The American Spectator

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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,

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