Salute, honor and remember

[fortwayne]

Brutal, dangerous and ugly. In some respects the War on Terror is no different than wars of the past. It places great demands on the nations that wage it and on the men and women who fight it. In other respects it is like no other conflict in our nation's history.

While many view Sept. 11, 2001, as the start of the War on Terror, reality points to its beginning many years prior to that event. For some of us, it began 26 years ago in the Iranian desert at a place called Desert One. Like the eight Soldiers who lost their lives that night, today's Soldiers, stretched thin in more than 120 countries around the world, sacrifice daily as they answer this nation's call. But while the brutality, pain and suffering have remained constant, the support our Soldiers have received from a truly grateful nation has never been greater.

As our nation continues to pledge and show support to our Soldiers, our Soldiers in turn continue to pledge support to our nation. They will continue to sacrifice and endure the hardships as they take the fight to the enemy in places that many Americans will never visit or even read or hear about in news reports. They will grit their teeth, tighten their belts and dig their boots into the dirt as they've done in the past. These battle-tested warriors, who demonstrate courage, intensity and a dogged determination to succeed, will continue to fight with the backing, support and appreciation of a grateful nation. They know no other course--they are American Soldiers.

And like all American Soldiers, past and present, they will endure. The evidence lies in the remote mountains of eastern Afghanistan and in the towns and cities of Iraq where Soldiers, today, are carrying out combat operations against the enemy. They are fighting and they are winning. The evidence is also vividly apparent in the Walter Reed Medical Center, where critically injured Soldiers are learning to cope with lifelong injuries and painful rehabilitation. They too are fighting and winning. While thousands of miles separate these great Americans, they share no complaints--no regrets.

What they do share is a common love for their comrades and their country. They know no other course but selfless service--they are your American Soldiers. Salute them this 4th of July.

Fort Wayne
Guided By God
(WSJ letter)

 

[greg334]

As Fort Wayne seems to be correct in what is happening today, we must also not forget the past to protect us in the future.

I remember reading a very good op-ed from someone overseas – an expatriate so to speak and his idea what Independence Day is about. I unfortunately can not find the article I read but I can give you an idea of what it was about. His criticism was more to do with the party mentality we have today, what the holiday is to many – another day off – and observing what other countries do to remember their fallen and their freedoms.

I would sum up the writer’s position as this; the holiday is not about anything else except those who fought to establish this country and the sacrifices made by everyone at that time.

I tend to agree with his position more than anything else, even though we must not forget our soldiers who are fighting for our country today but it really goes way beyond that.

See our country today, we tend to forget what Independence Day is really about, we forget what the colonies were like, the oppression of the people of that time faced and what they felt was an uncertain future ahead of them in 1783 when we won. The closest we have ever come to that uncertainty is 9/11 and that is all but forgotten too.

Today we live in an established society that has come from an unlikely outcome of sacrifice and heartache that we can not imagine, a time when we stood on the edge of enslavement or freedom, a time when we were looked upon as an insignificant group of people which it did not matter to the world if our struggle was successful or not.

We forget that the actual movement for independence started in 1763 with increase of taxes to pay for the seven year war and followed by the Stamp Act, the Sugar Act, the Currency Act, and the Townsend Act (which triggered the Boston Tea party). We also don’t understand what the Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, Boston Port Act, or the Quartering Act – all called the intolerable acts – meant to the liberty and freedoms for the colonist.

We look at today’s soldiers, the best equipped, the best train and the best in the world and most can not see past the uniforms and equipment to see the past, to see the scarifies of others to make this country.

When we speak of the hard ship of our soldiers today, we have forgotten what happened in the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the absolute hardships of Valley Forge, the march through upper state New York to invade Canada where 500 men died along the way and the life in the south for the soldiers who fought from Savanna to Waxhaws to Cowpens to Yorktown.

One can not imaging following a leader who is not all that optimistic about the army he is leading in a place like Valley Forge in the cold with hardly any warm clothes, your feet are bleeding and leaving blood trails because you have no shoes or boots and expecting to stay true to a cause which seemed to be hopeless at time, but many did. We have completely forgotten the 2500 men who perished at Valley Forge, the food they ate, mostly firecake which consisted of flour and water, the fact that they had to deal with diseases like typhus, typhoid, dysentery, and pneumonia beside the cold on a daily basis. These conditions were only as bad as the prison camps of Andersonville, Johnson's Island, Libby Prison, camp Douglas and Elmira Prison during the War Between the States Era.

We tend to forget the citizens who also faced death and destruction of their property, in Boston, in Charles town (Charleston SC), in Savanna, in Trenton. We don’t really understand what it was like to be imprisoned in your own country and have the crown take your property away because you may be suspected of supporting the ‘traitors’ to the crown. They were living in an oppressed time when confiscation of property was common and sometimes without recourse, something we lost sight of life a long time ago being complacent in our existence today.

All of these people were the common man, but people just like you or I who left their homes and fought for what they believe in. Some came back while other didn’t. The title does not mean a lot, whether they are called soliders, Whigs, Congress-men, Patriots, or Americans – the person matters and their sacrifice matters on this day.

 

[Packmule]

Greg,

Thank you for that message. I have copied and pasted it into my personal files to recall and re-read every 4th. I know you did not write it to be deep and philosophical and maybe it did not have the same affect or meaning to others, it said a lot to me.
Sometimes we forget that only for so,so many sacrifices are we here today and can enjoy the freedoms that we daily take for granted. These sacrifices did not all take place on foreign soil but right here in our home Country.
As we travel this Country every day it is amazing to see in every City and State the monuments to Battlegrounds and the men who fought and died right here on American soil to gain these freedoms we now enjoy.
I can't help but wonder if history will ever repeat itself and we will be divided and take up arms within our own country to defend the freedoms set forth by our forefathers. Let's hope not.

God Bless,
Danny

 

[greg334]

Well thanks Danny,

Although I forgot to add something about Valley Forge the fact that we lost 2500 men and we were only 20 or so miles from Phily.

 

[fortwayne]

Greg, either I am taking something you said about my post the wrong way or I just can not say anything that you will not tear into. If I am taking it the wrong then my mistake and please forgive me. If you are biting into still another post of mine - then, so be it.

Fort Wayne
Guided By God

 

[RichM]

OK Ft Wayne, Remember this Forum is for General Expediting information. While your posts are well thought out and are making statements as to your feeling on issues that affect our Country and the World they belong in either the Layover Lounge or Soapbox Forums.

The General Expedite forum is for issues and information that affect our industry not far right or far left commentary on the state of the world.

 

[terryandrene]

I'm sure Ft Wayne would like to clarify the origin of his thread as he alluded to it being a Wall Street Journal article in his WSJ statement. His post was a repeat of an article written by Peter J Schoomaker.

This thread should serve as an example to all our members that proper attributions should always be given when quoting the works of other authors

 

[fortwayne]

Let me first address terryadrene stating I failed to give proper credit to the author of the post I made above. When I read the letter it was just that, a letter in the WSJ in which i noted that by my name where no one would think it was me. The read my name and right under there was WSJ letter, and that is what it was when I read it. If it was originally that guys article then so be it, but, it was not when I read it.
Now Rich, you say that the General Expedite forum is for issues and information that affect our industry not for far right or far left commentary on the state of the world and that my letters and statements belong in the layoveer lounge or soapbox forums.
Instead of calling me out in front of everyone why did you not just address this matter in a private email to me, instead of making me look like some kind of radical or idiot for posting it here. Also, I looked over a few past post over the last few days, which seem to be in the wrong forum as well.
For instance, 5 minutes can save a childs life, the home depot discounts, or how about the Falls some night pics post?
Are these out of place, did you rip them in public as well?
Well, Rich, Greg, Leo and some of you others that I seem to erk off no matter if I praise everyone for doing everything right.........I am closing the door. If you want to act like a bunch of kids and not apply the same rules to everyone including yourself then you can act like kids by yourself.

Fort Wayne
Guided By God

 

[dhalltoyo]

Ft Wayne,

Do not let them run you off.

We all have different views.

I have met Terry and Leo personally. Both are decent folks. Greg has been a huge help to me when it comes to his mechanical knowledge. I appreciate all of their help, but I don’t expect them to agree with me on that which is outside of the realm of expediting.

I might suggest that we all simply agree to disagree.

I have no problem with moving over to the Soapbox Forum if posting ethical, moral, spiritual, or political values.

Certainly, from time to time, every one of us has posted a response at the wrong time and in the wrong forum. I am guilty of doing myself. We just get caught up in the moment.

It has been my experience that drivers have very strong convictions; therefore, I would not interpret their suggestion as a personal attack.

It just makes for better continuity if the posts are placed in the proper forum.

I have been personally encouraged by some of your posts. If you will move those writings over to the Soapbox Forum, I will look forward to reading your comments.

 

[fortwayne]

David - thank you for your kinds words. I also have no problem taking such discussions over to another forum, in fact, that would be fine, but it is the way the one moderator had to 'call me out' or 'rip me' in public for making such a grave mistake of posting it in a wrong forum. I have done that before and they politely send me a email telling me they moved it......heck that was fine, but this time he had to take it public and I could not just stand by and take it. But, like I said if they want to have a set of rules for one group of elite people and another set of rules for others then that is fine - but I just care not to play these games any longer.

Fort Wayne
Guided By God

 

[dhalltoyo]

One thing I have learned in my Christian walk is that it never matters what someone else does; it only matters what I do.

Pray about it and see which direction the Lord leads you.

Most of the time when folks have come to me for counsel, I find that the bitterness most often results from a lack of communication, or just miscommunication.

Read Proverbs 16:20.

I have chosen that one as my life's verse.

 

[RichM]

FTW I have sent you several PM's that you have obviously not read or ignored. When you write a letter to your newspaper OP Ed section to comment on local matters you don't send it to the Sports Editor.

 

[fortwayne]

RichM the PM's you have sent me were read, they were not ignored, they were on a totally different subject and you know that.
But now you are just baiting me.
Also, when you write a letter to your newspaper OP Ed section to comment on local matters and you happen to send it to the wrong department, they forward it to the correct department and the matter is solved.
They do not 'ridicule' the writer in public.
You have moved topics off the board to the correct forum before and did not make a big production out of it. But since I have challenged you and a few other moderators before you guys get your underwear all bent up your tails when I post something.
If this is such an issue then what the same heck is this post still doing in this section. Please leave it here, address this issue and then lock it out. Simple.
You say my content is good, that I contribute to the forums - then tell me and everyone else what the problem is and then lock this thing up. Why did you guys choice to NOT move this if it was in the wrong forum? Ummmmmmmmmmmmm.

Fort Wayne
Guided By God

 

[greg334]

From my point of view, it is alright to be posted here but if it needs to be somewhere else, lets move it. But again, I am only a member, not a mod.

As for the rest, there seems to be something that Fort Wayne has said in his original post, We should not forget who is on the front lines which I agree with but I just expanded on what someone else has said was the true meaning of the holiday and this does not demean or detract from Fort Wayne's post or meaning of it.

 

[cheri1122]

Ft Wayne, I cannot speak for Rich, however, it seems to me that you've answered your own question: stating that Rich has sent you pm's on several occasions, informing you that certain topics belong in certain forums. Posting in the 'wrong' forum is something we all have done, so Rich extended the courtesy of a private msg, to point it out to you. It looks as though he didn't think you'd got the message, though, so who can blame him for wanting to make sure that you understand?

 

[Packmule]

General Expediter Forum
This General Forum Covers All The Topics, Subjects and Issues of Concern To People In The Expedited Freight Industry. For A More Specific Topic, Please Refer To Our Other Forums.

Gentlemen,

Reading the discription of this Forum, I fail to see a major issue with Fort Wayne's post. A GENERAL FORUM is a pretty wide open area of discussion by members (People in the expedited freight industry)of this site.
Maybe another Specific Topic Forum may have been more apropreate, but there is no need to elavate this issue to the level it has become.

Just my take,
Danny

 

[fortwayne]

Packmule, that is my point. General forum says 'in the expediting' not 'about the expediting business'.
I agree I don't see the big problem this post being here, if, it was 'outside' of the boundries then move the thing - the Layover forum seems to have been the area it should have been moved to, but, the General Forum is a pretty broadly covered forum accourding to the description EO has here.
Listen, either way there was no reason for them to call me out and take this to the level it has went on with. They say that they have sent my private messages regarding this issue and they have not. They have sent me messages regarading other matters which I will keep between me and them.
As far as I am concerned this matter is closed, we need to move on to other matters, I disagree with most of the moderators on EO and some of the time they disagree with me. However, they need to know, that when someone has a different view than them they should be allowed to express that thought and not be told they are breaking some policy of theirs that forbids such discussions even though that discussion may be offensive to some. THEY DON'T HAVE TO READ IT THEN!
Also, when someone post a thread in the wrong forum then just move it - don't make a big production and situation out of it like this one has become - just move it and we can all continue to enjoy the EO site.
If the General Forum is suppose to be ABOUT THE EXPEDITING INDUSTRY and not things of interest to those of us in the expediting industry then change the darn description.
Ok, for me - I am moving on and request that EO lock this thread.


Fort Wayne
Guided By God