I am writing this to express my discontent and disappointment
for the anti-American protestors that we have to deal with, not
only here in Hollister, but worldwide.
Dear Editor:
I am writing this to express my discontent and disappointment for the anti-American protestors that we have to deal with, not only here in Hollister, but worldwide.
Every Friday for the past months, I have had to put up with the disappointing sight of the anti-American protestors on the corner of Fourth and San Benito streets. I am not speaking out against their right given to them by the First Amendment, but I am speaking out against their disrespect for that right.
In this great country, it is our Constitutional right to say what we believe, and to stage peaceful protests. However, it is also their moral, ethical and patriotic duty, given to them at birth by being born in this country, to support our country, president and elected leadership no matter what.
Although I may not agree with everything that our elected leadership does or stands for on a daily basis, when it comes to world crisis, and the upkeep of world peace, I am the first to stand in line behind them.
Every Friday when I drive by them, I proudly honk my horn to the pro-American activists on the other side of the street. The most disturbing fact about all of these protests is the fact they are protesting against our soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen.
Those brave men and women are whom we need to be standing behind every step of the way. If they do not agree with the president, fine. If they do not agree with our elected leadership, fine. But what do all of these protests do to the moral of our troops?
They are the ones out there putting their lives on the line every day to ensure our freedom.
These individuals are protesting against the exact thing that has given that right, wars fought and won. From the Revolutionary War to Operation Iraqi Freedom, this great country has seen every aspect of war, what war means, and what war stands for.
This war is not about oil, U.S. supremacy or the U.S. flexing its muscles. It is a war to rid the world of evil, ensure that these protestors who have no regard for what this country was built on, to be able to continue to make the rest of America and the world look bad – not only the right to protest, but also every other right to us by our constitution. Which, by the way, could only be written after winning a war.
As a former member of our armed services, where I served proudly for more than six years, I saw the first Gulf War, Somalia, Angola, etc. I am well aware of all of the sacrifices that our brave men and women take every day defending this great country of ours.
It is with great honor, dignity and respect that I say to all of our men and women fighting now, and to all of the men and women who have fought in the past to make our country what it is today. May God bless America, and our military.
Bernie Rivers,
Hollister
