The American Spectator

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Modern Outrages

4.12.06 @ 12:01AM

(Page 5 of 5)

MOMS FOR BEN
Re: Ben Stein's Greetings From Rancho Mirage:

Thank you from a proud Army mom of Matthew.
-- Pam

I love ya man. I just read an article you wrote to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, National Guard, and reservists. My son is a Marine in Iraq right now and I am printing this article for his next care package. You are an amazing, brave American and I appreciate the respect you give our military.
-- Dorothy Loeper, Proud Marine Mom of Lcpl. Cory Loeper, 1/7 Wpns. Co. CAAT Blue.

Just came across Ben Stein's piece posted on 4-5-06.Wow! Talk about perspective. Humbling, is it not?
-- Ron Kowalski

Thank you for your humble thoughts directed towards the defenders of freedom. Never has one American (except for maybe President Ronald Reagan) expressed gratitude towards the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines such as you continue to do. I have always enjoyed your humor, wit, intellect and grasp of the English language -- along with the manner in which you deliver your thoughts.

You are unselfish in your deed as you don't do it for recognition, although you could -- you do it from the heart -- where it matters most. You also "stand-up" -- not on "high" moral ground, but on your own moral ground -- where ever American should stand, unto themselves and their values; you do not pretend to placate anyone, you do what is right because it is the right thing to do. Thank you again for making your voice heard.

I'm a serving Army Officer -- 19 years total Active Duty and an additional eight in the Reserves (I got out when the Clintons were "elected"... I'm a life member of the VFW and the American Legion. I grew up on a farm in Iowa and was in Boy Scouts, 4-H, FFA, Horse & Saddle clubs, etc. If you'd please allow me to express a few thoughts and misgivings, I'd like to pose a few questions to you, and maybe, just maybe, you could then ask them in a public forum; then maybe, just maybe, America may begin to take some positive steps toward change. I'm sure you already know these things, but here are my questions and misgivings:

1) How do we get America to do "what's right"? How do "we" get them to do what's right not only in supporting the defenders of freedom because we're at war, but in all things important to the preservation of the principles of democracy -- to return the country and its direction to the People of the nation -- not the career politicians, the lobbyists and big business?

2) How do we get Congress on the same pay/retirement system as every American? Are the three branches of government so removed from the people? Why are they not forced to use the same pay/retirement system as the rest of us? I realize there are many complexities, but what's the REAL answer?

3) How about health care? Are the three branches of government allowed special health care (for life???) while the health care of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines slide off of the actuarial tables of supportable defense spending -- let alone the issue of the continual erosion of veterans benefits -- healthcare being the most important... When I signed-up for the Army in 1978 I was guaranteed 100 percent health care for life (I won't go into my personal health care issues). How can Congress vote themselves a better life (even if they only serve one term) while the majority of Americans fight for their daily survival, forced to live with and pay for the ever-growing greed and corruption of the three branches of government?

4) Speaking of the epitome of greed and corruption, I'm also concerned about why Senators (I use that word legally, as a form of proper speech) Kennedy and Kerry are even allowed to serve -- but instead should be in prison (Kennedy, like his nephew -- for at least negligent vehicular homicide, DUI, etc; Kerry for TREASON -- for his transgressions when he was a serving Naval Reservist!!!). These fine examples of senior Senatorial "leadership" are why America is losing the war with itself! The government should be able to "police" itself -- it isn't. What's being done about it? They're "talking" about it. As evidence of the recent events of Tom Delay and the government in general -- greed, corruption, power-brokering, etc., are running rampant in the government -- all while the military is being called upon to do the bidding of not only the power-brokers in the White House and Congress, but also to actually defend the freedom of America and fight for the freedom for all those whom would have it.

In order to be fairly and justly governed, we have to have representatives of the people whom are fair and just -- representatives whom do the people's bidding. Albeit, there are times when the "right" thing to do is not for the majority, but for what is "right" and "just" -- these are decisions which our elected officials MUST make on behalf of the people, no other influence allowed.

We have an "entitlement-based" government that is draining the future of our country. We are being forced to sell our "needs" for spending to foreign governments in order to maintain our internal appeasement of the entitlement spenders to maintain "balance" within writhing masses of politicians, lobbyists, judges, the welfare state, in addition to most all of non-self-starting Katrina "victims," foreign aid, etc. included... Where does it stop?

I can only speak as a citizen as I'm not legally "allowed" to express a public opinion while serving in the military. You may do what you wish with the content of this e-mail, but please do not publish it in my name or give credit to me in any way -- I only want our country to return to its core values in order that we may survive the trials and tribulations of our government.
-- Name Withheld

Thank you for your kind and thoughtful words. While your words and thoughts are most appreciated I am wondering why only the Marines were listed with a capital letter. I know it is not your intent; however, lower casing the other Services (except the Marines) seems to marginalize the importance of our other Services. For the past five years or so the terms Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Coast Guard Members have all been capitalized. I was wondering if, in the future, all references to Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, and Coast Guard Members could be capitalized as they are within their respective departments. Thanks again for your very kind thoughts and sentiments. This is one article that should be shared with everyone! You are the best for taking the time to let us know how you feel.
-- PUHL

Editor's Note:
We do not mean to slight the other services by referring to them in lowercase. "Marines" are grammatically exceptional because the group of individuals composing the branch is the same word as the entire branch, the Marines, a proper noun. As for the other branches, we capitalize the U.S. Army, but individuals in it are soldiers, not Armies. The same goes for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force. Soldiers, airmen, and sailors are not properly capitalized because they're not proper nouns. Uppercase soldiers, airman, and sailors could be members of those branches in any country. Conversely, when one writes the Marines, readers understand that the writer means members of the U.S. Marine Corps.

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