It is time to pray, get off the couch, and take back our schools and churches
Most Americans celebrated Memorial Day by attending celebrations in many town squares paying tribute to those that gave it all so you and I can live free. On beaches and hell-hole battlefields around the World, the blood of American soldiers has been shed in the name of freedom.
Our military members, including all that served in Vietnam, deserve our highest respect. That existed from the beginning of our Republic.
Until today.
A group of high school teenagers attacked and beat a small group of Marines on a beach in San Clemente, California. The Marines had asked the teenagers to quit setting off fireworks.
This is one of the most disrespectful actions against our military observed in my 85 revolutions around the Sun. It is an assault on America.
This group of teenagers, ignorant about patriotism, is endemic to a significant problem in our country today.
On Memorial Day, I was working on the last chapter of a book I am writing, a part of which is devoted to two men with whom I attended school. One was appointed to West Point and advanced to Brigadier General US Air Force; the other went to Annapolis and rose to Captain US Navy.
These men were warriors of the highest level. Our Brigadier General had 8,000 flying hours in his logbook, reflecting 242 combat hours on 85 missions. Of significant interest, he was Commander of the 483rd Tactical Airlift Wing, Cam Ranh Bay Air Base, Republic of Vietnam.
Our Navy Captain, my cousin, was one of the first nuclear submarine commanders. He advanced to Nuclear Ballistic Submarines and conducted 25 long missions during the cold war.
A retired Navy Captain from WWII was one of my teachers.
My hometown of Farragut, IA, has a population of 400, providing everyone is home. We have veterans from all the modern wars who emanated from our tiny school. My high school graduating class of 28 is the largest in the school’s history.
Writing about my hometown of Farragut and the many patriots it produced caused me to ask myself the question, why? Why did this tiny farm community and its school produce so many excellent warriors and patriots?
After much thought, I realized that what we had in that little farm community are the big things missing in our country today.
We had teachers who taught us with the one goal of seeing that we learned the basics to succeed in life. From math, science, English, geography, and history to Vocational Education for Agriculture and Home Economics, our teachers were not hampered by unions and oppressive regulations. They worked hard to teach us what we needed to succeed in our futures.
We were taught there is right and wrong, and if you break the rules, there are consequences to pay. Our principal had a “Board Of Education” hanging from the wall in his office. The “board” contained many small holes to minimize the amount of air resistance when it was swung to connect with the rear end of a student that had gotten seriously out of line.
Paddling at school was commonly followed by paddling at home. The principal never got sued. Our parents called and thanked him.
At home, we are taught the difference between right and wrong. Our parents taught us about God, humanity, compassion for neighbors, and being good citizens.
For those that may have gotten off the straight and narrow path, mandatory military service straightened many of these young people out and put them on the road to success. I have several successful friends that went the military correction route. My time was spent as an enlistment in the US Army.
God, discipline, and education.
That is the magic formula that is missing today.
We just witnessed the absence of those principles displayed with a gang of teenagers beating up a group of young Marines for asking them to stop shooting fireworks on a beach where they were gathered for Memorial Day. Disgusting, disrespectful, lack of patriotism, lack of an understanding that there is a right and a wrong that carries consequences; a sickening display that what our country stands for has been eliminated from many of today’s young people.
It is time to pray, get off the couch, and take back our schools and churches.
RELATED: Nine teens arrested over brutal beating of three Marines on California beach
(NY Post) Nine teenagers were arrested Tuesday in connection with the brutal on-camera beatdown of three Marines on a California beach over the weekend, authorities said.
Four males and one female were charged with assault with a deadly weapon and were admitted to the juvenile hall, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department announced.
Another four minors were reportedly charged with misdemeanor assault and battery, according to CBS News.
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James R. Lightfoot, Lightfoot Strategies served in Congress six terms, starting in 1985 and retiring in 1997. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal and General Government (TPS) of Appropriations, he had jurisdiction over 40% of Federal Law Enforcement (Customs, Secret Service, ATF, FLETC, and IRS enforcement).
