Never Forget.....Ever.

Click these links for a wonderful tribute and reminder of what we must never forget.

This is another excellent tribute video to remember the surreal event that changed our world.

September 11th, 2001. We must sometimes relive the pain to keep our vigilance heightened to meet the continuing threat that this nation faces. I found this video to be a wonderful tribute and reminder of our national heroism, courage, and compassion in one of the darkest hours in our history. Keep the families of the victims and the rescuers that perished this day in your prayers and thoughts.

We must also pray for the brave guardians who have confronted this evil in the War on Terrorism we have asked them to protect us from. They have sacrificed so much for our safety and security. For those brave men and women in our Armed Forces and Intelligence services that we often times take for granted; we SALUTE you!

Take the opportunity to thank a soldier, sailor, marine or any other member of our armed forces for their service.

Not long I stopped for lunch at a small Teriyaki restaurant outside an entrance to Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington. I was in a big hurry and it was just off the freeway so I could just buzz in and buzz out. As I exited the freeway I noticed anti-war protesters that were on the overpass of the road that crossed over the other side of the freeway directly into a gated entrance to the base. They were there to protest the return of a Stryker Brigade from a years deployment on that very day and the departure of another brigade to take their place in the fight against terror on the Iraq front. There were only a few devoted anti-war stragglers left as most had gone away when the media coverage had. The freeway overpass was adorned with thousands of yellow ribbons each one no doubt carefully and personally tied by loved ones for their own trooper. Of course many yellow ribbons failed in their intended purpose, and many families would not be there to greet their loved ones who had fallen in the defense of freedom and protecting us from terrorism.

Here were these protesters I thought to myself, there in sight of those soldiers and families entering and exiting the post, soldiers that ironically are guarding the very freedom and protecting their right to protest them for the protesters fleeting moment of glory on the 6:00 evening news at their expense. I guess it was akin to the Nazi Party of America winning the right to parade through the community of Skokie, Illinois many decades ago with it's large population of holocaust survivors. As disgusted as we are by it, it is an example of what America really means.

I ate my lunch and watched one of the finest examples of America's bravest and best who was catching up on the past 12 months of life's events with his lovely young wife over their meal at the counter. Her eyes sparkled as she nuzzled her Black Beret donned Ranger. I walked up next to them at the counter to pay my bill as they were discussing what to order for desert. I quietly asked the owner at the register how much I owed, and then I asked him how much their meal was including the desert they had just ordered. He didn't really understand exactly what I was asking and my Korean just isn't as good as it could be. But I finally impressed upon him what I wanted to do, paid him and headed for the door. The young couple were oblivious to the world around them at the moment, so in love and so happy to be together after a year apart and I certainly didn't want to disturb their reunion.

Just as I got to the door the young trooper called out "Excuse me sir". I turned and he came over to me and said "Thank you very much for our meal sir." Evidently the owner told them I picked up their tab. To which I replied, "No, no, thank you, for all you do to protect this us and our country with your service. It is the least I can do for you and your wife also sacrificing so much for such an important mission. It is truly my honor and my pleasure."

This young soldier looked into my eyes with a confidence and self-assured strength and maturity belying his young age (I guessed he was in his early twenties) and we each saw the sincerity of gratitude through welling eyes. I extended my hand to shake his, (I wasn't about to dishonor him with a botched salute due to my lack of military experience) I turned to his wife and nodded as she beamed with such pride for her soldier and this public recognition and appreciation they had just received. I told them goodbye and as I walked to the car I was so hopeful that my small gesture of appreciation could offset and counter anything that they would see or had seen by those protesters dressed in black on that overpass today, or even beyond this day itself.

It was perhaps the best $20 bucks I have ever spent.


God Bless America and please remember to fly your flag today. We should probably fly it every day.

Michael R. Bednarz

He's In!

Fred Thompson has announced his candidacy for President of the United States of America. (Click this link for his Video announcement)

Fred Thompson is the common-sense Conservative that will have the best opportunity to move America forward in the tradition of Ronald Reagan. Fred has responded to his supporters grass-roots campaign to draft him into service for this great nation. He has answered the call by concerned and hopeful Americans for a candidate that is consistent on the principled issues so important to this country. Fred seeks this position as a result of this demand; not as one who has set out on this path for selfish personal ambition.

He will be the leader to break through the current quagmire of divisiveness and partisanship that has hobbled America of late on every challenge and issue facing it; be it the War on Terror, Homeland Security, Economic prosperity and Border Security/Illegal Immigration reform. Fred will strive to end the accompanying political animus and discord that has led to a cynical and divided American public.

From our unified stand against Terrorism following the worst attack ever launched against America in it's history only 6 years ago we have now hit a new low in the public perception and approval of our leaders. Even before the sea of American flags and our mourning for the victims of 9/11 waned, America's left and the Democrat party started with the incessant and banal vitriol that has been launched against George Bush, America, and his policies. The result is that our President has an approval rating of 32.6%. Curiously, it seems the left-wing liberals attacks on Bush, Cheney, Gonzalez, Rove, Rumsfeld, Gen. Pace, Gen. Petraeus, and even our troops in the field have succeeded in giving their new Congress an approval rating of over 10% points less than Bush at only 22.2% approval.

For what purpose has this strategy of personal attack, political character assassination and subversion of our national unity served the Democrats? It has filled their coffers with MoveOn.org funds of course, but in the end it is exactly as I have said about these Democrat tactics for years: If you take a giant vat of excrement and throw it around, you are bound to get some on you. It seems that now with a 10-point lower approval rating for Congress than President Bush the Dems have been more than a little soiled by their fervent activity; it seems they have fallen right into that very vat-- joining one former Sen. Tom Daschle.

Suppose that their rhetoric does work and we find them with Hillary or Obama in power in 2009? What success do they think they will have with a weary and cynical public thirsting for leadership, vision, new ideas, victory in the War on Terror, and clarity of purpose/conviction? They will set out with all the organs of power to re-make America in the image of George Soros, the DailyKos and MoveOn.org. They will destroy the greatest health care system in the world, raise taxes in the face of the economic prosperity gained by the Presidents tax cuts, bankrupt Social Security, eviscerate the Military and thereby our safety at home, bomb our allies and have us sit down for tea to negotiate with our enemies only to create more and greater challenges abroad as a result. They would maintain that our borders should remain super-highways with exit ramps to their Sanctuary Cities where anyone wanting access can follow the bilingual signs to the free public services that are theirs for the asking. This very real scenario should frighten us all into action.

If the current dysfunction of their leadership in Congress is any indication, America can't afford to hand them the keys to the White House for more of the same; especially with someone in the White House to rubber-stamp everything they want.

Fred Thompson is the anti-venom. Fred will work to bring us back together with common sense policies and the unity we need on so many issues to get beyond the political rancor designed to further partisan advantage; at the expense of our national security and greater common good.

Check out his website and his inspiring announcement video message right here, right now! If you agree as I do that he is the person to lead America, please donate at this link, he's got a big mountain to climb, and he's a little fashionably late to the party so he needs your help now financially and also by spreading the word!

Michael R. Bednarz

Do you want this "man" to be your next President?