Thanks Bernie

Bernie,

I'm so glad to see a comment from you. I have been involved in a number of very serious editorials on the other military sites I belong to and have missed posting here for 11 days.

The current state of affairs, with all the murders and continued threats to our Country, has obviously been at the top of list for discussion. I'm sad to report that one of the sites that I belong to has been hugely and negatively effected by it all.

Things just don't seem right and I've concluded that it's probably better for me to disengage from my efforts to help than to continue with the editorials I've been submitting. I'm doing that because I'm convinced that my thoughts of helping out aren't really helping at all.  

I find it hard to believe that we are actually seeing a time where "fear to speak your mind", has outpaced the responsibilities we have as Veterans to do exactly that. It's pretty clear to me that even our freedom of speech has been negatively effected by current events.

That does not go for the Red River Valley Fighter Pilot's Association.

They are  a very unique brand of Veterans who continue to urge their membership to "Say what you mean and mean what you say".  They don't back off of anything. Fear from expressing themselves and exercising their freedom to do so isn't even in their vocabulary.

I'm not accustomed to witnessing a fear to speak freely and I often times re-read the posts that come from the Fighter Pilots, just to remember that it's okay to speak your mind even if it goes against some of the advice I get to keep my beliefs to myself.

It's all been really confusing to me as I hate to see veterans reach a point where they are hesitant to say anything about current events or why they think we are in the shape we are in politically.

I find it hard to describe a situation like that because it's so hard for me to see where Veterans, who are speaking their minds, might fall prey to some form of retribution from a higher force. I must have missed the memo about losing our freedom of speech.

Up to this point, I've really enjoyed sharing my ideas and stories on this blog. As a result of things that have happened during the last few days, all of that has changed. I refuse to be limited by edit and also refuse to cut my rhetoric for fear of offending anybody. I've repeatedly thought that it would be okay for me to say: "If you don't like what you read here, get your ass off my blog".

At the moment, I've been thinking that I only have two choices. I can wait until something happens where our freedom of speech is no longer in question or I can make a list of people who feel like I do and simply direct my comments or editorials to them by personal email.

That will certainly fit the concerns of some and still allow me to share these things with those who aren't afraid to share their thoughts, no matter what they are. I guess the old saying about patriots is true. They are a breed to themselves and those who don't get it, need not apply. Damn, I sure hate that things are the way they are. Thanks for standing by me during these really tough times.

Tim