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Our duty as citizens

EB
@EB
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During a recent move, I had the need and opportunity to go through family memorabilia. I found my father’s separation papers after World War II, which included a letter that Gen. Marshall distributed to all of the troops exhorting their approach to their post-war life. While reviews of Marshall during his army and post-army career are deservedly mixed, I think this letter is on target. I know my father followed it. He was involved in issues local and national for the rest of his life.


Here is an excerpt:

You have seen, in the lands where you worked and fought and where many of your comrades died, what happens whenever the people of a nation lose interest in their government. You have seen what happens when they follow false leaders.
We are determined that what happened in Europe and Asia must not happen to our country. Back in civilian life you will find that your generation will be called upon to guide our country’s destiny. Opportunity for leadership is yours. The responsibility is yours. The nation which depended on your courage and stamina to protect it from its enemies now expects you as individuals to claim your right of leadership, a right which you earned honorably and which is well deserved.
Start being a leader as soon as you put on your civilian clothes. Make your individual voices heard, not for selfish things, but for honor and decency among men, for the rights of all people.
NO American can afford to be disinterested in any part of his government whether it is county, city, state or nation. Choose your leaders wisely — that is the way to keep ours the country for which you fought.”

This post was promoted to the Main Feed at the recommendation of Ricochet's members.

Discussion (6)

  • AMD Texas@DarinJohnson

    I had one Grandfather that served in WWI. He was in the Army and was enlisted. I believe that he was infantry. My other Grandfather served in WWII. He was in the Navy and was a Seabee. My father served in the Navy during the Korean war and was a radioman. I served in the Navy during the 80's. I had an interesting time in the Persian Gulf.

    I have tried to chose my leaders wisely. Reagan was good. George HW Bush was ok and better than Dukakis or Clinton. I think George W Bush would have been better without 9/11 but was still a step above any Democrat. I voted for Romney and McCain but, to be honest, I'm not sure either would have been significantly better than the disgusting pile of excrement that was Barack Obama.

    My initial vote for Trump was made with no enthusiasm at all. He was just the lesser of two evils. Hillary Clinton was obviously the worst candidate that had ever run with maybe the exception of George Wallace. Trump surprised me and was competent even with the horrific craziness he had to deal with throughout his term.

    As a citizen, I am proud to have voted to bring Trump back especially after having four years of a dementia addled puppet as President.

  • kedavis@kedavis
    ReplyingtoAMD Texas

    AMD Texas (View Comment):

    I had one Grandfather that served in WWI. He was in the Army and was enlisted. I believe that he was infantry. My other Grandfather served in WWII. He was in the Navy and was a Seabee. My father served in the Navy during the Korean war and was a radioman. I served in the Navy during the 80’s. I had an interesting time in the Persian Gulf.

    I have tried to chose my leaders wisely. Reagan was good. George HW Bush was ok and better than Dukakis or Clinton. I think George W Bush would have been better without 9/11 but was still a step above any Democrat. I voted for Romney and McCain but, to be honest, I’m not sure either would have been significantly better than the disgusting pile of excrement that was Barack Obama.

    My initial vote for Trump was made with no enthusiasm at all. He was just the lesser of two evils. Hillary Clinton was obviously the worst candidate that had ever run with maybe the exception of George Wallace. Trump surprised me and was competent even with the horrific craziness he had to deal with throughout his term.

    As a citizen, I am proud to have voted to bring Trump back especially after having four years of a dementia addled puppet as President.

  • Chowderhead@Podunk

    EB, that was a great letter. Did everyone else read that excerpt to themselves in a loud scratchy voice?

    I was in a similar situation poking through my parent’s stuff after they passed. I have a huge family. I ended up scanning everything. This way everybody got a copy of everything they had.

  • E. Kent Golding@EKentGolding
    ReplyingtoAMD Texas

    AMD Texas (View Comment):

    I had one Grandfather that served in WWI. He was in the Army and was enlisted. I believe that he was infantry. My other Grandfather served in WWII. He was in the Navy and was a Seabee. My father served in the Navy during the Korean war and was a radioman. I served in the Navy during the 80’s. I had an interesting time in the Persian Gulf.

    I have tried to chose my leaders wisely. Reagan was good. George HW Bush was ok and better than Dukakis or Clinton. I think George W Bush would have been better without 9/11 but was still a step above any Democrat. I voted for Romney and McCain but, to be honest, I’m not sure either would have been significantly better than the disgusting pile of excrement that was Barack Obama.

    My initial vote for Trump was made with no enthusiasm at all. He was just the lesser of two evils. Hillary Clinton was obviously the worst candidate that had ever run with maybe the exception of George Wallace. Trump surprised me and was competent even with the horrific craziness he had to deal with throughout his term.

    As a citizen, I am proud to have voted to bring Trump back especially after having four years of a dementia addled puppet as President.

    I would have liked better choices than the Bushes, Romney, McCain, or Trump. All were better than the democratic party alternatives, however marginally. The democrats pick their candidates because both the candidates and the party are Anti-American. Not sure why the Republicans choose the people they choose. America gets the politicians that a plurality of American voters choose.

  • AMD Texas@DarinJohnson
    ReplyingtoE. Kent Golding

    AMD Texas (View Comment):

    I had one Grandfather that served in WWI. He was in the Army and was enlisted. I believe that he was infantry. My other Grandfather served in WWII. He was in the Navy and was a Seabee. My father served in the Navy during the Korean war and was a radioman. I served in the Navy during the 80’s. I had an interesting time in the Persian Gulf.

    I have tried to chose my leaders wisely. Reagan was good. George HW Bush was ok and better than Dukakis or Clinton. I think George W Bush would have been better without 9/11 but was still a step above any Democrat. I voted for Romney and McCain but, to be honest, I’m not sure either would have been significantly better than the disgusting pile of excrement that was Barack Obama.

    My initial vote for Trump was made with no enthusiasm at all. He was just the lesser of two evils. Hillary Clinton was obviously the worst candidate that had ever run with maybe the exception of George Wallace. Trump surprised me and was competent even with the horrific craziness he had to deal with throughout his term.

    As a citizen, I am proud to have voted to bring Trump back especially after having four years of a dementia addled puppet as President.

    E. Kent Golding (View Comment):

    I would have liked better choices than the Bushes, Romney, McCain, or Trump. All were better than the democratic party alternatives, however marginally. The democrats pick their candidates because both the candidates and the party are Anti-American. Not sure why the Republicans choose the people they choose. America gets the politicians that a plurality of American voters choose.

    You know quite well why we choose amongst these particular people. They ran for the office.

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