I Fear The Final Toll Of The Bell

This morning I attended the opening ceremony of the traveling Vietnam War Memorial known as The Wall. There are now 58,272 names on the wall. It brought tears to my eyes as they read the names and rang the bell for those in my immediate neighborhood who gave their lives for our country, our Declaration of Independence, our Constitution and our freedom. I've never seen the real memorial. I hope to someday. I did serve my country back in that era, back before President Reagan brought about the end of the Cold War. Nine years. I thank God that I wasn't one of the many who made the Ultimate Sacrifice.

We were a different nation then.  A united nation, though there were many even then who were opposed to the war and opposed to our nation's heritage.  In the years since then the "many" have multiplied many times over and JFK's words of "Ask not what your country can do for you ... ask what you can do for your country." have been all but forgotten.  We've become a nation in rapid decline ... on the verge of suicide.  Gone are the days of mutual respect for one another, for each other's beliefs, political views and religion.  In place of tolerance is intolerance, no matter the subject.  In place of work ethic is the ethic of "I deserve it" and "they owe me".  In place of compensation in proportion to contribution is the mindset of entitlement out of "fairness".

All that was great about our nation is being torn down.  No longer united, we are a nation divided.  No longer a wealthy nation, we are a nation in debt.  No longer a world power, we are a nation that cannot and will not defend her own borders.  We are a nation abdicating our soverignty to the views of organizations and nations which despise us and work to destroy us.  Where once we worked to create a better life for our children and grandchildren and believed we could do it, now we have committed them to the repayment of our debts, held by other nations.

Yes, the wall I viewed today brought tears to my eyes  ... because I see in the future yet another name to be added to the list of those having made the "ultimate sacrifice" and I fear the toll of the final bell.  The name is United States of America.

I urge you to read the books appearing to the right.  I've read them all and I assure you they are worthy of your time.  I've just started another which convinces me, more than ever, that the future I fear is real and near.  I encourage you to read it as well and take action before the bell tolls.