Patriotism or perversion?

Military veteran Wayne Ozmore post a photo and writes, "As I continue to see a leader of the local Tea Party Patriot movement fly the U.S. Flag upside down, I take solace in the words of Simon Wiesenthal–a prolific hero of mine and people the world over. Wiesenthal was a survivor of the Nazi concentration camp located at Mauthausen."

Read his entire post Patriotism or perversion? at LynnRMitchell.com.

10 best patriotic songs ... Staunton's Statler Brothers included

Staunton's own Statler Brothers made the Top 10 best patriotic songs posted by AOL Radio. In honor of the 4th of July 2010, here they are:

10. Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American) by Toby Keith
"Cause [he'll] put a boot in your ass/It's the American way." Don't mess with Toby Keith! This emotional track was written shortly after Keith's father passed away in 2001, and was inspired by the Sept. 11 attacks.

9. More Than a Name on a Wall by The Statler Brothers
Originally a gospel act performing at churches, the Statler Brothers wrote this sad tale of a mother losing her son in 1989. Although set years after the Vietnam War's end, the mother remembers the good times she shared with her son, and her own personal war in coping with loss.

8. If You're Reading This [Live] by Tim McGraw
7. Riding With Private Malone by David Ball
6. A Country Boy Can Survive by Hank Williams Jr.
5. Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) by Alan Jackson
4. Ragged Old Flag by Johnny Cash
3. American Soldier by Toby Keith
2. Stars and Stripes Forever by Boston Pops Orchestra
1. God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood
A song that embodies the American spirit, 'God Bless The USA' was played for former President Ronald Reagan at the 1984 Republican National Convention.

Sixty-six years ago today ...

... my mom graduated from Thomas Dale High School in Chester, Virginia. With limited communications at the time, she was unaware of the D-Day operation going on in Europe that would make this date one that would be remembered in history. Her older brother was serving in the U.S. Army in Italy and France and would be killed in action just weeks before the end of the war.

The loss of her brother in World War II, she has told us throughout the years, was something her mother never got over. Gold Star moms carry deep scars....

The conservative rebellion ... 1700s style

Bob has a sober reminder of what the Founding Fathers gave up in the fight for freedom. His latest edition of THYME Magazine: Citizen Journalism With a Better Flavor is up over at The Journey.

Conservative leaders rising up from tea party movement

The tea party movement has grown nationwide with thousands of events that eventually led to the 9/12 March on Washington three weeks ago when over 1 million conservatives converged on Washington, DC, to send a message to their elected representatives.

That movement may be a bit unorganized at the moment but, as RedState's Erick Erickson opined in the Washington Examiner, leaders are rising from the ranks of the tea party organizations:

We should not look at the tea party movement and the voices surrounding it as shrieking voices of populist sentiment devoid of substance. They give voice to the instinctual level, or gut, of the conservative conscience.

What we see across the country are more and more people standing up realizing the direction we are headed is wrong. They are unorganized. They are unfocused. But they do not lack a “connection to a concrete ideology,” they just are not skilled or trained in the ideology.

There is no greater conservative sentiment than “stop.” Bernard Bailyn’s influential The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution laid out how conservative the American Revolution was.

The popular messages of “freedom” and “liberty” were not slogans of propaganda put forward by the 18th century equivalent of a 501(c)(4), but were very real and meaningful to the colonists on the street and in the fields.

While no one should expect a revolution against government from the tea parties, we should expect and hope for a revolution in conservative thought and an upheaval of at least the Republican Party as the tea party activists start putting down their protest signs and picking up campaign signs. Then, perhaps, they will move on to taking over their local political party.

Out of the conservative movement are rising leaders of the future.

A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots

Moms are concerned about their children, their husbands their families, their homes ... and they are concerned about the government and country because all affect their families.

A gathering of "Mommy Patriots" is occurring on the internet. They introduce themselves with:

The purpose of this group is to give a forum for moms of all types to come together to discuss and resolve issues. Through the centuries women a have bonded together to teach and mentor one another. In the spirit of those foremothers let us now come together. Many of you have questions, some of you have answers. Some of you may know what textbooks teach a good history of our nation. Others can mentor a first time school board candidate...

In addition to the 9 values we add this one: Children are a gift from God and a sacred responsibility.

I once heard someone say "the details of motherhood are written on the inside of a woman's eyelids." It's the greatest reward in my life ... being a mom.

Now I'm a Patriot Mommy.

H/T to Allen

SWAC Girl has gone to the 9/12 March on Washington

Americans flags against Virginia's Shenandoah Valley sky.

SWAC Girl will not be blogging today.

I am in Washington, DC, with thousands of my fellow
American patriots for the 9/12 March on Washington.
For every one of us in DC, thousands more stand behind us
across America.

We are alarmed at out-of-control government spending,
bailout of private industry, the assault on capitalism,
the proposed government takeover of private insurance,
elected representatives who ignore the will of the people,
and other assaults on our freedoms and right to choose.

The Silent Majority is silent no more!

The Shenandoah Valley has sent 6 buses filled with friends
and neighbors who paid their own way and are taking a day out
of their lives to stand up and be heard.

Please pray for our safe travel and a peaceful rally.

May God bless America ... may America bless God!

Photo by SWAC Girl
Lynn Mitchell
July 4, 2009

"Do unto liberals as they have done to you"

H/T to Concrete Bob at United Conservatives of Virginia ... "Do Unto Liberals as They Have Done..." by Lt. Col. Allen West, USA, combat veteran and Congressional candidate for FLA-22.

Concerned American citizens are being called Nazis, evilmongers, racists, tea bagging rednecks, and right wing extremists. They have been accused of organized protest and even had an email set up, flag@whitehouse.gov, which enables their “fishy behavior” to be reported. And there have been Americans who received unsolicited emails from David Axelrod with the White House letterhead to their private email accounts. Three of my friends have received such.

We are witnessing something really disturbing in America. At issue is not the reaction of concerned American citizens but rather the response from the Democrats, liberal media, and the DNC. It seems they are resorting to their normal Saul Alinsky “Rules for Radicals” tactics: Rule #5 ... "Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon."

They are lowering themselves to calling Americans a mob and trying to depict concerned Americans as sore losers. What they fail to realize is that in America we live in a Republic where we respect the rule of law, not being ruled. We have a Constitution which affords its citizens rights such as free speech, freedom of expression, and freedom to petition the government.

It is amazing to me that when the opposition to President Obama’s questionable policies expresses their dissent they are demeaned. When I flip over to CNN and MSNBC, not often but to understand what the opposition thinks, I find that they don’t think. They only seek to create a racial confrontation by fomenting the belief that white Americans refuse to accept a black POTUS.

What the liberal socialists had best recognize is that their venom is no longer effective, we are anesthetized to their bite. Seems we found anti-venom and we all have been injected to produce anti-bodies. We are not going to back down.

As well, the DNC's running of insidious advertisements and the White House-created “Great American Snitch” program only indicate desperation.

One must find it comical that the same folks who brought you the professional community organizer President are attacking citizens organizing. We have seen anti-war protests by Code Pink, PETA tossing blood on individuals, left wing enviro-terrorist groups attacking SUV dealerships, ACORN and SEIU protests, and even voter intimidation at polling stations (New Black Panther Party, Philadelphia). Yet, concerned American citizens are called extremists?

President George W. Bush was constantly attacked from his inauguration in January 2001 to the day he departed office January 20, 2009. Dare you speak of the anointed one? You are a racist.

Left wing blogs attacked Governor Sarah Palin and made allegations that her young son Trig is not hers. But when the opposition questions the birth certificate authenticity of President Obama they are referred to in derision as “birthers.”

Left wing news media attacked former First Lady Laura Bush reference a traffic accident when she was a teenager. No one is questioning the law license inactive status of First Lady Michele Obama. And what is up with 22 staffers for the First Lady Michelle? The Bush twins were regularly part of media attacks; dare no one speak of the Obama daughters who attend wonderful Sidwell Friends School. This is an exclusive school where it is not possible for other children in DC, who are just a little less fortunate but qualified, to attend thanks to their Dad’s decision.

What is happening is that some of us read the book “Rules for Radicals” and we are turning the table on the liberals. Here are some examples:

Rule 1: “Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.” In other words, "Power Perceived is Power Achieved."

Rule 3: “Wherever possible go outside of the experience of the enemy. Here you want to cause confusion, fear, and retreat.”

Rule 4: “Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules. You can kill them with this….”

Rule 8: “Keep the pressure on, with different tactics and actions….”

Rule 9: “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.”

Rule 11: “If you push a negative hard enough and deep enough it will break through into its counterside.”

Rule 13: “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.”

It seems to me that the liberals are great at dishing it out but intolerant of taking a punch.

As for me, well, I am above the name calling. I would never say President Barack Hussein Obama is a thin skinned, inept, malignant narcissist. It is beneath me to call Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid a weak spineless wimp. It is unconscionable to refer to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as a maniacal pathological liar.

However, my opponent Congressman Ron Klein, well, does remind me of the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz … before the Wizard gave him courage.

As a 22-year U.S. Army combat Veteran, I can smell fear, and the left wing liberals are showing it.

My admonition: be like a shark which senses blood in the water and attack. The left truly felt that since they won, we would lie down and not fight back against their dangerous agenda. Wrong!

I will say what may not be politically correct but the future and legacy of our Country is at stake. Get out there and live by the new Golden Rule: “Do Unto Liberals as they Have Done to You” … and watch them crack.

Steadfast and Loyal!

The Silent Majority ... pushing back.

AMERICANS are angry ... all political parties are at townhalls

~It's not a Republican plot~

"Report war protesters who do not agree with America's decision to send troops to Iraq and Afghanistan to protect our country. Underground emails and private conversations may be passing misinformation about the war on terror so report those to the White House." --President George W. Bush

That never happened ... but if it had, the mainstream media, Democrats, and leftist radicals would have gone nuclear in their outrage and indignation at the invasion into their private lives.

Fast forward to August 2009. A huge socialized health care bill is being backed by the White House and Democrat-controlled Congress with plans to jam it down the throats of an unwilling American public. Protests break out ... everyday Americans begin to speak up to alert their elected representatives that they do not want this huge monstrosity for their country. The government doesn't like it ... and they formulate a plan to collect names of dissenters.

Sound familiar? Anyone remember the U.S.S.R. and East Germany of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s? What Obama is doing brings that to mind.

Yesterday Barack Obama's White House complained of "disinformation about health care reform" and requested Americans turn in other Americans:

"These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation," [White House director of new media] Phillips wrote. "Since we can't keep track of all of them here at the White House, we're asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."

Say what? Where is the media outrage?

Today's Washington Examiner notes that Obama's dissident database could be secret -- and permanent. Meanwhile, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) immediately responded to the White House tactics, as reported by Byron York:

In a letter to Obama Tuesday, Republican Sen. John Cornyn wrote that, given Phillips' request, "it is inevitable that the names, email address, IP addresses, and private speech of U.S. citizens will be reported to the White House." Cornyn warned the president that "these actions taken by your White House staff raise the specter of a data collection program."

"I can only imagine the level of justifiable outrage had your predecessor asked Americans to forward emails critical of his policies to the White House," Cornyn continued. "I urge you to cease this program immediately."

So what happens to those emails sent to the White House?

They become part of the permanent record and cannot be removed. Freedom of Information Act requests can't touch them.

What is Barack Obama doing?

We are a mere seven months into this administration and look at the dissent he has caused in the country after campaigning on hope and change and being a uniter. What is Obama going to do to this country over the next 3 1/2 years?

I shudder to think about it. And I brace myself and dig my heels in deeper because we are going to need everyone to stand strong against what is increasingly reminiscent of a dictatorial organization.

A woman calling Bill Bennett's radio show this morning described Barack Obama as the best community organizer she had ever seen because he had done the best job of organizing conservatives and Republicans of anyone she had seen.

Byron York concluded today's editorial:

Linda Douglass, head of communications for the White House Office of Health Reform, says the White House is "not compiling lists or sources of information" on opponents of health care reform.

But if "fishy" information is indeed collected, as Phillips' request suggested, the laws involved mean that the information obtained by the White House could not only be secret but permanent. A dissident database, in whatever precise form it ultimately takes, could be around for a long time to come.

Remember ... while the Democrats are calling law-abiding Americans "angry mobs," the best way to squash dissent is to belittle and criticize and isolate. Keep in mind who is making those accusations ... Barack Obama came from Chicago and if you don't know about Chicago politics, do some research. Bobby Eberle wrote at GOPUSA:

... the Obama White House has taken the "tough business" of politics to a new level, and these actions by Obama's advisors are getting the attention of members of Congress. It appears that this era of "hope and change" was code for replacing professionalism and respect with scare tactics and threats.
...
As we've seen with Obama's reaction to the arrest of Professor Gates, when Obama was quick to play the "race card," we now see that his advisers are quick to use scare tactics against those who oppose Obama's plans. Just think... this is the man (and his team) whom the media hail as a "uniter." What a joke.

This dissent is from AMERICANS. It's not a Democrat thing ... it's not a Republican thing. Citizens of all political persuasions are turning out.

For the first time in my life I am seeing citizens attend townhall meetings and question their elected reps. For the first time in my life I am seeing an apathetic society become energized and alert ... and it was all done in the span of five months by the man who wooed and sweet-talked America into believing he would bring everyone together. However, he got greedy and pushed too hard and, as a result, has awakened a sleeping giant.

Pay attention. The next eight weeks will be extremely important as we see how Congress continues on the path of massive government expansion ... and if they listen to citizens. Stay alert, stay informed, be vocal.

September 12 ... the Tea Party Movement goes to Washington. Join us! In the Shenandoah Valley we have buses going to DC that day ... $35 per person ... pickup stops will be along I-81.

This is our opportunity to stand up and be counted in the Nation's Capitol -- a huge conservative movement. Folks are driving across the nation from California to be in DC. We're only three hours away! Email for more information and to sign up for the bus.

Exercise your First Amendment right. Join us in Washington on September 12.

Will you join the Tea Party Patriots in DC?

What: Tea Party Express ~ March on Washington

Destination: Washington, DC
Date: 09.12.2009
Who: Patriotic Americans who are tired of an overreaching government

Please help us continue to build momentum for the tea party movement as the Tea Party Express holds 34 Tea Party rallies in cities across America from August 28 - September 12. East coast patriots will travel directly to DC on Sept. 12.

Tea Party Express Website - read all about it
09.12.2009 March on Washington Website - read all about it

Buses will be available from the Shenandoah Valley to Washington, DC, on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, to join thousands from across America meeting on The Mall to stand up and speak out. Will you join us?

Cost: $35 per person
Pickup sites: Staunton, Harrisonburg, New Market, Woodstock. Others will be added as needed.
Contact: Email for info and to reserve a seat

Augusta County "Operation Iraqi Freedom" vet talks about war

He's a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom ... he has guarded terrorists at Guantanamo ... he has trained young troops heading to war.

An Augusta County resident who is a friend and neighbor talked with me after returning from Iraq in this three-part conversation originally posted in 2007. It's as timely today as it was two years ago ... and he continues to serve in the military protecting this country from foreign insugents.

* Victory in Iraq! Conversation with a soldier, Part 1
* Victory in Iraq! Conversation with a soldier, Part 2
* Victory in Iraq! Conversation with a soldier, Part 3

A somber reminder....

"America is not at war.
The Marine Corps is at war;
America is at the mall."

Jerry at From On High has a somber reminder this morning that America is still at war. I originally posted this photo in 2007.

How to be a patriot

Don Feder at GrassTopsUSA has shared what he believes are the 12 steps to be a patriot. Good points ... and I particularly agree with #12.

Patriotism isn’t a seasonal occupation – something to be packed away with the flags and bunting until next year – not if you care about your country. Defending America is a year-round, 24/7 cause that requires knowledge, stamina and commitment.

Especially in our hour of peril, with a doctrinaire leftist in the White House, who is, at the very least, indifferent to his country’s fate (that’s America’s, not Kenya’s) – think Michael Moore on Slim Fast, think George Soros without the creepy, Transylvanian accent – now more than ever before, we need to raise up a new generation of patriots.

If you’re wondering where to begin, you can start here:

1. Know your country’s history – You can’t defend America if you don’t understand America. American history is barely taught in high school and rarely taught in college. A 2000 poll by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni gave seniors at elite colleges and universities a D or F grade on a high-school level history test. (Only 22% knew that “Of the people, by the people and for the people” came from the Gettysburg Address.) Read history by authors who believe in America – “A History of the American People” by Paul Johnson; “America: The Last Best Hope” (2 volumes) by William Bennett, and “A Patriot’s History of the United States” by Schweikart and Allen. The more you read, the more you’ll believe, and the more you’ll want to fight.

2. Tell America’s story – Especially to the young. And a glorious saga it is, from the Mayflower Compact to the Continental Congress, from Bull Run to the Bulge and Baghdad, from Washington’s Farewell Address to Ronald Reagan’s “A Time for Choosing” speech and beyond. Remind Americans that our national holidays mean something. Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving aren’t there just to give them a three-day weekend, but to strike what Lincoln called the “mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone.”

3. Stop the slander – The left has made an art of defaming America, especially among the young and susceptible. Anti-Americanism is inculcated in public education, academia, and the entertainment and news media. The contagion is spread through multiculturalism, historical revisionism, magnifying our mistakes and ignoring our triumphs. The left insists that we perpetually repent for slavery – an institution that existed ev erywhere for most of recorded history. America is the only nation that fought a Civil War (in which more than 600,000 died) to abolish this evil. Students won’t hear that from the time-servers of the National Education Association, who are too busy sex-educating and global-warming indoctrinating to bother with Nathan Hale and Omaha Beach.

4. Defend the Constitution – Not the Constitution a la William J. Brennan, David Souter and Ruth Bader-Ginsburg – the fantasy Constitution of judicial activists that permits late-term abortion but forbids public display of the Ten Commandments -- but the Constitution that protects freedom of speech (whether or not The New York Times likes that speech), the right to profess a belief in God in public places, our right to keep and bear arms, and a government of limited powers. Speak out against hate-crimes laws, gun control legislation, efforts to socialize the economy, attempts to regulate speech on talk-radio and the Internet, and the confirmation of Quota Queen and “wise Latina woman” Sonia Sotomayor.

5. Know that we are still very much “One Nation Under God” (Not Allah) – America was founded by Christians on Judeo-Christian principles – witness multiple references to God in the Declaration of Independence, in the words of Madison, Adams et al., and in lyrics from “in God is our trust” in the National Anthem to Mr. Berlin’s “God Bless America.” The Founders were inspired by a uniquely Biblical worldview – liberty, equality under the law, charity, and representative government. Because of this spiritual legacy, America had a greater impact on the last two centuries than any other nation. Without it, America makes no sense. A nation can’t be strong – militarily or economically – if it’s weak spiritually. The patriot should work for public display of religious symbols, the return of prayer to the public schools, and a public acknowledgement on the role religion played, and continues to play, in our national life. Whatever his faith, the patriot must counter the presidential big lie that we are no longer a Christian nation, but are deeply indebted to Islam.

6. Free the Market – There’s a reason why Europe has stagnated in the post-War era while America has generally prospered. We believe in individual achievement, income-mobility, celebrating success and private property. They believe in class warfare, envy, resentment, “leisure” (as a life- goal), welfare and collectivism. Now, we have a President – who knows even less about economics than national security -- committed to the European model. As much as Judeo-Christian values and the family, capitalism defines who we are as a people, and why America has worked so well for so long.

7. Demand an End to Illegal Immigration – As Ronald Reagan noted, a nation that has lost control of its borders has lost its sovereignty. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, immigrants (who accounted for one household in 21 in 1970) now represent one in 8 American households. How many immigrants incapable of assimilation can the country take in? With illegal immigration, we don’t know who’s coming here, and which of the intruders are hard-core criminals or terrorists. The man who loves his family will protect his home from invasion. The man who loves his country will protect it from invaders. That means opposing any more amnesties, in-state tuition and drivers’ licenses for illegals, and demanding enforcement at and beyond the border.

8. Insist on English – In 2007 more than 55 million people in the United States were living in households where a language other than English was spoken. There are powerful forces working to turn America into a bi-lingual (or multilingual) nation – including bureaucrats, business interests and ethnic lobbying groups. English is the linguistic glue that holds our country together. All of the documents on w hich America was founded were written in English. Without a common tongue, dissolution is inevitable. The patriot will oppose bi-lingual education, bi-lingual ballots and language pandering. Pressing a number for a language other than English shouldn’t be an option.

9. Defend the Family – America can’t be strong without strong families. The family is the incubator of civic virtues, including patriotism. Functional families are the foundation for a nation that works. Every social ill that afflicts America – drug abuse, crime, poverty, illegitimacy, etc. – has its roots in family breakdown. Families are the first line of national defense.

10. Support Israel – America and Israel are two countries joined at the heart – more intimately connected than any others, including the U.S. and the U.K. America was founded on the vision first glimpsed at Sinai. Without ancient Israel, there would have been no America. Without America (circa 1948), there would have been no modern State of Israel. The same Marxists and Islamacists who would destroy Israel also have America in their sights. The Hussein in the White House is doing his best to undermine Israel and jeopardize its survival. (His spiritual mentor accuses Israel of “genocide.”) To betray Israel is to betray ourselves.

11. Know that America’s survival is at stake – What happens next year will determine America’s fate – perhaps for all time. Instead of fighting a war on terror, Obama is deploying WMDs against the economy. He just agreed to cut our nuclear arsenal by a third – based on the word of Putin’s puppet. He is working to spread Marxism in Latin America and Islam worldwide. He is determined to make a majority of Americans dole-addicts, and to leave America vulnerable to its enemies. With his party’s super-majorities, the United States Congress has become the rubber-stamp equivalent of China’s National People’s Congress. 2010 is a hill that must be taken. Otherwise, the sacrifices of generations of patriots that came before us, all the way back to Valley Forge, will all have been in vain.

12. Don’t despair – In the words of Winston Churchill: “Never, never, never quit.” Don’t say it’s all hopeless because the all-powerful media serves as an adjunct White House Press Office, because Obama is subsidizing a partisan army from the Treasury, because the Party of Treason has 60 votes in the Senate, because billionaire Bolsheviks like George Soros bankroll groups like Move-On.org, because Michael Jackson-worship reflects the degeneration of American culture, or because many of our fellow Americans are too dumb or apathetic to understand what’s happening. Consider the odds Washington faced in the winter of 1776, when the fate of the patriot cause hung by a thread. Imagine what it was like to be a G.I. wading ashore under withering fire on D-Day. With God on our side and a firm faith in the justice of our cause, we cannot lose – or, in the words of The Star-Spangled Banner, “Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just.”

Don Feder is a former Boston Herald writer who is now a political/communications consultant. He also maintains his own website, DonFeder.com.

4th of July = flags, flags, flags

American flags against a cloudy Shenandoah Valley sky.

Newest addition was the Gadsden "Don't Tread On Me" flag.

The flags greeted guests for the Independence Day festivities.

Read the flag ... 'nuff said.

Photos by SWAC Girl
Lynn Mitchell
July 3, 2009

Staunton, VA, 4th of July parade

The traditional old-fashioned 4th of July parade, vendors, and food booths were once again on display in Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton. On a cooler-than-normal July day, many enjoyed the afternoon entertainment at the Gazebo including cloggers and musical groups. A large crowd was on hand for the evening concert and fireworks as another 4th of July was enjoyed by all.

FLAG DAY 2009 ... Old Glory still waves

American flags proudly wave for the annual
4th of July picnic in 2008.





American flags against the Shenandoah Valley sky.

U.S. Marine Nate Salatin, home from Iraq in 2007 with flags lining the driveway to his home. Cpl. Salatin is now back in Iraq for his 2nd deployment.

~ Take a moment to celebrate the red, white, and blue ~

AmericanFlags.com

Meaning of the U.S. Flag

Photos by SWAC Girl
Lynn Mitchell

It's that time of year ... preparing for the 4th of July

A Mitchell family tradition is the 4th of July cookout for family, friends, and neighbors. It's three weeks away and we're busy getting ready for this year's event....

"A Celebration of Freedom" in Harrisonburg

The Valley Family Forum's "Celebration of Freedom" dinner is this Thursday, May 28, at 6:30 pm, at James Madison University with guest speaker Janet Parshall. Family Forum director Dean Welty said there is still room for those who wish to join in this celebration of our freedom.

From Dean:

Only five more days to our 8th annual Shenandoah Valley “Salute to the Family” dinner at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 28. It will be at the JMU Festival Conference and Student Center, and seats are going fast, so get your reservations in now if you have not yet done so.

The theme is freedom!

Why freedom? It’s simple. We have fought to defend our freedoms on foreign lands, and now we must fight to defend them at home from groups like the ACLU that want to purge all references to God from the public square. For the sake of our children and of the land that we love, we must not let that happen.

Our keynote speaker is Janet Parshall, a great champion of freedom as the host of a nationally syndicated radio talk show called “Janet Parshall’s America” and winner of the National Religious Broadcasters’ “On-Air Personality of the Year” award for 2008. She is also the narrator of a 14-part TV series called “Speechless: Silencing the Christians”. We will give away 30 copies of her best books as “door prizes” to some lucky guests.

In addition, we are delighted to welcome WHSV-TV executive producer Kay Norred for the first time as our program Emcee. Our co-host, The Family Foundation of Virginia, will also provide an update on the state of freedom in Virginia, and then we will honor some special champions of liberty. Finally, we are pleased to have “The Faithful Men” and pianist Miriam Clark back with us again to provide a great medley of inspiring musical selections.

Tables are filling up fast so it is important to get your reservations in now by return e-mail or by calling (540) 438-8966. Seats for the dinner are only $25 per person, and checks should be made out to the “Valley Family Forum” and sent to the Forum at 3465 Izaak Walton Dr., Harrisonburg, VA, 22801.

I sincerely hope you can join us for a great program, delicious food, inspiring music, and a wonderful evening with hundreds of like-minded friends. Working together, we can make a difference -- for faith, for family, and for freedom.

The Forum dinners are always patriotic, entertaining, and informative.

Released journalist: "Nice to be back in the Land of the Free"

"Singing the National Anthem every day kept me going. And it may sound corny but it's nice to be back home in the Land of the Free."

Roxana Saberi, 32,
American journalist freed after four months in Iranian jail

This Easter, remember our troops ... a heartwarming story of patriotism

Passed along from a friend....

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. "I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap," I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. "Where are you headed?" I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. "Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan."

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch.

"No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base."

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. "Take a lunch to all those soldiers." She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. "My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him."

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, "Which do you like best - beef or chicken?"

"Chicken," I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. "This is your thanks."

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. "I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this." He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked. I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said, "I want to shake your hand."

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, "I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot." I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. "It will take you sometime to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You."

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals."

It seemed so little....

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

Easter blessings to Nate and all our troops ... may God be with them.