Thank You, Lt. Dan

This weekend brought what is being referred to as a trifecta by some following the events landing in the news. We had the Pelosi/Murtha excellent adventure to Iraq, then Senator Kerry makes his way to Davos, for the World Economic Forum, and yesterday was the 'anti war march on Washington' featuring Jane Fonda. There's a triple play for you.

In between these events, an interesting speech was made at the National Press Club. The speaker was Gary Sinise. Sinise is best known for his role as Lt. Dan in the movie 'Forrest Gump' and as member of the cast of the current hit tv show, CSI.

Gary Sinise has worked in the field of fundraising for military veterans since 1980 after watching a play done by Vietnam veterans, 'Tracers', which portrayed an ungrateful nation treating her veterans as baby killers. He is from a long line of armed forces veterans and his wife, too. He modeled the character Lt. Dan after his wife's brother, who recently died of cancer at a hospital at Fort Leavenworth. He is also the founder of the Stephenwolf Theatre in Chicago.

Sinise raises money for Fisher Houses by performing with his band, the Lt. Dan Band, and various fundraiser events featuring him as the keynote speaker. He has been on over 20 USO tours in the last 3 years. Now he is heading up the effort to build the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in D.C. Over half of the money estimated needed is already raised. The estimate is $63 million.

He doesn't make political speeches. I would venture to say he has no political consultant on his payroll of assistants. I'd say he has little in the way of an entourage. He is a regular, good and decent man working in an industry that feels obliged to tell the American people, responsible for their very pampered lifestyles, just how responsible America is for the woes of the world. I have no idea which party he supports at the voting booth and I hope it stays that way.

The Lt. Dan Band played a benefit concert on the mall in D.C. Friday night to raise money for the memorial. The next day, Saturday, the Capitol Building was the site of the march on Washington to protest the war in Iraq. The crowd was not as large as predicted. It was quoted as tens of thousands, not hundreds of thousands of the glory days of the Vietnam War protests, and it featured the standard roster of the vocal and pampered. Jane Fonda, age 69, was there to say it was the first rally she's been to since the Vietnam days. Sean Penn was there without his canoe and rifle, and Susan Sarandan and Tim Robbins were there, too. Robbins avoided the faux Shakespearean accent this time, though. All screamed for the impeachment of President Bush. Does this mean they are hankering for a Cheney presidency? I thought the theme was 'out of Iraq' anyway. Robbins went so far as to say "Bush will end his presidency in a bunker, as did Adolph Hitler". Just can't get away from the old Nazi references, those intellectuals.

The non-profit organization, United for Peace and Justice, was the organizer of the rally in Washington. Code Pink, Pax Christi, etc. joined in on the action. The paid president of United for Peace and Justice was a guest on C-Span earlier in the day and she stated all war is unacceptable, of course, and democracy in America is not the way to be governed. What did we expect? She was 60ish and another leftover from the failed policies of the 1960's which brought us into this mess all these years later. I would think today she is embarrassed by the turnout of yesterday. In the heyday of anti-war protests, in the late 60's and early 70's, real protests took place. Hundreds of thousands would shut down major cities across the country. Military bases experienced protesters chaining themselves to gates of entry, military veterans were beat up and spit upon by the 'pacifists' and the streets of Chicago ran red with the blood of the likes of the 'Chicago 7' during the Democratic National Convention.

Ah, the good old days.

Let's not forget the Winter Soldier love fest in Washington, featuring John Kerry and his pal Jane Fonda, testifying before Congress using lies and hysterics against the military of this country. Something Kerry still doesn't understand - a true hero doesn't' go off calling himself a hero. John McCain ring a bell? So, carrying on his fine tradition of traitorous behavior, Kerry was in Devos for the annual World Economic Forum and with whom was he seated on stage? Why it was none other than the former President of Iran, Mohammad Khatami. This was about the very time a story was breaking in this country that Iranian Special Ops were executing an attack on American troops in Kerbala, resulting in the death of 5 American soldiers. After almost 30 years of living with the cowardly decision making of failed President Carter which brought on the modern fanatical Islamic threat to our country, John Kerry said:

"So we have a crisis of confidence in the Middle East - in the world, really. I've never seen our country as isolated, as much as a sort of international pariah for a number of reasons as it is today". International pariah. Bravo, Lurch.

Again, Kerry chooses the enemy over his own country, while seated next to a real face of evil.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Kerry was proven wrong that we are the international pariah he claims now. The country of Somalia asked for our help with fanatic Muslims, received it and was properly grateful. George Bush cleaning up another Clinton mess, seems to me.