Bogie received an email from a college buddy in the 1AD:
Short of the long: Tomorrow is my 365th day here. I (and the rest of the Division) am supposed to be down in Kuwait getting ready to fly home right now.
I’m still in Baghdad wearing all my gear.
It’s tough, but what can you do besides kill the enemy?
Professionals in our ranks. The old captain salutes you and your men.
Do you want to know the truth about the failure to take bin Laden from Sudan? Mansoor Ijaz has first-hand knowledge. Will his testimony be made public?
John Ray comments on and links to an article about some schools that perform very well, in spite of the economic issues facing students:
Each year, for instance, about 35% of the student population turns over. Half the students qualify for free and reduced lunches. And only 20% of the students’ parents have more than a high school education.
I grew up in these schools while living in England and France. I have to say they were first-rate, although some of the teachers were there simply for the travel opportunity. Military folk tend to be pretty demanding of their offspring, and that follows. My oldest son graduated from Air Academy High School, located on the grounds of the Air Force Academy. One of the courses he had his senior year was “Genetic Engineering”, a special biology course. How many other schools offer such things?
Given the devotion military families show their school system, any move to disband the schools faces significant resistance. But losing those schools would endanger more than a special military benefit. Defense Department schools offer valuable lessons, particularly in educating low-income, minority students. Their successful strategies deserve wider application regardless of what the Defense Department concludes about the future of its individual schools.
It requires commitment. You know…one of those military things. Of course, I’m biased.
Kidnapping has been revived as the weapon of choice for those in the Middle East who want to poke sticks at the tiger.
But Italy is standing firm. The kidnappers killed one of their Italian hostages, but he didn’t go quietly:
“This boy, as the assassins were pointing the gun at him, tried to take off his hood and shouted: ‘Now I’ll show you how an Italian dies,'” Frattini said, adding, “He died as a hero.”
If you know you are about to be killed, wouldn’t you do what this young man did? Why would anyone prefer to cry and beg for mercy? There is none in the Middle East.
Michael J. Totten has some excellent comments on rascism, the primary focus of which is the post on a Democratic web site. The writer continually referred to Colin Powell in terms akin to “house slave.”
It is a term I thought had been put to rest. As Michael points out, blacks can be Democrats or Republicans. This term would never be used in reference to a black Democrat.
Until now.
Jesse Jackson. Maxine Waters. Sheila Jackson-Lee. Al Sharpton. Barbara Lee. Charles Rangel. House slaves all.
They serve their white masters in the Democratic National Committee by providing a voice of racism. A voice that tells other blacks in this country to stay down on the plantation where they belong. If you get uppity and become a Republican, you are abandoning all your brethren still in the fields. Better you should stay there and support those whites and blacks who know what’s best for you.
These house slaves are rewarded with a seat at the master’s table. And the food is good.
But that’s as good as it will ever get. None will rise to positions of Secretary of State, or National Security Advisor. None would ever be considered for Vice President. Certainly not President. Powell and Rice have achieved that. A pariah to the Congressional Black Caucus during his tenure in the House, J. C. Watts is another who may someday be in the White House. Maybe this election.
I have never understood the appeal of the Democratic Party to blacks. Democrats wrote and enforced the Jim Crow laws. Democrats almost killed the Civil Rights Act. The Democrats I mentioned above all live very well, but tell others how bad things are for minorities in this country. Because their stature in the Party depends on it. If they don’t deliver the votes, they lose their seat at the table.
I’ve read two very good articles this week on group identity, and its potential for destroying society. One I cited in a post a few days ago, was written by Victor Davis Hanson two years ago. The second was posted by Marcus at Harry’s Place, and has links to some others.
This devotion must end sometime. People of all colors in all jobs and professions have differing perspectives on things. They can’t, and don’t need to be, stuffed into some political box. Some people I know have expressed surprise when they find out there are Democrats in the military. Why wouldn’t there be? To tell you the truth, most in the military are apolitical. The profession pretty much demands it. That doesn’t mean they don’t support a candidate whom they feel understands things better than another.
I get pretty incensed when I hear someone demean a man of Powell’s stature simply because he doesn’t fit their own perspective on how he should think and believe. I don’t see a black man when I look at Powell. I see someone I respect. The color of his skin means nothing.
Each year, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., came to the Air Force Academy to speak to cadets. He was always hailed as a role model for black cadets. That didn’t sit well with me. He was one of my personal heroes. The fact that he had black skin was irrelevant. What he accomplished in his life was important. I had the opportunity to sit and talk to him one-on-one for about twenty minutes while colonels stood by glancing at their watches. What a gracious man. I was tongue-tied the whole time. In my classes I ranted about this “role model for black cadets” thing, and told my students that Davis was a role model for every cadet. And every officer. And every American. I told them they would be missing a tremendous opportunity to interact with a truly great Air Force general if they decided not to attend. I don’t know how many did, but several made sure I saw them come into the auditorium. White and black. Male and female.
I’ve written before about Riley Stewart. He was the principal of the segregated school in town, and when we integrated during my senior year, he became the vice principal in our school. Mr. Stewart didn’t “think black.” He was a friend and mentor to all students. And he was determined to make the experiment work. I loved Riley Stewart. He wasn’t a black man; He was a man. A good man. I couldn’t tell you whether he was Republican or Democrat. And it didn’t matter. He had moral values, and demanded “citizenship” from us all.
Isn’t that what we should all demand of one another?
UPDATE: Another view is here.
And La Shawn has perspective on the Congressional Black Caucus here.
Birdie called, finally, last night. After three weeks of no contact. He arrived in Fayettenam and found a land line. When I say “no contact,” I don’t mean to say he hasn’t called others. Just not his Pop. Wrong gender.
I think I’ll smack the snot out of the little twerp next time I see him for not calling his old man any sooner!
Nah. He might slap back.
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