The 6th of June

On this day, seventy years ago, the largest sea-based invasion in the history of the world took place as hundreds of thousands of American and other Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy to begin the liberation of Nazi-occupied Europe and the crushing defeat of Nazi Germany.

As the historic Allied landings began, President Franklin Roosevelt took to the airwaves to lead the American people in prayer for strength, courage, and final victory.  The prayer was delivered in a somewhat low key style yet is nevertheless stirring.  In the video above is the actual prayer Roosevelt offered up for American forces, the American people, "sister nations" and, of course, victory.  The prayer is a poignant reminder that, for those fighting WWII, the Allied victory was not a fore gone conclusion.  Thus, divine aid was fervently sought.

Sit down and give a listen to FDR's D-Day prayer, and as you do give thanks to the men who hit those beaches, especially the ones who remain there still, and thank God for His blessing on that herculean effort of good to conquer evil.

June 6, 1944, the day God allowed us to save the world.

Remember

Enjoying the three day weekend and am eternally grateful to all the fighting men whose ultimate sacrifice allows me to enjoy it in peace and freedom.  Have a meaningful Memorial Day.

Remember What Happened

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks which struck America on September 11, 2001. Those attacks--two on the World Trade Center, one on the Pentagon, and one aimed for the White House that crashed in Pennsylvania--were the worst attacks on Americans ever. More of our national brethren were killed on 9/11 than at Pearl Harbor. It was a monumental tragedy.

Look at the picture above. It's the tragically iconic "Falling Man" photo. This is what 9/11 is all about. This is what happened that day. Human beings, whose only crime was to go to work, forced to make a tortuous choice: burn to death, or jump from windows more than 1000 feet above ground. Two hundred chose to jump. Over 2000 others at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon burned to death, suffocated, or were pulverized by falling debris. And in Pennsylvania, 40 American souls perished when their plane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed after the passengers heroically tried to take it back from the terrorist filth who'd hijacked it. This is what happened on 9/11. This is what we must remember.

The attacks on the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and the hijacking of Flight 93 were NOT the work of the US government. They weren't a so-called Black Ops operation. They weren't engineered by Jews. The World Trade Center towers weren't blown up from the inside. The Pentagon wasn't hit by a missile. Islamic terrorists committed the atrocities of 9/11. Muslims, acting on their religion's command to wage jihad, or holy war, on "infidels", hijacked passenger planes and used them as bombs to kill thousands of innocent people. That is what happened on 9/11. That is what we must remember.

The attacks on 9/11 were, together, an act of war, not a crime. The proper response to them was--and remains--to wage war on the jihadis who perpetrated the atrocity and remain committed to our destruction to this day. That is what we must remember.

9/11 wasn't just about horror, tragedy, and death. It was a day of heroism, patriotism, and extraordinary courage. It was a day when Americans were united like we'd never been since World War II. On that day, people risked their lives to save strangers, and gave their lives to save their country from further assault. On that day, and in the days after, it didn't matter what race, religion, class, or gender you were. On that day, there were no Republicans or Democrats, no conservatives or liberals. On 9/11 we were all Americans. Period. That, too, is what we must remember.

Look at the picture above once again. Look at it and let it stir up in you all the emotions, in all their intensity, that you felt that awful day. Feel the rage, fear, horror, shock, and grief, but also feel the courage, the patriotism, the brotherhood, the can-do spirit, the determination to save and be saved. Feel the best of America that burst forth that day, and make a resolution to live that spirit in your every day life as much as you can. For it was that spirit, more than our buildings, that the terrorists really wanted to destroy.

So, on the tenth anniversary of 9/11, let us remember our lost loved ones and the brave first responders who sacrificed their lives so others could live. And let us resolve that while our buildings may have been broken, our hearts never will be. The terrorists will never win because the American spirit will never be quenched. That is what 9/11 is all about. That is what we must remember.

God bless America.

D-Day Remembered

I apologize for writing on D-Day a day late. In truth, there's not much I can say about that herculean invasion, launched against monumental odds, which marked the beginning of the end of the "thousand year Reich". Others have written and/or spoken much more eloquently than I ever could on the glory, heroism, and sacrifice of the largest amphibious invasion in the history of the world. Still, I want to offer at least a small remembrance of the day that ensured I would live in a free nation. Just today I happen to find on Yahoo! a few color pictures--apparently first published in Life magazine--of events before, during, and after D-Day. I find these photos to be both fascinating and moving. There are only five* of them and they don't depict any D-Day scenes most of us are familiar with, which is why I like them. So, a day late, I humbly submit these color pictures of D-Day, the day that the Reich's fate was sealed and freedom was secured. As you peruse them I hope you stand in awe of the superhuman courage of the Allied (mostly American) troops and then ask God to help us be worthy of their sacrifice.

D-Day in Color



May, 1944: American Army engineers eating lunch atop a box of ammunition stockpiled for the invasion.



French couple welcoming American troops with wine.



French civilians having a friendly photo op with American troops.



Captured German soldiers.



American Army chaplain giving Last Rites to a wounded soldier. Behind the glory and the heroism, this is what D-Day was really about.


*There were actually six pictures on Yahoo! but the sixth one had no people in it, only a destroyed building, so I chose not to post it.

Quotable Quotes: In Memoriam

"Only two people have ever volunteered to die for you. One is Jesus Christ, and the other is the American Soldier." Unknown.

Happy Memorial Day
God bless the Fallen

In Memoriam

The following is the official video to Michael Jackson's song "Gone to Soon", a tribute to Ryan White, the young 1980's AIDS patient who helped to humanize those infected with HIV and who passed away in 1990. This video may seem inappropriate for a Memorial Day post but when I was listening to the song with my Mom it occurred to me that those who have fallen in battle are also "gone too soon", especially to their families. As photos of Ryan White appear in the video, the loved ones of the Fallen will see their son or daughter, father or mother, husband or wife, brother or sister and they will grieve for the one who was taken from them too soon. So this video is quite appropriate to post on Memorial Day as we, as a nation, remember all our great defenders who are "gone too soon". God bless them all.


Gone Too Soon
In Memory of the Fallen

Happy Veteran's Day. We Remember.

Here's a video for Veteran's Day. This video is 4 years old. I first saw it, if memory serves, on The O'Reilly Factor. It is one of the most moving tributes to our troops I've ever seen. If you don't tear up when you see it you're not human. It's called, "Remember Me". And that's what we should do, remember. And say, thank you. God bless our vets, living and dead, active duty and retired, combat and peace time. God bless them all. We remember.

"Remember Me"

Tribute To The Fallen At Fort Hood

I'm not yet ready to write on the horror that occured at Fort Hood yesterday. I found this AWESOME song on a blog called Power and Control. It was posted to honor the victims of the evil and cowardly act that transpired Thursday. I'm putting this song on PGZ also to honor the dead and wounded at Fort Hood and in all of the military in this time of war. So listen up, here's some real manly and patriotic rock'n'roll. It'll cheer you and scare the hell out of that jihadi trash!

September Mourn

To all who lost their precious lives on the day that changed America:

We will NEVER forget you!

We WILL avenge you!

You were killed in an act of war. In the spirit of In Flanders Fields we will not break faith with you have died, but will prevail against the foe so you may sleep in your own "Flanders Fields". Requiescant in pace, my fellow Americans; your killers won't.


"In Flanders Fields", by Lt. Col. John McCrae, Canadian Army, WWI

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We will not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Stunned!

I am stunned. Like all everyone else I'm glued to my tv right now following the reports of Michael Jackson's untimely death. I repeat, I am stunned.

Michael Jackson, when he was with the Jackson 5, was one of my first celebrity crushes. I learned what being a fan of someone meant by idolizing Michael and the J5 as a kid. The first concert I ever attended was a Jackson 5 concert. I was in third grade and I screamed like all those "silly" girls I'd seen in old footage of Beatles concerts. Now the boy who made me act a fool is a dead man. I just can't believe it.

I can't say anything else. This is just so sad. As a single dad I hope Michael had made provisions for the care of his three children in case of his death. I pray those kids will be well cared for and protected. Again, this is just so sad. No more "Billie Jean". No more "Thriller". We won't see that kind of creative genuis for another generation. What a loss; what a loss. There really is nothing left to say.

Remember

Tomorrow is the 65th anniversary of D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion of any piece of terrority in history. On June 6, 1944 hundreds of thousands of Allied troops, primarily American, stormed Fortress Europe to begin delivering the death blow to Hitler's evil empire. I wanted to honor the brave young men who gave their all--meaning, for many of them, their lives--to restore and defend freedom's light in the world. I was going to write a post but tonight on "Hannity" a clip was shown of Ronald Reagan's speech at Normandy on the 40th anniversary of D-Day. That clip was so moving that I found the whole speech on YouTube and decided to post it on my blog. Here is the heartfelt tribute to the heroes of Normandy, delivered the way only the Great Communicator could. Listen, be proud, and get your Kleenex.

Lullaby For The Fallen

This is one of my favorite photographic reminders that freedom isn't free. I wanted to post it here this Memorial Day in remembrance of all the fallen heroes from all of America's struggles for freedom. And I also wrote a song, sung to "Secreit Nicht" by the all-girl group Mediaeval Baebes. "Secreit Nicht" has such a melancholy melody; it's perfect for honoring The Fallen, today or any day. God Bless America, her warriors, and their families, and may all of you have a blessed and mindful Memorial Day.





Lullaby For The Fallen
by Seane-Anna

Sleep now, warrior.
Sleep now, hero.
Here in my heart.
Here in my soul.
Son of mine
so brave,
so young.
Your task is done;
take up now the
peace of blood.
I'll weep for you
while you lie still
in gloria.

In Memoriam

WE WILL NEVER FORGET!!!!

Then And Now

Today is the seventh anniversary of the worst day in modern American history. I'll never forget where I was that day.

I was sitting in my car at the library, having gotten an unexpected day off from work. I was waiting for the library to open. Other people were standing in front of the library's doors and I heard snippets of their conversation. New York...closed down...attack. What the heck was going on? I turned on my car radio and was stunned by what I heard. I couldn't believe it. As soon as the library opened I made a bee line for the computers and promptly pulled up Yahoo! News. What I'd heard on my car radio was true. America was under attack. Again, I couldn't believe it. I suddenly understood what the Greatest Generation felt like on December 7th, 1941. My generation, and the ones immediately below it, were suddenly, terrifyingly faced with our own Pearl Harbor. Sadly, in the weeks, months and years since September 11, 2001 we have not lived up to the gallantry and heroism of the Pearl Harbor generation.

After Japan's attack on our base in Hawaii the nation responded not only with outrage but with a steely determination to utterly defeat our enemy. Men eagerly enlisted in the armed forces and boys as young as 12 lied about their age to enlist, too. Hollywood actors such as Clark Gable and Jimmy Stewart left their lives of wealth and comfort to become warriors for their native land. Stateside Hollywood celebrities enthusiastically supported the war effort with unapologetically pro-American and anti-enemy movies and documentaries.

Elsewhere on the homefront people bought millions of dollars worth of war bonds to finance America's war machine. Americans endured rationing and grew victory gardens so our fighting men would have the resources they needed to stay strong. Women who never expected to work outside the home took jobs in factories to make the bombs and bullets, tanks and planes, ships and rifles needed for victory. And there was no doubt in anyone's mind that victory was the ONLY option in that war and that America was entitled to it. How different from America today!

Today, we are a nation plagued by fifth columnists convinced of our wickedness and committed to our defeat. Yes, there was an outburst of truly inspiring and heady patriotism immediately after the dastardly deeds on 9/11, but it lasted only a year at most. Even in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy the traitor contigent within our country brazenly showed off. Only a few days after the horror Jeremiah Wright, presidential candidate Barack Obama's pastor, was shouting "God damn America!" from his pulpit. And Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of the left-wing magazine The Nation, forbid her daughter to fly Old Glory outside her bedroom window, saying the flag stood for fascism.

Some liberals, to be fair, did join real Americans in a show of patriotism and righteous rage. They proudly flew the flag from their homes and vehicles and clearly understood who the enemy was. But that was just a reaction to the shock of 9/11; it was not an expression of their true selves. As soon as the shock wore off those flag waving progressives quickly snapped out of what, for them, was temporary insanity and reverted to their hate America nature.

The further we've gotten from the events of that horrific day in 2001 the bolder the traitor contigent has become. Ask a progressive whom they hate and 9 out of 10 will say George W. Bush, not Osama ben Laden. The man who orchestrated the slaughter of 3000 of their fellow countrymen barely registers on most liberals' radar screens. But the man who's protected us from Osama and those like him is hated with a virulence and irrationality resembling the Nazis' hatred for the Jews. Just as the Nazis blamed the Jews for every evil under the sun, so leftists blame Bush the same way. It would be hilarious if the haters weren't deadly serious.

To bolster their disconnected-from-reality hatred of Bush and America, the traitor contingent invented the 9/11 conspiracy industry. Now their hatred could be made to seem lucid by claiming that 9/11 was an inside job, perpetrated by a cosmically evil president bent on destruction of the Constitution and world domination. This is something straight out of the Islamofascists' handbook. Again, it would be funny if it weren't so serious. And there's more.

Not content to stew in their hatred for America, liberals are compelled to work for this country's defeat. They expose our tactics against the terrorists in their newspapers, claiming that Americans have a right to know what's going on. They oppose every anti-terror measure proposed or enacted by the Bush administration. And they push for the release of terrorists from Gitmo so they can fight us again. Liberals claim that they're doing this to protect America. They say that if Americans would oppose the Bush administration and release terrorists the world will love us and terrorism will cease. Yeah, right. The real reason liberals have worked tirelessly to undermine the war on terror is because they don't believe America is worth defending.

Progressives are wedded to a pernicious narrative that casts America as uniquely guilty and therefore deserving of any violent blowback that occurs. The terrorists are just reacting to the injustices we've inflicted on them. We have no right to fight back because their violence is really our fault. This is the self-hating reasoning that liberals are captive to. This, not a genuine revulsion against war, is the real motive behind their "anti-war" activism. And this is why our reation to 9/11 pales in comparison to our reaction to Pearl Harbor. There were liberals in America on December 7th, 1941 but they were not corrupted by the treasonous ideology that grips the left today.

As we remember the horror of September 11, 2001 we must understand that we're now fighting two wars, one foreign and one domestic. We must beware of the internal enemy who would serve our nation on a silver platter to our external foes. The fifth columnists may look like us, talk like us, dress like us, and even pray like us, but they are not for us; they are not on our side. On this day of all days we must grasp that unpleasant fact and deal with it. Our nation and our lives depend on it.

God bless America and God bless Victory!

Rest In Peace, Mr. Snow

When I got up this morning sad news greeted me when I turned on my computer. Tony Snow, journalist and former White House Press Secretary, died today of colon cancer. He was 53.

I was shocked and deeply saddened when I saw the headline on my computer screen. I thought Mr. Snow was winning his battle with cancer. The last time I saw him on tv he was upbeat and confident. He looked tired and older than his 53 years but he was cheerful and full of life. Now, only a few months later, he is gone.

I'm sure the fanatic, heartless, left-wing blogosphere will savage Mr. Snow in death as they did him in life. Snow was the target of some viscious posts on the Daily Kos and other liberal websites. His cancer diagnosis was celebrated and liberal bloggers gleefully wished for his death. And he wasn't the only conservative to be so treated by the "compassionate" left. It's time for decent people on all sides to reject such rabid hatred and remember that, no matter how strongly we may disagree with those on the other side they, too, are human beings whose suffering is no cause for celebration.

Robert Anthony "Tony" Snow was a bold, unapologetic conservative who served his country and his profession well. When faced with the worst that life can give you he responded with the best. He was always upbeat, always positive, always optimistic. And he will be sorely missed. Robert Anthony "Tony" Snow: June 1, 1955-July 12, 2008. Rest in peace and goodbye.