FIFTY YEARS AGO, THE HEIRESS PATTY HEARST, AFTER BEING KIDNAPPED, ROBBED A BANK WITH A WEAPON THAT WOULD MAKE ARMALITE PRODUCTS LOOK LIKE A BB GUN. RICHARD NIXON RESIGNED THE PRESIDENCY. AND BLAZING SADDLES WAS THE HIT MOVIE OF THE YEAR.
YES, BACK THEN WE COULD LAUGH AT EVERYTHING, WELL, ALMOST EVERYTHING. WE COULDN’T SHOW THAT MOVIE TODAY.
COMEDIANS LIKE MILTON BERLE AND LUCILLE BALL WERE ON THE DESCENDANCY. BUT THE GREAT RICHARD PRYOR AND RODNEY DANGERFIELD WERE JUST HITTING THEIR STRIDE.
MOTHER-IN-LAW JOKES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FUNNY, AND DANGERFIELD HAD A BAG FULL OF THEM… “You know, I haven’t said a word to my Mother in law in almost two years… I didn’t want to interrupt her.”
POLITICS CAN BE LIKE THAT. WE ALL HAVE, OR HAD, OR ARE, A MOTHER-IN-LAW. WE CAN JOKE ABOUT THE STRIDENCY OF A MOTHER-IN-LAW; OR HOW OUR PERSONAL NEEDS, BOUNDARIES, AND IDEAS ARE IGNORED OR CANCELED.
BUT I MUST POINT OUT THAT THERE IS A COMMONALITY AMONGST THE JOKING AND TRUTH WITHIN IT. YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW AND YOU HAVE ONE GREAT LOVE IN COMMON: YOUR WIFE, YOUR HUSBAND, YOUR PARTNER. YOU BOTH LOVE ‘EM TO PIECES…
SO WE ALL HAVE COMMON GROUND. THE LOVE OF SOMEONE, OR SOMETHING, BETTER THAN OURSELVES. SOMEONE, SOMETHING, WE WOULD SACRIFICE EVERYTHING FOR. THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE THAT COMES WITH TIME AND EXPERIENCE.
IT IS COMMON GROUND. THE POLITICAL CLASS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, WHO SPOKE TO US, DO NOT REPRESENT A SINGLE PARTY OR EVEN AN IDEOLOGY… ONCE ELECTED, THEY REPRESENT ALL OF US… EVEN YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW.
AND WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE FOR THE COMMON GOOD, ON COMMON GROUND, AND THEIR COMMON DECENCY.
NOW I HAVE TWO REQUESTS FOR EACH OF YOU TONIGHT.
DON’T GIVE UP ON INVOLVEMENT IN THE POLITICS, THE ISSUES, OF THE DAY. IT ISN’T NECESSARY TO FIGHT FOR EVERYTHING.
FIND COMMON GROUND. WHETHER PUNDITRY OR WORKING POLLS, ATTENDING TOWN MEETINGS OR JUST VOTING EVEN IF INCONVENIENT, DO SOME HOMEWORK ON ALL SIDES OF THE ISSUES, THE INTENDED RESULTS AND THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. BE INFORMED.
WE CAN BE FRIENDLY AND GRACIOUS EVEN IF WE DISAGREE. THE SPEECH-MAKING OF FIGHTING IMPLIES A LOSER, AND HALF THE ELECTORATE ARE NOT LOSERS. VETERANS KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REAL FIGHT AND THE RHETORICAL ONE.
WHY SHOULD YOU GET INVOLVED DIRECTLY?
ASK YOURSELF…DO WE WANT THOSE WHO TOPPLE MONUMENTS TO OUR FORBEARS, THOSE WHO ACTUALLY BUILT SOMETHING, DO WE WANT THOSE WHO TEAR THINGS DOWN TO BE IN CHARGE, THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER BUILT ANYTHING?
YOU HAVE BUILT SOMETHING. YOU HAVE HELPED BUILD AND MAINTAIN THE LEGACY OF OUR GREAT NATION. THOUGH WE ARE FLAWED AND IMPERFECT, WE ARE STILL THE INDISPENSIBLE NATION, THE GREATEST POLITICAL EXPERIMENT THAT THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.
WE SHOULD ALL WORK FOR COMMON GROUND, FOR THE COMMON GOOD, WITH COMMON DECENCY. VETERANS ARE WELL- PREPARED FOR THAT.
MY SECOND REQUEST, IS A SELFISH ONE. VETLANTA MARKS TEN YEARS OF BEGGING AND BORROWING, PROVIDING A VENUE FOR VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS BOTH FOR PROFIT AND NON-PROFIT. WE HAVE CONNECTED ALL THE VENDORS AND MEMBERS AND PARTICIPANTS AND SPEAKERS THROUGH GENEROUS SPONSORS, ALL FOR FREE TO YOU.
LLOYD KNIGHT AND JOHN PHILLIPS HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE DAY ONE, THROUGH THE UPS AND DOWNS AND MOSTLY UPS. WE HAVE HAD GREAT PARTNERS AND BOARD MEMBERS AND WORKER BEES OVER THE YEARS – BUT LLOYD AND JOHN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE. RESPECT AND KUDOS TO THEM FOR KEEPING VETLANTA GOING.
THE REQUEST IS WE COULD USE YOUR TIME AND TALENT. PLEASE SEEK US OUT IF YOU CAN SPARE AN HOUR A MONTH TO HELP PREPARE FOR GREAT EVENTS LIKE THESE.
THANK YOU, LLOYD AND JOHN. THANK YOU, VENDORS. THANK YOU SPONSORS AND THANK YOU SPEAKERS. AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE MOTHERS IN LAW OUT THERE.
VETLANTA THANKS YOU ALL. DRIVE SAFE. SEE YOU SOON.
The above are my closing comments at the VETLANTA 10 year birthday celebration at the National Guard Amory in Marietta, Georgia. It has been my privilege to make these comments to the over 300 veterans and friends in attendance.
Continue to pray for and support the State of Israel in its mission to eradicate the world of terrorism, and Hamas in particular. When the hostages have been returned, if they will be returned, then maybe negotiations can take place. Return the hostages, disarm Hamas, and do not allow one weapon to enter Gaza, ever. Never again.
PEACE. OUT.