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Restore the Vetreans Administration

The most neglected and even abused members of our society are disabled combat veterans. After seeing the destruction st the battle of Gettysburg Abraham Lincoln commissioned the Veterans Administration, "For those who have born the battle and their families." For centuries the VA had been a advocate for disabled veterans making sure that they got proper treatment and equipment needed for better living. They fought for benefits and just compensation for our injuries in the service of our country. This all ended in the 80 under President Reagan. After a fight with quadriplegic Vietnam veteran Grover Washington the then head of the Veterans Administration of allocation of the VA budget Reagan disbanded the Veterans Administration and put veterans affairs under the cabinet position department of Veterans Affairs. The initials VA remained and to most folks the move went unnoticed. The VA budget was put into the budget of the Department of Defense. At the time Washington rightly said that he was making veterans of past wars pay for future wars. So instead of having an agency to intervene for veterans we now have only a person appointed by the president presumably of his own thinking. The result has been devastating to veterans and our families. Walter Reed is the proof of that an is not an isolated incident. From the time the doctors told me that I was unable to work because of my war injuries until I received just compensation was nine years. Because the person who is supposed to help veterans to obtain our benefits works for the government and gets bonuses for denying us our benefits. I spent a year of that time living in national forest the rest with friends and family. After getting back pay I moved to San Francisco where my daughter lived. I was able to pay deposits get furniture and get a nice apartment on the outskirts of town. The treatment I received at the SFVMC was excellent. I had to live on a tight budget but I was happy and getting proper treatment for the first time in years Then by some bureaucratic SNAFU my check stopped for two and a half months. I lost my apartment and as a result everything else. I finally landed in a poverty stricken part of western North Carolina 65 miles from the nearest VA Medical Center. The treatment is poor and the attitude of apathy is worse. There are over 200,000 unresolved claims from the Vietnam war alone. Restore the Veterans Administration fir thise who have borne the battle that is the least that we can do.

The Meaning of Life

To live. The only value of death is to show us how precious life is. The greatest sin is not to live life in all of it's abundance. If you were created in the image of God the you are a creator. So create. If you live your life in fear of punishment or hope of reward you will always be controlled by whoever you accept as an authority.And therefore controls your thinking and your life. Life exist in the moment and anything else is just a though. Be the master of your own thoughts because thoughts become actions and actions habits. These are the things from which religions are born. Religion does not lead one to God but to as set of values defined by whoever claims and receives authority. Some of the worst crimes in history have been committed in the name of religion. Religions are all false because they claim to be able to define God. In doing so the place the Almighty in a box of their own self interest. If they come and say to you I am here or I am there don't believe them. God is as close to you as your breathing, No one can lead you to God because God consumes you. If you are not close to God it is you that has moved.
Finally religion fails to answer the undying question. Why do bad things happen to good people? They promise apple pie in the sky bye and bye if we suffer here on earth. Or they proclaim that God is testing you. As if the Almighty needed to test anyone. Sometime they even admit that they don't know. "It is a mystery" they say. but it was no mystery to Jesus who said God causes it to rain on the just and the unjust.
This guy died and found himself before the throne of God. "So my son" the Almighty ask, do you choose heaven or hell?"
"I thought that that was decided already?"
"Why would you think that? Haven't I always given you a choice?"
"Can I check them out first?
"Sure which do you want to visit first?
'Well since hell does not seem like where I would like to go or so I have been told I'll check it out first."
The man found himself in a large room filled with the smell of Mulligan stew. Around a pot filled with this delicious stew sat thousands starving because their spoons were too long to reach their mouths.
"I don't want to be here!" he cried.
Immediately he found himself in another room filled with the same aroma of Mulligan stew and the thousands that sat around were well fed and happy. Then he noticed that they had the same spoons too long to reach their mouths.
"I don't understand?"
To that he Almighty replied, "They are feeding each other."

Does Freedom of Religion include Freedom from Religion?

Has not religion done more harm than good throughout history? Is a religious zealot who kills one less evil than the one who kills a thousand? Religion seldom leads one to God because it is dedicated only to it's own ideology, dogma and interpretation of their own holy text. Anything that you can concieve in your mind is too small to be God. Religion puts God in a box and dictates the rules to the almighty its own self. Those who believe that they know the truth will never seek it and shall remain forever in everlasting darkness. Europeans fled to the new world for two main reasons. One was running from a government run buy religion the other a religion run by government. America as a nation rejected both. But since the onset of fundamental Christianity in the beginning of the 20th century religion has imposed its ideology on non believers and believers of other faiths to the magnitude of the 15th century holy Roman Catholic Church. The latest example of this is prop 8 in California. With the support of the Mormon Church and Roman Catholic church the majority was allowed to deprive a minority of basic human rights. Prop 8 will fail when hear by the US Supreme Court, as it surly will be, and set a precedent that will open the door to Gay and Lesbein marriage through the country.
When we deprive one small group their rights we put all of our liberty in danger. Marriage is a religious thing which the government does not have the right to define. Though ones religion says it is wrong another disagrees. Prop 8 therefore violates the first amendment right of freedom of religion. If a religion refuses to accept a marriage based on their beliefs that is their perogative. Do you want to be forced to follow the laws of a religion in which you do not believe? To those who think that the first amendment does not mean separation of church and state I say maybe we should further define it. Let us simple state, Render unto to Cesar that which is Cesar's and unto God that which is Gods.

To a new generation

It is not what Obama can do but what we can do together. The torch has been passed to a new generation. I challenge you young who want to change the world to volunteer. Find something that interest you and use it to serve your country. My generation stopped a war with violence and anger that further divided the country. Anarchy is self defeating because it gives strength for the need for stronger government.
Your generation stopped a war by electing a President who calls us to work together. It is time for that Yankee Doodle American spirit we can do it that has made this the greatest country. Inventors in every basement and every garage in America I call on you to strike it rich the way Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell did. Because you live in America at this great moment the world is you oyster.
For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know. These words come from the tombstone of a fallen hero.

The torch has been passed

Kennedy opened his ignoraration speech with the words, "The torch has been passed to a new generation" and that describes the election of Barack H Obama. This election produced more new voters than any I can remember. The slogan of change to them was more than just a slogan. With over seven million popular votes and over two thirds of the electoral votes America has certainly handed this president a mandate. For those who thought that it was the economy that got Obama elected let me point out that four states that elected Democrat Senators voted for McCain and Senators in eleven states who voted for President Elect Obama got from 1% in Illinois 12% more votes in Virgina than Obama. Though the McCain campaign challenged Obama's readiness to lead, personal character and judgment he was chosen by the people to have the vision America wants for the world. Dim is the torch that brandished unbridled power and bright the torch of Diplomacy. Both our friend and foes alike welcomes this era of reason. The entire world awaits America as one again the leader not the divider of the world.

Ano John McCain Open Letter t

I too am a Vietnam Veteran and I like more than 50 million Americans watched your heroic story and how you came to be the man you are today. There is no question of your courage under fire nor your unbelievable endurance. I watched with awe when you told of how in spite of knowing that you would be beaten you still would not sacrifice your Honor by being released ahead of others who had been there longer. Most of those who have never served under fire do not understand the need for Honor in our fighting forces. Honor is the glue that binds us one to another that makes us look out for each other. Without a Code of Honor it would be everyone for themselves. Without Honor our military would fall into anarchy. When one member violates the Military Code of Conduct we all suffer. That is why the code says that prisoners must be released in the same order as captured.

I cried when you told of being broken by the brutal beating. And when you told of how the prisoner in the next cell forgave you and said that no one of us can do it alone. And like 50 million other Americans forgave you too. It must have been an awful beating to get you to violate that same Code of Honor you took the beating for. But I did not hear you admit that you signed a confession saying that we, our troops were “black criminals” and targeted civilians. The same Code of Honor makes it wrong to take an early release also forbids us from signing anything against America and our fighting troops.

We all know that the Vietnam war was not lost on the battlefields and bases of Vietnam but in the streets of America. How many new recruits do you think joined William Ayers' Weather Underground when the news reported that a Naval Pilot, the son of the Admiral in charge of the entire SEA fleets said that we targeted schools and hospital? While 8,000,000 of us came home to the scorn of disdain of the nation in part because of you. Did you ever ask yourself if you should apologize to those of us who felt pain of your dishonorable act? While You came home as a hero the bus the rest of us came home to cries of “Murders”. When I arrived from 18 months fighting for my country hundreds of angry communist lead protesters rushed our bus. I tried to convince my wife returning home with me that they were just glad we are home. But even Hien, whose english was poor knew what FU and the middle finger meant.

Without Honor our military will deteriorate and victory will elude us. There is no one promise that we make when we swear to death before dishonor more important than another. How can You expect our brave troops to follow you into battle knowing that when it came to where the rubber hit the road you traded honor for life. The Code of Honor begins with, “I am an American fighting man I am prepared to give my life for my country”. Many have called me cruel for even bring this up. They say you deserve our honor for what You went through. You and I know that honor is doing the right thing for the right reason regardless of personal pain.

Your friend was not totally right when he said that no one could stand alone because there is a time when s/he has listened to the generals, admirals and advisors the Commander in Chief must stand alone.