that you find your own integrity and character and mobilize your morale responsibility as Americans. We are at a pivotal point in our history and now is not the time to think only of only your self. This is not about you and your MP3 player, IPod, game boy, or any other self absorbing trinket you find important in your life, this is real life issues which will ultimately touch you as an American. It is time that every American sees the bigger picture before them and realizes that the world does not revolve around just them. There is a bigger picture in front of their rose colored glasses they have placed upon their noses to prevent them from seeing the truth that is starring them in the face.

Another thing I want you all to understand is that every American has the right to advise and alert their political representatives on how they should represent them in Congress and in Washington, DC. But before you can advise those who you voted into office, you better understand a few key elements - you need to learn how global issues can and are interacting with our own national security interests. Learning the lessons of the past in this new global war on terrorism is one of the key lessons you can learn. Case in point: the media is not doing the job effectively, they will produce a piece for one sole purpose, their own personal fifteen minutes of fame, while others would rather remain silent so as to not rock the apple cart. I for one am neither, because I believe in telling the truth while raising various questions that will make a person stand on their toes and take notice all the while educating them on their own history.

Before I leave you today, let me leave you with a passage from one of my favorite writers of the 1700’s, good-ole Benjamin Franklin’s own Silence Dogood. I have been told that it truly represents how I think and write. (this piece is taken directly from one of his letters dated April 16, 1722)

“I shall conclude this with my own Character, which (one would think) I should be best able to give. Know then, That I am an Enemy to Vice, and a Friend to Vertue. I am one of an extensive Charity, and a great Forgiver of private Injuries: A hearty Lover of the Clergy and all good Men, and a mortal Enemy to arbitrary Government & unlimited Power. I am naturally very jealous for the Rights and Liberties of my Country; & the least appearance of an Incroachment on those invaluable Priviledges, is apt to make my Blood boil exceedingly. I have likewise a natural Inclination to observe and reprove the Faults of others, at which I have an excellent Faculty. I speak this by Way of Warning to all such whose Offences shall come under my Cognizance, for I never intend to wrap my Talent in a Napkin. To be brief; I am courteous and affable, good-humour'd (unless I am first provok'd,) and handsome, and sometimes witty...” Your friend and Humble Servant, Silence Dogood

Complacency makes one Stupidity

2006-11-01T21:11:00.000-05:00

At a time when our country should be uniting for the greater good of our national security, it appears we are repeating history. Unity should be the number one issue on the campaign trail this election cycle, for we have American Military fighting a war in a foreign land. Political candidates should be encouraging every American to be supportive of those who chose to put on the uniform of our country in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. These men and woman are putting their lives at risk on a daily basis in foreign countries under our flag. Instead we have a politician who is supposed to set the example for all of us to follow, opens his mouth and says something stupid to help further divide us.

This week, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) delivered a speech to students in California wherein he stated: “those unable to navigate the country’s education system get stuck in Iraq.” This is the most degrading and insulting comment I have ever heard from any politician in my thirty years of being in the political arena. I am not only outraged as an American citizen, but feel the insult and degrading dagger plunged into the hearts of every military person in uniform who are serving in Iraq and around the world. I have been to Iraq Senator Kerry and have seen first hand the bravery and honorable service of our military in action. They’re not as uneducated as you might think. On the contrary, they are extremely educated. Let me educate you and your uneducated staff -- Not every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Coast Guardsman serve because they will receive materialist rewards for their service to their country. They serve because they feel in their hearts it is right for them and most of all because they have honor, integrity and character. Did you know Mr. Kerry that 97% of the officers Corps in the military hold a degree of some kind, many hold a Masters Degree? Did you know about 40% of our enlisted hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree while the other 60% are either taking courses to gain that same bachelor’s degree, or have aspirations to do the same? I personally have a number of family members in the service of our country at this time, five of which are West Point Graduates to be exact, as well as many friends who are serving with them who are just as educated.

I am amazed at times when people who are public officials, fail to think before they open their mouth. Didn’t Senator Kerry read that speech before he made it? As I listened to the tape of his speech, I could hear my father repeating his golden rule from the military. A rule he instilled in each of his kids and used in his own political life: “Think, Decide and Act – think before you open your mouth or do something; decide if the ramifications of your actions are going to harm yourself, those around you or the nation as a whole; only then act upon those actions, but remember your actions will always have ramifications and be ready to stand firm in your decision”. My father, a career Army Officer, served during World War II and Korea and who was also a politician. Senator Kerry’s father served during World War II as my father did. I wonder if Senator Kerry thought about how his comments would fall on his father’s ears if he were sitting in the audience that day. Did he think about how his father would feel, if he were sitting in a cockpit of one of his B-29s hearing such a thing from a politician in Washington DC during World War II. Has Senator Kerry failed to remember how those kinds of negative messages delivered by politicians during the Vietnam War had a direct affect on those serving in the jungles of Vietnam? How those messages helped to perpetuate distain for our military in the minds of the American People back then and how that distain continues to this day. Has he forgotten how he felt while serving in uniform during a time of war and the feelings of betrayal by those serving in the position of authority in which he is currently serving himself for their similar comments and actions? How their disrespect and blind eye to the sacrifices of our military personnel on a daily basis. How soon they forget once they get into political office and all that power behind them. How soon we forget the important things when they are looking to get our name in the paper for other reasons! I guess history just repeated itself!

Are we destined to follow the Romans, as in historical Roman times, where power and greed of its leaders destroyed themselves because they could not govern their daily lives? Are we destined to continue to see the struggles of good versus evil because no one is doing anything to stop the evil? Are we to continue to see legislation being enacted on a daily basis that can harm us as Americans and those we care about? Are we to continue to incarcerate the innocent and allow criminals to walk the streets? Politics can be a very dangerous game when those in power feel they are elitists, self serving representatives that have lost sight of the fact they were elected by the people and for the people. When they feel they are above the common interest of the common person because they hold a degree from some university. Especially when they argue that they should not have to answer for their indiscretions. This I would say is a serious character flaw in our political environment that needs to be changed.

Ladies and Gentleman, I think it is time to search our souls in this and future elections. We need to ask ourselves, where is the leadership? Where is the leadership from which those that want to be leaders? Everyone wants to step up and get the job, but who is stepping up with something that would make us want to follow them? As in every campaign in history and this one is no different, when a candidate has no clear objective plan in any and all issues, they resort to the old school mentality of character assassination of their opponents. So in this election I have many questions: Where are the leaders for whom we are to elect that has a well thought out plan for change for immigration violations, economic reform, cleaning up government waste or holding those in public office accountable for their lack of respect and ethics violations on Capitol Hill, or better yet National Security issues; clear plan to bring Korea, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, terrorism or crime under control to safeguard America’s real interests and security. If we are not willing to accept the political propaganda from our government then why are willing to accept it from our respected political parties who want to lead us in the same government. America, wake up and educate yourself on the issues at hand. Don’t take what your political party dishes out as the solemn truth.

Any person in public office who can stand before their fellow Americans, make a statement like that, a joke or not, does not deserve my heartfelt forgiveness. I have no respect for any elected official nor will I accept their apology for any such statement that degrades or insults those in uniform!

If you are a politician reading this piece, you should adhere to the rules of etiquette of being in an elected office.
1)Speak publicly on issues before you in Congress.
2)Speak publicly about the concerns of every American, for you represent every
American while in elected office, not just your home district.
3)Set the example for citizens of our country to follow: serving with honesty,
integrity, morality and patriotism
4)You have a responsibility to safeguard unity, patriotism and most of all the
foundation of American values. Those values include service to our country in
uniform of the armed forces. This responsibility does not give the right to
degrade those who have, are and will serve in that uniform regardless of
education.
5)Most of all remember that when you open your mouth in public or in private, you
represent me and my fellow Americans – be careful in what you say because those
that are the enemy of our country are surely listening to what is said and could
ultimately cause us all harm.

I think those of who have taken up a permanent residency on Capitol Hill have become complacent and need to think about retiring. I also think its time that the system be changed on term limits, maybe then we might be able to choose leaders to while represent the people. Then maybe, just maybe we might have leadership worth respecting?

The Journey Ends: Part 4: The memorial service for Eight Fallen Brothers of 3rd LAR.

2006-10-21T09:57:00.000-04:00

In August I wrote a piece dedicated to four Marines of 3rd LAR who gave the ultimate sacrifice when a truck filled with explosives barreled into their barracks while they were sleeping. Since that time three more Marines and one Navy Corpsman who were a part of this unit also gave the ultimate sacrifice. I only had the pleasure of meeting one of the remaining four, I wish now I had taken the time to meet the others too.

When I made my plans to travel to California for the homecoming I decided to extend the trip a few days, so I could attend a special ceremony in honor of those fallen members of this very special unit. I knew it was going to be hard for me because of the attachment I have with this unit and it was. After all, these were Marines I traveled with into Kuwait and on into Iraq with.

As I stepped out of the car in front of the ceremonial field a light drizzle began to fall. I looked up to the heavens and wondered if this was a sign of the kind of day I had in front of me. I slowly walked to the field and tried to contain my emotions as best as I could, as the row of rifles standing at attention with helmets on top came into view. I stopped, frozen for a moment gathering my thoughts and fighting back the tears. I had been to memorial services in the past, but not like this one. This would be the first in which I personally touched a person for which the rifle represented in honor, in this case five. I was motioned to take a seat in an area designated for VIP Guests, but instead of sitting I continued to walk to the grass below.

I happened upon a few of those I had not seen at the homecoming and received smiles and shocked comments that I had ventured out so far from home for this special event. Yet they knew the reasons I was there because it was evident in my eyes.

As in every war throughout history there has always been a price paid, the ultimate sacrifice of a fallen soldier. Today was unlike any other day for me because I could remember the laughter, the voices, their sensitivity, a talented voice, and their love of being a Marine, along with discussions of family, kids and a bright future. The crowd became bigger as the entire Battalion arrived and took their place.

Off to the side of the seating area I stood alone, for this event I could not sit. The Marines gathered and stood at attention. The military has many rituals which they perform daily, but this one they take very seriously. A memorial service for a fallen brother is one of the hardest duties any Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Coast Guardsman has to do, but one they find the strength to perform. It is a ceremony meant to honor those who served. It’s meant to remember the sacrifices made by those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the protection of Country, Freedom and most of all their brothers in arms.

It is always hard to hear of the passing of a brother. When one hears the news of a fallen hero our minds freeze and we refuse to accept the news just given to us. Our first thoughts are disbelief because we always thought that person was or seemed invincible, but then reality kicks in and a face comes into our memories. As I stood there I briefly leafed through the memorial booklet which I was handed and those faces brought back memories. I remembered Baucus of Montana telling me about his beautiful bride of only seven short months. I joked with him about being a Baucus and from Montana asking if he was related to Senator Max Baucus and sure enough he laughed, “yup, sure am he’s my uncle”. I thought about Hanson and his beautiful voice; Butterfield and his sense of humor standing over me like a father instructing me on how to keep my body armor closed so that I can come home and make them all famous with my writings; Williams and his love of anything fast, Galvez and his great sense of humor and smile. Then the ceremony started.

As I stood listening to the Marines speaking of personal thoughts and feelings for their friends, my emotions began to show and I began to tremble and the tears flowed like a faucet had just been opened. Gunnery Sergeant Cox of the Public Affairs Office walked by me and noticed I was breaking down. Without saying a word he placed his hand on my shoulder in an effort to comfort me. Little did he know how much that small gesture meant to me, because at that moment I needed something or someone to help hold me up. I wasn’t the only one who broke down. I heard a faint moan and I looked over at the formation, two Marines were escorting another who had been overcome with grief from the line. The ceremony continued with a bugler and then a bagpiper began to play. Even though I am Irish and I love the sounds of a well played bagpiper, today I could not listen to one for any amount of money in the world. I tried to think of other things, so as to not hear the music. I knew if I allowed my ears to hear the pipes, I was done for. I silently walked away from the area in which I was standing in order to compose myself once again.

I left the base for the last time and as we drove out the gate my heart sank with sadness at the loss of my affiliation with this very special group of Marines. When I was dropped off at the hotel, I went straight for the restaurant and ordered a shot of tequila. I sat at the bar with the shot in hand, said a little pray and toasted it up to those of the 3rd LAR Battalion who came home and those who didn’t. I downed the shot and went back to my room to pack my suitcase. It was time to go home and finally close this chapter of my journey.

Author’s Note: A while back I wrote a special poem for a friend and today it applies to how I am feeling at this moment. I would like to post it here now and send out a special message to those Marines of 3rd LAR – please know that I will never be able to thank you for giving me an experience of a lifetime, but know that the words of this poem apply to each and every one of you.

A FRIEND

A friend is someone who listens without judging you right or wrong,
And gently helps you define your thoughts to regain perspective.

While sharing with a friend, decision making becomes easier
And problems seem less critical

A friend gives you the priceless gift of time:
Time to share, to try out new ideas and rethink old ones.

A pat on the back when things have gone right…
A shoulder to cry on when things have gone wrong…
Someone who is a touch, a hug, a card, or a phone call away…

Someone with whom you can share everything that’s in your heart,
In a way that only we can…

With you, I know I never have to hide, I can be exactly who I am inside.

Whether we’re alone, or on the phone, we know how much we both care.
No matter how often we’re together we discover new dimensions of ourselves through the bonds and mirrors of our friendship.

A friend loves you for who you are, not what you do. Feeling so accepted you’re able
to set higher goals, try harder, and achieve more.

Through close friendships, you learn the fine art of giving. You expand, become more selfless, feel more deeply, and help more effectively.
Seeing the happiness you bring to another person, gives you a greater sense of well being and increase your capacity to love.

Wherever you go in life, whatever stage or place you reach, a friend who has entered
your soul, is always with you, gently guiding, faithfully following, and most of all,
Forever walking beside you!

Betty Kilbride (1994)

Journey Continues: Part 3: Another side of my warriors.

2006-10-21T06:01:00.000-04:00

During my time in country with these amazing warriors, I had many a conversation about loved ones back home. They talked about plans for the future, mistakes of the past and in many cases their darling children. As we went on patrols I wondered about those they left behind. I prayed daily for their safety as we drove out the gate of the compound and was relieved, to a point, when we returned. During those moments I allowed my mind to wonder, I tried to picture a wife or girlfriend back home. Wondering what they were doing to occupy their days. I wondered how the kids were holding up and what they did to keep the kids happy and occupied as well.

It was now Sunday morning and as I sat drinking my morning coffee gathering my thoughts outside the restaurant of the hotel I was surprised to see one of my Marines walking towards me. He was there to have brunch with his wife and children. I watched as he sat along the side of the pool, his feet dangling in the water, playing with his son, dipping those tiny little feet in and out of the water, laughing the whole time. I remembered how much he said he missed his kids and his wife, how much he loved them dearly. To see him now, as dad and husband, was a beautiful sight to see. It made waking up early that morning that much more special.

Throughout the day many ventured over for coffee or to just say hello with wives, girlfriends and children in tow. This was a very special surprise for me since I hadn’t expected to see them so soon. We laughed, joked and reminisced about our time in country. It was so nice to be able to put a face with a story I was told.

Later that evening as I sat alone eating my dinner, I noticed a few of the guys with wives or girlfriends enjoying their dinner in the outdoor café. This was the perfect setting to take anyone who is special for dinner. With its café styled tables, soft linen tablecloths, candles flickered off the crystal blue water of the pool under a full moon. All the while soft romantic music serenaded these special love birds as they sat quietly, not saying much to one another as they gazed into each others eyes, holding hands occasionally. I could tell their bodies where here but their minds hadn’t caught up with them yet. They had a look about them as if to say “is this for real or is this another one of those damn dreams”. These were moments they dreamed about so many nights laying in their cots. The little smiles, soft stares and that special wink told what was in their hearts.

Even thought they knew I was not far away, I stayed away giving them their privacy. This was a special time for both of them as they rekindled and ignited the spark that has been hidden deep within their souls. I could see that warm glow begin to capture their hearts once again and I couldn’t help but smile for them. Being the romantic that I am it warmed my heart to see them this way.

Many of these men shared long conversations with me while in the desert. I recalled many of those conversations as I gazed upon them now sitting across from that special lady who owned their heart. Just seeing them with loved ones gave me a different side of these strong warriors that I knew.
As I began the final stages of my closure with this unit, I was happy to see them interacting with family and loved ones. No matter where I go or what I do in life, these Marines will always hold a special place in my heart and I will always be protective over these men. It’s easier to begin my closure now because I know they are in very good hands with people and family that love them just as much as I do. Unfortunately there is one final detail that needs to be secured before I can close this chapter of this wonderful journey, a detail that is going to be hard to accomplish for sure.

NEXT: The Journey Comes to a close Part 4: The memorial service for the fallen brothers of 3rd LAR.

The Journey Continues: Part 2: The ride to Victory Field

2006-10-21T05:51:00.000-04:00

While the Marines of 3rd LAR BN finished receiving their last briefing of the journey, I had the opportunity to meet some very special men and women who escorted them back to base that evening on motorcycles. They were members of the Patriot Guard of the surrounding areas.

I had heard rumors about these special Americans for their selfless acts of escorting and protecting the families at funerals of our fallen warriors, but did not know that they also provided escort service to units coming home. What an amazing opportunity this was to witness. I learned that they are from many walks of life: Vietnam Veterans, Veterans of the Gulf War, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Patriotic Americans who support our military. These wonderful angels take time out of their day to perform this wonderful tribute to our warriors and I had to personally thank them for what they are doing, especially because they were paying tribute to my favorite Marines that evening.

During our conversation they found out who I was and why I was there. One of the Patriot Guards, Ed, gave me a very special gift, a gift that I will never forget. Ed invited me to ride with him as they escorted the buses to the field. I was lost for words, but accepted the invitation gladly, even though I was fighting back the tears with this special honor.

This was the beginning of yet another journey in itself. Whether they realized it or not, the Patriot Guards helped me turn one of the final pages of this journey by being a part of the escort that was delivering these special Marines back to their loved ones. For this I will be forever grateful.

While rolling down the road toward Victory field, I could hear the engines of the buses behind us, the roar of the pipes beneath me, and my heart was bursting with joy. Then we turned the corner and the field came into view. It looked like every other football field, with its flood lights and plush green grass. Tonight the field was clear and there were no players. The crowds were not cheering for a game, they were cheering for something else. As the bikes began to get closer, my excitement began to build and the roar of the crowd got louder and louder, then it happened – that feeling of coming home came over me. The louder the crowds screamed, the more my emotions let go and the tears began to fall hard. Instead of having that sad feeling for leaving them behind, it was replaced with pure relief because I felt I was helping to bring them back to their loved ones. What an amazing feeling that was.

This was one of those experiences every writer dreams of, but on this ride alone I was not just a writer, I was an American. Thanks to Ed, Candyman and their fellow Patriot Guard’s for giving me this experience. You gave me the highlight of this coming home, it was better than I could have hoped for as a writer. Little did you know that you were giving me the closure I needed to bring this story full circle. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be a part of your special escort to deliver “MY PROTECTORS” THE MARINES OF 3RD LAR BN, HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES!

WELCOME HOME to the MARINES OF 3rd LAR BN.... you each have a special place in my heart now and for eternity!

The Journey Continues - Part 1: A very special Experience

2006-10-21T05:36:00.000-04:00

When I first started on this project I had one goal in mind, to tell the story of our brave men and women in uniform. There were a few things I was lacking in my objective of this project; I had never worn the uniform. I hadn’t been able to feel those feelings of preparation of ones affairs, or how it felt to be in a position of going into a war zone. I had never felt the feeling associated with deployment or that special welcome home. I had never experienced the loss of a brother who had given the ultimate sacrifice on the battlefield.

Every writer dreams of a single “special experience” in which to write from, but never seems to find it for one reason or another. One year ago, I was given the opportunity to have my one “special experience” when I accepted the invitation from the United States Marine Corps to join them as an embedded writer in Iraq. For reasons I still can’t comprehend, I accepted this offer without hesitation and the journey began.

This journey gave me the opportunity of meeting new people and many challenging experiences. I have traveled to a war zone and beyond, gained first hand experience of our Armed Forces in a war zone, doing what they do best. I have been challenged to be better than I could ever be and do things I never thought I ever would in my lifetime.

Destiny or fate puts us in special positions in order to learn from an experience, while my fate has twisted many times during this journey. It has been a special journey because I have now gained enlightenment of the excitement, fear, joys, laughs, struggles, successes and yes, even the sorrows of life in the military. Many have asked if I would be willing to do it all over again and without hesitation I have to say, in a heartbeat. That’s because I believe that life is a journey to experience fully. If I had allowed my fears to stand in the way of this journey, I would have lost out on something very special.

Over the course of the year, it’s felt like an emotional roller coaster, a roller coaster that is still speeding down the tracks, twisting and turning every day. As a civilian who has worked closely with the military for over twenty years, I have always kept my personal feelings separate from my working relationships, so as to never get to close to those in uniform around me. This project has forced me to truly get close, down and dirty so to speak than I ever thought I would with one very special group of warriors, those of the United States Marine Corps’ 3rd LAR Battalion. When I tried to wrap up the closure of my association with this unit, I found it extremely difficult to turn the last pages for many reasons. For this reason I decided to create a multi-part post of this experience and share it with you.

The Welcome Home!

The day was the 29th of September 2006. It was a beautiful California day, with its clear blue skies and the warm desert breeze touched my cheek as I stepped off the plane in Palm Springs. Although exhausted from traveling, I was returning to this desert oasis for a special mission. In a few hours my special protectors of the United States Marine Corps’ 3rd LAR BN would also be stepping off a plane and touching U.S. Soil for the first time in months. I was invigorated.

After checking into the hotel I had the opportunity of meeting some of the wives of my special warriors. We talked about their struggles and fears during this deployment. These are the unsung heroes of war, these special ladies who are married to my brave warriors. It was strange because I knew their husbands in a completely different way. They were not just Marines to me, these men were my heroes. They allowed me to enter their sacred world of military life in a war zone. While I tried to understand the essence of their sacrifices, as I listen to their voices, something happened. Instead of my muse giving me words to express their thoughts, I was feeling their emotions through my own raw emotions. What a blessing this was to experience.
While I listened to the wives tell me their stories, I began flashing back to my time with the guys in Iraq. I recalled many conversations with the Marines, and quietly in my head, I could hear their many expressions of love and admiration for wives, family and children, discussions about American History and life in general. I remembered my thoughts when I first met them. How others their age were out trolling the bars, hunting for something, partying and going to college, while these guys were much more mature for their age. Their training from boot camp changed their lives giving them a new maturity and self assurance that made me feel secure. I began to wonder how I could express my gratitude to these wonderful ladies on what their husbands had done for me. How does one tell a wife that their husband taught me so much about living and surviving in a war zone? I don’t think I will ever be able to express my gratitude to them, or to their Marines. These guys gave me the opportunity to feel what it was like to enter a world not many outside the military ever experience or can comprehend. As I got to know them, I began to feel detached from my heroes. The ladies sitting before me represented all the wives and family members I had heard so much about. I did not want to intrude into their private time with their husbands. I was excited right along with them, but felt as though I was an outsider looking in because none were my husband, son or brother, only my heroes.

Later that evening it was time for the welcome home activities at Victory Field. I have been to many a deployment farewell’s and welcome home party in the past, but this one was so much more special to me. These warriors earned a very special place in my heart. It was great to meet other family members: the other wives, sisters, brothers, parents and even the children. While we all waited for the news that our Marines were back on base we laughed, joked and told stories of these special warriors and my emotions began to build, but still I felt out of place among the families. No matter how much the Marines and family members let me in, I was still an outsider

When the announcer came over the load speakers and told us what we wanted to hear “The Marines have arrived and are at the Armory”, I sneaked off to the armory to welcome home my heroes in private. There they were, tired and weary standing in line waiting to secure their weapons. Those same emotions that crept up on me the night before I left Iraq began to surface once again. I wanted to yell Welcome Home so badly, but the words would not come out. I quietly walked along the Marines standing in line and could hear whispers: Who is that? Then a sense of surprise came from one muffled voice, I think that’s Betty he said. I turned, looked in the direction of the voice, smiled brightly and nodded as tears began to fill my eyes. My lips moved but no words came out.

When they were done, they lined up against the concrete wall awaiting orders to board the buses that would bring them to Victory field. As I looked up and down the wall, my heart felt as though it would jump out of my chest. My heroes were really home. I knew how tired and weary they felt after two days of traveling and processing to get to this point. Although I had joked about collecting my hugs and kisses from every one of them, it didn't seem right to get those hugs and kisses before their wives, girlfriends, parents and children had that honor. Those beautiful weary smiles were better than any hug or kiss I was promised. My heroes of 3rd LAR BN were home, that was enough for me.

Stay tuned for Part 2: The ride to Victory Field

Some Heroes need our help!

2006-09-23T11:25:00.000-04:00

In everyone's life there comes a day when you feel deep in your soul you need to help another human being. Whether it's to run an errand, or help a friend move, we can always step up to the plate and take a swing at the problem for those we care about. Today, I am stepping up to the plate and I hope you will join with me by standing with me while I pick up my bat and begin the long swing to hit this ball over the fence for a sweet HOMERUN for some very special heroes! How can you help me, by reading the following story and then sharing it with everyone you know who has ever put on the uniform of the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

I first learned about this group a few years ago, as I was researching my first book about World War II. I had a few connections to this group because my niece joined this legacy when she graduated West Point and subsequently her brother Jack followed in her footsteps a few years later as he joined them in Italy, Afghanistan and Iraq. Then last year I decided to add another book to the series I am currently working on, one about Vietnam. While attending a military reunion last summer, I learned more about them from men I came to admire greatly over the course of a long
weekend in Tampa Florida. Over the last year, I have delved into many
archival stacks at the National Archives and more recently at the Army's wonderful research facility, Ridgeway Hall at the Army Historical and Educational Center located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. There I learned even more about this special group who has served our country proudly and mostly distinctively. I was fascinated by this group for a very special reason, because of a very special man who was once part of this unit in Vietnam, a hero who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

While conducting my research for my upcoming book, I have covered every aspect of that timeframe, but for personal reasons I have searched long and hard on two very special units, but today I want to only talk about one of them, the 173rd Airborne Brigade, specifically A Company, 1st Battalion 503rd Infantry. This was the unit one of my favorite heroes served with during his time in Vietnam. His name was Sgt. Raymond S. Inslee. My beloved Ray was killed in action in March of 1970 while on patrol with his unit. Because of the closeness of our families and because I knew him personally growing up, I took this loss very hard. It was as if I had lost a brother, because that's how I thought of Ray, as my other older brother. I have never forgotten my darling Ray and wanted to honor him by learning as much as I could about his unit for my upcoming book. Maybe in some way I could connect with him in a very special way and I have and so can you.

During a recent conversation with his brother Bobby, I learned that he had found someone who knew Ray while in Vietnam, my prayers had been answered. I was so excited I almost jumped out of my skin. His name is Larry Hampton. I was excited and without hesitation I contacted him. Emails were exchanged and he invited me to join him and the rest of the 173rd Airborne Brigade for a very special event in Atlanta Georgia on October 7th of this year. This is where you all can help me honor the memory of my hero... Help me spread the word about this very special event.

If you know of a soldier who has worn the uniform of the 173rd AIRBORNE, or any uniform of the United States Army, encourage them to join the 173rd Airborne Brigade in their efforts to raise $500,000 to build a monument in memory of their fallen at Ft. Benning, Georgia. The day's events begin with a special ride from the Convention Center in downtown Atlanta to the HiFi Amphitheatre for a benefit concert with music of Big and Rich, Lynard Skynard and many more as they salute those in uniform of the 173rd past and present. There is also a motorcycle ride to Atlanta from Charlotte North Carolina that Larry Hampton is leading in memory of his brothers who never made it home from the battlefields of Vietnam. For more information on this wonderful day of celebration to honor all those in the 173rd Airborne Brigade, please go to www.173rdairborne.com and scroll down to "DAY OF HONOR". If you are like me and love to ride on the back of a motorcycle and live in the MD, VA, WVA, NC, SC or GA area, here is your excuse to ride one more time before the cold weather sets in, join this special ride to honor those who sacrificed their lives for all of us, contact Larry Hampton at 1bigdog1@bellsouth.net, register and pay your $50 bucks a rider and help
them reach their goal on October 7th. If you can't make it to the event
and sill want to help them, go to www.173rdairbornememorial.org and donate something to the effort. Remember every little bit helps because the faster they raise this money, the faster this monument can be built... "it's time we did something to honor these fallen heroes! I will be there, will you?
Help me keep my hero's memory alive for not only my family, his family, but for his brothers in uniform and for future generations of the 173rd Airborne Brigade so that they will never forget my hero and the legacy they are entering into as they train to protect America!

God Bless the Sky Soldiers of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, may they fly with God's wind and gentle hand beneath their silken canopy to safe landings to fight for freedom for all the world!

A Special Farewell

2006-08-14T17:08:00.000-04:00

This past week has been spent reflecting on my time with the Marine Corps in Iraq. Realizing the precious gift of life each of us have and how we never realize the purpose of that life until something tragic befalls us.

On July 29th 2006, I sat in a classroom, with 49 other students, awaiting the beginnings of what was to be another day of training, when the instructor requested a moment of silence for four Marines who had lost their lives in Iraq. My heart sank deep within my chest as he said Marines had lost there lives. He had heard it on the news that morning as he prepared to come to the class. Unfortunately he did not know which unit had lost these four Marines.

Upon my return home to Washington, DC I learned what unit those four Marines belonged to. It was the unit I was with in Iraq. They were taken away from their families, our country and a very special brotherhood, when a vehicle entered their compound filled with explosives. Like many of those surrounding these Marines, who reacted to the loss with tears and sadness, I was no different.

This morning, at the home base of this unit, their brothers and sisters in uniform said their final farewell. At 0700 this morning, as the tribute was underway, I sat quietly praying for those in this unit because they have a very special place in my heart. The faces of those I was with, only a few months ago, flashed before my eyes, and among them the faces of these four Marines.

I had the honor and privilege of spending time with these Marines and the rest of the unit, when I accompanied them in March of this year, as they deployed and entered Iraq. I know first hand the hardships, the restraints and the sacrifices in which they endured each and every day in the Al Anbar Province. These four individuals and rest of the unit allowed me the privilege of living life as they did in a war zone. They embraced me as one of their own and allowed me to get to know them on a personal level. They also allowed me to feel that special bond of trust and friendship of this brotherhood first hand. They guided me on protocols, directed me to ensure my safety, and asked me to trust them if things got hot. I trusted them with my life. These brave warriors were my protectors and that is why I felt compelled to honor them today.

After spending time with them I can say this, there should never be a good bye, but a celebration of their life, for they lived it the way they wished to live it, in the service of our country. These warriors would not have it any other way. Each of them individually chose to join the military for different reasons. They chose to join not for money or fame but for another reason. The underlining link that joins each of them together, Honor! There are no words to describe their honor – for it is beyond honor to go into a war zone. It is love of country and freedom, which drives each of them to enter a war zone for the first, second or third time. It is their free choice of duty, honor and commitment. It is also because of the special love they had for their brothers which is completely beyond honor, oneself or country – a bond between brothers so special it is beyond words itself.

Many have asked: why did they go? For those who have the opportunity to answer such a question in person, but not sure what to say, please answer it like this: One day long ago they chose to become a United States Marine. After boot camp, they chose to love their brothers. The Honor is therefore in the choice! That “choice” was made with a clear conscience, and that decision entered them into a brotherhood which is beyond comprehension by the average American -- a brotherhood of trust and faith of one’s life being put into another’s hands. There is no going back for those who don’t make that choice, because they lost out on the honor of being a part of that very special brotherhood – the love and the bond of friendship which can never be broken becuase it is shared deep within a Marines soul.

As the Marines stood together to honor Hanson, Baucus, Butterfield and Williams I wished I could be standing among them, but miles between us prevented my being there. Instead I stood with them in spirit, for my heart is heavy at their loss. Although my heart was feeling their pain, I couldn’t help but smile because for a brief moment in time, I knew them. I was blessed because of their humor, their laughter, their guidance and their spirit which will live on inside of me forever. "For wherever you go in life, whatever stage or place you reach, a friend who has entered your soul, is always with you, gently guiding, faithfully following, and most of all, Forever walking beside you!" Semper Fi Marines Until we meet again!

Embedded Author with USMC in March 2006

Vietnam today is not what one would expect

2006-05-31T06:05:00.000-04:00

My journey to Vietnam is now complete. A trip filled with new adventures, laughter, tears and spiritual healing far exceeded my expectations in the end.

A SPECIAL THANK YOU!

To the Men and Women I traveled with, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to take this journey with you. You each taught me a great deal on this trip and opened my eyes to many issues
It was an honor to be in the company of such brave warriors.

My original intent during this trip was to provide a daily digest of events, but was not possible due to the poor connectivity throughout the country. Things happen for a reason I always say, so instead of that daily update, I have decided to write an overview of the trip to give you an idea of the various experiences we encountered and my own personal feelings along the way.

Future posts will have highlights of the people and their living conditions, the food, the beauty of the landscapes, the history and what I personally felt throughout the trip. There were many special experiences which helped me gain a better understanding of those who served in Vietnam so long ago. I hope the final product will give you the best of the country as it is today, while giving you the historical background of each province we traveled through.

Let the journey unfold!

Although we fought back fatigue of traveling to Los Angeles, our group anxiously waited in the terminal at LAX to board the flight that would take us around the world to Vietnam.
In the departure lounge of LAX Airport Cooke, Deane, Bill and Smitty wait patiently for our journey to begin

Taipai Airport another quick flight to go and we will arrive in Saigon.

We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, (Saigon) on schedule. Our smiles hid the exhaustion from the long flight once we met our tour guide Anh. Our journey has just begun.

As we headed from the airport our excitement began to override the exhaustion, we were raring to go... the only person to see the hotel for more than a few minutes was that of poor Deane, who was not feeling well. The rest of us were out the door so fast that the jet lag didn't get the chance to hinder our touring excitement.

My expectations of this trip far exceeded my wildest dreams. This country was not what I expected. Life is quite different than it was long ago. The guns and bombs are silent, roads and bridges which were once destroyed have been rebuilt. Saigon has changed a lot according to the Warriors I am traveling with. Today, it's filled with so much life, reflective of a rich past with a prosperous future. A beautiful city filled with old French style architecture surrounded by modern buildings. The streets are crowded with thousands of motor bikes, bicycles, people and children. What a hoot it is to see them all scurrying around on those motor bikes. Scary at times, but for some reason their system seems to work, just don’t walk in front of them without paying attention – you might get run over.

Traffic in Saigon

Before we embarked on a day of touring the city, we stopped for lunch at a quaint little restaurant. The proprietors served us a beautiful feast of exotic local foods. The artistry of our lunch was plentiful from sea bass, local vegetable soup, sautéed beef and rice, and local fruits in the shapes of various figures, dragons, fisherman and birds. We indulged on this wonderful cuisine while one of the waiters serenaded us on the piano. American music of all things! What a hoot.

Me at the War Museum in Saigon

As you can see, we had a jam packed day which is another reason why there really wasn't enough time to produce a daily log on the blog, even if there was a good connection to post it. More to come on this trip in the coming days.

Vietnam Journey 2006

2006-05-15T21:15:00.000-04:00

We left Los Angeles on the 13th of May on our journey to Vietnam. The crowd consists of Bill Clayton, Bill, Ervin, Bill Kendall, Jenifer Ruddock-Cordileone, Deane Taylor, Joe Cordileone, Doc Hardin, ME, Hazel and Irvin Smith, George Wanberg, Caesar Da Silva, Bill Piver, Nathan Jones, and Charles Westbrook.

It was a quiet group, but as the hours went on and we got to know each other, we are now a family of close friends traveling together.

The flight to Saigon was a long one, but again we all adapted and overcame the obstacles before us, jet lag and total lack of sleep, but pure excitement. More on our arrival and adventures in the next post... Until then, stay tuned!

A new adventure is about to start

2006-05-10T02:26:00.000-04:00

In a few days I will journey back in time to a place where it’s hotter than hell. Its beautiful landscapes are still filled with jungles, rice paddies and terrain where thousands of Americans once fought. A place called Vietnam.

On this adventure, I will not be sleeping on a rack in a barracks, nor will I be lugging around body armor. I will only be carrying a camera. I am honored to be traveling with some very special Marines who had it far worse than I could ever imagine over 30 years ago.

We will visit the sites of operations and battles these men once served: Saigon, Danang, Hoi An, Hue, Dong Ha, Hanoi and Halong with side trips to Perfume Mountain, Mutter's Ridge, Khe Sanh, the Ben Hai River, Marble Mountain, China Beach, CuChi Tunnel and the Mekong delta before we return.

I will visit a place my brother Jack once ventured through as a Marine himself. Where a family friend lost his life and many other brave warriors fought so proudly. I will be writing about this trip and the history of this war in a future project, but for right now, this trip is very personal to me. I will be an observer as I travel with these brave warriors, capturing their spirit as we travel and maybe learn about what my brother went through not so long ago.

I was very young when my brother, Jack, joined the Marine Corps. I still remember the day when he and his friend Bobby, announced they had enlisted. That look upon my fathers face has stayed with me to this day. At first I thought it was because Jack joined the Corps, when Dad was a career Army officer. As I got older I understood what that look was, he was worried his son would be sent off to war. At the time, I truly didn’t understand the why. I just remember my Mother crying many nights as she made dinner, or my Father always on the phone with someone discussing military affairs. Jack was lucky he came home safely, but reality hit hard when my Father received a call that changed my life for ever. It was a call that his friends son would never be coming home from Vietnam. This was my first experience with losing someone I knew. That's when I realized what war was all about and that could have been my brother Jack. This was an experience I have never forgotten. Nor have I ever forgotten Ray Inslee or his smile and that sparkle in his beautiful eyes. [Sgt Ray Inslee, U.S. Army, was killed in the Binh Dinh Province of Vietnam on March 29th, 1970.] I will not have the opportunity to visit the place we lost Ray, but I know in my heart he will be with me in spirit as I tour the rest of the country. The one place on this trip which will mean the most to me is that of Khe Sanh. This was the place I could have lost my brother during the Tet Offensive. This, out of all others, because it had a direct impact on who I am today.

My quest is simple, to learn about who my brother is and where he served. I am hoping that my work with our veteran’s community over the years, coupled with my recent trip to Iraq, will give me a small privilege of getting to know my brother in a very special way. I missed getting to know him while serving with the 1/9 in Vietnam, the infamous “Walking Dead”.

It has been an honor to be around the military and its veterans my entire life. The experiences in which this has afforded me has been immeasurable to any other experience in life. It has also given me a great deal of knowledge in which to write from in recent years and to defend in Washington, DC. All these experiences, especially recently, brings a whole new light to my writings, a first hand experience which I never imagined I would ever have in this lifetime. The timing for this trip could not have been better. To be able to return to a place which I have been researching my entire life is beyond words for me. I pray God will afford me the clarity of these new understandings of what our brave warriors endure to allow me to capture their spirit through my words as I write.

I’m not sure about connectivity in Vietnam because I plan to journal my adventures for all to read once I am able to get to the internet. I have a wonderful photographer coming with me on this trip, Chuck Westbrook, who will be helping me, once again, capture the essence of those who served. I plan to post some of those pictures along the way. Stay tuned!

A Special Message: RP, thank you so much for all your support. Without you this journey would have only been a dream that never came to reality. Thank you

Special Gift Received

2006-05-10T01:23:00.000-04:00

When a person returns from a war zone, no matter why they were there, life changes for them in many ways. They view every aspect of their life differently. They begin questioning their careers and the direction in which it’s going. Questions concerning their love life come full circle. They wonder if the person they are involved with is the right person for them. Many admit to their feelings changing while they were away, or to some they got stronger. In recent posts I have mentioned that my life changed just like many others. My outlook on life and opinion on many issues are quite different now. While my professional life is prospering, my personal life has changed dramatically.

Many Soldiers I have spoken with over the last few years have discussed the many signs put before them, signs they overlooked in the past. While life is falling back into place for so many, these signs are put before them in a very special way to help ease the burden of transition. These very special signs have always been there in order to help define who we are as a person, so we can find the answers to life’s many questions. While other times we are given a very special gift from a messenger from our past. One of those gifts I recently received and wanted to share it with those who read my blog.

Recently an old friend called and wanted me to join him for dinner, to share the tales of my exciting journey and to catch up on life in general. I accepted this invitation gladly because it had been a number of years since we had seen each other, and because he had been in Iraq in recent years too.

Over dinner we compared notes of our experiences, politics and what was happening in the inner circles here in Washington, DC as we always do. The subject then turned to our personal lives. Then it began. He sat across from me, sipping his Merlot, explaining how he had been going through a revelation of sorts and began to pour out his heart. After returning home from Iraq he went through a divorce, and began cleaning out the closets of his life. During this cleansing process he realized many things about himself and that he had fallen in love with someone from his past, but didn’t know what to do about it.

Part of his healing process meant cleaning out the closets of his life, even the real ones in his home. A powerful revelation came to him when he found a box buried deep in the back of his closet, containing special keepsakes he treasured. A few hours went by before he looked inside and found letters from someone he once knew. He reread them over and over again, only to realize in a very powerful way what was missing in his life... he failed to communicate what was in his heart.

Through each letter he read from a woman from his past, he learned that sharing what is in ones heart can be very special to another person, especially the one you care about. When they dated, she had written to him, while she was on travel. At the time he wasn’t interested in what was happening in her life, only his own. He admitted the clear messages in those letters allowed him to turn on the light bulb in his head. He realized what an ass he had been all those years ago. The one thing she craved in the relationship, he never gave to her. He thought he was doing everything right. Doing what every perfect gentleman should do, bought her things and took her places. When all the while he was missing the boat on what she really wanted from him.

When he was finished he realized he had fallen in love with the woman who opened her heart and shared what was happening in her life. She took the time to share herself with him and for that he was grateful. But that wasn’t all that he realized from her letters. He remembered that during that time, she traveled a lot and their quality time together was limited. He was in a needy stage, and selfish about everything and anything in his life. He needed to be with the person in his life all the time, for both political and social reasons, but she was not available to be there for him in body, only in spirit. He resented her for this and ultimately began seeing someone else. Yet after reading her letters, she knew this and in her way she was with him all the time, through her letters. By sharing her life and her heart with him, she showed how much she cared. She shared her heart with him in a very special way, through her written words. He could see her sitting in that airport, or hotel, describing her adventures and experiences, even how she was feeling at the time.

Although at the time of their relationship, he was frustrated with his career and all he wanted to do was to scream and yell. Instead of yelling back at him, she didn’t solve problems that way, she wrote him letters. At that time he didn’t see it, but now he does. The woman he chose as a life partner was not his partner in any sense of the word. He was not capable of sharing his life with her, personal or professional, and unfortunately the marriage fell apart.

Upon returning home that evening I checked my messages. To my surprise there were a few messages from him. The first thanked me for listening and said he was going to call her shortly. I smiled. However, the second message from him knocked me off my feet completely. He called her alright. The message he left was: “the lady in question you know intimately. It is you.” I could not believe my ears. The third message was that special gift I mentioned. “I know you have moved on with your life and I am very happy for your successes. I wanted you to know that the light bulb finally went off. Now I know what I lost and what you were trying to tell me years ago. Thank you! Your friendship is valued so much more now and I truly want it to be a part of my life, now and forever”. I sat on my sofa staring at the phone, not believing my ears. I was stunned.

I couldn’t help but smile at his messages. Life is all about timing after all. People come into your life for a reason. You never know what rewards you are to reap from knowing them. We never know what part they will play, even though silently we fall in love with them, but never say the words. I was happy that something I wrote so many years ago helped him heal in his final stages of his personal transformation. As he said in a subsequent conversation, it helped him become a man who can truly open his heart and share what is inside. To any other female, they would have picked up the phone and rekindled a lost romance with a man who just admitted to being in love with them. Why not, he is gorgeous, wealthy and extremely accomplished and who could give a lady all the materialistic things she could ever want. Call me crazy, but that is not me. He was right, I had moved on.

I have come to realize that God has a great sense of humor when he gives us his signs. We are simply oblivious to them until the light bulb does go off. If we are willing to see them, life can be so much simpler. Whether it’s political, social or economic issues, he is very stern in planting signs before us, that we all seem to overlook. Yet, when it comes to the matters of the heart those signs are usually not so obvious. Why aren’t they obvious? Maybe we’re self absorbed in our outlook on life because of professional stress.

To those who read this blog, the lesson in what I write it simple: Feelings within ones heart are very special and they should be shared with those you feel are special in your life. Never underestimate the written word in communicating with them. Timing is so important in life and although your feelings might not register today, one day the light bulb will go off when you least expect it. When it does, accept that gift as something special from the messenger who delivers it to you. Once you realize this, you must live life to the fullest, love those in your life with passion in your heart. Use your imagination and creativity to spark that same passion which ignited the day you met that special someone. For if you open your eyes, be honest with yourself, and that special someone in your life, and put the same effort into your relationship as you do in your professional life, you could be the luckiest person in the world. Remember, relationships are not rocket science, so enjoy it while you have it, for tomorrow it can be taken away from you forever and you might miss out on someone very special to share your life and dreams with.

And always remember this, my favorite poem:

“Empty pockets never held a man back, only an empty heart and mind can do that”
(by Norman Vincent Peale).

Trust and Friendship go hand in hand!

2006-04-23T00:21:00.000-04:00

Over the years I have always admired the military for its brotherhood. The men and women of our Armed Forces travel and train together until they ultimately react as one. This is the brotherhood called Trust! That brotherhood between them is essential when entering the heat of battle. Although they know the risks they are taking as they enter a firefight, they enter it together, without hesitation. Their training and that special trust is the essential element which drives them. Being there to cover your six (your back) is part of that trust. Once that trust is established, it can never be broken by anyone. When it's time to step up to the plate, they are there for each other.

That kind of trust is hard to find in a person unless you are part of the military. As a civilian I have never really trusted anyone that much with my life until now.

On a daily basis we meet people, many we connect with, others we don’t. Many times we dismiss a person because he, or she, doesn’t fit into our life for social or political reasons. This to me is a shame, because I have found over the years that unless we are willing to take the journey to explore the real reasons why we met a person, we could miss the possibility of them being a very important part of our lives, both personally and professionally. Or, better yet, have you ever had a chance meeting with someone who you knew, deep in your soul, was someone very special? Never realizing what an important role that person would play in helping to change your life, or help you achieve a goal of a life time?

It wasn’t until I returned from this journey to Iraq that I realized just how lucky I’ve been with the people I’ve encountered in my lifetime. I have met some amazing and wonderful people. I have been doubly blessed because I can call many of them my friends. That’s why I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately and come to realize that many of these friendships have reaped me the rewards of being successful in my work, and also in my personal life, because they are a part of my life. For that, I am enormously grateful. I truly thank those who have entered my life for a brief moment, or who have been with me for many years for their friendship and their assistance along the way both personally and professionally. Thank you for truly making a difference in my life and helped it unfold the way it has thus far.

Recently many of these same friends and colleagues have asked many questions about the trip. What it was like politically, socially, economically and militarily. One question which was consistent was if I was scared or afraid. Surprisingly enough I wasn’t. After thinking long and hard about it, I realized why I was not scared.

At first I thought it was because I mentally prepared myself for what I was to expect by asking everyone of my military friends what to expect. Nah that wasn’t it! Then I thought well, maybe it was because I was surrounded by so many Marines who were highly qualified to take care of any situation. Nah that wasn’t it either! Maybe it’s because I travel so much and never really worry about anything but just enjoy the trip. That might have had a lot to do with it, but deep down I knew it was something else. The more I tried to figure it out the more I smiled.

Then it dawned on me. I was blessed four years ago when a person came into my life during one of those chance meetings. During that initial introduction, there was an instantaneous trust and for some reason I felt safer than I had ever felt with anyone I had ever met before. This was rare since it usually never happens with me. Over the next four years I was fortunate enough to become very dear friends with this person. Although I knew immediately of his accomplishments, they were never the foundation of our friendship. It was that instantaneous trust I felt that achieved the honor of becoming my friend.

Over the years I never imagined how important this person would become, or what role he would play in my life, until I was invited to join the Marines in Iraq. You see I realized why I was not afraid, or scared on this trip... for the first time in my life I brought someone on a trip with me. Someone I trusted so completely I did not hesitate placing my life and all I hold dear in his hands for the entire trip. This gave me a tremendous amount of relief and allowed me to be creative and concentrate on the work I had before me. Just knowing he was by my side gave me the strength to not be afraid or worry as we traveled around a war zone. Our long standing friendship and his previous training gave me the confidence I needed to do anything that was presented to me. I took risks I never would have taken alone. This was a first for me.

I realize now that if the timing was off by one day, I probably would have been scared to take this journey alone. Instead the stars lined up perfectly and he was able to join me. I am forever grateful not only for our friendship, but for the trust our friendship has given us these fast few years. I would never have achieved my goal or felt as safe as I did if Tony had not joined me on this journey.

One thing in life every person should experience is to take a journey so exciting with someone with whom they can trust. Most of the time I travel alone and never have the opportunity to truly share the wonderful experiences given to me and it was so wonderful to have shared this experience with Tony.

Having someone I trusted by my side as I entered that unknown zone, truly gave me the strength and courage to be calm in order to march on. There is no one else I would have trusted, so utterly and completely, to join me in a war zone. Tony you truly enhanced this experience by being there for me when I needed you the most. For that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Because of you, I now know what those Marines feel like with that trust factor between them.