I went to grade school, junior high and high school with Chris Fyffe and we spent lots of time together over the years, today we buried Chris' dad....there goes another one.
I had to smile through the tears at the funeral.
Just like my dad who died a few years ago, he was born before the depression, and survived; served our great nation to save the world in World War ll, and survived; and then he went to Korea, and survived.
If you read the obituary, you know that Mr. Fyffe was one of the last survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack. His ship was also hit by a Kamikaze attack which sunk his ship and they were in the water for hours if not days. He survived but lost many friends, you can imagine the horror.
General Omar Bradley was asked how we would win WW ll, and he told the reporters we had a secret weapon. They all gathered close with their pencils ready to hear about what it was, and Gen. Bradley said, "The American soldier." Another secret weapon was buried today.
These men, thousands die each day, were responsible for saving the world and ending tyranny. We owe so much. Some of us remember the turmoil of our youth, when we thought we knew everything. When we complained about our parents and how they didn't have the latest tape deck, or cassette, the newest car or some other gadget. We forgot that they were the generation that won the world its freedom, and then came back to the world they left behind and invented all those new technologies that we have taken, and standing on their shoulders, created newer technologies and a better world.
They described Mr. Fyffe as not very friendly, in fact he didn't make many friends, fearing he might lose them like he did his friends and buddies in WW ll. My dad was the same way. Many of our fathers probably felt we don't appreciate the freedoms they won for us. Our fathers came back different than when they left, and before they considered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
My dad wasn't the friendliest guy either, Danny Overland always told me he had never heard anyone use language like my dad, in fact my dad used to say, "Jesus Christ, Larry!" and Danny thought my parents named me after the Savior.
It was a mostly older group today. Chris and his wife looked great, we promised to meet on our motorcycles for a weekend of camping at Lake Murray, and all are welcome, we could make it a reunion for all the people we like.
I cried this afternoon because Chris' dad reminded me so much of my dad's death, I was in shock when my Dad died, buy every single time I go to a funeral, and see the magnificent flag that means so much to patriots and people around the world it all comes back. Our flag is the symbol that inspires people who will lash their bodies to anything that will float with the prayer that an one of America's secret weapons on a Navy ship will pluck them from the waves. There is a touching story of a Navy sailor who rescued some Vietnamese refugees in the South China see, and they didn't know much English, but when they were rescued and brought on board, they looked into the eyes of the American sailor and said, "Hello freedom-man! "
Today, at the funeral, one of the elderly gentlemen went to see his friend for one last time in a casket draped in our flag. You could tell he was former military, because he was sharply-dressed and was standing a little straighter when he got to the casket, looked at his friend with his Army uniform, and snapped one last salute for his fallen comrade.
So when you say your prayers tonight, say one extra for Bill Fyffe and his family. Another Superman, who pledged on the Constitution to protect and defend America. And the next time your thinking about how tough life can be, remember those who sacrificed and made the world we enjoy today possible. God Bless our veterans and God Speed Bill Fyffe.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Updated American Express Commercial
Do you know me?
I've lived in Oklahoma all my life, I've been a reporter in newspapers, radio and TV and even had my own television and radio shows, but maybe you don't know me.
I'm a conservative Oklahoma Republican, I believe in lower taxes, less government, a strong national defense, protecting the lives of the unborn and the constitution.
Because I believe in these "dangerous things" according to Department of Homeland Security director Janet Napolitano, suspects I may be a terrorist.
Isn't it ironic! The same principles that our founding fathers supported are now considered dangerous by the same government they founded?
Oh, and if you have recently served our great nation in the military, you are automatically considered a terrorist suspect as well.
Janet still has her job. She has made some boneheaded mistakes, including changing "terrorism" into "unscheduled man made disasters". Don't you feel safer already?
And when reporters wanted to ask her about the terrorism "suspects" she ignored the first amendment and told the reporters she would answer ONLY one question. Try to get away with that if you are a Republican or conservative-ain't gonna happen.
So, if you are a conservative American, vote Republican and live below the Mason-Dixon Line, you can be a terrorist suspect, too.
So, remember to carry your Terrorist Identification Card (TIC) in case you are stopped. And at night, please place your TIC in a window facing the street, because law enforcement agents responding to the area outside of sector five, won't respond to property displaying the TIC card to protect their safety.
I've lived in Oklahoma all my life, I've been a reporter in newspapers, radio and TV and even had my own television and radio shows, but maybe you don't know me.
I'm a conservative Oklahoma Republican, I believe in lower taxes, less government, a strong national defense, protecting the lives of the unborn and the constitution.
Because I believe in these "dangerous things" according to Department of Homeland Security director Janet Napolitano, suspects I may be a terrorist.
Isn't it ironic! The same principles that our founding fathers supported are now considered dangerous by the same government they founded?
Oh, and if you have recently served our great nation in the military, you are automatically considered a terrorist suspect as well.
Janet still has her job. She has made some boneheaded mistakes, including changing "terrorism" into "unscheduled man made disasters". Don't you feel safer already?
And when reporters wanted to ask her about the terrorism "suspects" she ignored the first amendment and told the reporters she would answer ONLY one question. Try to get away with that if you are a Republican or conservative-ain't gonna happen.
So, if you are a conservative American, vote Republican and live below the Mason-Dixon Line, you can be a terrorist suspect, too.
So, remember to carry your Terrorist Identification Card (TIC) in case you are stopped. And at night, please place your TIC in a window facing the street, because law enforcement agents responding to the area outside of sector five, won't respond to property displaying the TIC card to protect their safety.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Oklahoma City Tea Party--Capitol Success!
I attended the largest and greatest gathering of like-minded conservatives in Oklahoma history as 5,000+ attendees--The Tea Party at the State Capitol.
What a group; polite, courteous, and focused on doing what they can to tell the Federal Government to stop the spending, stop the huge debt, and stop taking over businesses and expanding government programs. We can't afford trillions of dollars of debt for our children and grand children to pay off so stop it and stop it now.
Simple-you can't spend your way into prosperity.
Message delivered, and the politicians at the Federal Government need to heed that advice or there will be lots of FORMER democrat congressmen looking for work after November 2010.
What a group; polite, courteous, and focused on doing what they can to tell the Federal Government to stop the spending, stop the huge debt, and stop taking over businesses and expanding government programs. We can't afford trillions of dollars of debt for our children and grand children to pay off so stop it and stop it now.
Simple-you can't spend your way into prosperity.
Message delivered, and the politicians at the Federal Government need to heed that advice or there will be lots of FORMER democrat congressmen looking for work after November 2010.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Good Job Navy Seals
As I write this, three of the Somali pirates have been killed and the American ship captain has been rescued by Navy Seals.
Isn't it amazing that we have Americans who volunteer to join our military and then suffer and sacrifice to become part of an elite team like the Navy Seals? What country produces such wonderful men who will selfishly perform their tasks so willingly, and spend a career risking their lives so Americans and our allies can be rescued, and will take the life of bad guys when there are no other options left? There is one country-The United States of America.
These are the men who grew up in a country with some great presidents, those presidents who would always travel around the world and praise our nation, not criticize. Those presidents would laud the great things our country has done to protect and preserve the world, not apologize. Those presidents realized our country is a nation of heroes, not just those who served on battle fields but heroes who go to work every day, provide for their families, stick around to protect their children and pay their taxes.
And you know, those Navy Seals would probably say what they did wasn't any different than other folks jobs, it was just out in the middle of an ocean and involved guns.
Our current president didn't grow up the way many Americans grew up. My father was a veteran of World War II, and before that he survived the depression. Those two signal events impacted his life, and through his sacrifice the lives of millions in America and in Europe.
Winning a world war was just a job they took very seriously. I wonder what great stories President Obama heard from his father? Not many, since his father abandoned him, and his grandmother that raised him, "was a typical white woman."
Maybe President Obama's interaction with Navy Seals will ensure he doesn't gut the military, and put us in a position of weakness around the globe. I hope so.
Peace--through strength. Just three words, but three words that are extremely important for our young, liberal, inexperienced president to remember with bad guys like those in North Korea and Iran rattling nuclear sabers.
God speed Barack Obama.
Isn't it amazing that we have Americans who volunteer to join our military and then suffer and sacrifice to become part of an elite team like the Navy Seals? What country produces such wonderful men who will selfishly perform their tasks so willingly, and spend a career risking their lives so Americans and our allies can be rescued, and will take the life of bad guys when there are no other options left? There is one country-The United States of America.
These are the men who grew up in a country with some great presidents, those presidents who would always travel around the world and praise our nation, not criticize. Those presidents would laud the great things our country has done to protect and preserve the world, not apologize. Those presidents realized our country is a nation of heroes, not just those who served on battle fields but heroes who go to work every day, provide for their families, stick around to protect their children and pay their taxes.
And you know, those Navy Seals would probably say what they did wasn't any different than other folks jobs, it was just out in the middle of an ocean and involved guns.
Our current president didn't grow up the way many Americans grew up. My father was a veteran of World War II, and before that he survived the depression. Those two signal events impacted his life, and through his sacrifice the lives of millions in America and in Europe.
Winning a world war was just a job they took very seriously. I wonder what great stories President Obama heard from his father? Not many, since his father abandoned him, and his grandmother that raised him, "was a typical white woman."
Maybe President Obama's interaction with Navy Seals will ensure he doesn't gut the military, and put us in a position of weakness around the globe. I hope so.
Peace--through strength. Just three words, but three words that are extremely important for our young, liberal, inexperienced president to remember with bad guys like those in North Korea and Iran rattling nuclear sabers.
God speed Barack Obama.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Kum Ba Ya--Great for Campfire Songs, Not Foreign Policy
Was the European "ordination" the media gave Barack Obama misplaced?
Could be. It seems BHO was wanting to ask forgiveness for America's short comings and sins. He explained how the actions of the U. S. were sometimes missteps. One must wonder if that included the world wars, the Berlin Airlift, the destruction of the Soviet Union or not?
It was the community organizer in chief who asked the European Commnity, "Can't we all just get along?"
Then, North Korean Despot Kim Jung Il launched a rocket. Barack says the United Nations must act. The international community must stop these types of actions. Iran is building nuclear reactors that could create nuclear weapons and Somali Pirates are hijacking American ships and Barack says, the United Nations must act. .
Maybe the UN must act, because Barack plans on underfunding our military to pay for his massive spending and borrowing plan and big-government takeover of business that HE thinks may get the economy going again? He's wrong, the economy must fix itself, but I digress.
Idealism is one thing, but reality is a bit more certain.
The reality is North Korea and Iran are dangerous, didn't a recent president say they were part of the axis of evil? Yeah, he did,thanks Pres. Bush for telling it like it is.
But our new young inexperienced president believes "we can all just get along" if the U. N. gets involved. The same U. N. that passed more than 20 resolutions demanding Saddam Hussein stop building dangerous weapons and killing his citizens? That didn't work either.
Kum Ba Ya is a campfire song children sing, sadly, our new, young, inexperienced president thinks it's a great foreign policy plan. We have already found the truth, and singing won't solve these problems, a strong America will.
Could be. It seems BHO was wanting to ask forgiveness for America's short comings and sins. He explained how the actions of the U. S. were sometimes missteps. One must wonder if that included the world wars, the Berlin Airlift, the destruction of the Soviet Union or not?
It was the community organizer in chief who asked the European Commnity, "Can't we all just get along?"
Then, North Korean Despot Kim Jung Il launched a rocket. Barack says the United Nations must act. The international community must stop these types of actions. Iran is building nuclear reactors that could create nuclear weapons and Somali Pirates are hijacking American ships and Barack says, the United Nations must act. .
Maybe the UN must act, because Barack plans on underfunding our military to pay for his massive spending and borrowing plan and big-government takeover of business that HE thinks may get the economy going again? He's wrong, the economy must fix itself, but I digress.
Idealism is one thing, but reality is a bit more certain.
The reality is North Korea and Iran are dangerous, didn't a recent president say they were part of the axis of evil? Yeah, he did,thanks Pres. Bush for telling it like it is.
But our new young inexperienced president believes "we can all just get along" if the U. N. gets involved. The same U. N. that passed more than 20 resolutions demanding Saddam Hussein stop building dangerous weapons and killing his citizens? That didn't work either.
Kum Ba Ya is a campfire song children sing, sadly, our new, young, inexperienced president thinks it's a great foreign policy plan. We have already found the truth, and singing won't solve these problems, a strong America will.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The Blackmail of 9,000 Earmarks
How does someone get a pass on everything boneheaded that he does? No, not me, Barack Hussein Obama?
He boldly says, "We will change Washington and stop earmarks."
Then signs, in a private ceremony a OMONOUS (sic) BILL with 9,000 earmarks.
Who gets to have it both ways?
The media lets him. Maybe they will take notice of this, but the biggest failure of the media isn't just this issue and the kid-gloves they treat this inexperienced chief executive.
The biggest failure? Thinking that government spending can help an economic recovery. It's never worked---instead it only creates more government and more spending and hard-wires bigger government. The WORST PART? These government programs are like heroin. The money is here this year, but if you want to keep these jobs, raise taxes at the local level to pay for them. In Detroit, 25 new police officers graduated from the police academy. They will get paid for a year-----next year, you're on your own. That's when the blackmail starts. To keep these police officers on the job--you must raise your taxes....it's liberal fiscal insanity.
He boldly says, "We will change Washington and stop earmarks."
Then signs, in a private ceremony a OMONOUS (sic) BILL with 9,000 earmarks.
Who gets to have it both ways?
The media lets him. Maybe they will take notice of this, but the biggest failure of the media isn't just this issue and the kid-gloves they treat this inexperienced chief executive.
The biggest failure? Thinking that government spending can help an economic recovery. It's never worked---instead it only creates more government and more spending and hard-wires bigger government. The WORST PART? These government programs are like heroin. The money is here this year, but if you want to keep these jobs, raise taxes at the local level to pay for them. In Detroit, 25 new police officers graduated from the police academy. They will get paid for a year-----next year, you're on your own. That's when the blackmail starts. To keep these police officers on the job--you must raise your taxes....it's liberal fiscal insanity.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Higher Taxes, Bigger Government, Huge Deficits!
I'm a conservative. I like lower taxes, less government and low debt. Sadly, the president elected in November, disagrees with all those goals.
He is a liberal, tax hiking, big government growing, huge deficit supporter---and he's wrong.
He is part of the liberal crowd that always lives in crisis--think about it--the Democrats always use a crisis as the reason to act and raise taxes--they call them investments--and grow government to "fix" a problem that will fix itself in 6 months.
Spending more money makes no sense. In fact, the "hot rhetoric" talking about the worst economy since the great depression doesn't help.
The dangerous energy policy being proposed with a government takeover of the energy industry and the takeover of the health care industry is terrible news.
Maybe that's why they are proposing HR 45 to demand federal licenses for guns?
These boys in power right now--liberals and democrats--DON'T GET IT.
The American people do get it and for a guy who won a close election to drive so fast into a left ditch doesn't make anyone happy.
I HOPE Obama will CHANGE and butch up for the next few years because if he remains heading in this direction, he's treading a dangerous path for our Republic.
He is a liberal, tax hiking, big government growing, huge deficit supporter---and he's wrong.
He is part of the liberal crowd that always lives in crisis--think about it--the Democrats always use a crisis as the reason to act and raise taxes--they call them investments--and grow government to "fix" a problem that will fix itself in 6 months.
Spending more money makes no sense. In fact, the "hot rhetoric" talking about the worst economy since the great depression doesn't help.
The dangerous energy policy being proposed with a government takeover of the energy industry and the takeover of the health care industry is terrible news.
Maybe that's why they are proposing HR 45 to demand federal licenses for guns?
These boys in power right now--liberals and democrats--DON'T GET IT.
The American people do get it and for a guy who won a close election to drive so fast into a left ditch doesn't make anyone happy.
I HOPE Obama will CHANGE and butch up for the next few years because if he remains heading in this direction, he's treading a dangerous path for our Republic.
Monday, January 05, 2009
He's MY President, Too!
I didn't vote for Barack Obama, but he's my president too.
It is my hope that my democrat friends won't mind if I try to convince the new president of a few things I care about.
I'm a conservative.
Obama could be the most liberal man EVER elected president, I hope I can change his mind.
I like babies--they turn into taxpayers and creators of wealth---post-partum, which is a very good thing.
Obama supports and defends abortions, I hope I can change his mind.
I like lower taxes.
Obama likes higher taxes, I hope I can change his mind.
I like limited government.
Obama likes bigger and more government, I hope I can change his mind.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
