Freedom-Fighters Forum

By MCPO William J. Dell, USN (Retired) – 30 May 2010

Have you ever wondered how we came to have Memorial Day or Decoration Day, as it was know then? The answer to this question can be found historically in the desire of the citizens of our Constitutional Republic to honor the soldiers who had died in the Civil War. After some scattered celebrations, a more formal nationwide observance came into being by General Order No. 11 of the Grand Army of the Republic given May 5, 1868.

“The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.”

So from year to year, whether blue or gray, these fallen heroes were honored. As time marched on and this nation gave its sons and daughters in the cause of freedom around the world, those of the Spanish- American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Viet Nam War, the Persian Gulf War and now the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan have been added to the roll call of honor.

Today however I am saddened by the callous disregard and disrespect paid to our Veterans by the very government that asked them to serve and “to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic.” A government plagued by a President and 535 members of Congress that have no respect for the sacrifice and in fact demean the sacrifice of those who when called to serve left wives and children, mothers and fathers because they were asked by their country. A cadre of Politicians who care little for our Veterans, our nation, our founding documents or the Judeo-Christian values upon which our Founding Fathers established and gave to us the greatest nation on earth. A nation which until recently has been the beacon of hope in a world of darkness, but is now becoming a laughing stock among the nations of the world.

For evidence of this callous disregard and disrespect I give the following. We have a President and 535 members of Congress who:

1. Are more interested in global governance than the sovereignty of our Constitutional Republic. Who believe that you can reason with irrational national leaders – zealots who seek to destroy our freedom as a nation and the freedom of our long-standing international friends. Does this not demean and disrespect the service of those who gave their very lives for our country and freedom’s preservation throughout the world?

2. Only know how to tax and spend and bankrupt our nation for generations to come. Politicians who seem to think that nations are exempt from balanced budgets. Common Sense tells everyone that the economics of families and nations is the same – You cannot survive when you continue to spend more than you have coming in! Whatever happened to passing on the American Ideal and Dream to succeeding generations? Does this not demean and disrespect the service of those who fought for “Mom, apple pie and the girl they left behind?” Does this not demean and disrespect the service of those who fought for God – Family – Country?

3. Through the Progressive Movement have already enslaved 47% of our citizens and who wish to enslave the rest of us in a Welfare Socialist State. They have done this by failing to protect our inalienable right to Life, Liberty and Property. They bend equal-justice into social-justice. They bend ownership into redistribution. They bend liberty into entitlement. They enact laws and policies that destroy the self-reliance of man and his ability to try, to buy, to sell and to fail. Many of the 47% already enslaved are descendants of those who were emancipated, but who now choose the “chains of slavery” once again through acceptance of the “nanny state” and its entitlement programs. Does this not demean and disrespect all who answered Freedom’s call?

4. Defy the Constitution they are sworn to defend by enacting a larger and larger federal government against the wishes of We the People. Obama Care is but the last in a long line of issues enacted against the will of We the People. Of a truth, I report that the greatest domestic threat to our Constitution is the President and 535 members of Congress of the United States. By disregard for their oath of office they demean and disrespect those who served and continue to serve to defend our Constitution and our Constitutional Republic.

5. Fail to “provide for the common defense” by refusing to secure our borders against our enemies, for purely political reasons – the Hispanic vote. Nearly 10% of the illegal aliens entering through our porous borders, North and South, are other than Mexican (OTM). Many of these OTM’s come from nations on the Terrorist Watchlist. Can our government be so naive as to believe that none of these are Jihadists bent on doing us harm as those who destroyed the twin towers and killed nearly 3000 innocent civilians? Yet our government continues to not enforce our immigration laws and decry those who try! They do this while they send our service men and women to fight Jihadists and sometimes die in foreign lands as they allow other Jihadists to infiltrate our land through a porous border. Does this not demean and disrespect our Veterans and those who continue to serve in defense of our Constitutional Republic?

So as you observe Memorial Day this year remember the patriotic heritage that is yours and ALL those who have served and are serving you and our nation in the military. This day is to honor them. This day is to remember their sacrifices. This day is a time to remember the price of freedom because – Freedom is not free! Remember well that this is “the Land of the Free because of the Brave!”

Let no one look at your family and say, “They don’t understand the price of freedom.” Fly the flag, place flowers on the graves of your ancestors, and particularly remember those of your family who served that we might have the freedom and liberty provided for in our Constitutional Republic. Then with deep fervent gratitude, give thanks to God for our great and blessed nation – the United States of America – and its “government of the people, by the people and for the people.”

So this Memorial Day join with me in remembering our patriotic heritage. Let your heart swell with thanks and pride for our veterans as you think of Lee Greenwood’s words: “I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free. And I won’t forget the ones who died, who gave that right to me. And I’d gladly stand up; next to you and defend her still today. Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land — God bless the U.S.A.”

“All gave some and some gave all.” We as citizens need to honor and thank our Veterans because our national leaders continue to demean, disrespect, and dishonor them. They do this by failing to do their Constitutionally mandated part to “provide for the common defense” of our Constitutional Republic. They do this by failing to live up to their Constitutionally mandated oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic.” They do this while sending our service men and women forth to die in the name of FREEDOM while they work to undermine and destroy that Freedom at home. A Freedom which, by their daily actions and inactions proclaims more loudly than all their hollow words, they despise and seek to destroy. May God Bless and Save our Constitutional Republic from egocentric, self-serving politicians who care only about their own re-election and nothing about our nation. Lastly, may God Bless our Veterans for defending and preserving our Freedoms and the Constitutional Republic they and we love!