Veterans deserve our apologies
On this Veterans Day, as we honor the men and women who sacrificed so that we can enjoy the measure of freedom we retain today, Iíve been thinking of the Cold War insecurity of 50 years ago and how as children we lived in fear of being destroyed by ěthe bomb.î Many families built fallout shelters stocked with food, water and supplies to hopefully survive the aftermath should our archenemy Nakita Khrushchev ěpush the button.î
Khrushchev made no bones about his hatred of America and our way of life. Many of his quotes have proven quite prophetic ó Speaking in 1956 he said of the West, ěWhether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you.î And later, ěThe press is our chief ideological weapon.î Little could he have known how true those proclamations would prove to be 50 years later!
Undoubtedly the greatest generation of our countryís history fought and died to preserve principles and freedoms that we have squandered. Political correctness now trumps truth. We stand idly by ó too busily preoccupied with video games and other diversions to respond while the courts eat away constitutionally guaranteed religious liberties. Challenges by a vocal minority who are ěoffendedî by Christian symbols in public places prove that diversity and tolerance are one-way streets. The media disparages Tea Partiers who dare stand up for common sense, fiscal responsibility, limited government and free market economic policies while most of us are too complacent to care.
The generation that occupied Nazi Germany to end World War II has been succeeded by generations who occupy Wall Street to end free enterprise. Perhaps as we honor our veterans itís also appropriate that we apologize to them.
ó Tim Deal
Salisbury
The wrong greeting
Happy Veteranís Day?! Isnít that an oxymoron? How can we wish someone a ěhappyî Veteranís Day? I am not ěhappyî that we have to have a Veteranís Day. Are you ěhappyî that we even have the need for this day? Are we ěhappyî that so very many good men and women have fought and died, been maimed or scarred for life in body and mind because of war?
I am grateful, yes! I enjoy the freedoms that these amazing folks fought so hard to win for me. I am blessed beyond measure to live in this country where I can walk and talk and freely express myself, where I have the right and privilege to vote about what matters in my government, where I work in a profession that I love and daily enjoy my ělife, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.î But I will not be ěhappyî about Veteranís Day.
I will be grateful, respectful, introspective and, yes, grief stricken that so many have died and suffered for me and for you. Thank you, thank you and again, thank you to all those brave men and women who have gone before, who serve now and who will, inevitably, serve in the future.
Thank you.
ó Rose Meeks Jones
Salisbury
Veterans breakfast
As a veteran of the Vietnam era I would like to thank Mt. Ulla Elementary and my grandson Cameron Graham for inviting me to the Veterans Breakfast on Nov. 10. I would also like to thank Assistant Principle Erika Beattie for making us all feel welcome. God bless America.
ó Jack Cornatzer
Salisbury
Good Samaritans
When you have no names, addresses or phone numbers, it seems the only place you can resort to is the newspaper to try to thank people whoíve gone out of their way to help you. And I need very much to thank two people whom I cannot forget.
I was driving east on Highway 152 back on Oct. 24 when a student headed to South Rowan High School suddenly turned left into my path at Stirewalt Road, knocking me into an adjacent field. While both cars were totaled, at least neither driver was! Suddenly two people appeared who had witnessed the accident. One pried open my door to extricate me; the other retrieved my purse and glasses. I was in such a daze I never got their names, and they never thought to offer them but only wanted to make sure I was OK. Thanks so much to both of you! EMS soon arrived to transport me to Northeast Medical Center, and they are to be thanked as well for their kind and sympathetic care.
While this incident has a reasonably happy ending, Iíd like very much to advocate for a stoplight at that intersection. The speed limit is 55 mph; there are innumerable tractor-trailers traveling that route, and there have been other accidents in the past. Please prevent future disasters!
ó Joan Frye
China Grove