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America dishonors those who sacrificed
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Published: April 15, 2009
Several area World War II veterans have recently been recognized for their military service. In his bestseller, "The Greatest Generation," Tom Brokaw describes the men and women of the WWII era as "united not only by a common purpose but by common values — duty, honor, courage, service, love of family and country, and, above all, responsibility for oneself."
I have read many books on this generation and have personally known many WWII vets. Jim Miller, C.M. Bost, Bob Privette, Ken Wheeler, Ed McLelland Sr. and others prove that Brokaw is correct in his assessment of this generation, particularly love of family, country and personal responsibility.
What has happened to these common values so cherished by our founding fathers and last exemplified by the Greatest Generation? With a 50 percent divorce rate, we certainly have lost love of family.
When our military recruiters are booted off college campuses, haven't we lost love of duty, service and country? With crooks like Bernie Madoff, accused Ponzi schemer Shelby Dean Martin and politicians like Chris Dodd and Barney Frank, we certainly have lost honor and character.
The worst thing that we have lost is responsibility for oneself. Our generational welfare mentality is so dependent on taxpayer support that it is now being adopted by the financial, auto, insurance and union folks to get taxpayer bailouts for years of greed and gross mismanagement. Some 40 percent of Americans have voted that the other 60 percent of actual taxpayers should have to support them.
What has happened to personal responsibility and self-motivation?
The common purpose during WWII was defeat of the Axis powers, which cost America some 417,000 brave souls. Today we can't even agree that Islamofascism is anything but a "peaceful religion." Now we have sitting and past presidents kissing, holding hands and groveling before the Saudi king, one of the biggest financial supporters of Islam terrorists in the world. We have a sitting president telling Europe and the Muslim world that America "has been dismissive, even derisive" and responsible for all the world's ills only to be rebuffed by both.
Can you imagine FDR or Harry Truman denigrating America like President Barack Obama has done? I can feel what those brave men and women of WW II would think of what America has become — a sorry state of affairs!
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