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America isn't America anymore

Updated: Wednesday, February 6, 2008 6:54 AM PST

Just imagine what any U.S. Marine who gave his life on Tarawa, Guadalcanal, Saipan or Iwo Jima would say if he could see from the grave what his country is like today:

My great-grandson wants to marry another man? My great-granddaughter is aborting her baby? My God! What happened to the U.S. I fought and died for?

I mean, just look at it. Foreign invaders illegally entering the country and taking over without firing a shot, while average Americans are being foreclosed out of their homes because they aren't rich!

Homeless veterans living in the streets while draft dodgers get elected president and live in the White House!

Politicians more crooked than they've ever been and our military leaders can't even defeat the enemy in small-fry countries like Vietnam and Iraq!

It took the Marines only a matter of days or weeks to secure any of the Pacific islands in World War II, and the Japanese were far superior soldiers than any bunch of slimy terrorists in the Middle East.

When I was in Vietnam, we weren't allowed to kick butt because we had to follow too may rules while the enemy followed only one rule: kill Americans!

I can only imagine what that Marine surmised of it all: "I feel so ashamed of my country! I feel let down!"

The red, white and blue still waves over the land, but the American spirit — its values and morals — are a thing of the past. I just hope and pray we can bring them back.

John Cooper
Stockton

Reader Feedback

Brian wrote on Feb 9, 2008 3:21 PM:

" Leonard, There is no doubt that there are far more abortions taking place now than there were in the forties. Just because most abortions are done safely doesn't make it right. Society has come a long way since the forties. Women are not frowned upon nearly as much for having unwanted pregnancies. The shortage of babies adoption agencies need is astounding. Blame it on the abortion racket. YOU can't cite the abortions women had without citing the mindset society had about women getting pregnant out of wedlock in the forties. "

Lodian wrote on Feb 9, 2008 1:26 PM:

" girard74: "What I am tired of is the selective memories of people who believe that things were always better 'back then.'". BOY, I sure agree with that statement. "

Lodian wrote on Feb 9, 2008 1:17 PM:

" I like your 9:28 PM post. Baby Bush? LOL "

Lodian wrote on Feb 9, 2008 1:17 PM:

" gerard74: Hey, I think Michael Moore is a kick. "

danielh wrote on Feb 8, 2008 2:05 PM:

" Technically-speaking, America's role in both World Wars was for the hidden objective of establishing the League of Nations, or its equivalent, the United Nations (no difference). "

danielh wrote on Feb 8, 2008 2:04 PM:

" The responses do not consider that world wars were fought with nations carrying their own flag.

Today, wars are fought on behalf of the UN, NATO or other regional government. In these wars, either the fighting nations carry the flag of the regional government or they conceal their objective by carrying their own flag.

In these wars, "rules of engagement" are established so that these end in stalemate with the regional government in power.

Troops are told that they are defending their own country, whereas in the 1991Gulf War, VP Quayle informed the grieving mothers that their son died for the UnitedNations. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 7, 2008 7:54 PM:

" Voter - I am sure it is an eye opener. Not having seen the picture, I cannot comment on its content. Hopefully, though, it doesn't follow in the same tradition as Michael Moore's contributions to Hollywood. "

voter wrote on Feb 7, 2008 6:51 PM:

" Speaking of weak presidents: Anyone here see the documentary "No End in Sight"? It's been nominated for an Oscar and was produced by a gentleman who supported the war and all of the subjects interviewed are Bush people. It's an eye opener. "

sam wrote on Feb 7, 2008 9:37 AM:

" and once again, girard74, great answer. I have to say I do not always agree with your posts, but, in my opinion, you are right on on this blog. Thanks for the information. "

sam wrote on Feb 7, 2008 9:34 AM:

" OTH, you're welcome. And it is always great to read your blogs. I love following your posts. Too funny, but you seem to ask a lot of the same questions I am about ready to ask myself. So, Thank You. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 7, 2008 12:03 AM:

" One more and I'll stop. Bill Clinton, as charasmatic as he may be, will be remembered in history as being a very weak president.

Aside from his inability to control his basest instincts, his dismantling of the military during the time when terrorist attacks were increasing against Americans and American interests around the globe will not be recorded favorably.

As CINC, he failed to adequately respond to virtually every overt threat including the USS Cole, for which there was no response whatsoever.

I am concerned that Hillary Clinton, if elected president, will be equally as impotent. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 11:53 PM:

" It simply isn't 'fair' to blame or credit any one man, even the President of the United States, for the changes in something so incredibly huge and complex as our economic system.

The fact is, however, fairness aside, it usually falls upon that big desk in the Oval Office - someone has to take the blame even when there is so much to go around and so many on which shoulders it should rest. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 11:50 PM:

" It has only been a few years since the real estate market was booming, really booming. Especially here in San Joaquin County there were so many 'sub-prime' loans approved for folks who would not be able to afford the increase in payments when the rates started to go up as a result of their contracts which many failed to read and understand.

Real estate values evened out and then began to drop. Equity evaporated and those sub-prime people couldn't refinance to stop the increases in interest rates. Foreclosures have multiplied exponentually. This sure didn't help an already-fragile economy. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 11:44 PM:

" G.W. Bush's main contribution to the problem was his permitting of uncontrolled spending.

Unpopular as this may sound right now, there is a school of thought that believes that the economy is not as bad as the media would make us believe. Unfortunately, the congress, the president and every candidate running for the White House have also bolstered that idea. At some point it doesn't matter anymore because Wall Street reacts to some pretty unusual events to send the Dow south. The dominoes fall and it's pretty tough to stop them. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 11:39 PM:

" I submitted earlier that poor economies are unfairly attributed to a single person - the president in office at the time.

As far as Bill Clinton's administration, there is absolute proof that the economy was already heading toward a problem during his last year or so in office. It wasn't identified until after W took office. Economies do not go bad instantaneously, unless something very dramatic occurs.

Enter 9/11. That attack changed our way of life like nothing has in our history. Wars have a way of draining the governmental coffers. Both wars were supported by the majority of both houses. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 11:34 PM:

" OTH - you state my case very well. There are are so many different processes that go into causing an economy to turn south. Memory should serve you well that the elder Bush allowed a Democrat-controlled congress to bully him into going back on his word of 'no new taxes.'

JFK, Reagan, George H.W. Bush and G.W. Bush all knew that the raising of taxes usually has an adverse affect on governmental income as well as on the economy itself.

There is no doubt that the allowing of runaway spending helped to cause the current economic downturn. Congress has a hand there. "

OTH wrote on Feb 6, 2008 9:28 PM:

" girard 74 if my memory serves me right the economy was in the toilet when the elder Bush left office. We also had staggering debt. I'm not a great fan of Bill Clinton but he did do a fairly good job of turning that around. And then, along came baby bush. We are back where we started when the elder was president. "

OTH wrote on Feb 6, 2008 9:20 PM:

" Sam thank you. I couldn't remember all of it but I knew somebody would. "

Leonard wrote on Feb 6, 2008 7:06 PM:

" "Back alleys" that is. "

Leonard wrote on Feb 6, 2008 7:05 PM:

" John Cooper: Get a clue. Women had abortions back during WWII. You just didn't hear about them because they were done in back allies by quacks and butchers. When the young woman died it was reported that she had suffered from a "sudden illness".

You can't rewrite history just to make it support your ideology. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 6:10 PM:

" Sam - thank you. I don't often get positive feedback on my thoughts. I do appreciate it. "

sam wrote on Feb 6, 2008 5:29 PM:

" OTH, the quote I remember is "rich old men start wars, while the young and the poor fight and die in them." "

sam wrote on Feb 6, 2008 5:28 PM:

" Girard74, nice blogs. I enjoyed reading them


"

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 3:50 PM:

" OTH - No, not at all. My reference to the Great Depression and Hoover was only to accentuate the similarities between the 1930s and today. The only thing positive regarding Hoover is a dam given his name, although there were/are many that think he doesn't even deserve that.

However, I do contend that presidents are usually unfairly saddled with the lion's share of blame when an economy slides; unfair as it may be, however, that's simply the way it goes. The ingredients that go into a failing economy are complex, many are difficult or impossible to identify. "

OTH wrote on Feb 6, 2008 3:38 PM:

" girard 74, please don't tell me you think Hoover was a great president? There is a quote, I can't remember it all, that says "old men start wars and young men die." Maybe someone knows the full quote. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 1:07 PM:

" What I am tired of is the selective memories of people who believe that things were always better 'back then.' Each generation has been faced with good and bad events. Our nation, such that it is, has survived and moved on but rather than bad mouth it, I would rather look at these challenges as exactly what they are - challenges to be solved. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 1:03 PM:

" Cooper also states - 'The red, white and blue still waves over the land, but . . . its values and morals — are a thing of the past.'

Let's review that a little. Prior to WWII, our nation went through the worst financial disaster in history. Hoover was pilloried for not solving the situation, much in the same way presiding presidents receive blame for difficult economic times.

As for values and morals, prior to the 60s, blacks in the south couldn't eat at restaurants or even drink from the same water fountain as whites.

Yeah, really great back then. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 12:46 PM:

" Taxpayer - what ARE you talking about. Each of my responses were directed at the article clearly outlining the inaccuracies contained. I would have loved to respond to your first post, but it's impossible to understand exactly what 'What! LOL' means in relation to what the author wrote.

Cooper is badmouthing those in power today, but makes no reference to the references made shortly after Pearl Harbor that it was known by FDR (a Democrat) that the attack was coming. Things haven't changed much over the years.

I appreciate your complimenting my intelligence; I really do wish I could return the compliment. "

Taxpayer & Citizen wrote on Feb 6, 2008 12:02 PM:

" Girard, you're a very intelligent person, but the baaahhhs of your sheepherd drown you out. You need to stop defending those that cry war, but haven't fought a lick themselves, like most politicians of all parties. The right wingnuts are famous for their faux bravado. Give credit where credit is due. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 9:59 AM:

" While many of the actions taken by my leaders and other Americans may have disappointed me over the course of my lifetime, I have never, ever, been 'ashamed' of my country and I have never, ever been 'ashamed' to be an American. America has gone through many changes since 1776 and thankfully many of its old policies and immoral practices have been discarded along the way. That's not to say we don't have a long way to go. But right now we have a woman and a black man running for president. Ashamed? I don't think so. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 8:59 AM:

" Cooper states: 'What happened to the U.S. I fought and died for?'

Here is a clear example of why authors need to proof-read their letters. From what I can tell, Cooper is still alive. The Lodi News-Sentinel should also attempt to identify these types of errors by at least inserting a [sic] here and there when obviously warranted. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 8:53 AM:

" '. . . average Americans are being foreclosed out of their homes because they aren't rich.'

If you are referring to the current 'crisis' in home loans. This is mostly as a result of loans that should never have been made. Teaser rates incredibly low that rise dramatically after a relatively short time have found many unable to keep up. Those who had sub-standard credit going into the loan have been unable to improve that credit sufficiently enough to qualify for a better deal when those rates started to rise.

Illegal aliens have nothing to do with this problem. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 8:50 AM:

" 'Homeless veterans living in the streets while draft dodgers get elected president and live in the White House!'

Cooper, don't be disingenuous. We've never had a 'draft dodger' as president.

It's not easy to determine why certain people who are homeless remain that way. Impirical research reveals that most veterans are out there as a result of drugs or mental illness. Regardless, there are solutions through the VA, but these veterans either need to be found and identified, or they need to come forward on their own. "

girard74 wrote on Feb 6, 2008 8:44 AM:

" John Cooper stated: 'It took the Marines only a matter of days or weeks to secure any of the Pacific islands in World War II, and the Japanese were far superior soldiers than any bunch of slimy terrorists in the Middle East.'

Guadalcanal, the first major battle of the Pacific in WWII, took six months to complete. Casualties on both sides were incredibly high. 72 million people died as a result of WWII. Glorious? I don't think so.

In WWII, we knew who the enemy was - they wore uniforms. The world 'has' changed. "

danielh wrote on Feb 6, 2008 7:43 AM:

" John Cooper: You didn't propose a solution.
"

Taxpayer & Citizen wrote on Feb 6, 2008 7:39 AM:

" What! LOL "

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