The Fall of Saigon 35 years ago, and the ongoing "Progressive" revisionist history

This month is the anniversary of the end of the hostilities in Viet Nam, well marked on broadcast and in print by the harrowing Hugh Van Es picture of a helicopter rescue of evacuees from the rooftop of the CIA Saigon offices as the city fell to the conquering North Vietnamese.

The Washington Times recalls that shameful time in American history:

"Had the United States fought North Vietnam as it had any other enemy in its history, the conflict would have been settled speedily. However, fear of escalation and Chinese intervention caused Johnson to severely limit the use of force against the North. He chose to fight the war on unfavorable terms in the South, which was a long-term recipe for failure; nevertheless, the United States and South Vietnamese armed forces foiled every North Vietnamese attack. The 1968 Tet Offensive, the last-ditch attempt to achieve a communist victory, was a historic military defeat for the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong, which a demoralized U.S. government and skeptical press turned into an American political defeat....

...America's betrayal of South Vietnam has been an inspiration to foreign insurgents and domestic activists and politicians who have sought to replicate it whenever U.S. forces have been deployed abroad. U.S. military might is only as strong as the politicians who stand behind it. The lesson for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan is that America will prevail with strong will and determined leadership. A disgrace like April 1975 must never happen again."

Yet even today, there remains an obnoxious insistence in revising the historical truth about the undermining of the war effort, and the resulting hell that produced millions of death and unmeasurable misery and suffering for the people of Southeast Asia.

There exists those who insist on writing the outrageous lies about that era in order to promote their modern day agenda of a sissified, emasculated, and properly punished America among the world community. These people are among worst kind of arrogant and obnoxious jerks we suffer from today. Several of those cretins participate in our local blahgosphere from time to time, and have repeated their disproved canards about the Viet Nam era shamelessly.

I will never let these people go unchallenged when they openly spew their ugly and dogmatic propaganda about Viet Nam.

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Remembering William Henry "Bill" Scott

Martinsburg (WV) Journal:

Story

Obit

Hagerstown (MD) Herald Mail story.

Bill (and former partner Tom Milner) hired me in 1980 to be their first Directer of Public Relations at Summit Point Raceway (now known as Summit Point Motorsports Park).

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Remembering Teddy Kennedy

From the man himself, on the Senate floor, 1987, during the Senate confirmation process for Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork:

"Robert Bork's America is a land in which women would be forced into back alley abortions, blacks would sit in segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizens' doors in midnight raids, schoolchildren could not be taught about evolution, writers and artists could be censored at the whim of government, and the doors of the federal courts would be shut on the fingers of million of citizens."

Hat tip: James Taranto, who has more:

"This was a slanderous attack on a good man. But it was effective, both tactically and strategically. The Senate voted down Bork's nomination, and the justice confirmed in his stead, Anthony Kennedy (no relation), has tipped the balance in more than a few cases toward the side Sen. Kennedy favored.

By his own lights, Ted Kennedy was right to oppose Bork's confirmation. Whatever the legal merits, there is little doubt that Bork's jurisprudential approach would have yielded fewer decisions consistent with Kennedy's idea of justice. But even those who accept that concept of justice ought to regret Kennedy's demagoguery. Common decency ought to count for something too."

Discussion here.

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"Teach your children well...."

From the creator of Volunteers for America.

Here's the type of health care reform Obama NEEDS to get behind

The Chief Thug needs to come to the understanding that the "progressive" version of "health care reform", including the "public option, is dead in the water.

Why?

Only the most looniest of lefties really wants to support an out of control spending approach that covers slackers and illegal aliens, at the cost of sacrificing quality of life health care for seniors.

If Obama and his "progressive" enablers REALLY want reform in a program that most people will support, THIS is an approximation of what it should contain.

Key point:

"Mr. Obama is backing himself into a corner by insisting on the false political dilemma of either doing nothing or putting U.S. health care into government hock. This leaves him trying to pick off one or two Republicans to give a facade of bipartisanship and then ramming government control into law; or else failing to pass anything and damaging his Presidency.

This political leap of bad faith is already scaring moderates in Mr. Obama’s own party, as well as voters concerned about the tax increases and medical rationing that it will require. There is a middle way to success, Mr. President, but it means pursuing policies that are true to your campaign rhetoric about bipartisanship rather than to the liberal dream of government-run health care."

The odds are that he won't do it.

As I said elsewhere about him: hubris.

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Celebrate Independence Day

....while you still can.

(hat tip: Get Liberty Dot Org)

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Normandy: The begining of the end.....

I feel like I have a special tie to WWII in general, and to the landing at Normandy on June 6, 1945 in particular.

First, many members of my family served in both theaters of the war. My Uncle Robbie (my mother's baby brother) was at Omaha, and returned safely to die in his sleep at too early an age.

Second, this is the type of warfare the U.S. Navy trained me to conduct. I've been through some eight landings under combat conditions, albeit none where Hans and Fritz were actually trying to kill me, and I can only imagine what it must have been like on the scale that my Uncle Robbie experienced.

There are precious few of these people left now, and their ranks grow thinner daily. But the memories they shared, and the common thread of their effort and their legacy will never fade away.

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'So Lucky to be an American'

I am too.

The blessings have been abundant.

But not for much longer, if we don't change the "Change".

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Perspective

Memorial Day

BLACKFIVE:

"Honor them by ensuring that our future was worth the sacrifice of their tomorrows."

And I add this:

"Do not dishonor them by marginalizing the mission for which they died."

We must never forget.

Everyday is Memorial Day.

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Libthink agenda hypocrisy at work

James Taranto , at WSJ's Best of the Web.

" 'Harvard Law professor Mary Ann Glendon, one of the most prominent Catholic conservative intellectuals in the United States, announced yesterday that she would refuse a prestigious award from the University of Notre Dame rather than appear on the same platform on which President Obama is being awarded an honorary degree,' the Boston Globe reports.

The Globe notes that not all Catholics are unhappy with Notre Dame's plan to give the president an honorary degree:

'There are some well-meaning people who think Notre Dame has given away its Catholic identity, because they have been caught up in the gamesmanship of American higher education, bringing in a star commencement speaker even if that means sacrificing their values, and that accounts for some of this,' said the Rev. Kenneth Himes, chairman of theology department at Boston College.

'But one also has to say that there is a political game going on here, and part of that is that you demonize the people who disagree with you, you question their integrity, you challenge their character, and you brand these people as moral poison. Some people have simply reduced Catholicism to the abortion issue, and, consequently, they have simply launched a crusade to bar anything from Catholic institutions that smacks of any sort of open conversation.'

Now read this 2006 Associated Press dispatch:

Nearly 100 faculty members at Boston College have signed a letter objecting to the college's decision to award Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice an honorary degree.

The letter entitled 'Condoleezza Rice Does Not Deserve a Boston College Honorary Degree,' was written by the Rev. Kenneth Himes. . . .

'On the levels of both moral principle and practical moral judgment, Secretary Rice's approach to international affairs is in fundamental conflict with Boston College's commitment to the values of the Catholic and Jesuit traditions and is inconsistent with the humanistic values that inspire the university's work,' the letter said.

Himes, it seems, is an expert on demonization."

It's just a little obvious that the "values" are just a little changeable according to the identity of the guest speaker, and the agenda of the hypocrite.

However, I'm sure some of our Usual Suspect rocket scientists can find away to rationalize the hypocrisy.

Why are we never surprised to read stories like this, or to hear non-supportable rationalizations from this crowd?

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Happy Birthday to THE One and Only Queen of Soul

From PowerLine:

'St. Patrick for adults'

Today is St. Patrick's Day.

It's a day I think of as Amateur Night #1 (New Year's Eve is #2), based on my experience as a dissolute single guy during most of the 80s and early 90s, and my observations over the years of the usual silly fools people make of themselves on this night.

The reality and the legacy of who St. Patrick was and what St. Patrick represented is quite different from what is celebrated at watering holes around the world each year.

Noteworthy:

"We today have the same opportunity as Patrick and his spiritual sons and daughters, that of saving civilization -- this time from the pagans elected throughout the West. We who are Christian inhabit lands that have become strange to us, and foreign to God. Our lands are filled with people described by St. Paul as the 'enemies of Christ' (Phil. 3:18).

Let us bring change to our lands, true freedom to our lands. In the words of President Kennedy's Inaugural, 'Let us go forth to lead the land we love, knowing that, here on earth, God's work must truly be our own.'"

An encounter with Paul Harvey

Remembering the originator of conservative talk radio.

Excerpt:

"After thousands of newspapers published my profile on Harvey, he wrote me a thank you note, and – on a bitterly cold pre-dawn Chicago morning – gave me a limousine ride to work. That’s a memory I’ll always cherish."

And now you know the rest of one of the stories.....

Service. Valor. Freedom. Sacrifice. Honor. Courage. Duty.

Important words that some of us have lived by.

Qualities that all should aspire to uphold and practice.

But just words with no meaning for too many people for my tastes.

Remembering Dean Barnett

Hugh Hewitt:

"My friend and colleague Dean Barnett died today, and the world is a much poorer place for it. As anyone who listened to him on my radio show or read his work at Soxblog, here or at the Weekly Standard knows, and as everyone who had the great, great pleasure of knowing Dean will attest, Dean's combination of sparking intelligence and enormous good humor made him one of the most memorable of friends. What too few people know, though, is what a kind, extraordinarily giving and compassionate man he was. Dean loved people and he loved this country and threw himself into every cause."

Remembering Paul Newman

Instead of recapping Paul Newman's biography as many have done today, I'm going to share some personal memories of the man.

As is well known, Newman was involved in motorsports for many years, initially as a national champion club racing series driver in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), and was a several time winner in the professional Trans Am series. He was also a team owner in the Can Am series, and with partner Carl Haas, fielded Indy cars for such luminaries as Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell.

Although Newman and I shared a common bond of SCCA participation back in the 70s, our paths didn’t cross until 1981, when I was doing a stint as the PR guy at Summit Point Raceway, in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. We hosted two SCCA National events at our track each year, and Newman was a key player in that series’ C Production class battle, driving a factory backed Datsun Z car for Bob Sharp, who is pictured above with Newman on the pre-race grid at Summit Point, circa 1982.

Before the first such event in 1981, I got a call from Sharp’s PR guy asking my help to co-ordinate logistics for the team’s appearance at our venue. I happily agreed, because whenever Paul Newman competed in an SCCA event, the paid gate for the event always swelled by better than 50 percent. I made the arrangements and met the team plane when it arrived, complete with several Audis for team member transportation, and after introductions were made ( a handshake, and “Paul Newman” to me, as if he was some guy I’d never heard about), we headed to the track, some 14 miles away via winding country road.

I led the pack, driving the Porsche 911 that was to serve as the race weekend’s pace car, and Newman followed behind the wheel of one of the Audis. As is usually the case when race folks make a trip like this, we exceeded the speed limit within the first 15-20 seconds of travel, and at times exceeded the 55 mph limit by a factor greater than two.

Sharp, a many time national champion driver in his own right, was riding shotgun with me, and was a little white knuckled by the time we arrived, which I took as an unspoken compliment. Newman, however, was a bit chagrined, not being able to keep up with the quicker and more nimble Porsche, and his first words to me upon arrival were “I’m buying dinner tonight, but I drive the Porsche.”

Various versions of this story played out twice a year for the next couple of years, until I left the racing business, and got a haircut and got a real job. I ran into Paul a number of times over the years at race events I covered as a free lance motorsports writer, and he always had a kind word to share with me.

Here’s what I remember about his character.

Paul Newman was a man’s man, and he possessed no artifice in dealing with the people around him. His talents were multifold, and he lived to no standards other than those which he set for himself. He found the “playing the movie star” role in public life distasteful, but he was mindful of his responsibilities in public life. He set a standard for many who knew him.

And, for a race car driver, he was a pretty good actor.

Here's more....

A Time of Remembrance

"But we...shall be remembered;
We few...we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother."

-- William Shakespeare, Henry V


Held today in our nation's capital, on the Washington Monument grounds at the Mall. I was privileged to be there among several thousand other veterans, visitors, dignitaries, and the families of our fallen heroes.

Notable attendees included Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, various members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, new NBC correspondent Luke Russert (Tim's son), and Ross Perot, who gave the keynote address.

The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Gold Medals of Remembrance to children who have lost a parent during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Other items of note included recognition of the sacrifices from other American wars, recognition of descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, the administration of the Oath of Citizenship to newly naturalized citizens serving in the Armed Forces, the stellar performance by the US Air Force Band and the Singing Sergeants, and the ringing of the Spirit of the Liberty Bell by wounded US armed forces veterans.

Of special note was the of the US Colors present today, and their own journey of rembrance.

These colors were first raised at the US Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 2007. The flag has traveled throught America, to US CENTCOM ops in Afghanistan, Iraq,and several other areas, including American Embassies in Kabul and Baghdad, and on numerous combat missions.

The flag has provided inspiration and comfort in all the places it visited, and in the words of a young Army Specialist, "An awareness that remembering those who have fallen is more than just the right thing to do, it is everyone's responsibility."

Indeed, even for those who place little or no value in honoring those who gave all, as well as those who continue in military service to our nation and our people.

The Dems' national ticket is starring in a re-make of a Jim Carrey classic

I guess those "serious comic books" didn't help either of them, did they?

Here's what you need to know

about Barry O'Bama and Bill Ayers.