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Considering everything that has been going on in this country (and
our personal lives), I have so many topics bouncing around in my
head (my personal three-ring-circus) that I haven’t been able to
focus on one topic long enough lately to do it any justice.
For example, President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize – are you
fucking joking?! Someone
should truly be slapped!
Alfred Nobel, who died in 1896, stated in his will that this prize
should be awarded to the person who, during the preceding year…whoa,
whoa, whoa… am I the only one getting this?
Obama was nominated for this award within ten days after
taking office as our country’s President.
What the fuck has he actually done – especially
during the preceding year?
This award, which I have always held as something worthy of
great honors, truly means
absolutely nothing to me anymore!
OK, I know, Al Gore, etc., etc., so I’ve been losing respect
for this award for some time now!
For the record, I would gain so much more respect for Obama
if he were to refuse acceptance of this award, rather than build his
resume with it! But, do we
really think that is going to happen?!
Right…
Things have never seemed so fucked up in this country
as they do right now (perhaps it’s my age), and I refuse to believe
that the “Average American Citizen” (that’s right, capitalized -
because we are the people!) is OK with it!
I have always been proud of my/our country’s flag(s),
military, and history, but have never been more embarrassed of this
country’s bullshit, media-driven, horse-and-pony-show, fuckin
government! I can’t help but
recall a quote that I read some time ago, and sadly I have no idea
where I read it, who said it, or exactly how it was worded (again,
my three-ring-circus of a mind), but it was something to the effect
of, “Our swords, spears, and
lives shall always defend the throne – not he who sits upon it”.
Think about it.
Today is Veteran’s Day, and considering that I wrote
about the “Don’t Tread On Me Flag” on Independence Day, it seems
especially fitting to write about the POW/MIA Flag.
Now, before I continue, let’s get something straight, it’s
“P.O.W. / M.I.A.”, not what most seem to pronounce as: “pow–meeya” -
they are initials, not words, which stand for Prisoner Of War /
Missing In Action. The whole "pow-meeya" thing seems disrespectful
to me, but then I have been known to be an anal little bitch - ask
those who know me, they will all agree.
Anyhow,
let’s move on to another brief and introductory lesson on one of
this country’s flags. Now, I
was going to write my own thing on this topic but, I think it would
be
best to simply pass along the message put out by the organization
which created this flag, the
National League of POW/MIA Families.
Please note that
I cannot/do not take any credit for the words which follow:
In 1971, Mrs. Michael Hoff, an MIA wife and member of the National
League of Families, recognized the need for a symbol of our POW/MIA
soldiers. Mrs. Hoff had contacted Norman Rivkees, Vice-President of
Annin & Company (they make flags, banners and what-not), who, with
an Annin advertising agency employee, designed a flag to represent
our missing soldiers. With approval from the National League of
Families, the flags were then manufactured for distribution.
On March 9, 1989, an official League flag, which had flown over the
White House on National POW/MIA Recognition Day in 1988, was
installed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda as a result of legislation
passed, overwhelmingly, during the 100th Congress. In a
demonstration of bipartisan Congressional support, the leadership of
both Houses hosted the installation ceremony.
The League’s POW/MIA flag is the
only flag ever
displayed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, where it will stand as a
powerful symbol of national commitment to America’s POW/MIAs until
the fullest possible accounting has been achieved for U.S. personnel
still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
On August 10, 1990, the 101st Congress passed U.S. Public Law
101-355, which recognized the League’s POW/MIA flag and designated
it “as the symbol of our Nation’s concern and commitment to
resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still
prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending
the uncertainty for their families and the Nation”.
The importance of the League’s POW/MIA flag lies in its
continued visibility, a constant reminder of the plight of America’s
POW/MIAs. Other than "Old Glory", the League’s POW/MIA flag is the
only flag ever to fly over the White House, having been displayed in
this place of honor on National POW/MIA Recognition Day since 1982.
© 2007 National League of POW/MIA Families
For more information definitely visit
www.pow-miafamilies.org
With that being said, I feel compelled to add that since World War I
more than 200,000 Americans have been listed as Prisoners of War or
Missing in Action, and less than half of them have been returned at
the end of hostilities. This
leaves more than 125,000 American Soldiers Missing in Action since
the beginning of World War I.
Those who fly the POW/MIA flag do so to demonstrate their loyalty
and sincere dedication toward all Prisoners of War and Missing in
Action, and to their safe return – both alive and dead.
I ask you to truly think about what has been written here, and
please, do enjoy your day off.
JD ;
The Not-So-Typical American Mutt
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