Christie Orders Flags Lowered Tomorrow

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has signed the following Executive Order:

Executive Order No. 72 - Ordering all State buildings to fly flags at half-staff on Friday, August 19, 2011 to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Marine Corporal Nicholas S. Ott, a 2006 graduate of Manchester Regional High School, who lost his life serving on active duty in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

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Guadagno Orders Flags Lowered To Half Mast

Trenton, NJ– Acting Governor Kim Guadagno today signed the following Executive Order:
                                                                                        
Executive Order No. 70 - Ordering all State buildings to fly flags at half-staff on Monday, July 18, 2011 to honor the service and sacrifice of United States Army Specialist Rafael A. Nieves, Jr., raised in Bayonne and Jersey City, who lost his life serving on active duty in Paktika Province, Afghanistan.
 

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Video: The Truth About Israel's Borders

This excellent video, produced by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs explains why President Obama's ill-advised plan to return Israel to its "1967 borders" is a prescription for disaster.
Visit the JCPA and/or go to the video on You Tube and share it with friends.
The truth is more powerful than the wishful nonsense being propagated by liberals and other so-called "do-gooders" in the name of peace.

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Memorial Day Lives In Small Town America

Maybe it's the timeless nature of the scenes.
Maybe it's the sense of community in a small town.
It could be a community pickup band playing under a big tree. Or it could be Old Glory held high, passing under the Town Clock on Main Street. Or it could simply be an old soldier with his hand over his heart or a young child proudly waving the flag or a mother looking on with a special awareness.
Whatever it is, we know that Memorial Day -- and the spirit of America itself -- lives on in its small towns and cities; in these places where neighbors pitch in to help one another and where cherished values endure.
This is where those who gave their all are remembered and cherished -- here and, one would hope, throughout our land.
The scenes above are from historic Haddonfield NJ, the picture-postcard town that seems made for such occasions.
But in fact, these scenes can found anywhere in America this weekend -- and even abroad where cemeteries have been set aside as resting places for Americans who died defending freedom around the world.
Wherever you are: honor, remember, reaffirm!

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Memorial Day: Keep Faith, Take Up Their Torch!

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

 

John McCrae wrote In Flanders Fields. He was a medical officer in both the Boer War and World War I. A year into the latter war he published in Punch magazine, on December 8, 1915, the sole work by which he would be remembered. This poem commemorates the deaths of thousands of young men who died in Flanders during the grueling battles there.

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Christie: Honor Those Who Made 'Ultimate Sacrifice'

IIn honor of Memorial Day, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie yesterday joined Major General Glenn K. Rieth, The Adjutant General, and a number of our State's veterans at the State's Annual Memorial Day Ceremony at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown. The Doyle Cemetery, with approximately 15 burials each business day, covers 225 acres and was designed to accommodate 154,000 men and women who have served in the Armed Forces as well as their families.

“Memorial Day is a time to honor the men and women who wore this nation’s uniform and made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of liberty, democracy and freedom,” said Governor Christie. “I am pleased to join veterans and their families to honor the selfless service and sacrifices made by the veterans who are laid to rest at Doyle Cemetery.”

The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMAVA), led by Major General Rieth, provides services to New Jersey’s more than 460,000 veterans from the time they leave military service until they are laid to rest. In addition to supporting all of the vital programs provided by DMAVA, including a toll-free mental health hotline for veterans, Governor Christie has signed legislation that strengthens the support network for military families after the death of a service member, as well as a program that awards high school diplomas to veterans who dropped out to serve in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

In addition to the cemetery, DMAVA operates three Veterans Memorial Homes - Paramus, Menlo Park and Vineland - as well as a transitional housing program for homeless veterans in Winslow Township. DMAVA also maintains a statewide network of Veterans Service Offices who work to ensure all of the state’s veterans receive the federal and state entitlements earned through their service. The DMAVA team of 18 Veterans Service Officers accounted for the awarding of nearly $72 million in federal benefits to New Jersey veterans last year.

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A Remarakable Tribute To Our Heroes

Between the fields where this flag is planted, there are 9+ miles of flower fields that go all the way to the ocean. The flowers are grown by seed companies. 

It's a beautiful place, close to Vandenberg AFB. 

Check out the dimensions of the flag. The Floral Flag is 740 feet long and 390 feet wide and maintains the proper flag dimensions, as described in Executive Order #10834. 

This flag is 6.65 acres and is the first Floral Flag to be planted with 5 pointed Stars, comprised of White Larkspur. Each Star is 24 feet in diameter; each Stripe is 30 feet wide. 

This Flag is estimated to contain more than 400,000 Larkspur plants, with 4-5 flower stems each, for a total of more than 2 million flowers.

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This Is What Vindication Looks Like

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OBL Death: Celebrate Into The Night!

The great Christine Flowers has written an outstanding column on some of the hand-ringing surrounding celebrations in the aftermath of Bin Laden's death.
Here's part of what Christine has to say in today's Philadelphia Daily News:

Here's what I think of the people who are upset (upset?!) at the jubilation over the death of al Qaeda's monster-in-chief:
Please go get a cup of green tea to calm your nerves, a good selection from Oprah's book club - and some smelling salts.
You poor, delicate things.

Click here to read more.

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Runyan Returns From Afghanistan Trip

Congressman Jon Runyan has just returned from a congressional delegation visit to Afghanistan.
Here's an excerpt from a Burlington County Times story:

Congressman Jon Runyan was in Afghanistan with a congressional delegation just days before U.S. commandos killed Osama bin Laden in neighboring Pakistan, but the freshman lawmaker did not learn about the clandestine raid until President Barack Obama announced the terrorist leader’s death to the world.
“He was never briefed on the attack,” Runyan press secretary Chris Terrell said Tuesday, adding that the 3rd District representative did meet with top military and civilian commanders to discuss security and strategy in the ongoing military conflict against the Taliban and al-Qaida.
During his two days in Afghanistan, Runyan, R-3rd of Mount Laurel, also met with American service members and attended a memorial for fallen troops as well as a “ramp service,” in which the remains of troops are given a respectful ceremony as they are loaded onto an aircraft to return to the United States for burial.
“It was an honor to meet with our troops in the field. They and their families suspend their lives to answer the call of our nation. There aren’t enough words of appreciation for what they do,” Runyan said Tuesday in a statement.

Click here for the full story.

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NJ: Beck, Kean Denounce 'Hate Rally'

New Jersey State Senators Sean Kean (R- Monmouth) and Jennifer Beck (R- Monmouth/Middlesex) will lead the Republican caucus in submitting a resolution honoring New Jersey's military service members killed in the line of duty while fighting Nazism in World War II. Their resolution comes in direct response to a rally planned for April 16, 2011 by a neo-Nazi group, which will take place next to New Jersey's World War II Memorial.

"New Jersey's World War II Memorial was dedicated in 2008 to honor the sacrifices of those who fought fascism overseas to preserve our freedoms at home," said Kean. "Their memory is being desecrated by a fringe group of morally repugnant individuals who are exploiting the very Constitutional rights for which those service members fought and died. This resolution will defend the honor of our fallen in the face of those who would disrespect their memory with bigotry and hate."

The hate rally, planned by an organization called the National Socialist Group, comes nearly 66 years to the day after the liberation of numerous Nazi concentration camps by American soldiers. Yom Hashoah, the official Holocaust Remembrance Day that commemorates the liberation of Nazi concentration camps, is May 2nd, 2011.

"The timing of this couldn't be any more offensive," Beck added.

New Jersey lost 30, 000 residents in World War II.

New Jersey's World War II Memorial particularly honors nine New Jerseyans who received the Congressional Medal of Honor fighting the Nazis, including six service members who were killed in action.

Bayonne's Nicholas Oresko, now of Cresskill, is the nation's oldest living recipient of the Medal of Honor, earned for heroic actions at Tettingen, German on January 23, 1945.

"Though the law protects the right to free speech and assembly which this group so clearly takes for granted, that does not mean they are welcome in Trenton or anywhere else in New Jersey," Beck stated. "While this group of bigots attempts to resurrect a twisted set of beliefs long ago rejected by history, we in the Legislature will pay tribute to the memory of those who represent the best of America- our service men and women."

All Senators are invited to join in co-sponsorship of this resolution.

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Welcome Home, Vietnam Veterans!

March 30, 2011: Because we didn't do it properly the first time.... Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans!
Today is Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day.
If you know a 'Nam vet, tell him or her that you're grateful for their sacrifice.
We hope and pray future generations remember your treatment and never repeat those mistakes again.
By all means hate war....but please always love your warriors.

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Shame On 'Em: Columbia Students Heckle War Hero

The students at Columbia University who heckled an alumnus who is also a war hero ought to be ashamed of themselves. I have nothing against honest debate but it seems to me that such crass, ignorant and disgusting behavior has no place in an environment designed to promote such debate and healthy discussion allowing all sides to be heard.
Here's an excerpt from the New York Post story on this:


Columbia University students heckled a war hero during a town-hall meeting on whether ROTC should be allowed back on campus.
"Racist!" some students yelled at Anthony Maschek, a Columbia freshman and former Army staff sergeant awarded the Purple Heart after being shot 11 times in a firefight in northern Iraq in February 2008. Others hissed and booed the veteran.
Maschek, 28, had bravely stepped up to the mike Tuesday at the meeting to issue an impassioned challenge to fellow students on their perceptions of the military.
"It doesn't matter how you feel about the war. It doesn't matter how you feel about fighting," said Maschek. "There are bad men out there plotting to kill you." 

Matthew McDermott

CLASH: Veteran Anthony Maschek (above, with fiancée Angela O'Neill) faced heckling from fellow Columbia students over ROTC (below).

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/hero_unwelcome_Zi3u1fwtRpo87vXAiAQfSN#ixzz1EYIEDD4z

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Rumsfeld: 'You Can Write Whatever You Want'

Former US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsefled says that history will judge the actions of the George W. Bush presidency and historians will assess both Bush and Rumsefeld's role in the Iraq War and other anti-terrorism actions.
When asked to give his own assessment, Rumsfeld told presidential historian Michael Beschloss: "Let's give it 20 years or so and let you and other historians write it." When Beschloss pressed: "What do you think we'll write?" Rumselfled had a quick answer. "Heck," he replied "In 20 years I'll be 98-years-old. You can write whatever you want."
Comments like that captivated an audience of more than 700 last night at Philadelphia's National Constitution Center as Rumsfeld kicked off the signing tour for his new book, Known and Unknown. In his a lively, spontaneous, 80-minute chat with the noted presidential scholar Rumsfeld was in rare form.
It's worth noting that a capacity crowd turned out for Rumsfeld on what was probably the coldest night of the winter in Philadelphia. And they were not disappointed.
Here's are some other snippets from Rumsfeld's chat:

This is America. We don't govern by command. We govern by persuasion and leadership to build trust. To govern, you must persuade. Unless you do that, you can't govern.

George W. Bush decided that we couldn't wait -- that if we didn't want to be attacked again, we had to make everything harder for the terrorists -- harder for them to operate day-to-day. We had to make things difficult for them.


We are unlikely, for a period of time, to have the kind of clarity we had in World War II because of the nature of the world we now live in.

Government just stays there. It can't fold. It can't fail, as businesses do. And so the inefficiencies just compound.


We had 10,000 lawyers just in the Department of Defense. 10,000 lawyers. I don't know how anything can function with 10,000 lawyers.

And finally, Rummy cautioned against underestimating common-sense conservative leaders like Reagan and 'W' with this classic observation:
I'm 78 years-old and have lived a third of our nation's history and almost every Republican president in my lifetime was considered not too swift.

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December 7, 1941: The Date That Lives In Infamy

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan. 
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack. 
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days, or even weeks, ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. 
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu. 
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island. 
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation. 
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. 
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again. Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. 
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God. 
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire. 
~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt

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Always Remember: The Sacrifice Of Pearl Harbor

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Obama Honors Vets -- In Korea And INDONESIA!

At the New York Post Charles Hurt has a great column about how President Obama not only managed to be out of the country on veterans Day but also about how the President honored Indonesian heroes while we celebrated Veteran's Day here at home. here's part of what Hurt says:

Obama honored our veterans from afar by laying a wreath during a ceremony at an Army base in South Korea . . .
That is a distance from here matched only by the chasm that has opened up between him and the voters who elected him two years ago.
This aloofness of his really is becoming a problem.
Not that Obama doesn't appreciate the sacrifices of veterans. He absolutely does. Just ask the Indonesians.
He was in Jakarta for their Heroes Day this week to honor their veterans "who have sacrificed on behalf of this great country."
"This great country," of course, being Indonesia.

Click here to read the complete column.

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Remembering Those Who Defend Our Freedoms

God we thank you for commissioning men and women in the defense of freedom.
We honor those who honor and protect us, in many cases laying down their lives that we might live free to pursue our own destiny.
Every soldier takes his or her oath knowing he or she may be called upon to pay the ultimate sacrifice.
Lord, we cannot repay this gift they give us.
For those who have suffered as a result of their sacrifice, we ask for supernatural healing, favor, peace, and in some cases, forgetfulness.
Lift from them the cares and burdens of violence.
When they return home, give them opportunities to fulfill their own potentials and dreams.
Open doors for them, even when some doors are closed.
God, Bless our veterans.

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