Veterans Day 'Freedom isn't free.'

 Like they say 'Freedom isn't free.'

   

 I salute all the Men and Women who have ever served this country.

 To my Uncle Andy whose remarkable life was celebrated over this past weekend back in Massachusetts. To all those fine and brave men and women in uniforms thank you for your

courage and your idealism.

  For those of us who wear civilian clothing as I have all my life. Our challenge requires courage too though there are no bullets whizzing past our ears. I do not attempt to compare the courage of getting your ass off the couch and making it down to your local Town Hall with being on patrol in a foreign country where people are actively out to kill you, or you them.

 However here, here I am.

What does it take to motivate an American citizen? Perhaps our new President to be will stir new optimism. Maybe the thought of all the Americans in uniform who risk their lives defending our freedom these days in foreign lands might motivate someone. I don't know what it will take, or if we, you or I, can motivate ourselves to take care of business here a home. If we at home won't stand up for Freedom at home and make our voices known then we make the sacrifice of our Veterans a sacrifice in Vain.

   Something real and true.. America. America is hurting as an ancient WWII vet told me a few years back, we won the war but lost our country. What his sense of the loss of our Country was might be different than mine or yours. You might as I do on occasion feel that this is my country right now this whole blessed mess, we haven't lost anything. Yet more often than not I experience a sense of loss. As a resident of the great state of California I have seen and continue to see the onslaught of a rampant development that has put profit over People and Country. The statement of a foreman on a development project up in Novato about 10 or 15 years ago still rings in my ear. 'We Fuck America.... don't tell anyone I said that' he told me. He worked for one of these large developers that had building projects working from Coast to Coast. Up in Novato they built these 'garbage' homes for people who dreamed they were millionaires, crowded these oversized mansions together so that each dream home had a nice view across the yard into the neighbors bathrooms. Across the yard, a Guantanamo exercise yard. Bobbleheads in Bubbleland as a farmer in Virginia told me. They sold plenty. Oh you have mortgage problems? Where are we America?

   'The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools'

                                 .. Herbert Spencer

    From government Bailouts to government control of Marriage. Freedom isn't free. Think back to the Civil Rights Movement. The sacrifice and courage of those who put their life on the line. That's what we are fighting for America. How can the government rule on a Spiritual decision involving Human Beings. Yes I have my aversions to Gay love, call it what you will. No I didn't see Brokeback Mountain. I don't enjoy watching Men kiss each other. I have an aversion

to that stuff you can analyse me if you want. 'That's their business.' as an elderly woman told me once. That's their business, a human being has the right to know Love. I may not understand it in my own conceptions of passion but I understand that every Human has a right to be human. They have a right to be respected by the Law and not be denied the protection of constitutional and American rights of Life Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

  There are all kinds of battles up ahead to fight for Freedom and to defend the USA. I believe the starting place is here at home. Find a home, live in a community, get connected, grow and

take part in the civic battleground of life, hopefully using much more intelligence, humor than anger, but turn back towards your own world. (Yes.. I am still trying to take my own advice)

  I think that the last tyrannies to be conquered are Man's beliefs that he can control Nature and Man's belief that Military (Brute Force) solutions can defeat enemies. Does General Petraeus as well as the man who was the source of the Christian religion agree with me? Come on people let's do some positive thinking.

     Guy