br>
Democratic Peoples Republic of Maryland (Soon to be the Socialist
Republic of Maryland)
/p>
p>
T. Boone Pickens offered up a cool million to anyone who could
prove there was one lie in what the Swifties said. Senator Kerry
promptly accepted Boone’s generous offer and immediately T. Boone
added conditions that were not in his initial offer. It is
absolutely clear that to any reasonable person that Mr. Pickens
reneged on his bet — case closed, no matter what Mr. R. Emmett R.
Tyrrell Junior says.
br>
—
Phil Kenny
br>
Colorado Springs, Colorado
/p>
p>
In what passes for his mind, doubtless Mr. Kerry envisions himself
a hero. A hero in the quintessential meaning of the term: a valiant
warrior in battle. Sort of a modern-day Hector. In truth we have a
right to be skeptical. One of the qualities I have repeatedly
noticed about real warriors is a chronic reticence; a reticence to
talk with non-comrades about their experiences, much less brag
about them. I took such a man, my beloved father-in-law to the
scene of one of his most profoundly difficult battlegrounds: Iwo
Jima. He appears on the title page of a recently published
photojournalistic book. His picture depicts a young man clutching
an M-1 and the black sand of the landing area. He has obviously
just crawled across some bodies of his fellows, The look on his
face does not reflect bravado…it reflects fear, wonderment that
he was still alive, and it reflects a determination to stay the
course. He virtually never speaks of his 30 odd days on that
hellhole. For that matter, none of the other vets conversed much
with anyone at all about their trial. Real warriors never seem to
talk about this stuff. That’s what struck me so pointedly about the
Alvin York of Massachusetts: The boy CAN’T shut up about his
exploits. And now he erupts in petulance at an aging financier over
an issue he’s stewed over lo these several years! Surely this
gentleman can’t be the best his state has to offer?
br>
—-
J.C. Eaton
br>
Chetek, Wisconsin
/p>
TIME TO RETIRE
p>
em>Flailing about with helpless arm,