Al's
Most Recent
Quote
of the day:
“I
was going to buy a copy of The Power of
Positive Thinking, and then I thought,
what good would it do?”
Ronnie Shakes
Down
on I-20 near Fort McClellan, Alabama the road surface is in terrible
shape. A while back a family of four was traveling east toward
Atlanta in an SUV. The parents were in the front and their two young
children were in the back strapped into safety seats. A car was
coming in the opposite direction and hit a pothole. The pothole had
been repaired in the past but was falling apart again. When the car
hit the pothole a piece of concrete flew up and crashed into the
windshield of the SUV coming in the opposite direction striking the
mother in the forehead killing her instantly. Then the concrete went
between the two kids in the back and exited through the rear window.
What are the chances of that piece of concrete and that woman’s
forehead being at the same point in space at the same instant
traveling in opposite directions. The odds are astronomical, but it
happened.
I
have written several times about football players and the results of
concussions on their memories in spite of their helmets. One of my
subscriber, and a dear friend, reminded me that it was not only
football players that received one concussion after another...she
asked what about those kids that were physically abused as she was.
This really good person has said that she exhibits effects very
similar to those football players and there appears to be no cure.
There is no question that physical abuse of children has and does
exist today and her reminder is one that I will pass on to the rest
of us. Be aware of this abomination and look for signs of it. There
is a special place in hell for people like these abusers of those
that cannot defend themselves. If makes me tearfully angry to think
about it.
Here
is a few other thoughts. I hear other people adamantly proclaim a
viewpoint and then try to postulate it by quoting others opinions
that agrees with theirs. People are not born with a political,
philosophical, religious or nearly any other viewpoint. It is human
nature to listen to or read information gathered and constructed by
others and then discard the parts that makes them uncomfortable and
accept those that they agree with. There is no question that people
disseminate descriptions of particular events do so with a certain
amount of prejudice making their conclusions flawed. If you are not
an eye or ear witness to certain events then you can count on a
witness writing his version dependent upon what makes him/her feel
comfortable...the actual facts be damned. I have read many, many
descriptions of certain battles by different authors. You would
think they were talking about different battles because of certain
events that were added or omitted dependent upon the authors
prejudices. The point I am trying to make is if you encounter
someone that preaches a sermon about what reality is or what will
happen in the future it is almost certainly prejudicial and has not
examined his/her own heart and mind and is merely parroting the
thoughts of others. As Socrates said “Know thyself”. Stay
suspicious of those that try to guide your thoughts and
opinions...they are preaching just to make themselves appear superior
when in reality, it is just the opposite...and they are boring as
hell.
This
Date in History December 23
1944
In January of this year a man named Eddie Slovik was drafted into
the United States Army. Slovik was originally rejected for the draft
because he was a convicted felon (grand theft auto) but the standards
were changed when more manpower was needed. Slovic was trained as a
rifleman and in August of 1944 was assigned to the 28th
Division which had taken a beating in the last few months both in
France and in Germany because of the Battle of the Bulge. Slovic
vowed that he would never fight because he hated guns but in October
he arrived in France and went in search of the 28th
Division during a ferocious battle and got lost. He found a Canadian
outfit and they took him in. Eventually the heat of the battle
abated and the Canadians took him to 28th
Division Headquarters. It was not unusual for replacement troops to
get lost in the midst of a major battle so Slovic’s tardiness was
overlooked. Slovic again told the personnel at Division Headquarters
that he hated guns and would not fight and would run away if forced
to. He was ignored until the next day and Slovic showed up missing.
A day later he came back in but still told his superiors that he
would not fight. His commanding officer was fed up and told him he
had a choice. Grab a rifle and go into combat immediately or face a
court martial. He reminded Slovic that the United States Army in
general and the 28th
Division in particular was not in a forgiving mood because of all the
casualties they had suffered. Slovic still refused and sure enough a
court martial was convened. He was found guilty of desertion and
given the death penalty and Slovic was “to be shot to death by
musketry”. A stunned Slovic appealed to General Eisenhower for
leniency. On this date General Eisenhower signed the order for the
execution of Private Slovic. Eisenhower was in no mood for mercy
either because of all the American casualties and the “Battle of
the Bulge” was well under way where thousands of Allied solders
were being slaughtered. In January of 1945 Private Slovic was stood
up before a squad of 12 riflemen and shot to death. None of the
riflemen even flinched because they believed that Slovic was getting
what he deserved. He was the first American soldier executed for
desertion since the Civil War.
What
about Bowe Bergdahl?
1783
After the signing of the Treaty of Paris which declared the United
States as a separate and sovereign nation General George Washington
resigned as commander-in-chief of the American Army. He told his men
this:
"Happy
in the confirmation of our independence and sovereignty, and pleased
with the opportunity afforded the United States of becoming a
respectable nation, I resign with satisfaction the appointment I
accepted with diffidence; a diffidence in my abilities to accomplish
so arduous a task; which however was superseded by a confidence in
the rectitude of our cause, the support of the supreme power of the
Union, and the patronage of Heaven.”
George
Washington wished to go back to his plantation and live the life of a
gentleman planter but his country called again when he was elected
our first President. As I have said before, we were very fortunate to
have the group of Patriots that we had on our side during this time
frame. There is no doubt in my mind that all of this is an act of
God for all of these things came together as they did when they did.
Thanks
for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow.
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