This page was last modified on Monday, June 02, 2008 05:48:05 PM
ABATE 2008
Evergreen Park
Tribute to the Soldiers and Veterans
A Few Good Men
ABATE is a political activist organization fighting for, among other things, freedom of the road. The members of our organization work hard for the benefit of ALL motorcycle riders and the work we do is ALL VOLUNTARY.
Our soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines fight hard for, among other things, our freedom. They weren’t drafted. These are young men and women who have chosen to serve our country. As with the members of ABATE, today’s military is ALL VOLUNTARY.
These are A FEW GOOD MEN
They have put their lives on the line for our benefit – to preserve our way of life – to fight for what we all believe in. They have voluntarily put themselves in harm’s way so that their friends and families here in the United States of America and every other free nation around the world can wake up safe and free every morning.
As members of the United States Armed Forces, from the moment we entered basic training to the day we received our discharge, life was uncertain, to say the least.
It is virtually impossible to describe the feelings of separation and uncertainty to those who have never experienced what a soldier, airman, marine or sailor must endure in the service of his country. It is equally impossible for anyone who has not served to understand the sense of pride and camaraderie shared among those who have.
In my day most of the military personnel were drafted. Among those of us who enlisted, most were simply trying to choose the lesser of evils – Join the Air Force and fly over the swamp or get drafted and wind up marching through it.
But it is terribly discouraging to witness the protests and to hear our military leaders ridiculed for attempting to exercise decisiveness or to see our brave young men and women criticized for following orders.
We have an obligation to question the merit of those orders being issued but we – as well our political leaders – also owe our support to those who serve.
Wars cannot be fought successfully by the politicians inside The Beltway – Washington, D.C. should not be the command post for those serving on the front lines.
Congressmen and Senators are not the soldiers facing the enemy.
Political correctness has no place when dealing with an Enemy of the State.
Niceness and War do not go hand-in-hand.
Simply put, we cannot afford another Vietnam.
You may have noticed a difference in the way our soldiers these days are greeted with respect and honor when they return home from the front lines – thanks in large part to the Patriot Guard. There is a reason for that:
We Vietnam Veterans have vowed to never allow our sons and daughters coming home from the war in the Middle East to be treated the way we were when we returned home from Vietnam.
Protesting seems to go along with the right to speak freely. We cannot simply pass legislation to shut up the people we don’t want to listen to – even if the protesters are cruel and vulgar.
There are angry people on both sides of the debate. But I can assure you that every individual serving in our armed forces will tell you that even though they don’t like what the protesters are saying, they will continue the fight to preserve even the protestor’s right to speak out against them.
Yep! Although somebody should’ve shot her ass in DaNang when they had the chance, even Hanoi Jane Fonda has a right to have her say.
That’s what makes our country unique. That’s why people are sneaking across our boarders. They want what we have. We live in what the rest of the world seems to refer to as The Promised Land.
But make no mistake: A rat never jumps on board a sinking ship. People would not be trying to take over our country if there was nothing here worth stealing. The enemy is within.
We live in a country full of richness and opportunity. This freedom we enjoy is now and always has been under attack because, I believe, the rest of the world is basically jealous. They all want our way of life but they don’t seem to understand that it cannot be stolen from us without destroying its very essence.
The world wants what we have. They want our freedom but we must teach them to adapt to freedom because freedom is not a commodity – it is a way of life.
We must all get out of our comfort zones and fight to preserve our way of life.
That’s what our soldiers are trying to do – preserve our way of life.
This is America – Land of the Free and Home of the Brave
As a Vietnam Veteran I want to share my personal thanks for those who served before me, to those who served with me, and for those who continue serving so that I can live safe and free. Those men and women are my brothers in arms.
I also want to share with you something that only a soldier or a veteran can possibly understand:
For those who have fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
I hope you won’t mind that we wanted to take a few moments of your time here today to honor those who have served and died preserving our cherished way of life.
Let us all take the time to remember those who have gone before us having paid the ultimate price keeping us free.
May God Bless those men and women who have given all for the benefit of those who will never know.
________________
Dave "2 Beer" Stieler, Commander
V.F.W. Post 4837
Marlette, Michigan
IN GOD WE TRUST
CARCO Auto Electric
Marlette, MI
Aviation - still the safest way to travel.