Monday, February 28, 2005

Thanks to our Service People and Families

I had so many thoughts going on today, but am choosing to take this moment and this space to thank all of our service people and their families.

I love my country. I love the freedom that we have here. I love being able to speak up when I want to. I eat regularly and live in a warm house. I am not afraid that the military is going to come in to my home and harm me.

I know some of the military families. I know it is difficult when there are bombings half a world away, and they always hope and pray that their loved one was not involved. There is loneliness and hardship.

We are a country at war - not by choice. Thank all of you for serving us. Thank you for making our world a safer place. Thank you for the time you are giving and the dangers you are facing. May we never, ever take you for granted.

Thursday, February 03, 2005

A Durable Peace

I've been meaning to write, but I got started reading this book by Benjamin Netanyahu - A Durable Peace. Actually, it has been on my shelf for a couple years. I picked it up on sale one time knowing that eventually I'd like to read it. Well, with the new year and all, I took it down and vowed this was the year. You see, it was quite forboding with its 400+ pages and appendices and all. It took a lot of courage just to think I was going to do it.

I now have 2 pages of the main text left and then the appendices. And I will say this -- I have learned a lot. For instance, did you know that the Arab world is more than 500 times the size of the Jewish state. That helps put in perspective what Israel is being asked to do in giving up part of the West Bank. Even with the West Bank, Israel is only 40 miles wide. They truly are in a precarious situation.

I must admit that I wish our schools would require the reading of some of these works instead of the anti-American propaganda that does get taught. I know that when I was in school in the dark ages, America was not presented in a positive light. No wonder there are so many misinformed and uninformed adults today. It was only in homeschooling my own children that my eyes were opened.

A special thanks to Benjamin Netanyahu for his own steadfastness and the love he obviously has for his own nation. May his works continue to educate people around the world.