Wednesday Hero

Cpl. Lance M. Thompson
21 years old from Upland, Indiana
2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
November 15, 2004


The father of Cpl. Lance Thompson said his son would be proud knowing he fought and died to help Iraqis vote in an election.

Cpl. Lance Thompson died in during fighting in Ramadi by a truck bomb. His father, Greg Thompson, said his son sent him a letter in September of '04 which said, "Freedom is not free. It requires sacrifice."

Greg Thompson said the millions turning out to vote in Iraq was "fantastic" and said it was a "momentous day in the Middle East."

"Are you asking me was it worth Lance losing his life?" he asked a reporter. "Being the gung-ho Marine that he was, he would say yes. So I'll say yes. That is a tough, bitter pill to swallow. It hurts. God, I didn't want to give up my son."

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Pause...

Dear readers,

In the midst of all that is developing around our world, we have a great need for an awakening. There are many voices that speak of the dangers facing our world, of which 'of Bullets and Bibles' have been one.

As many of you in the blogosphere know, it takes a great deal of time and energy to research and pound the keyboard for our voices to be heard.

In my quest to be the man that I was created to be, I must pause, so that I may 'hear' more clearly to know the road that I am to travel. I owe it to my God, family and ultimately, my fellow man.

It will be a bit of a challenge to not research and let my voice be 'heard', which has importance as a cohesive unit. Priorities must be set, and that is my current mission, to set them in the proper order.

I will post periodically, and God only knows, I may carry on here at oB&Bs with regularity in due time, we shall see...

Be well and remember; Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor and Personal Courage...

Focus...

Dear readers,

Since I began this humble blog of mine, three months ago, I have posted on various subjects of which I feel passionately about. My first post describes what I wanted to accomplish and what some of my passions are.

There are many of us that have the same passions and concerns for our country (check them out on my right hand sidebar, blogs I enjoy) and express them very well. I am just a small fish in this big ocean, still learning the ropes.

Part of my original intent was to create some sort of awareness of the events around us, and with that in mind, I am narrowing my focus. It may take a bit of discipline on my part not to post on certain things I find interesting or exasperating.

I will begin to focus more on the activities of Islam here in our country. I believe there is a subtle , and not so subtle, danger that is lurking, to undermine our sovereignty and change the core values that we , as Americans, have grown up with. I will also continue to post the Wednesday Hero, to honor those that 'give some and those that give it all' to further secure our freedoms...

This is not based on racism, as some will claim, but to help create awareness.

I am open to all 'facts' and cooperation based on 'truth'.

Be well my friends, and a special thanks to Bill over at The Bill T Blog. Bill, unknowingly, helped me to choose the focus for this blog...

Wednesday Hero...

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Kathy

Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie
41 years old from Ann-Arbor, Michigan


Specialist Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie is a Iraqi American U.S. Army linguist soldier, from Ann-Arbor, Michigan who was kidnapped on October 23, 2006 in Baghdad and has not been seen since.

al-Taayie joined the Army in 2004 to help not only his country, the United States, but also his birthplace of Iraq and was deployed in 2005. On October 23, 2006 he was visiting his wife in the Karrada Shiite neighborhood in central Baghdad when he and his cousin were kidnapped by a group calling themselves Ahel al-Beit Brigades. His cousin was released shortly after. On November 2, 2006 al-Taayie's uncle received a ransom demand of $250,000 for his return. Along with the ransom came a grainy video that showed a man beaten up who was identified as al-Taayie. No more has been heard from al-Taayie or his captures.

For more information on Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie you can go here

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesday Hero, you can go here.

HEROS...

"Ballad Of the Green Berets"

Words and Music by

Robin Moore and SSG. Barry Sadler


Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret.

Silver Wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret.

Trained to live off nature's land
Trained in combat, hand to hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage picked from the Green Beret.

Silver Wings upon their chest
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret.

Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her his last request.

Put Silver Wings on my son's chest
Make him one of America's best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret.


I can not even read this in full without tears coming forth. This represents the many men who fought and died in America's past, present and future.

These men, who are America's best, we remember. These men, to whom we owe much, are to forever be thanked. These men, whose loved ones were willing to sacrifice, are to be thanked, as well as their loved ones. These men, to which all gave some, and which many gave all, are to be honored equally.

The blood, the sweat, the tears, yes, the many tears, that solidified our freedom, were given so that we may be proud of being AMERICANS. Our great grandfathers, our grandfathers, our fathers and our brothers we owe much, so we must keep them alive in our memories.

You wives, to which all of you gave some, but many of you gave all, we thank you and we owe you!

Let us not forget, my friends, what it once meant, and still means to be an honest, humble and yet proud, decent, caring, strong and yet gentle, meek and yet ferocious American soldier...

Times are hard and it takes a hard man to do the work that is set before him. A right of passage when a boy learns how to be a man, and indeed he is transformed. A man when his word is his bond. A man that is willing to give his life for his fellow. There is no greater love than this.

This is what it means to be a true man and a soldier.

Memorial Day is bittersweet.

Let us remember them...


Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson's Website, The Virtuous Republic, The Random Yak, DeMediacratic Nation, The Amboy Times, Colloquium, Conservative Cat, Pursuing Holiness, , Diary of the Mad Pigeon, stikNstein... has no mercy, The World According to Carl, Nuke's news and views, Blue Star Chronicles, Pirate's Cove, Dumb Ox Daily News, High Desert Wanderer, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Wednesday Hero

Pfc. Joseph Allen Jeffries
21 years old from Beaverton, Oregon
Army Reserve’s 320th Psychological Operations Company
May 29, 2004


Below is all the information that could be found on Pfc. Joseph Jeffries.

Pfc. Jeffries was killed with two fellow soldiers, Capt. Daniel W. Eggers and Sgt. 1st Class Robert J. Mogensen, and an unnamed sailor, when their vehicle drove over an IED in Kandahar, Afghanistan. All four service members were attached to the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan. He is survived by his wife, Betsy, and his parents Mark and Linda Jeffries.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesay Hero, you can go here.

We Must Remember!

I have many thoughts of what is happening within our country and this world as we know it, particularly Israel. I would like to bring something to our attention, that is an example of how we are moving dangerously away from our founding principles of our country and the God of the bible, The Creator of all things.

In light of the coming of Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks, at the end of this week, I thought it would be appropriate to relay a story that took place in November of 2003. Shavuot is the celebration or commemoration of the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai. What happened in November of 2003, was then Alabama Chief Justice Roy S. Moore being removed from his position of Chief Justice. He was removed because of his devotion to God and his desire to maintain the US Constitution and it's Godly foundation.

This is an excerpt of the trial, this is verbatim:

Pryor: Mr. Chief Justice? And your understanding is that the Federal court ordered that you could not acknowledge God; isn't that right?

Moore: Yes.

Pryor: And if you resume your duties as Chief Justice after this proceeding, you will continue to acknowledge God as you have testified that you would today ---

Moore: That's right.

Pryor: ---no matter what any other official says?

Moore: Absolutely. Without --- let me clarify that. Without an acknowledgment of God, I cannot do my duties. I must acknowledge God. It says so in the Constitution of Alabama. It says so in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. It says so in everything I have read. So ---

Pryor: The only point I am trying to clarify, Mr. Chief Justice, is not why, but only that, in fact, if you do resume your duties as Chief Justice, you will continue to do that without regard to what any other official says; isn't that right?

Moore: Well, I'll do the same thing this Court did with starting of prayer; that's an acknowledgement of God. Now, we did the same say thing that justices do when they place their hand on the Bible and say, "So help me God." It's an acknowledgement of God. The Alabama Supreme Court opens with, "God save the State and this Honorable Court." It's an acknowledgement of God. In my opinions, which I have written many opinions, acknowledging God is the source --- a moral source of our law. I think you must.

This is but a small part of the overall story. You must listen to this session on audio it will bring tears to the eyes of any God fearing man or woman.

Here is a link on Re-Taking America to much of what happened on that dark day of U.S. history. It covers a lot of info, but please take the time to look.

Here is an audio link to Tovia Singer on Arutz Sheva's Israel National Radio. He just interviewed the Honorable Roy S. Moore this past week. This is definitely worth a listen! The beginning of the audio track is chilling and saddening.

Please take the time...

Update on the Al Awda Conference...

If you recall on an earlier post, I relayed an article found on FRONTPAGEMAG.COM, concerning the victory at UC Riverside University. They had succeeded in canceling the Fifth Annual International Al Awda convention that promotes the destruction of Israel and more.

Lee Kaplan has been instrumental in helping to defeat this organization here in our home land.
Pleas see his update to the Al Awda event, now scheduled to take place, at a Hilton owned Embassy Suites Hotel, in May.

Part of the problem, is the fact that this type of event is allowed to take place here in America. These are not only enemies of Israel, they are enemies of ours! The motto of Al Awda is 'palestine will be free, from the river to the sea'. There is no desire of peace here, there is no desire to have a homeland of there own to peaceably in the world, no, the goal is total destruction of Israel and death to all Jews. Make no mistake about it friends, this is the goal of the majority within the muslim world.

If this conference is really about creating awareness of the plight of the 'palestinian' people, why come to the US? Why are they not pleading with the other Mid-Eastern countries? Why isn't Jordan, Syria, Iran, Egypt or others coming to their aide? Why is no one saying to them, "come to our land, live with us, we will care for you"?

We've already discussed the answer, the 'palestinians' are pawns for the total inhalation of the Jewish people. First the Jews then us, yeah, then us...

You want another shocker? The jihadists are being backed by groups like ,the American Nazi Party and Aryan Nations. Go to the Aryan Nations web site and see their links page. These people also have a blind hatred that seemingly will stop at nothing. We all know these groups have a hate for many races, but to side with those that want to destroy us all if we won't 'submit, convert or die'?

Why am I surprised...


Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Is It Just Me?, The Virtuous Republic, Right Celebrity, Stageleft, stikNstein... has no mercy, Big Dog's Weblog, The World According to Carl, Walls of the City, Cao's Blog, Colloquium, Jo's Cafe, and High Desert Wanderer, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

US Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol Agent Found Dead...

I had not heard a word of this story until today.

This crime occurred last Friday, 11 MAY 2007, and may still be under investigation.

My heart goes out to the family of Richard Goldstein, who leaves behind his wife and two children.
Where is the cry for justice here? Now then, had there been an ILLEGAL alien shot in the buttocks during his murder, we would see this in the nightly news.

Thank you to Douglass V Gibbs, of the Political Pistachio, for providing this story.
You can also see this on the official CBP.gov site...

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Cindy

Lance Cpl. Steven Chavez
20 years old from Hondo, New Mexico
2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
March 14, 2007


Tears ran down cheeks and strong men choked back emotion as the city of Hondo, NM payed tribute to fallen Marine, Steven Chavez. LCpl. Chavez lost his life on March 14, 2007 in a non-combat incident in which he was accidentally shot.

Chavez enlisted in the Marine Cops. right after he graduated in 2005. "You pray and you pray that the day never comes, and then it does," said Novelda Chavez, Chavez's mother. "Your emotions are mixed — it’s not true, it’s a bad dream, a bad dream you never wake up from."

In a letter Chavez wrote before he was sent to Iraq, he wrote:
"First of all I would like to thank everyone for your support. When I'm home on leave and when I'm away. That is so important to me. Thank you for your kind, supporting words in your letters and for the packages I've received. Those are awesome.

I've been through some pretty hard times, in the short time I've been in the Marine Corp. None harder then what I'm about to face. Yes I'm scared; nothing is scarier than the uncertainty of what your future holds for you. I'm prepared to face whatever lies ahead.

I put my life in the hands of the Lord. And pray that He guides my fellow soldiers and I down a safe path, that He will calm our fears, and give us the strength to do the job we have been trained to do, and to do that job well.

There are many lonely nights, when you're lying in your bunk thinking of family and friends, wondering what they are doing at that very moment. Wondering what mom is cooking for supper. I can almost taste the tortillas on the griddle.

I want to say to all of you tonight, I wouldn't change one thing about my life.

I've never been more proud of the choices I made in my life than the day I graduated from basic drill instructor placed that Anchor, Globe and Eagle Pin in my hand I knew then I was a UNITED STATES MARINE!

I'm Proud to protect and serve My Country

I'm Proud to protect and serve My Community

I'm Proud to protect and serve you

Thank you so much for your Support. Keep those letters coming. Mail is a precious commodity when you're so far from Home.

YOUR U.S. MARINE

LANCE CORPORAL STEVE CHAVEZ"

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesay Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

Spc. Josiah H. Vandertulip
21 years old from Irving, Texas
2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division
October 14, 2004


Louise Vandertulip fussed at her son about his spending. He bought wild, overpriced hats that had flames on them or horns coming out of the top, she said.

While in Army basic training, he bought portraits of himself. His mother told him to save his money.

She's glad he didn't listen.

The hats and the pictures are all a part of her memories now.

Spc. Josiah H. Vandertulip was killed in Baghdad when his patrol came under small arms fire.

Josiah Vandertulip joined the Army right after his graduation from Irving High School in 2002. He spent a year in South Korea before being stationed at Texas' Fort Hood in February. Against his mother's advice, he volunteered to go to Iraq. She told him to wait, to go to college.

"When he was determined to do something in his heart, he would do it and hell or high water couldn't keep him from it," she said

By going, he knew someone else with a young family could be saved from serving, relatives said.

He always had the important things right, Louise Vandertulip said.

"There's a lot of rest in knowing that he died doing what he believed in and doing what he thought was right," she said.

"We have a much more real sense of the cost for the freedom that we enjoy now," said his father, Robert Vandertulip.

"Josiah was the first brand new soldiers I recieved as a dismounted team leader in Korea. He was one of the Best soldiers I have had the honor to train and work with. He loved being a soldier as much as any guy I have met. He was a great leader in the absence of his superiors. I could always count on him to make sure the mission was accomplished. I watched him change over the year I had him from a goofy kid, to a hard charging soldier."
Sgt. Nickolas Faul

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. To find out more about Wednesay Hero, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Sunny Kay

Col. Cyril Richard "Rick" Rescorla
68 years old from New York City, New York
16th Air Assault Brigade, Parachute Regiment (England)
Platoon Leader of 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) (U.S.)
September 11, 2001


Col. Rick Rescorla is a multiple time hero. In 1957 he enlisted in the British Army and began training as a paratrooper with The Parachute Regiment of the 16th Air Assault Brigade. He went on to serve with an intelligence unit in Cyprus, a paramilitary police inspector in the Northern Rhodesia Police (now the Zambia Police Service). When his military career ended in England he joined the Metropolitan Police Service in London. But he found the paperwork too boring and quite at the behest of a friend who encouraged him to join the United State Army. Which he did.

In 1963, Rescorla enlisted, with his friend, in the United States Army. After he completed basic training he attended officer training school and was assigned as a platoon leader in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).

He was shipped to Vietnam and participated in the Battle of la Drang. While in Vietnam, he was given the nickname "Hard Core" by his men for his bravery in battle.

In 1968, Resorla became a U.S. citizen and continued his service in the Army Reserves until 1990 when he retired. In 1985 he joined a financial services firm, located in the World Trade Center, as security director.

In 1993, when the WTC was bombed, Rescorla was instrumental in evacuating people from the building. Afterwards, he enacted a policy in which all employees of the firm practiced evacuation drills every three months.

September 11, 2001. Rick Rescorla was supposed to be on vacation getting ready for his daughters wedding. Instead he was at work covering a shift for one of his deputies so that he could go on vacation. When American Airlines Flight 11 hit Tower 1, Rescorla ignored officials advice to stay put and opted instead to put his evacuation drills to use. While evacuating the 3,800 employees of his firm in Towers 2 and 5 he kept reminding them "be proud to be an American ...everyone will be talking about you tomorrow" and sang God Bless America over his bullhorn. When Flight 175 struck Tower 2, Rescorla had already evacuated most of the employees from his firm as well as many others from other floors. He then went back in, despite being told he needed to evacuate himself. The last known words anyone heard him say were, "As soon as I make sure everyone else is out". Tower 2 collapsed with Rick Rescorla last seen heading to the 10th floor looking for more people to help.

As a result of his actions that day, all but six employees of his firm made it out alive. One of those being him and three others being his deputies who followed him into Tower 2, Wesley Mercer, Jorge Velazquez, and Godwin Forde.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. If you would like to participate in honoring the brave men and women who serve this great country, you can find out how by going here.

To Carry or Not to Carry... is This the Question?

After the tragedy at Virginia Tech, many may be asking this of themselves now.
There are also the ignorant, who will press further to ban guns completely. There is a severe lack of understanding when it come to firearms and firearm safety.

Read this short testimony from a student at VT, who was there the day of this slaughter. We must realize that in many situations, our safety is in our own hands. All it takes is for one idiot that is walking down the same sidewalk as you, to turn around, take twenty-one steps toward you and you are robbed, beaten or worse. Your options are to take what's coming, run or get away and prepare to defend yourself.
There are two defensive tools that you can use. OC spray (pepper spray) or handgun. I would prefer to have both available. There is a hesitation today for many of us that exercise our 2nd amendment rights, and that is fear of being sued or being sent to prison and having a lawsuit against you for defending yourself. I think I would take my chances.

Please people, let's be responsible for ourselves and our families. We owe it to them to be prepared. Crime will continue and you don't want to be a victim. I pray I never have need to use a weapon to defend myself, but if needed I will.
Will you?

Why do we forget so easily?

Come on now, we need to be reminded of the tragedy on our own shores. I can remember when 9-11 took place, we were stunned... We couldn't resume our normal work schedule or activities for a couple of days. Next thing you noticed were the cars, most Americans had a flag flying from their vehicles, it was amazing! We were inspired, we became a country again.

Then slowly, ever so slowly... we forgot, we forgot about what united us and one by one the flags began to disappear. Only a few of the 'hard-cores' still have one flying.

Go to the blog Right Truth and read a good article entitled "Americans Are Not Scared Enough." It definitely touches on some relative issues.

We must remember! If we don't join together we may not have a country to be proud of any longer, may it not be!

JR