Political Parties

In 1796 George Washington gave his now famous farewell address to the nation.
Part of his address was about political parties, Washington was the only President
who had no party affiliation and thought political parties should not be encouraged
and spoke-out against them in the strongest of terms.
From 1774 to 1789 fifty five men of the Continental Congress wrote three major
documents, The Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation and
The U.S. Constitution, all done without a political party in site, their wasn't a
elephant or donkey anywhere in the room. That's not to say the members didn't
argued with each other, but it seems they did it with class. Some will say they used
the art of compromise. I tend to think they used the power of ideas, taking parts of
many ideas from many members and putting them together to come up with a
consensus, for they new their was more then one right answer.
Unlike today, where Democrats and Republicans rarely talk to each other
and rarely have any ideas worth talking about. Today its all about money, how much
money a member can raise for themselves and their party, those who raise the most for
their party get to serve on major Congressional Committee's as a reward, for many its
has become a career. And we the people keep helping them out by reelecting them over
and over again.
Unlike those in the Continental Congress who served for patriotism, who "Pledge to each
other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor".


Bruce Knipp
 

The Legend Of Arlington Ridge

The Legend Of Arlington Ridge

Its has been said that ever since the dedication,
Of the Iwo Jima Memorial on Arlington Ridge,
A ceremony takes place each morning
In the hours just before dawn.
As a low, knee-high ground fog
Sweeps across the Ridge in the cool morning air,
A band is heard playing the "Marines Hymn".
From an unknown distance and very low at first,
The music becomes increasingly louder.
Yet, no band is ever seen.
It is then said,
That out of the tree line of Arlington Cemetery,
A company of Marines clad in dress blues appears from the mist,
Marching through the ground fog toward the Memorial.
Flags at the head of the column stand straight out,
Snapping in the wind, yet not even the slightest breeze is felt.
The Marines march to the Memorial in perfect cadence,
While no orders are heard by those who witness this event.
Like "The Silent Drill Team",
the Marines execute each move in flawless synchrony.
As they reach the Memorial,
They suddenly halt, right face, and "order arms"
As the lights from the monument
Ricochet off of their fixed bayonets.
The Marines possess an eerie transparency
That sends shivers down the spines of onlookers,
Yet there is no fear.
In fact, a feeling of pride and honor
Sweeps over those who gaze upon the apparition.
Four Marines ceremoniously step out from the ranks
And lay a wreath of red and white roses at the base of the Monument.
It is believed that these four men
Are Sgt. Michael Strank, Cpl. Ira Hayes, Cpl. Rene Gagnon,
(three of the six flag raisers on Iwo Jima),
And Medal of Honor winner John Basilone.
Strank and Basilone were killed
On that hellish black sand island in 1945
While Gagnon and Hayes were destined to relive that fateful day
Until mercifully relieved them of their posts.
Two buglers are heard playing "Echo Taps",
But once again, there are no buglers in sight.
The ceremonies conclude just before the break of dawn
As the Marines come to right shoulder arms, right face,
And silently march back to Arlington Cemetery.
It is said that they are from all eras of Marines buried in Arlington,
And they are charged with guarding their Memorial
And the honor for which it stands.
All of this may be difficult for some to believe,
But legends are, after all, only legends.
Yet, ask any Marine if they believe the legend,
That Marines guard the gates of heaven
And see what they say.
The "Legend of Arlington Ridge",
Is no more than the belief in honor.
Marines live it every day of their lives.
Honor is what we were taught when entering the Corps;
Honor is what we took when we left.
Throughout life and beyond,
It is our most cherished possession.

©2001 - L/Cpl Bruce Knipp

The First Amendment

 

The founding fathers of this nation thought that it was so important they put
it in the First Amendment of the Constitution, Freedom Of The Press. They are
the guardians of the Republic, defenders of the truth, champions for the people.
But it seems we the people, have been deceived and betrayed by some of the
guardians of our freedoms. The truth is the American people know that some of
the media is bias, and the media, well, they don't even try to hide it anymore.

And know where else is it more evident then in politics, where the press is the
power behind the throne, the king makers for the left of center candidate of their
choice. A media outlet can indorse a candidate which is fine, being in bed with
said candidate is not. May I remind you it's not your job to doctor video tapes,
report things out of context, or not to report stories at all like they never happened.
Or to report an untrue story and days later recant it on page 33, knowing it will
not be read by those who read the original article.

Hard news should not be about a reporters opinions, or a news papers opinions or
a TV news opinions. Each type of media as its own places for opinions and its their
where opinions should stay. The news media should not take money to print stories
from anyone, like foreign governments who what to look good to the American
people, or the C.I.A. or a candidate, which all have been done in the past.

In closing I'd like to say their are some very good reporters out there, and we the
people are counting on you to help us out by just telling the truth. Check your
facts and your sources have more then one source on a story. Then write, tell or
post the story, and do it without bias, and you will bring honor to yourself and
your profession, which has a great need for some honor right now.

Bruce Knipp

Government Handouts

Millions of Americans are getting free stuff from the government, well it's free for them,
but not for you if you paying taxes. Is this helping the poor, or could this be buying votes.
Will this make people dependent or independent, reliant or self-reliant, or could we be
headed back to the welfare state that once was decades ago. Back when families were
on welfare for generations, with no hope and no jobs, and no incentives to work. On a
system that robbed people of there pride and self -esteem, it took away their dreams
of what they could have been, to what they have become, award of the welfare state,
just waiting for that next monthly check.

And so it seems the welfare state is back, stronger and more determined then ever. Its
goal, get as many people on government assistant as possible, and get the rich to pay
for it. All government programs for the poor are laced with fraud, so you are not just
paying for the programs, your also paying for the fraud and abuses to those programs.
To the government poverty and the poor are just a number, just how much income one
makes over a period of time. Others see it as a state of mind, your only poor if you
think your poor, they have friends and family and churches and other charitable
organizations to help them get on their feet. While the government handouts are for
the long term, with no foreseeable way out.

Bruce Knipp

Sgt. Reckless USMC War Horse

Sgt. Reckless USMC war horse, pride of the 5th Marines. Wounded twice in battle
shielding four Marines from enemy fire and kept going, a great story.

 

 

 

TAPS

ARLINGTON CEMETERY - A few hours after dawn's early light, when the grass is still wet from the morning dew - A brother is laid to rest..
Two buglers play "Echo Taps". The music seems to touch one's soul as it melancholy sound reaches out across the cemetery - like the rings in water after a stone as been thrown in - past head stones that have heard it a thousand times before. Yet they seem to weep from its vibrations as it passes by, as the wind gathers it up, and sends it out of the cemetery - past the tomb of the Unknowns - who know its melody all too well.
The wind softly moves it down to The Wall, where it lingers, slowly moving through the crowd of people gathered there. Gently it touches each name on its journey down the Wall - `til it gets to the last name - from the last day.
Its journey now complete, it slowly dissipates - leaving in its wake a feeling that you have been touched by some kind of grace, now buried deep inside your heart.
Its melody lingers long after the music's last notes - like the cries of angels, never-to-be-forgotten...

©2001 - Bruce Knipp

FORGED BONDS

To say the relationship is unique between two opposites is an
understatement. Like two pieces of steel fused together in the
furnaces of combat, they have forged an unbreakable bond.
The Fleet Marine Force Navy Corpsman who are trained to save
lives, working together with Marines who are trained to take
lives, each looking out for the other. The Corpsman job is to
patch up wounded Marines, in some cases they giving the worst
of the wounded, time, time to get on a medevac and to a doctor
an a operating room.

For some, their is nothing they can do, except hold a hand and
pray, and watch a life slowly slip away into the obis of war. The
thing about Corpsman is, they will go far past their job description
to just render first aid to the wounded, they have been known to
crawl out into no-mans land, beyond the wire, into a free fire zone,
through bullet and shell to get to a fallen Marine, they seem to be at
times just fearless about the danger around them in doing there job.
And now you know why all corpsman are called devil docs, and they
are the only service personnel that can wear two different uniforms if
they choose. This Bond as been around for decades, and so to the
respect, one for the other, and the chain remains unbroken.

Bruce Knipp