Never forget

  This being Pearl Harbor day my thoughts just naturally turn to that. In keeping with a tradition started by my wife's Uncle George I place a "banner" for lack of a better term in my front window urging you to never forget about Pearl. It was the generation of my parents that were attacked and subsequently defended our nation. Well over 400,000 American soldiers, sailors and Airman died in combat. Although my father and his friends all served seldom did I hear them speak of that. I suspect those stories were shared in the smoke-filled arenas of the VFW and American Legion halls. Warriors talking to other warriors because they are the only ones that could understand. Yes, a fraternity of brothers. A club that many had no desire to be in but answered the call the duty. It was those fraternities that provided emotional and mental support. There were none that doubted the response to that heinous attack. No one protesting that! There were those that ran from the conflict, no doubt about that, but everyone agreed in the response. 

  The sentiment, the emotional response and the reaction to that attack is being lost today. I certainly have no direct remembrance of that as I wasn't born yet. Still, I am aware because of those that were there. It's true it isn't something that occupies my thoughts a great deal, but I remember anyway. My thoughts on days that commemorate our veterans draw my attention. My attention focuses on not what act led to the response but rather to those that responded. I don't harbor hatred for the Japanese that attacked, those people are mostly all gone now. It is estimated that 120,000 WW2 veterans are still living in the United States. How many of those served in actual combat isn't known. An entire generation nearly passed. Some have called it the greatest generation. I would agree with that. A generation that did what needed to be done! 

  Succeeding generations have had no great victories to celebrate. I'm all too aware of that having served in the Navy for twenty years. Vietnam was no victory! I've got a medal issued by Kuwait for liberating that country from Saddam Hussien. A great victory? No, not hardly. It took four days. It's true that over 58,000 American lives have been lost since Vietnam in various locations around the globe but victories? Now we talk about the war on terror. Can you ever declare a victory in that war. To those fighting, to those that have lost someone they love in any of these conflicts around the world, the loss is very real. 

  To the victors belong the spoils. It's a phrase we have all heard. It is credited to a Republican senator, William Marcy. He was defending his position that there was nothing wrong with giving jobs to those that helped him win the election. He was simply saying, I won, and I get to choose. There is no doubt that everyone agrees with that sentiment, except the losers. We hear about who controls the majority in government all the time. To the victors belong the spoils. Since the end of WW2 there has been no victories for the American people. The America the previous generations fought to create and fought to defend is slowing slipping away in memory just as Pearl Harbor and the significance of that day is. 

  We the people need a victory! That is what is required to reunite the nation. We saw a bit of that on 9/11 but that too has faded into memory. There was no definitive enemy to fight. The victory was in our coming together in outrage over that attack. Without an enemy to defeat no victory could be declared. All that remains is a memorial to those that were lost. No memorial to victory, rather a memorial to loss. What victory do we the people need. The victory of independence! Just as it was in 1776 independence needs to be defended! An INDEPENDENT nation. A nation with borders, laws and common traditions. A nation not dependent upon foreign resources. A nation not in debt to the world! We don't have to be that way. We the people can affect that change. Is WW2 to be the last great victory for America? I hope that isn't the case. Only history will tell the tale. You have to remember the history to tell the complete story! Pearl Harbor, a date that will live in infamy, never forget.  

                                                                                    

                                              

                                               This is the banner from Uncle George. On velvet!