A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE

It has been roughly 3 years and 8 months (passed March 21, 2010) since The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) was passed into law.  As you probably know there have been many reports about how the website still isn't working and the sign up process is a disaster.  Now hold that thought...



On December 7, 1941, the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbor and officially entered World War II shortly after.  We then began manufacturing ships, tanks, ammunition, planes, vehicles, small arms, bombs, equipment and other supplies.  We trained thousands of soldiers, medics, other military personnel, and civilians.  We then mobilized all of these items launching a global offensive to defeat the Japanese and to liberate Europe from its occupation by Nazi Germany.  

Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945  (3 years 5 months after Pearl Harbor)

Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945  (3 years 8 months after Pearl Harbor)

O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED

     
     My daughter and I went to see a professional soccer match and as usual, we all rose and sang our national anthem before the kick off.  Afterwards, she asked me, "Why do you have a tear in your eye?" 
I told her, "That song makes me think about a lot of sacrifices people made to make sure we have the freedom to live our lives in our own way.  And... that we are free to enjoy things like soccer games."
     I know she didn't quite understand and we didn't go into any more details, but I told her we would talk more later and that she would come to understand better when she's older.

     Every time I hear our national anthem, I try to visualize the events that took place at Fort McHenry in September of 1814.  The story is told very well in this SHORT VIDEO.

     I reminded my daughter about a children's book we read some time ago that was told from the perspective of the daughter of Mary Young Pickersgill.  The Pickersgill women were commissioned to make the flag that flew at Fort McHenry.

THIS IS ALL I GOT

"The natural cure for an ill-administration, in a popular or representative constitution, is a change of men."


-Alexander Hamilton- Federalist No. 21 1787






"Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interests of his constituents, as the certainty of returning to the general mass of people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate in their burdens."

-George Mason- Virginia Ratifying Convention 1788