I love looking at our Christmas tree. Not only the bright colors, but also the memories that hang there. Every year when we bring out the ornaments, it is like opening a treasure trove of memories. The first ornament on the tree is the pink bell that I received when I was in kindergarten in South Bend. We still have the small green construction ring that Mark made, the rest of the links long gone.
We also have the ornaments the boys made. I love the popsicle picture frames made in grade school, and the gingerbread men made out of sandpaper. The raisins have held on after all these years, still shriveled as ever.
Of course no tree would be complete without the hockey pins that I received at each hockey tournament. Usually they are a wooden skate or stick with "Smith" and the kid's number. I wrote on the back of each one the date and the results of the tournament.
Every year, since they were born, we have given the kids a Christmas ornament. I try to make he ornament match with a special memory of hat year. The small fireman always reminds me of Ned's 2nd Christmas when he got the Tonka fire truck that was big enough for him to sit on. The leather reindeer I got when I was up in Alaska.
It will seem strange when the boys move into their own homes and put the ornaments on their trees. But at the same time, there is hope in the continuity, as ornaments are passed from one generation to another.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Of Wine and Books
One of the things I look forward to every month is the neighborhood bookclub. Few things in life give so much pleasure with so little expectation. Our evenings always consists of good wine, good friends and usually a good book. You don't even have to have read the book to attend the monthly meetings. In fact we have have times where only 1 or 2 people have actually started reading the book, much less finished it. This has often prompted spouses to say "Are you sure this is a bookshelf?"
I know there are some bookclubs that are very serious about their mission - and so are we. Our mission is more along the lines of good friends getting together to talk and laugh and share, and occasionally cry, while exchanging ideas and thoughts about books.
The bookclub has been in existence for over 15 years. I joined when my oldest was about 1. It gave me a chance to get out of the house and talk to other Moms, share the frustrations and joys of motherhood. At that time we were reading Norton Anthology of Short Fiction The idea was that we would read 2-3 short stories since we were all busy. I have to admit, short or not, I would often perch the book on my son's high chair as I spooned creamed sweet potatoes in his mouth before running out the door to bookshelf or would francially read as I was preparing supper. You could tell what the Smith's had for supper by the bits of stains on the various pages.
We soon graduated to real books- after a particularly depressing run of stories. Our process was simple. Every September we would gather together with book suggestions. By the end of the night we would have our schedule laid out for the next 9 months.
As the kids have gotten older, I have been more faithful in both my attendance in bookclub as well as my reading. This group has broadened not only my mind, but also my heart.
At the last bookclub, I realized that another generation of young moms had joined the neighborhood and our bookshelf, bringing their experiences to our group. At one end of the room we discussed ACT scores and college acceptances, on the other side they talked about toddlers bed times and babysitters. Connie turned to me and said "You know it is funny, you are where I was when you started. " "Yes," I replied, "We are no longer the young ones." Both of us looked over to Cookie who now lives in Connie's house and smiled. Books and friends, like wine just continue to get better with age.
I know there are some bookclubs that are very serious about their mission - and so are we. Our mission is more along the lines of good friends getting together to talk and laugh and share, and occasionally cry, while exchanging ideas and thoughts about books.
The bookclub has been in existence for over 15 years. I joined when my oldest was about 1. It gave me a chance to get out of the house and talk to other Moms, share the frustrations and joys of motherhood. At that time we were reading Norton Anthology of Short Fiction The idea was that we would read 2-3 short stories since we were all busy. I have to admit, short or not, I would often perch the book on my son's high chair as I spooned creamed sweet potatoes in his mouth before running out the door to bookshelf or would francially read as I was preparing supper. You could tell what the Smith's had for supper by the bits of stains on the various pages.
We soon graduated to real books- after a particularly depressing run of stories. Our process was simple. Every September we would gather together with book suggestions. By the end of the night we would have our schedule laid out for the next 9 months.
As the kids have gotten older, I have been more faithful in both my attendance in bookclub as well as my reading. This group has broadened not only my mind, but also my heart.
At the last bookclub, I realized that another generation of young moms had joined the neighborhood and our bookshelf, bringing their experiences to our group. At one end of the room we discussed ACT scores and college acceptances, on the other side they talked about toddlers bed times and babysitters. Connie turned to me and said "You know it is funny, you are where I was when you started. " "Yes," I replied, "We are no longer the young ones." Both of us looked over to Cookie who now lives in Connie's house and smiled. Books and friends, like wine just continue to get better with age.
Friday, November 26, 2004
Thanksgiving Day
From the time you stepped into the house "So good to see you, do you want a snack?" Until the time we left "Just take some of this pie with you, oh, and don't forget the pretzels" my Grandmother provided a moving feast. She took personal affront if someone went more then 5 minutes without eating or drinking.
From the time I was very small, my memories include Thanksgiving at my Grandparent's house. My cousins Sherry and I would hover around the turkey when it came out of the oven waiting for Grandpa to carve the huge bird. We waited like impatient dogs, for the scraps of skin that Grandpa would give us. "You are going to make them sick" one or more of the Aunt's would say, but it never deterred Grandpa or us from sharing this ritual.
Dinner was always served in the basement of the house. The adults would sit around the large wooden table that would hold 16 adults. There were two kids tables, with a definate pecking order involved. Although it was a honor to be at the 2nd table, that table was also closer t o the adults watchful eye, so it was more difficult to do the experience that my cousins came up with. We would start buy burning hair, then corn, until Cousin Bobby would start putting his finger through the flame. This adventure usually ended abruptly when someone knocked the candle over or the adults would start smelling the burning.
After we ate, there was about at 1/2 respite before the second wave hit. The candy boxes from Fran Farmer came out and we were urged to take a few - more then a couple, but less then 4. The ice cream would soon follow, for those who hadn't gotten enough of the pie. It would be about 2 hours later that supper would be served - another copious feast of turkey and ham.
With the football games over, we would all hunker down in the living room to watch "Willie honkies Chocolate Factory" while Grandma passed out the caramel corn balls.
We would stagger out of the house, laden down with supplies for the long 1 hour trip home. My grandma believed in the scout motto of "always be prepared." Heaven forbid, we should had a pang of hunger during the ride home.
From the time I was very small, my memories include Thanksgiving at my Grandparent's house. My cousins Sherry and I would hover around the turkey when it came out of the oven waiting for Grandpa to carve the huge bird. We waited like impatient dogs, for the scraps of skin that Grandpa would give us. "You are going to make them sick" one or more of the Aunt's would say, but it never deterred Grandpa or us from sharing this ritual.
Dinner was always served in the basement of the house. The adults would sit around the large wooden table that would hold 16 adults. There were two kids tables, with a definate pecking order involved. Although it was a honor to be at the 2nd table, that table was also closer t o the adults watchful eye, so it was more difficult to do the experience that my cousins came up with. We would start buy burning hair, then corn, until Cousin Bobby would start putting his finger through the flame. This adventure usually ended abruptly when someone knocked the candle over or the adults would start smelling the burning.
After we ate, there was about at 1/2 respite before the second wave hit. The candy boxes from Fran Farmer came out and we were urged to take a few - more then a couple, but less then 4. The ice cream would soon follow, for those who hadn't gotten enough of the pie. It would be about 2 hours later that supper would be served - another copious feast of turkey and ham.
With the football games over, we would all hunker down in the living room to watch "Willie honkies Chocolate Factory" while Grandma passed out the caramel corn balls.
We would stagger out of the house, laden down with supplies for the long 1 hour trip home. My grandma believed in the scout motto of "always be prepared." Heaven forbid, we should had a pang of hunger during the ride home.
The Day After
It is the day after Thanksgiving. It has always been a special day for me. My husband Mark proposed to me on this day, 24 years ago. We had gone to my Grandma & Grandpa Etzler's house for Thanksgiving dinner the day before and were still quite full.
Since I lived out of town, Mom thought it would be a great day to go dress shopping. I knew that Mark and I would eventually get married, it was just a question of when. So Mom and I took off for a day of dreaming. I found the dress of my dreams the first one I tried on. Of course, you can't buy the first one you see, so we proceeded to visit every bridal shop in Fort Wayne. After a 6 hour search, we went back to the original store and bought the dress - a real bargain at $250!
That evening at dinner, Mark mentioned that he was hearing a funny noise in his car and wanted Dad to go with him to the gas station to see if he could figure it out. We all howled, my Dad at that time was particularly deaf and couldn't hear. "Oh no, you wouldn't want me to come, I can't hear a thing." my Dad chortled. Later that night we went out with my sisters to a couple of bars downtown. It was a cold night, but Mark insisted we go to Frieman's square, a small park with a fountain in downtown Ft. Wayne. He had me stand on a pedestal and then gave me a beautiful serpentine necklace. He wanted to fasten it around my neck. I thanked him, but said we needed to go, because I had to use the restroom. "Just a minute, he said, it is up on your collar." I reached up impatiently, to see what it had caught on and felt a ring! Of course I said yes, when he got down on bended knee to ask me to marry him.
Much to my disappointment, everyone was asleep when we got home. I learned the next day that Mom had champagne cooling in the fridge to celebrate. When I called my Grandma Etzler, to tell her the news, she said "Well, if he had given it to you yesterday, he would have gotten a Christmas Check also. Guess he will have to wait until next year."
Since I lived out of town, Mom thought it would be a great day to go dress shopping. I knew that Mark and I would eventually get married, it was just a question of when. So Mom and I took off for a day of dreaming. I found the dress of my dreams the first one I tried on. Of course, you can't buy the first one you see, so we proceeded to visit every bridal shop in Fort Wayne. After a 6 hour search, we went back to the original store and bought the dress - a real bargain at $250!
That evening at dinner, Mark mentioned that he was hearing a funny noise in his car and wanted Dad to go with him to the gas station to see if he could figure it out. We all howled, my Dad at that time was particularly deaf and couldn't hear. "Oh no, you wouldn't want me to come, I can't hear a thing." my Dad chortled. Later that night we went out with my sisters to a couple of bars downtown. It was a cold night, but Mark insisted we go to Frieman's square, a small park with a fountain in downtown Ft. Wayne. He had me stand on a pedestal and then gave me a beautiful serpentine necklace. He wanted to fasten it around my neck. I thanked him, but said we needed to go, because I had to use the restroom. "Just a minute, he said, it is up on your collar." I reached up impatiently, to see what it had caught on and felt a ring! Of course I said yes, when he got down on bended knee to ask me to marry him.
Much to my disappointment, everyone was asleep when we got home. I learned the next day that Mom had champagne cooling in the fridge to celebrate. When I called my Grandma Etzler, to tell her the news, she said "Well, if he had given it to you yesterday, he would have gotten a Christmas Check also. Guess he will have to wait until next year."
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Hell Week
Well, it is that time of year again. The leaves and the temps have fallen. The pumpkins have landed in the trash and the Halloween candy has been eaten, either by the kids or the dogs. It isn't quite time to plan the Thanksgiving Day menu, but time to figure out who is going to host the celebrations. Yes, it is tryout week at the Smith house.
Like families around the world, we have gone through the preperations - sharpened the skates, new mouthguards. The fridge is filled with water, milk, juice. lunchables and Gatorade, PopTarts, Frozen Waffles and Power Bars fill the cupboards. At least we won't go hungry.
Parents are once again sidelined. We can offer support and love, but it is the kids who have to do the work. The first day is filled iwth skating drills. We don't get a lot of feedback - mostly grunts and groans. The list is posted the next morning telling the kids which session they should attend. hat is when the analyis begins. What does it mean if you are in that group? Why aren't those kids scheduled to play? Is that bad or good.
The week drags on. Kids nad parents alike are tired, just waiting for the week to be over. There is the obligatory injured player. Rumors abound - he broke his nose, he had to get 20 stitches, but the kid in question shows up for tryouts the next day with a band aid as his badge of honor.
Once the final cuts are made there will be some suprises both good and bad and some total shockers.
The coaches words echo thoughout the rink. What seems like life and death today, really will only be about a 3 on a scale of ten when you look back on this in ten years. In another couple of weeks we will be at the rink, cheering on the team. Once again we are reminded that is really is just a game.
Like families around the world, we have gone through the preperations - sharpened the skates, new mouthguards. The fridge is filled with water, milk, juice. lunchables and Gatorade, PopTarts, Frozen Waffles and Power Bars fill the cupboards. At least we won't go hungry.
Parents are once again sidelined. We can offer support and love, but it is the kids who have to do the work. The first day is filled iwth skating drills. We don't get a lot of feedback - mostly grunts and groans. The list is posted the next morning telling the kids which session they should attend. hat is when the analyis begins. What does it mean if you are in that group? Why aren't those kids scheduled to play? Is that bad or good.
The week drags on. Kids nad parents alike are tired, just waiting for the week to be over. There is the obligatory injured player. Rumors abound - he broke his nose, he had to get 20 stitches, but the kid in question shows up for tryouts the next day with a band aid as his badge of honor.
Once the final cuts are made there will be some suprises both good and bad and some total shockers.
The coaches words echo thoughout the rink. What seems like life and death today, really will only be about a 3 on a scale of ten when you look back on this in ten years. In another couple of weeks we will be at the rink, cheering on the team. Once again we are reminded that is really is just a game.
The List
Monday morning quarerbacks have nothing on the hockey dads trying to handicap the local hockey tryouts. It doesn't matter what level of hockey we are talking about. Starting with the Squirt level (3rd & 4th grades) The dads compare notes on players they have scouted throughout the summer.
A little known fact to most people coming in to the local hockey store buy laces for their skates or another mouthguard is the closely guarded lst under the counter. This priceless piece if paper contains the "dream team" drafted by the local koffee klach of hockey dads. The list is pored over before and during the tryout period. Rumors abound about the list - who has input into it? How acurate is it? Heaven only knows the wagers that have been placed based on the List.
There are many things taken into consideration when putting together the list. Has the player grown over the summer? Has someone gotten new equipment? Who is the coach for the team? Did you hear about that kid who moved into the district?
And of course, there is the Mom Factor. It is common knowledge that all things being equal that having a cute mom, can tilt the balance of the pick. Of course a cute mom can be offset by an obnoxious Dad.
The bookies in Vegas could take lessons from the Hockey Dad's when figuring out the odds for the Super Bowl.
A little known fact to most people coming in to the local hockey store buy laces for their skates or another mouthguard is the closely guarded lst under the counter. This priceless piece if paper contains the "dream team" drafted by the local koffee klach of hockey dads. The list is pored over before and during the tryout period. Rumors abound about the list - who has input into it? How acurate is it? Heaven only knows the wagers that have been placed based on the List.
There are many things taken into consideration when putting together the list. Has the player grown over the summer? Has someone gotten new equipment? Who is the coach for the team? Did you hear about that kid who moved into the district?
And of course, there is the Mom Factor. It is common knowledge that all things being equal that having a cute mom, can tilt the balance of the pick. Of course a cute mom can be offset by an obnoxious Dad.
The bookies in Vegas could take lessons from the Hockey Dad's when figuring out the odds for the Super Bowl.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
THE WORLD SITUATION - A LETTER TO MY SONS
This was sent to my by my Mom. She said that my Dad had received it from a friend and wanted his kids to see it. I wish I knew who wrote it. But maybe it is better this way. I think he speaks for a lot of Dads
THE WORLD SITUATION - A LETTER TO MY SONS
This was written by a retired attorney, to his sons, May 19, 2004.
Dear Tom, Kevin, Kirby and Ted,
As your father, I believe I owe it to you to share some thoughts on the present world situation. We have over the years discussed a lot of important things, likegoing to college, jobs and so forth. But this really takes precedence over any of those discussions. I hope this might give you a longer term perspective that fewer and fewer of my generation are left to speak to.
To be sure you understand that this is not politically flavored, I will tell you that since Franklin D. Roosevelt, who led us through pre and WW2 (1933 - 1945) up to and including our present President, I have without exception, supported our presidents on all matters of international conflict. This would include just naming a few in addition to:
President Roosevelt - W.W.II
President Truman - Korean War 1950
President Kennedy - Bay of Pigs (1961)
President Kennedy - Vietnam (1961)
Eight presidents (5 Republican & 4 Democrat) during the cold war (1945 - 1991)
President Clinton's strikes on Bosnia (1995) and on Iraq (1998).
So be sure you read this as completely non-political or otherwise you will miss the point. Our country is now facing the most serious threat to its existence, as we know it, that we have faced in your lifetime and mine (which includes WW2). The deadly seriousness is greatly compounded by the fact that there are very few of us who think we can possibly lose this war and even fewer who realize what losing really means. First, let's examine a few basics
1. When did the threat to us start? Many will say September 11th, 2001. The answer as far as the United States is concerned is 1979, 22 years prior to September 2001, with the following attacks on us:
Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979; Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983; Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983; Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988; First New York World Trade Center attack 1993; Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996; Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998; Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000; New York World Trade Center 2001; Pentagon 2001. (Note that during the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide).
2. Why were we attacked?Envy of our position, our success, and our freedoms. The attacks happened during the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush #1, Clinton and Bush #2.
3. We cannot fault either the Republicans or Democrats as there were no provocations by any of the presidents or their immediate predecessors, Presidents Ford or Carter.
4. Who were the attackers?In each case, the attacks on the US were carried out by Muslims.
5. What is the Muslim population of the World?25%
6. Isn't the Muslim Religion peaceful?Hopefully, but that is really not material. There is no doubt that the predominately Christian population of Germany was peaceful, but under the dictatorial leadership of Hitler (who also claimed to be Christian), that made no difference. You either went along with the administration or you were eliminated. There were 5 to 6 million Christians killed by the Nazis for political reasons (including 7,000 Polish priests).
Thus, almost the same number of Christians were killed by the Nazis, as the 6 million holocaust Jews who were killed by them, and we seldom heard of anything other than the Jewish atrocities. Although Hitler kept the world focused on the Jews, he had no hesitancy about killing anyone who got in his way of exterminating the Jews or of taking over the world - German, Christian or any others. Same with the Muslim terrorists. They focus the world on the US, but kill all in the way - their own people or the Spanish, French or anyone else. The point here is that just like the peaceful Germans were of no protection to anyone from the Nazis, no matter how many peaceful Muslims there may be, they are no protection for us from the terrorist Muslim leaders and what they are fanatically bent on doing - by their own pronouncements - killing all of us infidels. I don't blame the peaceful Muslims. What would you do if the choice was shut up or die?
7 . So who are we at war with?There is no way we can honestly respond that it is anyone other than the Muslim terrorists. Trying to be politically correct and avoid verbalizing this conclusion can well be fatal. There is no way to win if you don't clearly recognize and articulate who you are fighting.
So with that background, now to the two major questions
1. Can we lose this war?
2. What does losing really mean?
If we are to win, we must clearly answer these two pivotal questions.We can definitely lose this war, and as anomalous as it may sound, the major reason we can lose is that so many of us simply do not fathom the answer to the second question - What does losing mean? It would appear that a great many of us think that losing the war means hanging our heads, bringing the troops home and going on about our business, like post Vietnam. This is as far from the truth as one can get. What losing really means is:We would no longer be the premier country in the world. The attacks will not subside, but rather will steadily increase. Remember, they want us dead, not just quiet. If they had just wanted us quiet, they would not have produced an increasing series of attacks against us over the past 18 years. The plan was clearly to terrorist attack us until we were neutered and submissive to them.
We would of course have no future support from other nations for fear of reprisals and for the reason that they would see we are impotent and cannot help them. They will pick off the other non-Muslim nations, one at a time. It will be increasingly easier for them. They already hold Spain hostage. It doesn't matter whether it was right or wrong for Spain to withdraw its troops from Iraq. Spain did it because the Muslim terrorists bombed their train and told them to withdraw the troops. Anything else they want Spain to do, will be done. Spain is finished. The next will probably be France. Our one hope on France is that they might see the light and realize that if we don't win, they are finished too, in that they can't resist the Muslim terrorists without us. However, it may already be too late for France. France is already 20% Muslim and fading fast.
If we lose the war, our production, income, exports and way of life will all vanish as we know it. After losing, who would trade or deal with us if they were threatened by the Muslims. If we can't stop the Muslims, how could anyone else? The Muslims fully know what is riding on this war and therefore are completely committed to winning at any cost. We better know it too and be likewise committed to winning at any cost.
Why do I go on at such lengths about the results of losing? Simple. Until we recognize the costs of losing, we cannot unite and really put 100% of our thoughts and efforts into winning. And it is going to take that 100% effort to win.
So, how can we lose the war? Again, the answer is simple. We can lose the war by imploding. That is, defeating ourselves by refusing to recognize the enemy and their purpose and really digging in and lending full support to the war effort If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. If we continue to be divided, there is no way that we can win.
Let me give you a few examples of how we simply don't comprehend the life and death seriousness of this situation. President Bush selects Norman Mineta as Secretary of Transportation. Although all of the terrorist attacks were committed by Muslim men between 17 and 40 years of age, Secretary Mineta refuses to allow profiling. Does that sound like we are taking this thing seriously? This is war. For the duration we are going to have to give up some of the civil rights we have become accustomed to. We had better be prepared to lose some of our civil rights temporarily or we will most certainly lose all of them permanently. And don't worry that it is a slippery slope. We gave up plenty of civil rights during WW2 and immediately restored them after the victory and, in fact, added many more since then. Do I blame President Bush or President Clinton before him? No, I blame us for blithely assuming we can maintain all of our Political Correctness and all of our civil rights during this conflict and have a clean, lawful, honorable war. None of those words apply to war. Get them out of your head.
Some have gone so far in their criticism of the war and/or the Administration that it almost seems they would literally like to see us lose. I hasten to add that this isn't because they are disloyal. It is because they just don't recognize what losing means. Nevertheless, that conduct gives the impression to the enemy that we are divided and weakening, it concerns our friends, and it does great damage to our cause.
Of more recent vintage, the uproar fueled by the politicians and media regarding the treatment of some prisoners of war perhaps exemplifies best what I am saying. We have recently had an issue involving the treatment of a few Muslim prisoners of war by a small group of our military police. These are the type prisoners who just a few months ago were throwing their own people off buildings, cutting off their hands, cutting out their tongues and otherwise murdering their own people just for disagreeing with Saddam Hussein. And just a few years ago these same type prisoners chemically killed 400,000 of their own people for the same reason. They are also the same type enemy fighters who recently were burning Americans and dragging their charred corpses through the streets of Iraq. And still more recently the same type enemy that was and is providing videos to all news sources internationally, of the beheading of an American prisoner they held. Compare this with some of our press and politicians who for several days have thought and talked about nothing else but the "humiliating" of some Muslim prisoners - not burning them, not dragging their charred corpses through the streets, not beheading them, but "humiliating" them. Can this be for real? The politicians and pundits have even talked of impeachment of the Secretary of Defense. If this doesn't show the complete lack of comprehension and understanding of the seriousness of the enemy we are fighting, the life and death struggle we are in and the disastrous results of losing this war, nothing can. To bring our country to a virtual political standstill over this prisoner issue makes us look like Nero playing his fiddle as Rome burned - totally oblivious to what is going on in the real world.
Neither we, nor any other country, can survive this internal strife. Again I say, this does not mean that some of our politicians or media people are disloyal. It simply means that they are absolutely oblivious to the magnitude of the situation we are in and into which the Muslim terrorists have been pushing us for many years. Remember, the Muslim terrorists stated goal is to kill all infidels. That translates into all non-Muslims - not just in the United States, but throughout the world. We are the last bastion of defense.
We have been criticized for many years as being 'arrogant'. That charge is valid in at least one respect We are arrogant in that we believe that we are so good, powerful and smart, that we can win the hearts and minds of all those who attack us, and that with both hands tied behind our back, we can defeat anything bad in the world. We can't. If we don't recognize this, our nation as we know it will not survive, and no other free country in the World will survive if we are defeated.
And finally, name any Muslim countries throughout the world that allow freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal rights for anyone - let alone everyone, equal status or any status for women, or that have been productive in one single way that contributes to the good of the World.
This has been a long way of saying that we must be united on this war or we will be equated in the history books to the self-inflicted fall of the Roman Empire. If, that is, the Muslim leaders will allow history books to be written or read.
If we don't win this war right now, keep a close eye on how the Muslims take over France in the next 5 years or less. They will continue to increase the Muslim population of France and continue to encroach little by little on the established French traditions. The French will be fighting among themselves over what should or should not be done, which will continue to weaken them and keep them from any united resolve. Doesn't that sound eerily familiar?
Democracies don't have their freedoms taken away from them by some external military force. Instead, they give their freedoms away, politically correct piece by politically correct piece. And they are giving those freedoms away to those who have shown, worldwide, that they abhor freedom and will not apply it to you or even to themselves, once they are in power. They have universally shown that when they have taken over, they then start brutally killing each other over who will be the few who control the masses. Will we ever stop hearing from the politically correct, about the 'peaceful Muslims'?
I close on a hopeful note, by repeating what I said above. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. I believe that after the election, the factions in our country will begin to focus on the critical situation we are in and will unite to save our country. It is your future we are talking about. Do whatever you can to preserve it.
THE WORLD SITUATION - A LETTER TO MY SONS
This was written by a retired attorney, to his sons, May 19, 2004.
Dear Tom, Kevin, Kirby and Ted,
As your father, I believe I owe it to you to share some thoughts on the present world situation. We have over the years discussed a lot of important things, likegoing to college, jobs and so forth. But this really takes precedence over any of those discussions. I hope this might give you a longer term perspective that fewer and fewer of my generation are left to speak to.
To be sure you understand that this is not politically flavored, I will tell you that since Franklin D. Roosevelt, who led us through pre and WW2 (1933 - 1945) up to and including our present President, I have without exception, supported our presidents on all matters of international conflict. This would include just naming a few in addition to:
President Roosevelt - W.W.II
President Truman - Korean War 1950
President Kennedy - Bay of Pigs (1961)
President Kennedy - Vietnam (1961)
Eight presidents (5 Republican & 4 Democrat) during the cold war (1945 - 1991)
President Clinton's strikes on Bosnia (1995) and on Iraq (1998).
So be sure you read this as completely non-political or otherwise you will miss the point. Our country is now facing the most serious threat to its existence, as we know it, that we have faced in your lifetime and mine (which includes WW2). The deadly seriousness is greatly compounded by the fact that there are very few of us who think we can possibly lose this war and even fewer who realize what losing really means. First, let's examine a few basics
1. When did the threat to us start? Many will say September 11th, 2001. The answer as far as the United States is concerned is 1979, 22 years prior to September 2001, with the following attacks on us:
Iran Embassy Hostages, 1979; Beirut, Lebanon Embassy 1983; Beirut, Lebanon Marine Barracks 1983; Lockerbie, Scotland Pan-Am flight to New York 1988; First New York World Trade Center attack 1993; Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Khobar Towers Military complex 1996; Nairobi, Kenya US Embassy 1998; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania US Embassy 1998; Aden, Yemen USS Cole 2000; New York World Trade Center 2001; Pentagon 2001. (Note that during the period from 1981 to 2001 there were 7,581 terrorist attacks worldwide).
2. Why were we attacked?Envy of our position, our success, and our freedoms. The attacks happened during the administrations of Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush #1, Clinton and Bush #2.
3. We cannot fault either the Republicans or Democrats as there were no provocations by any of the presidents or their immediate predecessors, Presidents Ford or Carter.
4. Who were the attackers?In each case, the attacks on the US were carried out by Muslims.
5. What is the Muslim population of the World?25%
6. Isn't the Muslim Religion peaceful?Hopefully, but that is really not material. There is no doubt that the predominately Christian population of Germany was peaceful, but under the dictatorial leadership of Hitler (who also claimed to be Christian), that made no difference. You either went along with the administration or you were eliminated. There were 5 to 6 million Christians killed by the Nazis for political reasons (including 7,000 Polish priests).
Thus, almost the same number of Christians were killed by the Nazis, as the 6 million holocaust Jews who were killed by them, and we seldom heard of anything other than the Jewish atrocities. Although Hitler kept the world focused on the Jews, he had no hesitancy about killing anyone who got in his way of exterminating the Jews or of taking over the world - German, Christian or any others. Same with the Muslim terrorists. They focus the world on the US, but kill all in the way - their own people or the Spanish, French or anyone else. The point here is that just like the peaceful Germans were of no protection to anyone from the Nazis, no matter how many peaceful Muslims there may be, they are no protection for us from the terrorist Muslim leaders and what they are fanatically bent on doing - by their own pronouncements - killing all of us infidels. I don't blame the peaceful Muslims. What would you do if the choice was shut up or die?
7 . So who are we at war with?There is no way we can honestly respond that it is anyone other than the Muslim terrorists. Trying to be politically correct and avoid verbalizing this conclusion can well be fatal. There is no way to win if you don't clearly recognize and articulate who you are fighting.
So with that background, now to the two major questions
1. Can we lose this war?
2. What does losing really mean?
If we are to win, we must clearly answer these two pivotal questions.We can definitely lose this war, and as anomalous as it may sound, the major reason we can lose is that so many of us simply do not fathom the answer to the second question - What does losing mean? It would appear that a great many of us think that losing the war means hanging our heads, bringing the troops home and going on about our business, like post Vietnam. This is as far from the truth as one can get. What losing really means is:We would no longer be the premier country in the world. The attacks will not subside, but rather will steadily increase. Remember, they want us dead, not just quiet. If they had just wanted us quiet, they would not have produced an increasing series of attacks against us over the past 18 years. The plan was clearly to terrorist attack us until we were neutered and submissive to them.
We would of course have no future support from other nations for fear of reprisals and for the reason that they would see we are impotent and cannot help them. They will pick off the other non-Muslim nations, one at a time. It will be increasingly easier for them. They already hold Spain hostage. It doesn't matter whether it was right or wrong for Spain to withdraw its troops from Iraq. Spain did it because the Muslim terrorists bombed their train and told them to withdraw the troops. Anything else they want Spain to do, will be done. Spain is finished. The next will probably be France. Our one hope on France is that they might see the light and realize that if we don't win, they are finished too, in that they can't resist the Muslim terrorists without us. However, it may already be too late for France. France is already 20% Muslim and fading fast.
If we lose the war, our production, income, exports and way of life will all vanish as we know it. After losing, who would trade or deal with us if they were threatened by the Muslims. If we can't stop the Muslims, how could anyone else? The Muslims fully know what is riding on this war and therefore are completely committed to winning at any cost. We better know it too and be likewise committed to winning at any cost.
Why do I go on at such lengths about the results of losing? Simple. Until we recognize the costs of losing, we cannot unite and really put 100% of our thoughts and efforts into winning. And it is going to take that 100% effort to win.
So, how can we lose the war? Again, the answer is simple. We can lose the war by imploding. That is, defeating ourselves by refusing to recognize the enemy and their purpose and really digging in and lending full support to the war effort If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. If we continue to be divided, there is no way that we can win.
Let me give you a few examples of how we simply don't comprehend the life and death seriousness of this situation. President Bush selects Norman Mineta as Secretary of Transportation. Although all of the terrorist attacks were committed by Muslim men between 17 and 40 years of age, Secretary Mineta refuses to allow profiling. Does that sound like we are taking this thing seriously? This is war. For the duration we are going to have to give up some of the civil rights we have become accustomed to. We had better be prepared to lose some of our civil rights temporarily or we will most certainly lose all of them permanently. And don't worry that it is a slippery slope. We gave up plenty of civil rights during WW2 and immediately restored them after the victory and, in fact, added many more since then. Do I blame President Bush or President Clinton before him? No, I blame us for blithely assuming we can maintain all of our Political Correctness and all of our civil rights during this conflict and have a clean, lawful, honorable war. None of those words apply to war. Get them out of your head.
Some have gone so far in their criticism of the war and/or the Administration that it almost seems they would literally like to see us lose. I hasten to add that this isn't because they are disloyal. It is because they just don't recognize what losing means. Nevertheless, that conduct gives the impression to the enemy that we are divided and weakening, it concerns our friends, and it does great damage to our cause.
Of more recent vintage, the uproar fueled by the politicians and media regarding the treatment of some prisoners of war perhaps exemplifies best what I am saying. We have recently had an issue involving the treatment of a few Muslim prisoners of war by a small group of our military police. These are the type prisoners who just a few months ago were throwing their own people off buildings, cutting off their hands, cutting out their tongues and otherwise murdering their own people just for disagreeing with Saddam Hussein. And just a few years ago these same type prisoners chemically killed 400,000 of their own people for the same reason. They are also the same type enemy fighters who recently were burning Americans and dragging their charred corpses through the streets of Iraq. And still more recently the same type enemy that was and is providing videos to all news sources internationally, of the beheading of an American prisoner they held. Compare this with some of our press and politicians who for several days have thought and talked about nothing else but the "humiliating" of some Muslim prisoners - not burning them, not dragging their charred corpses through the streets, not beheading them, but "humiliating" them. Can this be for real? The politicians and pundits have even talked of impeachment of the Secretary of Defense. If this doesn't show the complete lack of comprehension and understanding of the seriousness of the enemy we are fighting, the life and death struggle we are in and the disastrous results of losing this war, nothing can. To bring our country to a virtual political standstill over this prisoner issue makes us look like Nero playing his fiddle as Rome burned - totally oblivious to what is going on in the real world.
Neither we, nor any other country, can survive this internal strife. Again I say, this does not mean that some of our politicians or media people are disloyal. It simply means that they are absolutely oblivious to the magnitude of the situation we are in and into which the Muslim terrorists have been pushing us for many years. Remember, the Muslim terrorists stated goal is to kill all infidels. That translates into all non-Muslims - not just in the United States, but throughout the world. We are the last bastion of defense.
We have been criticized for many years as being 'arrogant'. That charge is valid in at least one respect We are arrogant in that we believe that we are so good, powerful and smart, that we can win the hearts and minds of all those who attack us, and that with both hands tied behind our back, we can defeat anything bad in the world. We can't. If we don't recognize this, our nation as we know it will not survive, and no other free country in the World will survive if we are defeated.
And finally, name any Muslim countries throughout the world that allow freedom of speech, freedom of thought, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, equal rights for anyone - let alone everyone, equal status or any status for women, or that have been productive in one single way that contributes to the good of the World.
This has been a long way of saying that we must be united on this war or we will be equated in the history books to the self-inflicted fall of the Roman Empire. If, that is, the Muslim leaders will allow history books to be written or read.
If we don't win this war right now, keep a close eye on how the Muslims take over France in the next 5 years or less. They will continue to increase the Muslim population of France and continue to encroach little by little on the established French traditions. The French will be fighting among themselves over what should or should not be done, which will continue to weaken them and keep them from any united resolve. Doesn't that sound eerily familiar?
Democracies don't have their freedoms taken away from them by some external military force. Instead, they give their freedoms away, politically correct piece by politically correct piece. And they are giving those freedoms away to those who have shown, worldwide, that they abhor freedom and will not apply it to you or even to themselves, once they are in power. They have universally shown that when they have taken over, they then start brutally killing each other over who will be the few who control the masses. Will we ever stop hearing from the politically correct, about the 'peaceful Muslims'?
I close on a hopeful note, by repeating what I said above. If we are united, there is no way that we can lose. I believe that after the election, the factions in our country will begin to focus on the critical situation we are in and will unite to save our country. It is your future we are talking about. Do whatever you can to preserve it.
Who is that Pounding on the Door
It is Halloween today. It is also the day that Martin Luther hammered his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church, the start of the Lutheran reformation. Martin Luther had a profound on my life. Growing up in a Missouri Synod Lutheran household, it would have been suprising if he hadn't. From the time I remember being intrigued by Martin Luther and how he was so angry he pounded his document on the door of the Church. I also loved the story about how he was walking home one snowy night and saw the moon lighting up the snow on the Christmas tree. He wanted to share the experience with his family and so when he got home, he brought in an evergreen and put candles on it to show how the tree looked.
I became less enamored with Martin when I was in 8th grade confirmation and had to memorize Luther's Small Catechism. It was a HUGE deal. They call it Examination Night. The soon to be confirmands lined up in the front of the church and Pastor would ask each of us a question from the Catechism. If we did not know the answer, we wouldn't be confirmed. Knowing that Mom had been cleaning and cooking all week for the big event, and the whole Etzler reputation rested on my shoulders was extremely stressful. I don't remember much about that night, but I must have done OK because I was confirmed. Of course to me, it was a toss up on what was more exciting, being able to take communion or wearing hose for the first time!
One of the things I love best about Martin Luther are the hymns he wrote. A Mighty Fortress is Our God.. Dear Christians One and All Rejoice, Savior of the Nations Come and We All Believe in One True God, the one that really shows what Martin Luther was hanging those Theses on the door.
I became less enamored with Martin when I was in 8th grade confirmation and had to memorize Luther's Small Catechism. It was a HUGE deal. They call it Examination Night. The soon to be confirmands lined up in the front of the church and Pastor would ask each of us a question from the Catechism. If we did not know the answer, we wouldn't be confirmed. Knowing that Mom had been cleaning and cooking all week for the big event, and the whole Etzler reputation rested on my shoulders was extremely stressful. I don't remember much about that night, but I must have done OK because I was confirmed. Of course to me, it was a toss up on what was more exciting, being able to take communion or wearing hose for the first time!
One of the things I love best about Martin Luther are the hymns he wrote. A Mighty Fortress is Our God.. Dear Christians One and All Rejoice, Savior of the Nations Come and We All Believe in One True God, the one that really shows what Martin Luther was hanging those Theses on the door.
Monday, October 25, 2004
The Rocking Chair
I took a breath and sat down in the rocking chair for a moment. The past month had been a whirlwind both at work and home. I was finally able to take a breather and think back...
I remembered the journey this rocking chair had taken. First, from the JC Penney store to our house. To be put in the guest bedroom, now the babies room for our first child. It would have been about 18 years ago I first sat in the rocking chair, dreaming about the baby about to be born. Later. I sat in the chair in exhaustion at 3 am, waiting for him to fall back asleep after nursing. I can't remember how many times I rocked my sons in that chair. During happy times and sad.
When Mark's mom bought the cottage in Stone Lake, WI, we put it in the back of the car and took it up to the cottage. It was put in front of the fireplace and seemed to fit in with the rest of the family furniture. The rocker got a lot of use from other new babies, and older ones too. There was nothing like rocking on a cold winter night before the roaring fire.
Sitting in the rocker for one last time before we left the cottage for good, I thought of all of the fun times that rocker had seen. It had seen both tears of joy and sadness. Happiness and despair. The rocking chair was there for that magical Christmas at the cottage with the snow lightly falling. And the sparkling 4th of July celebrations. As I sat there in the quiet, I could hear the laughter over the years, and imagined the joy and support our rocker would offer to the new occupants of the cottage.
I remembered the journey this rocking chair had taken. First, from the JC Penney store to our house. To be put in the guest bedroom, now the babies room for our first child. It would have been about 18 years ago I first sat in the rocking chair, dreaming about the baby about to be born. Later. I sat in the chair in exhaustion at 3 am, waiting for him to fall back asleep after nursing. I can't remember how many times I rocked my sons in that chair. During happy times and sad.
When Mark's mom bought the cottage in Stone Lake, WI, we put it in the back of the car and took it up to the cottage. It was put in front of the fireplace and seemed to fit in with the rest of the family furniture. The rocker got a lot of use from other new babies, and older ones too. There was nothing like rocking on a cold winter night before the roaring fire.
Sitting in the rocker for one last time before we left the cottage for good, I thought of all of the fun times that rocker had seen. It had seen both tears of joy and sadness. Happiness and despair. The rocking chair was there for that magical Christmas at the cottage with the snow lightly falling. And the sparkling 4th of July celebrations. As I sat there in the quiet, I could hear the laughter over the years, and imagined the joy and support our rocker would offer to the new occupants of the cottage.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
The Penalty Box
I am not a hockey player. I would go so far as to say I am not a skater. I did receive hockey skates for Mother's Day one year. This was after I almost knocked myself out when attempting to skate I caught my toe pick and landed flat on my back.
I have however, taken in more then my share of hockey games. I have often thought the penalty box would be a good thing to have at home. No, not for the kids, but a chance for me to take a breather and contemplate life - an enforced time out. When you think about it, the time spent in a penalty box is time well spent. A chance to catch your breath and think about what happened. It is also a chance to think of your future. Or in the case of a young hockey player, the best way to get get back at the person who put you there in the first place.
What other sport allows you to take a breather and contemplate your next move, in the middle of a fast paced game. A chance to re-group and think things over. The player comes out of the box, ready to go, refreshed and refocused.
Wouldn't it be great to have a penalty box during the Presidential debates? Bush evased the question, two minutes for hooking. Kerry makes a nasty comment about Cheney's daughter 5 minute misconduct. Wouldn't that make a game!
I have however, taken in more then my share of hockey games. I have often thought the penalty box would be a good thing to have at home. No, not for the kids, but a chance for me to take a breather and contemplate life - an enforced time out. When you think about it, the time spent in a penalty box is time well spent. A chance to catch your breath and think about what happened. It is also a chance to think of your future. Or in the case of a young hockey player, the best way to get get back at the person who put you there in the first place.
What other sport allows you to take a breather and contemplate your next move, in the middle of a fast paced game. A chance to re-group and think things over. The player comes out of the box, ready to go, refreshed and refocused.
Wouldn't it be great to have a penalty box during the Presidential debates? Bush evased the question, two minutes for hooking. Kerry makes a nasty comment about Cheney's daughter 5 minute misconduct. Wouldn't that make a game!
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