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A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....08-10-04...God Bless the USA ~ Lift Every Voice (Rerun)
Billie | various

Posted on 08/10/2004 5:24:51 AM PDT by Billie



A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day
Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.
A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.
On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY
If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.
We're having fun and hope you are!

~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dutchess, Aquamarine ~











Lee Greenwood wrote those words in a song in 1983 to bring people together. In the introduction of his booklet entitled "God Bless the USA", which includes a CD of that song, he also wrote:
"I'm sometimes overwhelmed by this vast nation and wish I could see how America will change in the next one hundred years. As long as we continue to dream, create inventions, and solve the challenges of an ever-expanding population, we will have the power to create a better society. But it is inevitable that the freedom, liberty, and can-do attitude that characterize us will be challenged, sometimes in ways that leave us no choice but to defend ourselves and the land we love. It happened in 1941 at Pearl Harbor and again in 2001 at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon."


Through the years countless songs have been written and words spoken that celebrate the breadth of the American experience. Recalling a few, who can dispute the simplicity and beauty of such words as these:

~ from "America", by Samuel Francis Smith ~

"My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing:
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring."





~ from "America the Beautiful"
words by Katherine Lee Bates Martin
music by Samuel Ward ~


America! America!
God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control
Thy liberty in law."





~ Martin Luther King's American Dream ~

"I have a dream that one day...the sons of
former slaves and the sons of former slave
owners will be able to sit down together
at the table of brotherhood...I have a dream
that my four little children will one day
live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by
the content of their character."





~ from Alistair Cooke ~

"It has always been cited as an irrepressible
symptom of America's vitality that her people,
in fair times and foul, believe in themselves
and their institutions."






~ from "The People, Yes", by Carl Sandburg ~

"The free man is willing to pay and struggle and die
for the freedom for himself and others
Knowing how far to subject himself to discipline
and obedience for the sake of an ordered society....
This free man is a rare bird and when you meet
him take a good look at him and try to figure him
out because some day when the United States of
this earth gets going and runs smooth and pretty
there will be more of him than we have now."










THIS WEEK'S THREADS

08-09-04 Military Monday

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping'
The guy's good, folks!
Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

CLICK



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: freepers; fun; military; patriotic; surprises; veterans
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To: Billie

;0)


21 posted on 08/10/2004 9:06:01 AM PDT by Pippin (RE-ELECT BUSH/CHENEY............PLEASE!)
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To: Texagirl4W
Hey Texagirl! Hope all is going well with you and you are feeling better and better.

Sorry to hear you too have family in New Orleans(grin).

I'm a native Texan who moved to New Orleans as a teen some 35 years ago. Talk about culture shock!! I moved away as soon as I could get out of there and I never looked back. Mom & Dad are still there AND THEY STILL LIKE IT!! Go figure.... I *do* visit them on occasion but am very relieved to leave for home.

Hurricanes headed in the general direction of N.O. really bother me. The whole city is built on a sinking swamp that is three feet below sea level at its highest point. It is surrounded by water that's being held back by a series of levees. There are only three ways out of the city and all of them are on elevated freeways over lots of water. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

I wish Mom & Dad would move away from there as they are getting up in years and have to go through this watching and waiting every hurricane season. But do they listen to their daughter? Of course not...sometimes parents can be as stubborn as teenagers(oops, did I say that out loud??).
22 posted on 08/10/2004 9:09:40 AM PDT by Lakeside
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To: All
Two miracles for soldier's family The Power of Prayer

With one miracle behind them, the family of critically wounded Army Spc. John Pirinelli hopes for a second miracle of recovery at a U.S. military hospital in Germany.

The 23-year-old soldier from the Niagara County hamlet of Bergholz was shot in the back while on patrol in Iraq last Wednesday. After he was stabilized at a field hospital near Tikrit, he was flown to Europe and is just starting to come out of a drug-induced coma.

It took something of a miracle to get two of four family members from the Buffalo area to his bedside on short notice, and now they are making a public appeal for prayer to save the soldier's life.

"When John's doctor called us Sunday to come to Germany, he painted a horribly grim picture, but now it is Tuesday and his surgeon says, "It's miraculous this boy is still alive,' " Rise Pirinelli, the mother of the soldier, said in a telephone interview moments after leaving her son's bedside late Tuesday.

She said she is convinced that prayer has already helped her son - a giant of a man at 6-feet, 6-inches tall and 230 pounds - survive the trip to Germany.

The bullet destroyed one of his kidneys and severed his colon.

"Before I left his bedside, his eyelids started to flutter when I told him I was going to lie down and come back later and stay with him for the night so his wife could have a break," Mrs. Pirinelli said, adding that her son has a strong faith, which she hopes will carry him through this ordeal.

Family members credit State Sen. George D. Maziarz, R-North Tonawanda, with assisting two relatives in obtaining passports at the last minute.

Neither Philip Pirinelli, the soldier's older brother, nor Philip's wife, Stephanie, possessed passports..

Unlike Rise Pirinelli and her husband, Robert, who flew out of Detroit Monday afternoon, Philip Pirinelli had booked a 3 p.m. Monday flight out of New York City's LaGuardia Airport for Germany.

With about 24 hours before the scheduled departure of the flight, Ruth Pirinelli, an aunt in Niagara Falls, began calling elected officials to see if someone could help.

She wasn't surprised when her calls went unanswered. It was, after all, Sunday afternoon.

Then she found a listing for Maziarz's North Tonawanda home.

"I said, "I need your help,' and explained the situation. He said he would make some calls," Ruth Pirinelli said.

Maziarz, the former clerk of Niagara County, called Cathy Clement, who handles passports for that office, and found out what paperwork would be needed.

Maziarz said Clement also told him there was a U.S. State Department office in Manhattan that issued passports the same day as the paperwork was submitted.

But there was a problem. Philip and Stephanie Pirinelli's original birth certificates were in a file at the Erie County Surrogate's Court in Buffalo.

"They're in the process of adopting a baby, and their birth certificates were in a file at the courthouse," Maziarz said.

Undaunted, the senator called State Supreme Court Justice Richard Kloch to find out how they could retrieve the certificates on a Sunday afternoon. Kloch put Maziarz in touch with Surrogate's Court Clerk Paul J. Smaldone.

At 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Smaldone delivered the papers to Maziarz, who then met with the Pirinellis at his Lockport office.

Not leaving anything to chance, Maziarz called Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds, R-Clarence, to find out what to do to ensure the passports would be obtained.

"Tom called me back and said that it would be necessary to get in line at the office by 5 or 6 in the morning because the line gets so long that by noon they cut it off and you have to come back the next day," Maziarz said.

With the possibility of catching a Sunday evening flight to New York City no longer an option, Maziarz said he decided to drive the Pirinellis to Manhattan because he could not bear the thought of them missing the chance to go to Germany and provide support for the wounded soldier.

At 2:30 a.m. Monday, they stopped in Albany and picked up Michael Norris, a Maziarz staffer, who helped with the driving on the final leg of the journey.

"We arrived at 5:30 a.m. in front of the passport office and were third in line. By 11 a.m. they had their passports and were on their way to LaGuardia Airport," Maziarz said.

At about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, the parents and brother and sister-in-law arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, and were met by Army officers who drove them three hours to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.

Already at the hospital was the soldier's German wife, Katrin, who is six months pregnant with their first child, a son. Rise Pirinelli and the other family members joined the bedside vigil.

"We'll stay however long it takes. John is the real hero of our family," his mother said. To that end, family members in Western New York have organized a prayer service for John and for all the troops in Iraq. The gathering is set for 8:30 p.m. Thursday in Gateway Park, North Tonawanda.

23 posted on 08/10/2004 9:20:49 AM PDT by The Mayor ("Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." George Washington)
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To: Billie
We Luv Reruns!!

Your creations are always beautifully done,
thought-provoking and interesting, Billie.

Anything worth seeing once,
can be even better on the second round.

{{{{{ Hugs for The Empress }}}}}

24 posted on 08/10/2004 11:58:46 AM PDT by LadyX (((( To God be all praise and honor and glory -- ))))
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To: Billie
"As of this posting, Bush has 333 electoral votes to Kerry's 205."

*** GOOD NEWS ***

...|:>))

25 posted on 08/10/2004 12:01:37 PM PDT by LadyX (((( To God be all praise and honor and glory -- ))))
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To: The Mayor
Ahhh....speaking of The Good News indeed:

"In the wonders of creation we see God at work."

Amen.

26 posted on 08/10/2004 12:04:24 PM PDT by LadyX (((( To God be all praise and honor and glory -- ))))
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To: Lakeside; Gabz
"O.k. LadyX and Gabz; I'm ready to continue our last night discussions..."

Oh, no!! Missed the morning rounds, and now have to go out to get provisions...
Hope the storms will be no more than a whisper near your parents, Lakeside.

Will be back this evening!

27 posted on 08/10/2004 12:07:22 PM PDT by LadyX (((( To God be all praise and honor and glory -- ))))
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To: LadyX
"As of this posting, Bush has 333 electoral votes to Kerry's 205."

Hey, it's gotten even better as the day wears on - Bush is up to 352 now, with Kerry 186. Bush picked up Missouri and West Virginia for 16 more electoral votes - I'm not sure which other one *was* in Kerry's corner for 3 (Delaware? It's Bush Red now) :)

28 posted on 08/10/2004 12:10:21 PM PDT by Billie
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To: The Mayor
How wonderrul, Rus, that you are changing things, one mind at a time.
After all, the Grand Canyon was formed by little drops of water!

We have to keep trying, the future for our children and grandchildren at stake - -

29 posted on 08/10/2004 12:11:44 PM PDT by LadyX (((( To God be all praise and honor and glory -- ))))
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To: LadyX
We Luv Reruns!! Your creations are always beautifully done, thought-provoking and interesting, Billie. Anything worth seeing once, can be even better on the second round. {{{{{ Hugs for The Empress }}}}}

Oh, my - that was sweet!!

(((((((((((((((LadyMaggie)))))))))))

30 posted on 08/10/2004 12:17:37 PM PDT by Billie
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To: Billie; The Mayor
I hate NY is in kerry's column, too.

Ditto!!!!!!!

What surprised me is that Delaware is not there

31 posted on 08/10/2004 12:29:57 PM PDT by Gabz (Ted Kennedy's driving has killed more people than second hand smoke)
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To: The Mayor

What a heartwarming story. Prayers for that Brave young man.


32 posted on 08/10/2004 12:34:34 PM PDT by Gabz (Ted Kennedy's driving has killed more people than second hand smoke)
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To: Billie
Excellent opener today Billie!

We're getting ready for a couple of hurricanes to come through this area. You wouldn't think that they would affect the Blue Ridge Mountains but they do. Lots of wind gusts and heavy rains. We lost some of our largest hickory trees back when Opal came through.

33 posted on 08/10/2004 12:34:34 PM PDT by Aquamarine
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To: LadyX; Lakeside

Howdy ladies!!!


34 posted on 08/10/2004 12:35:36 PM PDT by Gabz (Ted Kennedy's driving has killed more people than second hand smoke)
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To: Gabz; LadyX; The Mayor
What surprised me is that Delaware is not there

As I posted to LadyX at #28: "Bush is up to 352 now, with Kerry 186."

These were kerry's earlier 15 states: Maine, Vermont, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, West Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Mexico, California, Washington.

Bush picked up Missouri (11), West Virginia (5) and Iowa (7), but lost Rhode Island (4) in the latest count.

Note to anyone reading this poll for the first time, let me reiterate it is only an AOL Straw Poll.

35 posted on 08/10/2004 1:15:06 PM PDT by Billie
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To: Aquamarine
Thanks, Sistah, for your sweet compliment.

Hope these latest hurricanes don't leave a trail of damage behind them as they come through. :(

36 posted on 08/10/2004 1:19:22 PM PDT by Billie
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To: The Mayor
"We'll stay however long it takes. John is the real hero of our family," his mother said. To that end, family members in Western New York have organized a prayer service for John and for all the troops in Iraq. The gathering is set for 8:30 p.m. Thursday in Gateway Park, North Tonawanda.

Bump for prayers for John and his family for however long it takes. Thanks, Rus.

37 posted on 08/10/2004 1:24:48 PM PDT by Billie
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To: lonestar
John Kerry chopped down the cherry tree and blamed it on George W. And that's the truth! Weinie

LOL! You're too cute, Weinie. :)

P.S. I love the pictures this morning.

Thank you. :)

38 posted on 08/10/2004 1:29:39 PM PDT by Billie
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To: Billie
You wouldn't think that they would affect the Blue Ridge Mountains but they do

Should that say effect ...or infect....sheesh...lol

39 posted on 08/10/2004 1:30:34 PM PDT by Aquamarine
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To: Billie; LadyX; The Mayor

Delaware has this weird tradition when it comes to Presidential Elections: "As Delaware goes, so goes the Nation"

Because for so long whoever won the Presidency had also won Delaware. In 2000 they decided the tradition still held because "Gore won the popular vote."

I'm so glad I don't live there anymore!!!


40 posted on 08/10/2004 1:41:36 PM PDT by Gabz (Ted Kennedy's driving has killed more people than second hand smoke)
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