Memorial Day
It was a bad morning for me today. I awakened feeling
terribly ill, desperate, sad and fearful. But amazingly, after
some Tazo tea and some breakfast, I felt a lot better.
I had a visit from my pal from youth, Joel Block, French
lit. scholar and expert on fine watches, and his lovely
girlfriend Yvonna. We talked about aging. Sad subject.
Then I slept almost all afternoon with my big wifey by my
side in our apartment at the Watergate. At about six, we got up
and went over to 23rd Street and walked down to Constitution, and
then over to the Vietnam War Memorial. It was mobbed with high
school students.
I had three people very close to me fight in Vietnam —
John W. Keker, super lawyer, Lawrence Hyde Lissitzyn, super
lawyer and super investor, and my late father-in-law, Dale
Denman, Jr. of Prescott, Arkansas, big time Silver Star medal
recipient, big, big time war fighting brave guy. All were heroes
in combat. I am so happy that none of them had their names on the
wall of the dead.
Then we walked over to the Korean War Memorial. It was
better than last time because the space between the
poncho-covered soldiers has been filled in with low plants, which
makes it look less manicured. I was stunned by a certain aspect
of this memorial. It has a low slab with the names of the nations
that fought on our side in Korea. Norway, India, The Netherlands,
Belgium, The Philippines, Britain, New Zealand, Australia.… I
wonder how many will be there with the U.S. and South Korea for
the next round, which looks as if it’s coming right up. We have a
lot fewer friends than we had.
I thought about my superstar Uncle, Bob Denman, also of
Prescott, who fought with astounding bravery and resolution at
the Cho-Sin Reservoir in Korea and turned down a citation for a
Silver Star because he wanted his whole unit to get the medal and
it’s not a unit citation. This guy is in his late 70s or early
80s and he is as modest and kind as a man can be, and still a
fine golfer. And a gentleman of the old school. Never gets
excited or raises his voice. The Denmans are amazingly polite
people.
I also thought of my pal Norman Lear, who flew more than 50
combat bomber missions over Nazi-occupied Europe. He is a diehard
“progressive,” but also a super brave guy and a far better man
than I will ever be — as are all of these stars.
Then off to an Italian dinner with my pals Russ and his
girlfriend, Claire, and big wifey.
Now, to pack and prepare to go see my pal Ray Lucia. Ray is
simply the best wealth manager I know of. He knows more about
personal finance than any other person I have ever met. His
advice — lots of liquidity and very wide diversification — is
so sensible it has saved me from suicide many a night. This guy
is a lifesaver where managing money is concerned. We are
colleagues, so I am not disinterested, but even before we were
colleagues, I was learning from him and being guided by
him.
Now, before I go to sleep, let me tell you I love today’s
news about the world condemning Israel for intercepting ships
carrying unknown cargo, with Hamas minders on board, and then
shooting some Palestinians and Turks on the ships who attacked
the Israeli soldiers — who had not fired a shot — with pistols,
knives and steel rods.
Imagine if Al Qaeda tried to land several freighter loads
of cargo in Tijuana. What do you think the U.S. would do? What
would we do if the terrorists attacked the U.S. Coast Guardsmen
inspecting the ship with knives and pistols and steel rods? Guess
what: Israel did what we would have done.
The UN, of course, yelled and screamed and called Israel
names. Obama is standing up for Israel, for which I give him
credit, at least as of this writing.
Poor Israel. The only democracy in the Middle East. The
only nation that gives its Arab citizens rights under law. And
the world hates Israel so much. Why do people hate Jews so much?
I know Jews are a bit different… but to hate us this much? To
want to kill us en masse? To condemn Israel for self-defense
(while ignoring cold blooded murder by North Korea)? What’s going
on?
God bless the devout Christians of this country. They are
Israel’s best friends on the earth.
