Memorial Day Thoughts

[Mudd]

 Here it is Memorial Day Weekend again and I decided I was going to give my brain a workout by giving thought to a serious subject. Something I haven't done for awhile so I landed on the idea of examining myself about Memorial Day, like what about it ? What comes to my mind? Am I thankful, appreciative or do I care? Is it just another day and should it be? Or should I be serious enough about it to do something or at least think about it seriously enough to remember those who have given their lives for this country...my country.

My 1st line of thought was to go to those in my family besides myself who have served in the military.

My grandfather Marion Bart Williams, a US Army "Doughboy" who lived the remainder of his life with a metal plate in his head after his service. After him came most of my brothers, Marion, Steve, Tim, and Tom. We divided our service between the US Army and the US Navy. That leaves Bill and Brian, I don't think Bill served in the military and I know Brian hasn't to this point in his life but he's still young enough that he could still.

Next, how do I feel about all this? I am so grateful and thankful for those farmers, shopkeepers, tradesmen and the like that answered the call when not asked to by anyone other than that conviction inside themselves that as proud Americans it was time to take a stand against an oppressive government that fateful day at Bunker Hill. That battle and all the battles that followed until we have the freedoms that we all enjoy today.
Those freedoms have been diminishing over the last 100 yrs because we have become more apathetic
as a society and it shows, after all it is our government that has been legally taking them away in a very self serving manner.

Unless we as Americans start to take seriously our privilege of voting there could come a day when the shopkeepers, the farmers, the tradesmen and other patriotic citizens will need to band together to fight to break the bonds of another oppressive government....ours!!!

I am not that political myself. I don't consider myself a member of any political party. I don't vote party lines but vote for individuals.

I am finding it increasingly hard to find folks to vote for because it seems that most of those running have lost sight of why those 1st battles were fought and why they were necessary.

My reaction and thoughts about what I've written so far.........
.........................Whoa!!!!!!! Git down off that soapbox!!!................................

That's about as strong a statement that I've ever "penned" in my entire life. I have never thought of myself as a revolutionary kind of person but as I read back over what I'm saying, the definition might come close to fitting. I can only pray it never comes to having to make the choices our forefathers did back then. If we as Americans would make sure we voted, it might be avoided... if we don't?? Time will tell the story and you might have a different decision facing you. One that we wouldn't choose otherwise.

I pray for our country and all those who have gone before me that allows me this freedom. The freedom to speak my mind.

Thank you fellow veterans and those now serving in our military who have already decided that this United States of America is still worth fighting for because they can still see albeit faintly the same spirit of those ideals that brought our ancestors to these shores to begin with....

With all the love that is Christ Jesus!

God bless us, bless us all!

Roy L "Mudd" Williams

PS: Now I'm going over to a friends house. His wife has asked me to teach her how to shoot a bow. Wahoo!! I am excited because I got him started last fall and maybe he'll practice more if he has someone to shoot with at home instead of having to drive all the way over here.

I didn't just add this last part to make the post archery related, I really am pumped about it...lol

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[hillbilly61]

 Well said Mudd !!! If you don't mind. I'm going to add the thoughts that came to me this morn. too.


  Over the years, from the bebinning of our nation to now, our men, and women, have served, fought and died for nation. Memorial day was set aside to remember these great people. A 3 day weekend with the family and cooking out on the grill. Or going to the beach to get some sun, is one of the privileges they have given us. The freedom to bare arms, to own the bows we so like to make, shoot and fellowship with. The freedom to be able to have forums such as this and be able to say what we say. All these things come to us from there sacrafices. So please. Remember always, those that have served to give you these freedoms. Please keep them in your prayers/thoughts as you enjoy this weekend. Last but not even close to the very least, please thank them when you see them.

hillbilly61--Mark Syck

[Mudd]

Thanks for the addition Mark!

God bless,Mudd

[HoBow]

Memorial Day has become a day to grill and relax instead of remembering our military personnel.  I'm just as guilty and I come from a family of vets. Remember what the day represents...

[Gordon]

Mudd,

How about we observe this holiday by rightfully honoring our veterans and not fomenting rebellion against our own government.

I thought this forum wasn't supposed to be political?

[hillbilly61]

   Gordon

 IF I remember right. Our Nation was founded on rebelling from a government that was repressing us. Thus. The Revolutionary War. I don't think Mudd meant it as a "political post" I can't speak for Mudd, but I think his post was..
a remembrance to the troops. Those that have served. Those that have fought. And those that have died, to bring the freedoms that WE have and that WE are letting slip away, by being passive as a people

 Mudd has only laid out a little history of what is happening because of this. Let's Pray for, and remember those young men and women that have served to keep our freedoms.

[Gordon]

Read Mudd's post again hillbilly - it's clear what he is implying. I find it offensive that he would post something like this under the guise of honoring our veterans. Many of those veterans gave their lives to protect the free and democratic kind of government we enjoy today. There are plenty of other forums where rhetoric like this is welcome. I just hope this site won't devolve into that...

Unless we as Americans start to take seriously our privilege of voting there could come a day when the shopkeepers, the farmers, the tradesmen and other patriotic citizens will need to band together to fight to break the bonds of another oppressive government....ours!!!

[Mudd]

I wasn't trying to be political, just started thinking about Memorial day and those that died for what? They made a choice to be willing to if need be lay down their lives for our country, our freedoms. The freedom of speech, the freedom to pick our leaders(the vote) and one of the most underutilized of our freedoms. It just seemed as equally important for me to look at why they chose to give their lives... because they did in fact give their lives.  I love them for it and I am eternally grateful to them for their sacrifice.  Nuff said.....

Now for an update about the last entry of of the beginning of this thread......

We can now count another lady among the ranks as a lover of archery. Sue loved shooting except the couple of times she hit her arm with the string above the arm guard..lol Yes! It left a bruise..lol
What a trooper though, she kept right on shooting.

Her husband Kenny (one of my best friends) sounded much like an ol' pro as he helped with her instruction too.

I took along 5 or 6 recurves of varying draw weights. All under 30 lbs and 1 longbow of about the same draw weight. I made sure she shot all of the recurves before I introduced her to the longbow.

Before shooting the longbow she would shoot one recurve then another until she had it down to two to pick from for her shooter bow. Then things got real fun when I brought out the longbow because when she shot it, it became her #1 choice of bows over all the recurves.

When I left I made her a gift of the longbow and she was well pleased to say the least. I got a huge hug with hubby looking on(grinning from ear to ear I might add)..lol

If they will ever get a computer hooked up that's online I'll get them on here too!

God bless,Mudd

PS: The longbow was a neat "feminine like" all fiberglass take down of unknown make. A very cool little bow even if I do say so myself..lol

[Gordon]

I'm calling BS on that Mudd. You are using veterans and patriotism to make the point that our present government is oppressive and that we may need to rise up and overthrow it - that's what the words you posted mean. While you have every right to make that kind of inflamatory political statement, I was hoping this would not be an appropriate forum for that.

[Mudd]

I am sorry that you read my post as political. I am not political beyond the fact that I vote. That is one of the freedoms that caused us to need to have a Memorial day and many good people gave their lives for this underutilized freedom. I love them for it and I am truly grateful to them for it. I even made the choice to serve knowing the cost could be equally as high for me as it was for them. I thought it was that important then and I still do today. I wasn't a draftee, I remember thinking that it was the right thing to do, I did it. God was gracious to me and I am grateful.

I pray you have a wonderful Memorial day weekend and can join with me in somber remembrance of all of our heroes and why they made the choices they made.

God bless you and yours
With all the love of Christ Jesus
Roy L Williams  aka Mudd

rlandvalwilliams@centurytel.net

[sailordad]

i have t oagree wit hGordon,to a point ,on this being a political post,and somewhat religious too.
however i do believe i know the intent he had when he penned it.
it wasnt penned to be neither a politcal post nor a religious one.
but he penned it with the thoughts of what so many thousands had died for to make this country free.
he penned it with thoughts of where this country id going to end up if we as people of this country dont put an end to it now.
i too have thought many times(in recent years)about how this country came to be and where it is headed now.
i to believe that at the pace we are going a new "revolution" isnt going to be far behind.
people dont like to think of this,but it is happening.we are getting farther and farther away from being a free nation.
a free nation is what our forefathers had given up their fortunes and had died for.
we as a people today should be embarrassed for letting our forefathers down.we have let the government control us and put fear in our hearts
when it should be the people controlling the government and putting fear into the hearts of the politicians.

any how i just thought i would put in my $.02 worth in.
and i will add

my head is hung low,my heart is filled with pride and sorrow in rememberance of all that have served and all that have died for this country of ours.
from the first death that started the revolutionary war to the most recent wars in the middle east.
with out these men and women whom have paid the greatest debt of all we would not be able to be here and debate topics like this.
these are the ones that made this country great,these are the ones for which this holiday is for.
so take off that grill apron,put down that beer.fly a flag,fly it with pride,take off your hat,place your right hand on your heart and remember what this holiday is for.
its for honoring all those that have served and are serving but mostly for those that paid the greatest debt of all to show their love of this country.
so lets all quit being so petty on this topic and just remeber all those that deserve our repspect,love and gratitude for what they do and what they have done for us.


to my sons that serve in the greatest navy ever and to al those that serve in all the other branches of the U.S. militaires

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

[Gordon]

I am not political beyond the fact that I vote. That is one of the freedoms that caused us to need to have a Memorial day and many good people gave their lives for this underutilized freedom.

If you really believed that Mudd you would not call upon the "shopkeepers, the farmers, the tradesmen and other patriotic citizens of this country" to uprise and overthrow our present "oppressive" (your words) government if they are not successful at voting it out. Wraping yourself in flowerly evocations of our fallen warriors, the freedoms they fought for and God does not change the meaning of your words.

There are many freedoms that our veterans gave their lives for protecting. But I'm certain that using violence to overthrow a democratically elected government was not one of them.

[hillbilly61]

I am not political beyond the fact that I vote. That is one of the freedoms that caused us to need to have a Memorial day and many good people gave their lives for this underutilized freedom.

If you really believed that Mudd you would not call upon the "shopkeepers, the farmers, the tradesmen and other patriotic citizens of this country" to uprise and overthrow our present "oppressive" (your words) government if they are not successful at voting it out. Wraping yourself in flowerly evocations of our fallen warriors, the freedoms they fought for and God does not change the meaning of your words.

 I's not a physical uprise that Mudd is talking about. It is a matter of our freedom of voting for the people that will give us our freedoms back. This is just one of the things our men and women served and died for. I too served and every time I hear the National Anthem played, I want to salute instead of puting my hand over my heart, but as long as you aren't in uniform it's not proper. It is very clear to anyone ( at least me) that our nation has turned in the wrong direction.

[Gordon]

Hillbilly, Mudd clearly states that if voting fails to defeat the present government an uprising may be necessary. Other than voting, what other kind of "uprising" is available to the masses?

[Gordon]

Read in the full context of the post, I think I think there is little doubt about the kind of uprising the author of this post meant. But for the sake of argument I’ll give Mudd the benefit of the doubt.

That said, the characterization of the current government as “oppressive” is an overtly political statement and one that is offensive to at least 50% of the voting population. Our veterans did not fight for the political ideology of one group to the exclusion of others. They fought and died for the freedom for all to express their beliefs and elect a representative government.

Per the rules of this forum, this post should be rightfully deleted.