Price of Freedom

Original | 05/10/2004 | Chris Davis

[writer33]

Price of Freedom

Freedom isn’t cheap. It’s the most expensive asset in America. Without freedom, all other assets would become negligible. If we take a look at a balance sheet, freedom would be listed as a Long Term Asset, the kind of asset that takes years and years to pay off.

Who pays it off? The United States Armed Forces. The men and women in the military make that payment on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Over the years, those sacrifices made have been an installment to freedom. Each deployment and death have made life in America all the more perfect. Those in uniform have provided us with a balance sheet of long term assets like no other country in the world.

We have become a superpower through the use of our U.S. Armed Forces. Each entity of those forces-Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard-provide us with ample protection against enemies, foreign and domestic. Their blood has allowed the pursuit of excellence, in business, in politics, and around the world.

The freedom to make those daily choices in our lives is provided by strangers at home and in far and distant lands. Every stranger stood at a podium and took an oath to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution. Within the Constitution lie our inherent daily freedoms and rights. The rights the media loves to wave their flag at.

The media loves to tout their freedom of speech. Oh, yes, their freedom of speech, the First Amendment to the Constitution. The one they cherish so closely. The one they champion vigorously, even if it means putting our soldiers in harm’s way. No matter what it takes, the story must go forth, in accordance with the U.S. Constitution. That is their belief. That is their sentiment. It is those principles that drive them, day after day, without any regard for those that bear the responsibility for allowing that very freedom.

Liberalism and the liberal media have done more to endanger our soldiers lives than any war. Over the last ten years-Bosnia, Kosovo, and Mogadishu-are examples of bright, shining liberal causes, placing our troops in danger. All of these deployments were to foreign countries on liberal humanitarian missions. These causes were pushed heavily by the U.S. and World media. President Bill Clinton, the most liberal President since Jimmy Carter, governed all of these exercises after “The Big Media” insisted we intervene for the cause of humanity.

Recently, with the release of pictures from the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the liberal media has chastised Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, President Bush, and our soldiers. Quickly, they chant fond remembrances of John Kerry’s testimony and atrocities of Vietnam.

Single-handedly, they make the likeness to the “murder of innocent women and children,” as testified by John Kerry in 1971. In their push to blame the sons and daughters of America, they point out the First Amendment to the Constitution. They identify their freedom of speech as their “cause.” The right of the American people to know. They press the story, harder and harder, making it seem as if it broke only a few short days ago. In truth, the story has been circulating since January, when the silence in the media could be compared to a small town library on Sunday afternoon.

They sit on their lofty chairs, as if they were kings, pointing their fingers at a few bad apples, and stating, “See this is what are military does. They are to blame for everything wrong in Iraq. We told you so.” In their haste, they scold the personnel responsible for giving them an opportunity to sit on their thrones.

With a few exceptions-Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Free Republic, etc…-they jeer at them in their hypocrisy. There are few media personnel and liberals today that can really appreciate the plights of our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and mothers and fathers. In their heyday, they spit upon my father’s generation. Now, they attempt to spit upon mine. I will not bow my head in shame.

They scream their vitriol, attempting to once again relive the Vietnam War, and forgetting that Mogadishu harmed the reputation of the U.S. Military far more than these pictures in Iraq. Liberals, and the media elite, seem to become absent-minded in their rage. They seem to misplace the demoralizing stain Mogadishu left on are Armed Forces and Special Forces. The U.S. Special Forces, among the best to serve in our military, were handcuffed like prisoners going to trial in Mogadishu. President Bill Clinton branded our military as “cowards” that cut and run, making it near impossible to earn the fear and respect of terrorists.

Now, as we approach Armed Forces Day, a new president sits in office. President George W. Bush, a fine example of moral integrity, leads our troops in Iraq. Today, he roots out terrorism, as if it were termites invading the foundation of American homes. He sends our men and women into battle on a cause for freedom, liberating the Iraqi people from dictatorship and establishing a democracy. He apologizes for the actions of a few, but keeps his faith in our military.

Never have I felt more patriotic than on this day. Never have I been reminded of what it meant to have served this fine country. This America, the beacon of freedom for the rest of the world. And never have I been so lucky to have those individuals make sacrifices for the price of freedom.

There hasn’t been a president, like George W. Bush, since President Ronald Reagan brought us from our liberal slumber. He (Reagan) made us feel patriotic again. He made us proud to brandish the title, American. President Reagan brought excellence to business, to culture, and to our spirituality as Americans. He made us whole again. President George W. Bush follows that same legacy. He took a broken country away from President Bill Clinton and is attempting to piece it together.

President George Bush has taken a once defeated military and made them confident and strong again. He has made the price of freedom all the more worth it in the 21st Century. Today, I am a prouder American, a thriving American, and a more patriotic American than five years ago.

Despite the claims of the liberal media, I am thankful for the sons and daughters, brothers and sister, and mothers and fathers serving in our military. I am forever grateful of their sacrifices for the price of freedom. Despite a few bad apples from Abu Ghraib prison, I remain filled with honor. I have served with some of the finest individuals I’ll ever know, those that knew the price of freedom.

[PGalt]

Outstanding. Thanks.

Their blood has allowed the pursuit of excellence...

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

For...


...WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE...

...and YOUNG =


http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_set1.htm
(Photos Set #1)

http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm
(Photo Collection)

.

[onyx]

I am in CA at this moment.
Early here for a night owl like me.

[Pelham]

I'd be more careful about equating 'liberal' with 'anti-military'. It was the very liberal LBJ who sent combat troops into Vietnam. His mentor FDR was a good role model for him in this regard. The ineffectual Jimmy Carter served in the Navy. Liberals like John Chaffee, Fritz Hollings, and Bob Kerry (Bob, not John) were in combat, as of course was John Kennedy. Daniel K. Inouye was badly wounded while serving in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. There are and have been a good deal more political liberals in uniform than Rush and Sean and Laura seem to realize. Since none of those three served they might want to tone down this particular argument.

[writer33]

Well, that explains it. I usually work long hours so most of the people that respond are West Coasters or midnight owls on the East Coast.

[Fracas]

Excellent article, Chris. I forwarded it to a few people in the 'Doubting Thomas' category.

Onyx, thanks for the ping.

[Mo1]

Thanks for the ping Onyx

Outstanding Post writer33

[writer33]

Thank you. I appreciate it. Just don't cause a Fracas. :) Wait. That's ruckus. :)

[writer33]

Thanks, Mol. I really appreciate the sentiments.

[Gabz]

Thanks, Speedy. They actually do give me the creeps. Wish I could be with the NYC FReepers to give them all a bunch of grief..............but I swore off that place a long time ago (reasons both political and personal).....I also have to be at home at 3:45 when the school bus gets here and my daughter gets off.........hubby's job doesn't allow him to always be sure he is here at that time.

OOPS, I'm not supposed to say things like that, according to the lefties, that makes me a downtrodden woman who is subordinate to her husband and is forced to be the primary care giver instead of being the primary bread-winner. Yeah, right. The next time I want something special for myself or my family - I'll go get a part-time job to acquire the money needed to pay for it......for right now, everyone in this house is happy.

As to Delaware.......I've got no clue, and haven't for a long time, what is wrong with those people. I will never, ever, forget the night that that Tom Crapper beat Bill Roth.........there were no "after" parties at GOP HQ in Dover........most folks couldn't stop crying. Everyone just went home.

[Fracas]

I've been known to cause a ruckus, too. ROFL!

Is your book still scheduled for release in June?

[writer33]

"Is your book still scheduled for release in June?"

Yes it is. I'll make the formal announcement here in a week or so. If I make it too far out, people forget and life happens, etc... So, I'll do the announcement thing around the 15th of the month.

Chris

[potlatch]

Very nice reading, writer!

Thanks for the ping onyx, been gone a couple days and trying to catch up!!

[writer33]

"Very nice reading, writer!"

Thank you. I appreciate that coming from a fellow Texan. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas. Lived there till I joined the U.S. Army. I still think of it as home.

[Fracas]

Perhaps you should consider a 'PING' list as a reminder.

Another former Texan (Houston) here.

[onyx]

We'll want ours specially autographed. :)
I am serious about that!

[potlatch]

Sorry, had my pager off and just saw this. I bet you do miss Corpus Christi!! I'm not too far from there in Victoria. I love anywhere there is a beach having grown up near Galveston!!

Signing off for the night, keep up the good writing!!

[devolve]

I am not interested in idolizing older democrat vets in Congress who vote against our troops and America's interests and survival.

LBJ, Hollings, Kerrey, Chaffee, Kerry and all the others stab out troops in the back every time.

A few like Joe Lieberman stand up for our military.

When I see a FR post defending these dem vets on a thread I instantly know what and who I am reading.

Scroll down and ignore them.

There are regular FR member/posters here that are professionals working for the DNC, MoveOn.org, ANSWER, Kerry & Co., CPUSA and of course the ever present contrarian hobbyist GW haters and those more Reagan than Reagan who expect their personal agendas 100% yesterday.

Some of these "FReepers" are long time early sign-up members and often talk like staunch Republicans or Conservatives.

Very mature, and always willing to stay home or vote for Mr. X and cost Republican candidates a win and they enjoy doing it.

Whether a stealth "sleeper" or merely a deluded renegade, they both distract and divide and are not your dear friends.

You do not analyze a rattlesnake or a terrorist or a leftie or a contrarian.

You either avoid them or.......

Stay focused.

Do not get distracted.

Like last weeks Kentucky Derby we may have to run in the mud but the focused horse and rider will win.


Never run with wounded or sick horses.

[writer33]

Going to work now. It starts way too early. I'll be off a while, listening to Rush in between stops. This is a great forum, despite those trolls that would try to creep in.

It's nice to have conservative conversation with conservatives. A place you don't often get at work. So thanks for all the wonderful conversation, FReepers. I'll talk to you this evening for those in them there Eastern and Central states.

[writer33]

Here you go, ma'am. I'll be off the net today, but on tonight.