An American Hero Passes

I read with sorrow tonight that George E. "Bud" Day passed away yesterday. I first read about Col. Day in Roger Coram's book, "American Patriot: The Life of George E. "Bud" Day. Col. Day was to me an intelligent, brave, and principled man who believed wholeheartedly in his country and what it stood for. For, Col. Day, the notions of  honor, integrity, and fidelity were not abstractions. He lived them every day of his life. We live today in era of sound bites, talking points, and moral ambiguity and relativism. Politicians of all ilks tell us they are honorable and uncompromising and then get caught in the most salacious scandals or changed their opinions to please the pollsters. Col. Day stood his ground even when it cost him several years of solitary confinement, torture, and humiliation in a North Vietnamese POW compound. If he could do it there, why can't we do it today living in the comfort and ease of this country. Col. Day just didn't "return with honor", he lived "honor". People have a hard time defining the concept of honor. If you want to know what it is, look to "Bud" Day's life.

This story will probably be a footnote on the news if it gets mentioned at all. After all, we have to find out about what the royal baby did today or what Kim Kardashian is wearing. We live with heroes all around us yet we worry  more about some over-paid, over-preened, over-pampered Hollywood "celebrity" than any of the real heroes. You will find more heroism and courage in one veteran's home than you will in all of Hollywood. Or Washington, D.C. (except the area around 8th and I) for that matter.

Politicians think that the government is what makes "America".

Men like Col. George E. "Bud" Day are what make "The United States of America"!

Resurrection: Second Attempt

This will be my second attempt to resurrect this blog. I am going to expand my areas of interest to cover a bit about everything that interests me if for no other reason than I need to get some of this stuff off my chest from time to time. The areas covered will be Civil Air Patrol, Project Appleseed, guns, and marksmanship, Bushcrafting and survival, amateur radio, politics, and veteran's issues. If you don't like my opinions, tough. I try to act like a gentleman at all times, but this blog is where I vent. If that's a problem for you, tough.