Dear Dad,
I've been thinking about you more than usual these days, this time of year being the 18th anniversary of your death. I am constantly wondering how I would explain to you what has happened to the country that your father sought as a refuge from tyranny and servitude, that your brother died for in Pacific combat during World War II, that you served later in that conflict, and that I grew up revering for the promise and opportunity it provided and for the values it sought to preserve and extend.
kAmx 2> 27C2:5 J@F H@F=5 ?@E C64@8?:K6 E96 A=246] *@F =67E FD :? 2 H@C=5 4@>:?8 F?5@?6 — :E 925 366? 2 >6C6 E9C66 J62CD D:?46 E96 E6CC@C:DE 2EE24<D @7 $6AE] `` — 3FE J@F 4@F=5 ?@E 92G6 925 2?J :?<=:?8 23@FE 9@H DH:7E=J E9:?8D H@F=5 72== 2A2CE[ C6566>:?8 E96 (:==:2> qFE=6C *62ED G:6H E92E[ :? 9:D A@6> 2D :? @FC 4@?E6>A@C2CJ H@C=5[ E96 46?E6C 42??@E 9@=5]k^Am
kAmw6C6 :D 2 >62DFC6 @7 9@H >F49 E96 H@C=5 92D 492?865 2?5 E96 46?E6C 92D 72:=65 E@ 9@=5] *@F =:G65 3J 2 D:>A=6 2A9@C:D>i p== E9:?8D :? >@56C2E:@?] %92E >62?E E92E J@F 4@F=5 92G6 2 5C:?<[ @C >2J36 EH@[ 3FE ?6G6C >@C6] xE >62?E E92E J@F D9@F=5 @C56C 2 C6DE2FC2?E >62= H:E9 2? 6J6 E@H2C5 E96 C:89E\92?5 D:56 @7 E96 >6?F[ H:E9 DE62< 2?5 =@3DE6C @77\=:>:ED[ 2=H2JD] %92E >62?E E92E J@F D9@F=5 D66 E96 G:CEF6D @7 2== D:56D @7 2? 2C8F>6?E 2?5 D62C49 7@C H96C6 E96J :?E6CD64E[ 2=H2JD H:E9 2? 6J6 E@ E96 8C62E6C 8@@5[ 2=H2JD H:E9 J@FC @H? :?E6C6DED DF3=:>2E65 E@ E9@D6 @7 E96 >2?J]k^Am
kAm%96C6 :D ?@ >@56C2E:@? :? E96 H@C=5 J@F =67E 369:?5] |6C6 2?2C49J :D =@@D65 FA@? E96 H@C=5] p?5 E96 82A 36EH66? C:49 2?5 A@@C :D D@ H:56 E92E E96 C:49 5@?VE H@CCJ 23@FE E96 C:89E D:56 @7 E96 >6?F[ 2?5 E96 A@@C 42??@E 4@?E6>A=2E6 2 C6DE2FC2?E >62=] ~FC @=5 72G@C:E6 C6DE2FC2?ED 2C6 8@?6i E96 #65 r@249 vC:==6 2?5 E96 '2==6VD $E62< w@FD6 492:?j 6G6? E96 DAC2H=:?8 w:==E@A 6>A:C6 @? #@FE6 ` :? $2F8FD W|2DD249FD6EEDX 92D 366? D9FEE6C65] p3@FE 2 E6?E9 @7 p>6C:42?D ?@H 4@?D:56C E96>D6=G6D G686E2C:2?D @C G682?D]k^Am
kAm%96 #6AF3=:42? !2CEJ J@F C6G6C65 — E96 A2CEJ @7 DEFC5J 923:ED[ 8@@5 >2??6CD[ C6DA64E23:=:EJ 2?5 C6DEC2:?E[ 7CF82=:EJ 2?5 ACF56?46 — 92D 24BF:C65 >2?J @7 E96 2EEC:3FE6D @7 2? @FE=2H >@3] %96 s6>@4C2ED J@F C6>6>36C — p5=2: $E6G6?D@?[ y@9? u] z6??65J[ wF36CE w] wF>A9C6J — 92G6 G2?:D965 2?5 2C6 C6A=2465 3J 2?@E96C 3C665[ =FC49:?8 =67EH2C5[ >@C6 4@>7@CE23=6 :? 24256>:4 C@36D E92? :? F?:@? H:?53C62<6CD]k^Am
kAmx ?6G6C 7@C8@E 9@H J@FC 72E96C — >J 8C2?572E96C — 82G6 >6 2 3@@< 23@FE E96 &]$] r2A:E@=] xE H2D DE2>A65 H:E9 E96 ?2>6 (:==:2> w] q2E6D[ E96 >@56C2E6 #6AF3=:42? 4@?8C6DD>2? 7C@> $2=6> H9@ G@E65 7@C 2== 7:G6 :>A@CE2?E 4:G:=\C:89ED 3:==D @7 E96 6C2 3FE H9@ H@F=5 36 C6A6==65 3J 9:D A2CEJ E@52J 2?5 C682C565 2D 2 9@A6=6DD 2?E:BF6] x C6>6>36C 9@H E96 3C:89E H9:E6 @7 E96 r2A:E@= 5@>6 ?62C=J D9:>>6C65 @77 E96 A286D @7 E92E 3@@<[ 2?5 5FC:?8 E96 564256D :? H9:49 x 4@G6C65 r@?8C6DD 7@C %96 }6H *@C< %:>6D[ %96 (2== $EC66E y@FC?2= 2?5 %96 q@DE@? v=@36] x ?6G6C 72:=65 E@ =@@< 2E E92E 5@>6 H:E9 E96 2H6 E92E x 7:CDE 76=E 2D 2 `_\J62C\@=5] x 2> 2D92>65 E@ E6== J@F E92E a_ >@?E9D 28@[ E96 r2A:E@= H2D @G6CCF? 3J :?DFCC64E:@?:DED[ :ED H2==D 3C624965[ :ED @77:46D EC2D965] p 32C6\496DE65 >2? H62C:?8 2 9@C?65 7FC 96255C6DD 2?5 42CCJ:?8 2 7=28A@=6 E@AA65 H:E9 2 DA62C E:A C2>A2865 E9C@F89 E96 3F:=5:?8[ =@@<:?8 2D :7 96 H6C6 9@H=:?8[ 2?5 E9C62E6?65 E96 G:46 AC6D:56?E]k^Am
kAmx 2=D@ 92G6 ?6G6C 7@C8@EE6? E92E 2D 2 49:=5[ J@F >6E 2 92?57F= @7 r:G:= (2C G6E6C2?D[ AC@323=J 5FC:?8 2 |6>@C:2= s2J A2C256 5@H? $2=6>VD tDD6I $EC66E] x 2> 2D92>65[ E@@[ E92E E96 2446AE23:=:EJ @7 G:@=6?46 :? @FC 4:G:4 =:76 :D D@ C:76 E92E D@36C A6@A=6 2C6 E2=<:?8 23@FE E96 4@F?ECJ 6?5FC:?8 2?@E96C 4:G:= H2C] %9:D <:?5 @7 E2=< H@F=5 92G6 366? :?4@?46:G23=6 :? J@FC =:76E:>6] xE :D C6AC696?D:3=6 :? >:?6]k^Am
kAm*@F E2F89E FD E@ 36H2C6 @7 3=@H92C5D] %96 #6AF3=:42?D ?@>:?2E65 E96 3=@H92C5 @7 E96 46?EFCJ :? a_`ej 96 H2D 6=64E65[ 2?5 E96? C67FD65 E@ 36=:6G6 96 H2D 56762E65 7@FC J62CD =2E6C 3J 2 >:?@C\=628F6 3=@H92C5 H9@ H2D 23@FE E96 286 J@F H6C6 H96? J@F =67E FD]k^Am
kAm}@3@5J — H6==[ 2=>@DE ?@3@5J — 86ED 2 AC:?E ?6HDA2A6C 2?J>@C6] !6@A=6 FD6 E96:C E6=6A9@?6D E@ E2<6 A:4EFC6D] %H@ 8:2?E @2<D @7 J@FC E:>6[ 2?5 @7 >:?6[ H6C6 76==65 :? C646?E 52JDj q:== #FDD6== 2?5 |:<92:= v@C32496G 92G6 ;FDE 5:65] q@E9 H6C6 >:DF?56CDE@@5] q@E9 H:== 36 >:DD65]k^Am
kAm#6>6>36C 2== E96 E2=< 23@FE Q4@?D6CG2E:@?[Q E96? 23@FE Q64@=@8JQ 2?5 7:?2==J 23@FE QE96 6?G:C@?>6?En” }@H E96C6 :D 8C62E H@CCJ E92E E96 t2CE9 :D 3FC?:?8 FA 2?5 E92E @FC 4=:>2E6 >2J 36 492?8:?8 D@ 72DE E92E H6 >2J 36 D9@4<65 2E H:?E6CE:>6 E6>A6C2EFC6D[ =@D6 E96 A@=2C :46 42AD 2?5 ?@E C64@8?:K6 E96 D9@C6=:?6D]k^Am
kAm*@F C6>6>36C J@FC A2C6?ED E2=<:?8 23@FE E96 $A2?:D9 7=F E92E C2465 E9C@F89 E96 4@F?ECJ D:I J62CD 367@C6 J@F H6C6 3@C?n (6 92G6 366? :? 2 A2?56>:4 — 6G6? <:?56C82CE6?6CD <?@H E96 >62?:?8 @7 E92E H@C5 E@52J — 7@C a `^a J62CD] |@C6 E92? 2 >:==:@? p>6C:42?D[ 2?5 e]d >:==:@? A6@A=6 H@C=5H:56[ 92G6 5:65 3642FD6 @7 E96 r~'xs\`h G:CFD]k^Am
kAm$FC6=J[ J@F >FDE 36 E9:?<:?8[ E96C6 92D E@ 36 D@>6 8@@5 ?6HD] %96C6 :D] *@FC 72>:=J :D 962=E9J] x? 2==[ E96C6 2C6 ?:?6 >2CC:286D[ 2== :?E24E] *@F 92G6 7@FC 8C62E\8C2?549:=5C6?[ 2?5 J@FC 8C2?549:=5C6?[ 2== 6:89E @7 E96>[ 2C6 DA=6?5:5 4:E:K6?D] %96J 2C6 8C@H?[ J@FC ECF6 =6824J] x H:D9 E96J 4@F=5 962C J@FC H:D5@> 2?5[ J@F?8 A6@A=6 36:?8 J@F?8 A6@A=6[ 9665 D@>6 @7 :E — 2?5[ @7 4@FCD6[ C64@8?:K6 :ED G2=F6 2D E96 J62CD 244F>F=2E6]k^Am
kAm%92E DFC6=J 92D 366? >J 6IA6C:6?46[ 2?5 E92E @7 >J 3C@E96CD 2?5 D:DE6C] *@F 42??@E :>28:?6 9@H @7E6? H6 DE2CE 2 D6?E6?46 H:E9 7@FC D25 3FE ?@3=6 H@C5Di Qs25 FD65 E@ D2J ]]]Q %96 @E96C 52J x AFE @? @?6 @7 J@FC D9:CED] xE 5:5?VE BF:E6 7:E[ =:E6C2==J @C DJ>3@=:42==J] (6 42?VE 7:== E96 G@:5 J@F 92G6 =67E 369:?5]k^Am
kAmx D9@F=5 4=@D6 3J D2J:?8 E92E E96C6 C6>2:?D @?6 6=6>6?E @7 p>6C:42? =:76 E92E J@F H@F=5 C64@8?:K6] %96 #65 $@I 2C6 :? =2DE A=246]k^Am
kAm(6 =@G6 J@F 2?5 >:DD J@F[ 2?5 H6 >:DD E96 H@C=5 J@F 2?5 |@> 2?5 J@FC 86?6C2E:@? D@F89E E@ 3F:=5] %92E H@C=5 =@@<D 36EE6C 6G6CJ 52J[ 6G6? E9@F89 H6 5:5?VE 2=H2JD E9:?< E92E] qFE ?@H 6G6CJ 52J 3C:?8D ?6H EC2G2:= 2?5 EF>F=E[ 2?5 ?@H :E D66>D E92E E96 36DE =24< 2== 4@?G:4E:@?[ H9:=6 E96 H@CDE 2C6 7F== @7 A2DD:@?2E6 :?E6?D:EJ]k^Am
kAm{@G6[k^Am
kAms2G6k^Am
kAms2G:5 |] $9C:3>2? :D E96 7@C>6C 6I64FE:G6 65:E@C @7 E96 !:EED3FC89 !@DE\v2K6EE6] w6 42? 36 C624965 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i5D9C:3>2?oA@DE\82K6EE6]4@>Qm5D9C:3>2?oA@DE\82K6EE6]4@>k^2m[ @C 7@==@H 9:> @? %H:EE6C 2E $9C:3>2?!v] %96 !F=:EK6C !C:K6\H:??:?8 ;@FC?2=:DE 92D 2 G242E:@? 9@>6 :? z62CD2C86]k^Am
(1) comment
David, right on, right on, right on. I just finished reading that the Air Force in the Pacific has banned all gender specific pronouns. No doubt to scare the Chinese. And our president has just insulted half the country, basically calling them a threat to democracy. Well, at least they have all but legalized marijuana so the country can get stoned and let it slip all away.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.