Letter to the Editor

Memorial Day speaker leaves bad impression

 

Dear Editor:

My name is Thomas G. Hill; I am a retired U.S. Navy Commander with 33 years of service. I was compelled to write this letter after attending a Memorial Day program that was sponsored by the Gordon Mattison Legion Post 422 of Pittsburg, of which I am a member. The speaker, a Marine Captain, decked out in his dress uniform read a poem that stated President Barack Obama said, “That he did not give a damn about the Americans who were killed in Benghazi.” I think he took the statement made by President Obama out of context. “Our” President might have said that he did not give a damn; but I’m sure that he was not talking about the brave Americans who were killed in Benghazi. The speaker also mentioned that he has freedom of speech and I agree with him on that point. However, I have my doubts about what kind of leader one is who would publicly disrespect his or her Commander in Chief. It is speeches like the one the Captain gave that is partly what is wrong with “our” great nation.

 

The speaker also stated that Mrs. Clinton said, “What difference does it make that those Americans got killed in Benghazi?” Again, I think he took a statement made by Mrs. Clinton out of context. I believe she was making the point that they were dead; what difference did it make how they were killed.

 

In my humble opinion, I don’t think that there are any Americans who care more about the deaths of those brave Americans who were killed in Benghazi than President Obama and Mrs. Clinton.

 

The speaker went on to say that minorities have had it their way too long and it was time for us to stand up and fight for what we believe in. I have a problem figuring out what minorities he was talking about and who the “we” are. There must have been some in the crowd who knew what he was talking about because there was some applause.

 

The fact of the matter is, Memorial Day program celebrating the contributions of men and women, some who gave their lives to keep our nation free, is no place for anyone to trash our President and other leaders of our great nation. I caution the speaker to be aware of the fact that the “majority” today could be the “minority” tomorrow. Therefore, it behooves all of us to be careful how we treat and what we say about our neighbors.

 

-Thomas G. Hill Cdr. USN, RET.