A VETERAN REMEMBERS ...

A VETERAN REMEMBERS …
by Timothy Rollins, Editor and Publisher

November 12, 2003

Looking back, it was 27 years ago today I graduated from United States Marine Corps Basic Training in San Diego, California. A brother who was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona, came out with his wife for the occasion. Given that it was raining outside, graduation was held inside the auditorium. Standing out vividly - even today - was the pride I felt inside, knowing the grueling and demanding requirements of "Boot Camp" had been met, and that the title of Marine had in fact been earned. The pride of that accomplishment, along with others throughout my life, to include the births of my three children, have been individual hallmarks each of us have had as well as taken a moment or two along the way to give thanks for all that we have and are along this glorious road which we call life.

Yesterday, President Bush spoke at Arlington National Cemetery in tribute to all who have worn our nation's uniforms. Whether they were Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard or Merchant Marine, each has contributed to the freedom that allows all of America to enjoy the way of life that makes us the envy of the rest of the world - at least to those outside of America.

While there are enemies outside of America seeking to destroy us, it seems the greater enemies are those within our borders - and it's not just the sleeper cells of al-Qaeda and their ilk we as a nation need to worry about. The greater enemy it seems is within the halls of Congress. We begin with the Senate and more particularly the Democrats who, in their continued fit - or shellshock of being shown the door by the voters - refuse to accept the reality that they're no longer the majority party. With a leadership of Tom Daschle (D-SD) in the Senate and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in the House, is it any wonder American Democrats feel alienated from their own party and any remaining Democrats of conscience are disconnecting and distancing themselves from what was once a respected and honorable party?

One pollster said that the reason Bush won the election in 2000 was that although more Americans identified themselves with Democratic principles than Republican ones, Americans personally felt Al Gore with his private school upbringing condescendingly looked down on them, while they felt George W. Bush on the other hand, would be comfortable sitting next to them in the barber's chair, which is in fact true. How is this so? It's because Congress has become increasingly partisan and bitter. This was one of the reasons why former Rep. Fred Grandy (R-IA) left office after four terms in the House of Representatives. It is perhaps why President Bush is having such a next to impossible time getting Senate approval for his judicial nominations. We have Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist M.D. (R-TN) who is finally standing up to the Democrats on one hand, while Orrin Hatch (R-UT) is too accommodating on the other. Hatch should just have the Judiciary Committee approve the nominations and keep his mouth shut.

The problem with the Congress now is that too few of them have served in uniform as compared to thirty or even twenty years ago. This was one of the advantages of a peacetime draft, or alternative government service as outlined in a previous column a few years back, and why it should be reinstated now, despite the protests many would ring out. After all, Selective Service registration is currently required by federal law of eighteen-year-olds, so the mechanics are already in place. Having military or government service as a common unifier was and has been a great common bond in bringing America together. When NBC's Tom Brokaw referred to the World War II generation as the greatest America has ever produced, he was right on the mark. The fact that Congress was not in the state of gridlock it's in now because the common bond of military service united these (mostly) men together to put the nation's interests ahead of their own agendas only serves to reinforce my point.

One cannot help but believe that once a peacetime draft is reinstated, that in time there will be a more bipartisan spirit in the halls of Congress, and that will indeed be good for America, and what's good for America is not only good for her people, but her future as well by encouraging more of us to participate in the political process. ***

Photo of Timothy Rollins courtesy of staff files