On the 11th minute of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the War to End all Wars ended. While this ending did not accomplish that stated purpose, since that day we have honored all those persons who served in our Armed Forces. As you know Mary Jones has been posting for me over the past week when I had surgery and will continue to do so while am now recuperating. I wanted to thank everyone for their good wishes and I am doing as well as can be expected.
My surgery was performed on Election Day and it was not until the next day I was cognizant enough to ask a Nurse who won the election. Later that day, while still in ICU, I had an interesting conversation with another Nurse, who was from Nigeria, about our freedoms in America and that led me think about some of the things we owe all of our Veterans. I asked this Nurse what he thought about all the negative campaigning and accusations which flew back and forth; as opposed to some type of reasoned debate. He just looked at me and said “Do you know what I would have given back at home to be able to hear those things, or even say them.” The look in his eye reminded me that once again our right to vote, debate in public and otherwise engage in a free flowing dialogue about the future and destiny of our country is a freedom not held in other parts of the world, even in a country which, on paper at least, is a democracy.
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