Veteran's Day

I try to never let my politics show in this blog.  But these are scary times...and the country feels more and more like two countries.  Nobody on either side is willing to compromise or listen to reason...

But I think we can all agree today, on this one thing.  Veteran's Day is the day when we think about and honor the men and women who served this country in the armed forces.

Because here's the thing -- freedom isn't free and the United State of America has seldom been "united".

From the very beginning -- George Washington and his gang didn't have it easy.  They had to eat their horses, for crying out loud!!

Although his Presidency is fondly remembered -- it was full of turmoil and political back-biting.  They didn't have Twitter in those days -- so Thomas Jefferson had HIS OWN newspaper, and Alexander Hamilton had HIS OWN newspaper.  They both wrote under pseudo-names to slander and discredit one another.

From the first stroke of the pen on our Declaration of Independence, we have struggled with the issue of race and equality.

As a nation, we were only 80 years old when we fought the bloody Civil War...eventually killing 600,000 of our own citizens...think about that number...

We survived two World Wars -- when many countries didn't.  But that wasn't easy, either.  After WW I, the immigrants struggling to make it in America were the Irish and the Italians.  There were 36 coordinated bombings across the United States.  A bomb went off on Wall Street,  killing 30 people.  These bombings were credited to Italian Anarchists responding to the Immigration Act of 1919, which was about deporting undesirable individuals -- (defined as anti-war protestors, foreign born anarchists, and union labor radicals). 

When I was in college, the Vietnam War was the issue dividing the country...and U.S. soldiers shot and killed student demonstrators at Kent State University...

During the race riots of the 60's -- we watched cities burn on the evening news.  Detroit, Newark, Chicago, Los Angeles...

I'm just saying America has been through a lot -- and it has never been easy.  Americans disagree with each other...on a host of issues....and we always have!!   THAT'S WHAT WE FOUGHT FOR, DON'T YOU SEE??

It's good to take a moment to consider HOW VERY, VERY LUCK WE ARE to live in a country that has elections. No matter what side you're on, or how contentious this election was -- I am grateful to live in America, where every person, rich or poor -- black or white -- Christian, Jew or Muslim -- has the RIGHT TO VOTE.

On this Veteran's Day -- I'd like to give a shout out to the Quilts of Valor organization...

I attend their regional event at the Quad Cities Botanical Center.

My husband John and my son Elliott both received quilts.

Terry Austin is in charge of the local chapter of Quilts of Valor

She gives a big hug to every single veteran.

Terry Austin made the two matching quilts John and Elliott received. (there is a label on every quilt).

Check into your local organization -- you can honor them by making a quilt, or attending an event...

The very best thing about the Quilts of Valor is that they don't have a "process"...no veteran needs to fill out a form or prove they are worthy.  No officer is considered or honored before a private...their service to their country is honored, without question.