With the wrap up of the Federalist Papers last week I will be taking a break from writing for this website.
When I started this effort, I remember thinking to myself that this was an extended love letter to my country addressed to my children. I do not believe that I am reflexively patriotic. My love for this country was born from the stories I heard from my grandmother about coming here with absolutely nothing. It matured when my father insisted that we were not hyphenated anythings. It grew as the Navy took me all over the world to see, touch, and smell (you who have been there know exactly what I am talking about) all the places that cannot hold a candle to this great country of ours.
I was married in my uniform to a lovely gal who saw me pack up and leave more times than was ever fair to her. It was only strengthened by the young people I worked with, a group of truly diverse souls, and it was seasoned by some of the older ones who are no longer around to stand the watch. I have been applauded and spat upon, shot at and hidden in a bunker, got blind ass drunk and later prayed hard when my son took the flag from me as I got older.
I cannot help but shed a tear every time I hear our National Anthem, which is one long question ending with “oh say, does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?” And I still get emotional when I contemplate some of the other things said by our country’s patriots and those who defended her. “Live Free or Die.” “If They Mean to Have War, Let it Begin Here”. “Don’t Give Up the Ship”. “I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight”. “Nuts.” “Retreat? Hell, we just got here.” “It’s not the people you saved that you remember. It’s the ones you couldn’t save.” I unabashedly love this country. All of it.
It is my intent to go back to the beginning and to assemble these musings into a book about the origins of Western thought and I hope to post a link to that when I finally get it done. I would hate for my mom to purchase the only copy. It is my most sincere belief that we cannot talk intelligently about our country, or the state of the world’s politics, without understanding the background that brought us to this point. The preservation of Western Thought is absolutely critical to the survival of our great nation. And it is my most sincere hope that my efforts here have yielded a bit of fruit in that regard.
I would like to thank all the readers at AFNN who chose to spend some time with my musings. Thank you to the ones who took the time to write insightful comments, and to those who provided criticism when I failed to deliver to an appropriate standard. I would like specially to thank Mike Ford who encouraged me to join the fledgling site, and who allowed me the platform to discuss what I feel is such an important topic. And lastly, I would like to thank my wife who would patiently proofread my articles, tactfully tell me when I had failed to make the point that I had intended, and who puts kindness above all else.
Our country will face some tough times, just like it has in the past. Our Founders provided us with a sound ship, built from solid planks provided by the great Wisdom from the Hebrews, Greeks, Romans, and the Enlightenment. It is a capable ship, well-constructed and sturdy. But she is not unsinkable. Small leaks can doom the mightiest ships. They gave us everything we need, but she’s ours to care for.
As a truly great hero once said, “No one is coming, it’s up to us.” Compared to him, and those like him, our sacrifices are infinitesimal.
Make them
Editor’s Note: John is one of our original writers. His focus on the fundamentals that underpin our great republic will be missed during the (hopefully short) time he is on sabbatical. Farewell but not goodbye, John.
Ed.
If you enjoyed this article, then please REPOST or SHARE with others; encourage them to follow AFNN
Truth Social: @AFNN_USA
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/afnnusa
Telegram: https://t.me/joinchat/2_-GAzcXmIRjODNh
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfnnUsa
GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/AFNN_USA
Parler: https://parler.com/AFNNUSA
CloutHub: @AFNN_USA
I have enjoyed reading your articles. I hope the vacation isn’t too long. Your book should be an interesting one. Farewell, friend.
Thank you for the kind comment Mark. Means a great deal to me.
Your series on the Federalist Papers was excellent. The summary should be encouraged reading for all American Citizens and should be required in all High Schools. Understanding what the Founding Fathers were considering makes American History whole. I am a West Pointer and a Lawyer. Service and Country before self has become lost. It is a shame. Thanks for all the good work you did.
Fletch,
If I get that book done let’s figure out a way to get some into the hands of young people and schools. That is where the battle needs to be fought.
Well done
Thank you J.
Appreciate that
Best of luck with all that you decide to do.
Albert, I’ll need it.. Thanks!
“I cannot help but shed a tear every time I hear our National Anthem, which is one long question ending with “oh say, does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave, o’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave?” And I still get emotional when I contemplate some of the other things said by our country’s patriots and those who defended her. “Live Free or Die.” “If They Mean to Have War, Let it Begin Here”. “Don’t Give Up the Ship”. “I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight”. “Nuts.” “Retreat? Hell, we just got here.” “It’s not the people you saved that you remember. It’s the ones you couldn’t save.” I unabashedly love this country. All of it.” John Parillo
This paragraph perfectly describes how I feel about this country. It was during my time in uniform that I came to fully understand the difference between love for one’s country and respect and support for those who managed to get elected to lead her. I used to be embarrassed over getting emotional about those things but as I have aged that is no longer the case.
I, now, fear that the country I love is slipping from the grasp of those like you and me and others who have this Norman Rockwell like appreciation for a country that the cynics say existed only in his imagination and his art; that the generations that have grown up under the tutelage of leftist dominated, taxpayer funded indoctrination system are being taught to hate themselves and that nation that spawned them. My most fervent prayer is that we are not too late; that there is hope and that, as Ronald Reagan so often said, America’s BEST days lie ahead.
Thank you so much for your contributions to this site. Though I haven’t read all of your pieces, I’m working my way through them, especially the series on The Federalist Papers. I hope that your hiatus is a temporary one and that you will be positing your views here and on other sites to which I subscribe or read on a regular basis.
I wish for you Fair winds and following seas.
Bob,
Thank you for your kind remarks. I especially appreciate sharing that our chronological advancement has made us both somewhat immune from giving a rat’s forth point of contact about what other people think of our being emotional. We cannot let the cynics win. Let them hate themselves. Keep fighting the good fight. There are young people who will value your wisdom. Find them. Use humor and kindness. You solemnly swore to support and defend the Constitution, and I don’t remember there being an expiration date on that oath.
Kindest regards
Thanks for playing John! I’ve often referred to your Federalist as well as ancient philosophers in my articles, which are always well done and good reading and it is no less than a travesty that many respond “didn’t know that…”: It says a lot about todays educational focus…
I like the way you started by soliciting input on topics, but whether it was forthcoming or not you found your pace quick and it was a great addition to the site!
Your words reminded me of my sons 2 tours in Iraq during the worst of that effort-despite some ~26 years served between my wife and I-it is just a whole nother level of stress when it is a loved one!
Enjoy the time off! Let us know when the book is complete-will help you get to 2 (the first 500 are a relief-when you consider unknown authors rarely crack 100…)
Hope to see you back in these spaces soon!
May your ponies be strong, fast and fearless, and your mares productive and prolific!
Max D
Max,
Thank you! Cowboys have to keep cowboying. It’s like breathing. And mares never get the credit that they deserve. Like good women everywhere they have an opinion that they make absolutely certain to share.
The military has become a family business. Not an entirely healthy development for the country alas, but seeing those old guys (us old guys?) in their service ball caps, putting out their Blue Star Flags should confirm to us that the blood of patriots is still coursing through the veins of this country. What an amazing heritage we have been given. Congratulations to you and your family for passing it along.
Godspeed, sir. Even if not full articles, drop us a line and keep in touch about how you and yours are doing through Comments occasionally. 🙂