WE MAY AGREE TO DISAGREE BUT THANK A VETERAN FOR THE FREEDOM TO DO THIS

I am unsure why we only use certain holidays to honor those who serve, have served, or have sacrificed their well being in our military. Many men and women, no matter what branch or what reason, have pledged to defend our rights and freedoms, to make our nation the greatest nation in the world!

We DO have our problems, such as attitudes about the government's and public's use of funding:

"I don't care about "diversity" in our population. The problem in the LV is not people of color. It is people who come here to live off of the welfare system. People who have no sense of family. People who take no responsibility for raising their children and discipline them properly. People who are living here illegally. People who consider it normal to have the police involved in their lives on a regular basis. People who illegally send their kids to school districts in which they do NOT reside. People who are living in HUD apartments and driving "pimped out" vehicles, have very expensive electronic toys, etc. but use food stamps. People who drive with a car full of young children, none of them in proper car seats or even using seat belts. People who are move here and try to make the LV like NYC or Philthadelphia or whatever filthy, crime-ridden urban area you want to name. Now, if you can fix Allentown so it becomes a great cultural center with museums, etc. be my guest. Make it a destination. Make it a place for FAMILIES and contributing citizens."

- The Morning Call blogosphere


Or about how we, as Americans, should manage our lives, sacrifice,and DO what needs to be DONE:

"When I look back at what I didn't have growing up in the 1950s in the Coal Region, I am grateful for what I have today. Men in the mines worked just several days a week and most families were supported by the women who mainly worked in the garment industry (my mom was one of them).

We ate a lot of cabbage and potatoes, ring baloney, gizzards, liver, kidneys and spaghetti with meat balls. For Sunday dinner we sometimes ate a roast chicken (rooster) which was so tough it made beef jerkey seem like whipped cream.
On occasion the refrigerator was empty so I ate mustard, mayonaise or onion sandwiches. My Grandma made delicious soup but I refused to look into the pot because you never knew what body part would be floating in the broth.

Most of my clothes were hand me downs from an older cousin. He wore a size 8 shoe, I wore a 10.

Many people in the Coal Region lived the same type of life, and no one cared. In spite of all this, we survived and I went on to better things.

My point is never to give up and try to be grateful for what you have. If you must you might have to change careers or get a better education. You'd be surprised with how many people left the area over the years to get a better life.

If you are eating out regularly, driving a new car, going on vacation or drinking and smoking weed, your life is not as bad as you think."

- The Morning Call blogosphere


But in the end, we need to be APPRECIATIVE, GRATEFUL, and THANKFUL:


"Thankful for the many simple freedoms that most people still take for granted. Thank you to all the veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice, and to those who have served and are still serving, so that we may enjoy our freedom."

- Leslie Horvath


Today, take a moment and think about ALL of the rights you have and then look at the news or read a paper and see all of the rights, many in the world, don't.

THANK A VETERAN, not just for today, but for EVERYDAY....

Peace and 1,

- J.BLACK