From A Marine

In the Election's Aftermath

My thanks to Sally, our parish administrator, for this inspiring post. Somewhere way back in my distant memory I remember a time when we were all loyal patriots, Republicans and Democrats/Liberals and Conservatives. We disagreed, but we respected one another. Somewhere along the way, we lost that sense of mutual respect and began an unfortunate downward spiral of insult and bitterness.

Sally saw this post and shared it with me.

Allow me to share it with you, in hopes; since hope is sometimes all we have, that we may begin again.

Peace be with you,

Fr Paul

"My Dad is 87 years old and still kicking. He's a Marine, because once a Marine, always a Marine and fought in the Korean conflict. Now, me, being a hippie in my youth, you can imagine we didn't always see eye-to-eye, (or I should say, pretty much never did we agree) especially about our politics. So, it is to that I would like to share with all of you, and the nation if I could, something my father asked me a month or so prior to the election.

"What's all this stuff about?, all the name calling and placing blame? Where do people think that's gonna' getem'?" (this in reference to the campaigning)

Well, I said, people are really opinionated, you know. . thinking we were about to have an intimate epiphany about our past together.

"No, (he said), I mean, when I was young the people had their opinions, and when a man was elected, to any office, whether it was a local elections or the
President, everyone put down their opinions and stood behind the person who was in office, even the other party". "We respected the person elected and stood behind those decisions because we are 'Americans', and that's what made our country strong, the fact that we could band together and make things work". He finished by asking "what's wrong with people today?"

In light of this I would ask you all to consider a wise old Marine's thoughts, show him that it's still true, we 'can bond together' we can honor the leader of our nation, and stand together to 'get it done'.

Forget the mess that was created in the Nixon era, when we all lost our heros, and let's get on with it. Whata' you say?

Thanks for giving my Dad a voice!

Gracie"