Greeting from the good ol' United States of America!

Ye, we have erred in our ways, but that will all change.. In honor of our veterans, who did not ask to be put into harms way by ill-begotten heads of state, and who are just doing their duty, trusting in the decency of the elected body politic, I wish to say thanks to all who have served, and may the rest of us do our part to keep you brave, selfless individuals from facing the miseries of war, save for times of ultimate crisis, when no other options thus remain, and the lives and liberties of free peoples are in serious jeopardy.

And to all the peoples of the earth, to whom we all belong as neighbors and friends, never hesitate from criticizing what you see as unjust and unjustified behavior by errant administrations here and elsewhere, as we all share in the basic principles of human rights and justice. A confused populace, unable to see the truth when blinded by crisis or driven by loyalties, needs to be told the truth, whether that comes from within or from outside our nation's borders.

And my sincere sympathies to all those adversely affected by the lack of clear understanding of conditions and reasons for actions. Solving problems requires a deeper understanding of people's lives and beliefs, histories, and economic conditions that lead to matters of instability. May we walk a mile in the moccasins of those elsewhere before we even consider acting in any manner regarding another. To understand and respect human rights; to limit the use and abuses of power; and to promote the general well-being of all mankind - these are truly the highest American aspirations, and so often things we fall woefully short on. My personal apologies for not doing more to prevent our most recent catastrophic blunders - but it is a sad reality that some moments in history we cannot control, but only wade through in agony and dis-belief as the tragic events unfold before us, and plan and work for a better way in the future. America can no longer retain an isolationist policy or attitude, but we must learn to understand the deep reasons why things happen, and to work more effectively and humanely at helping those in need, and to bolster support for the will of the people, not by military means, but through all other means possible.

No revolution would have been possible without the will of the people here in 1775, and no occupier, be it King George or King Louis, would have long been welcomed in America either. Understanding the key to change is to look inwardly at our own conditions, and support the popular movements elsewhere, even if that puts in jeopardy temporary economic interests, for in the long run, respecting basic human rights creates a better economic outlook for all of us, and much more stable and healthier world. Our nation is not the result solely of native sons and daughters, but a collaboration of enlightened men and women throughout the world, who saw an opportunity to create a working Republic, with a growing and prosperous populace, Democratically elected Representatives, and guarantees of protections against the abuses of power by an elite who often act against the will of free men and women; that is to say the natural rights of all humans shall be respected.

And so, with all good hopes for a re-birth of the true spirit of Liberty,

My Sincere Thoughts to all on this Memorial Day, from here in these United States.

-Chuck.

*salutes to the Americans*

 

Without you we would be under German rule

Now everybody's got nukes, so there's less of a need for standing armies... thank goodness.

 

Hopefully major wars will remain a historical curiosity for the next several centuries.

GB

 

Many, many thanks & returned salutes, David!:bobby: Without you, we would be under NAZIS rule as well!

True

 

The days of two armies meeting up in a field in Belgium for a fight are over