VIDEO: Freedom Rocks at the Freedom Rock in Iowa ~ Memorial Day 2007

I hope you will enjoy this Memorial Day tribute. It really IS a time to remember those that have paid the ultimate price in defending our country and our freedom.

Please note:  To see the following video, you must be logged in to Facebook.

Post by Johnny2k's America.

Memorial Day, it is a time to remember that freedom isn't free.



It is a time to remember the many that have fallen for our freedom.



I only wanted to raise the awareness that their courage and patriotic duty is remembered during this long holiday weekend. This needs to be a time when we have to think about the reason that some of us have a long weekend to enjoy with our loved ones. It truly must be a time to remember. Just sayin'...

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As an additional feature here on Blogging In Our Time 2 Escape, this blog will be including videos that have been posted on the johnny2k's America Facebook page! Videos can sometimes say more than what can be 1 expressed in text.  Be sure to visit the archive with hundreds of videos to peruse!

Please note:  To see the johnny2k’s America videos on this blog, you must be logged in to Facebook.

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Don't be afraid!

WE the PEOPLE

are the MOB
ONE NATION UNDER GOD

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
johnny2k's Tea Party Gear

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WIFLI Briefing for May 27, 2012 - The "Flavor of Freedom"

UPDATE May 28, 2012:
I am dedicating the this WIFLI Briefing, "The 'Flavor of Freedom'," to possibly the bravest in the land of the brave and home of the free.

UPDATE May 30, 2012:
I am extremely honored and humbled by the inclusion of this column in an article written on The Christian Post by Alex Murashko on May 28, 2012, "Survey: Nearly Half of Americans Lost Relative or Friend to War".

"Those who expect to reap the benefits of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." ~ Thomas Paine

I don't think that anyone could have said it any better. Fighting for our freedom takes a major toll on us. The flavor of freedom can be very bitter.

We honor, on Memorial Day, those that gave their lives in the defense of this country, and the freedom that it stands for. While those that gave their all are our heroes, I have this feeling that it is the loved ones of our fallen that are our true heroes, the ones that have to endure the sacrifice of one of their own. Our children, parents, grandparents, or friends, it is not easy to accept the loss when it happens.

No, the flavor of freedom can be very difficult to swallow. While there are many of us that have never had to taste the feeling of that loss, it is important to know that we can almost comprehend the sorrow. 

As an American who has served in the military, there is that feeling within me that I must continue to do what ever I can to keep the cause of freedom alive. I believe that I must do something today to help with the healing process for those that have lost somebody that was defending our liberty. It is my duty to keep the families and friends of those who gave it all for our freedom in my constant thoughts  and prayers. They are the ones that have to go on with life without a loved one in their immediate sight... for the time being.

You must be warned that what you will read and see in this post could possibly cause uncontrollable weeping. I apologize for the pain that you may encounter, but darn, the flavor of freedom isn't always that tasty. It's my hope that this assignment was a reminder that there are many that will endure the pain of a loss and we must help them endure a hole in their hearts, the best we can. I'm just sayin'...

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Welcome to this edition of Time 2 Escape WIFLI Briefing!

What is WIFLI?
You may be wondering what the acronym "WIFLI" means. I started out by calling these issues the Time 2 Escape Daily, but that didn't work out very well. I quickly learned that putting these issues together on a daily basis was a task I was unable to accomplish. To replace "Daily" in the title, I borrowed the acronym WIFLI, which literally means "When I Feel Like It." Putting together a post on this blog WIFLI works much better for my schedule, and for the higher quality of each issue that is eventually published!

FAIR USE NOTICE: This edition of the Time 2 Escape WIFLI Briefing may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes only. This constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 106A-117 of the U.S. Copyright Law.

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Fallen heroes and the 'flavor of freedom'
See powerful wartime story of loss and survivors' incredible journey to healing
From WND ~ By Chelsea Schilling ~ Published May 26, 2012

CHELSEA SCHILLING

Meet Sgt. James McIlvaine of Olney, Md. – a handsome 26-year-old U.S. Marine, devoted husband, loving father of two young children and dedicated man anyone would want the privilege of calling a friend.

McIlvaine, known for having a splendid sense of humor that could make a room full of people roar with laughter, served in the U.S. military for nearly eight years – including combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

A natural leader, he knew a thing or two about loyalty, love of his country, service and sacrifice.

Marine Sgt. James McIlvaine

In fact, he sacrificed his own life for your freedom.

On April 30, 2009, his five-man explosive ordnance disposal team retrieved a roadside bomb beside an Iraqi police station in Al Anbar province, Iraq. A robot was used to disarm the device, but when the bomb was being transported to a safe location, it exploded without warning.

The blast killed Sgt. McIlvaine instantly.

Several Iraqi policemen and two other team members were killed as well: Staff Sgt. Tony Wojciechowski and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Trahan.

Acting quickly, Staff Sgt. Dustin Velzeboer risked his own life to save the remaining crew as a trailer filled with explosives caught fire after the initial blast. The wounded Marine jumped into the truck and drove it away as quickly as possible. As soon as he was far enough away, Velzeboer ran for his life. A large explosion decimated the vehicle, but everyone, including Velzeboer, was shielded from the blast. The Marine Corps awarded Velzeboer a Bronze Star with “V” device for his courage that day in Iraq.

But the deaths of those Marines filled their families and friends with unbearable heartache practically unimaginable by those who haven’t experienced such profound loss.

Sgt. McIlvaine left behind his wife, Cheryl, and children, Michael and Alexa, who were just 7 and 3 at the time of their father’s death.

Related video and link dealing with the grief of a tragic loss of a son or daughter in another war, and the healing process:

Video provided by THE FENCE:
A new short film, premiering at Arlington National Cemetery on May 26, 27 and 28.

~~~ READ MORE ~~~

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A tribute to those who gave all... Remember their sacrifice and courage, today and everyday.

Memorial Day Tribute 2012

Video provided by MojaveTraveler11 on May 21, 2012

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The True Meaning of Memorial Day

Video provided by Wiley Home Productions on Dec 21, 2006

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Don't be afraid!

WE the PEOPLE

are the MOB
ONE NATION UNDER GOD

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
johnny2k's Tea Party Gear

Today's mollycoddled generation ~ By Eric Rush

Erik discusses the fact that "most progressives believe that those who seek military careers are either pathologically violent morons or losers who essentially have nowhere else to go." These progressives seriously and simply do not understand why people serve their country in the military, especially when knowing they may have to make the ultimate sacrifice. Erik is able to explain it to the rest of us, but not to the mollycoddled progressives, who will probably never understand. It's because of who they are, and how they got there. Just sayin'...

Those who have little concept of what went into the founding, establishment and the preservation and safeguarding of this nation can no more consider anything other than their inconsequential, mundane perception than I can conceptualize being pregnant.

These days, there are many of this type, thanks to the press, the entertainment industry, the Department of Education and the National Education Association. They are blissfully secure in the belief that when the pipe dream pushers have eliminated the opposition, they'll retain all of their liberties, their indulgences and their stuff. As many Europeans are now discovering, the awakening will be a decidedly rude one.

By Eric Rush

Posted: June 03, 2010 ~ 1:00 am Eastern

© 2010

On Monday, I attended some of the public Memorial Day happenings in the city where I live. I was with my family, and the experience was at once moving, uplifting and sobering. For reasons that will be obvious to some, the tributes held a deeper meaning for many of the attendees than in times past; my wife, though definitely not a girly girl, found it necessary to water her face at more than one juncture during the commemoration.

The deeper meaning, of course, stems from the fact that a lot of Americans are aware of what a precarious position our republic now occupies, and how this relates to the many thousands of men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in preserving our freedom and our liberties.

"How do you think we should feel," I asked my children later, "about a person – maybe with kids at home, like you – who loses their life in war, so that the rest of us can do the things we want to do?"

They couldn't answer right away, though not for lack of compassion or intellect. It's not an easy question for a child.

Perhaps it's not an easy question for an adult, either – or maybe just some of them. From a strictly selfish point of view (a vantage point many Americans hold these days), why would anyone with talents and abilities, dreams and desires, loved ones and a life to live, willfully forfeit his life for the common good of his countrymen – even if guaranteed that the sacrifice would be appreciated and honored?

Based on the sentiments to which I've been exposed over the years, it's probably safe to say that most progressives believe that those who seek military careers are either pathologically violent morons or losers who essentially have nowhere else to go. Some even circuitously convey the notion that those who have been willing to lay down their lives for the rest of us were stupid to do so – suckers, you might say. Like many left-leaning Americans (particularly those in power), their conviction is that the military is a cheap utility for actualizing the grand designs of those with real vision – like themselves – and that military personnel are wholly expendable.

The truth is no doubt incomprehensible to those who believe as outlined above. While a wide variety of reasons exist as to why Americans pursue military careers (enlisted and otherwise), the fact is that, outside of dedicatedly liberal enclaves, there remains a certain distinction that is conferred upon those who elect to serve their country. As an aside, I also believe it is a testimony to American exceptionalism that ours continues to be the best military in the world, particularly given the whole "pathologically violent morons and losers" thing.

The consensus appears to be that very few of our service men and women have hidden agendas connected to their service (other than perhaps education and learning a trade or other skill); most believe that they are doing the right thing. This phenomenon would fall into the realm of honor, something that is, among many values, antithetical to the self-seeking narcissism that has become so well-established in many demographics.

READ FULL STORY at WorldNetDaily.com

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johnny2k's Tea Party Gear!

Memorial Day: One Holiday, Two Countries ~ By Paul Rieckhoff

Be sure to read the very last paragraph on this page, please! I added the bold emphasis. I want you to remember this about the Commander-in-Chief in the next two elections. Veterans and current members of the United States Military need to remember this and understand the significance of the President not paying due respect to those that made the ultimate sacrifice. It is so sad to see the way he seems to go out his way to ignore you.

And while I'm here, there is a column I posted earlier today by Barbara Simpson, "We Will Remember," which I hope you will read. It is directly related to this column. That's right, Veterans (I'm one, too), we will remember! Just sayin'...

We can honor the fallen by supporting the living. I hope this Memorial Day marks the start of unparalleled support for those returning from war. Veterans don’t need more empty political talk, they need real support and real action. Let’s make this the year we recommit ourselves to our country’s heroes, and to making a difference in their lives. And to never forgetting their sacrifice. Ever.

Posted by Paul Rieckhoff

May 28, 2010

For most Americans, Memorial Day weekend marks the triumphant return of summer: a trip to the beach and a day off of work – barbecues, beers and bargains. Yet, as most Americans head to the beach or the mall, many veterans and military families will travel to a cemetery. For veterans, there is no day of the year when the civilian-military divide feels greater.

On Memorial Day, it feels like we are citizens of two different countries. This holiday should be a solemn day of remembrance for the more than one million American servicemembers of all generations who have given their lives in defense of our country, including the 5,454 men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a humbling occasion to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. But unfortunately, the significance of the day is often lost under the coolers and beach blankets in the trunk of the car.

Instead of driving to the beach, we’re heading to our nation’s capital, where IAVA members and their families will take part in a range of remembrance events. In Washington, we’ll join Vice President Biden and other veterans’ groups in the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. We will visit Section 60, where the OIF/OEF veterans are buried—including CSM Eric Cooke and SPC Robert Wise, two men I served with in Iraq – two men that my soldiers and I will never forget. We will stand together on Arlington’s hallowed ground to honor our fallen.

Arlington Cemetery is a place of tremendous symbolism. It is a place for deep reflection and essential learning. On Monday, Arlington is where the eyes of our nation will be focused. But on this immensely important day, President Obama and his family will not be there to stand with us. And that is unfortunate. As our Commander in Chief, it is the President’s duty to deliver our most important message in the most powerful way-and to always lead by example. Just like all of our troops do.

READ FULL STORY at IAVA.org (IRAQ and AFGHANISTAN VETERANS of AMERICA)

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johnny2k's Tea Party Gear!

Profits derived from your purchases
will help me to attend tea party rallies,
(especially the one in Las Vegas, on July 15-17)!

We will remember ~ By Barbara Simpson

After reading what Barbara had to say today, I am all the more convinced that we do not have a man in the Oval Office that cares at all about our military members and veterans. It is quite appalling that BHO is "choosing not to attend the Gold Star Breakfast and the memorial ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery."

Barbara is right, we will remember. We will remember in November 2010. We will remember in November 2012. And we will remember the ultimate sacrifices made by our troops who have given it their all. We will remember them ALWAYS! Just sayin'...

May 30, 2010 — What should Memorial Day mean to Americans?

† † † Don't just celebrate; Commemorate! † † †

Video provided by TheREALjohnny2k

Thank A Soldier

Video provided by MAWRuidoso

But one thing is certain: Americans are watching. They see clearly that what Obama is doing – or rather, not doing – is the ultimate insult to our war dead and their families.

It will come back to bite him politically. Upcoming elections will be affected by such decisions from the administration. They think Americans won't notice and don't care.

Wrong!

They will and they do. Americans are not ready to give up our country for the sake of a politically correct worldview that emanates from the current administration.

Obama's rebuff of our military dead will only serve to embolden Americans of all ages to do what is right and necessary to protect us, even if Barack Obama doesn't.

By Barbara Simpson

Posted: May 31, 2010 ~ 1:00 am Eastern

© 2010

Memorial Day is the day we honor the men and women who died protecting this country. They were citizens who volunteered or were drafted, and who went willingly to fight for their country.

As JFK said, "Ask what you can do for your country."

The people we remember and honor today saw the challenges and dangers facing our country. They asked themselves what they could do, answered the question and then did what was needed by serving in our military.

They all paid an awful price. For many, it was the ultimate price. But for all of them, it was an honorable price.

Their choices and the prices they paid helped guarantee the intrinsic freedoms of the United States for a few years longer.

If a person learns one thing in this life, it's that nothing is permanent, nothing is certain and good things need to be defended and protected.

Freedom is especially fragile and must never be taken for granted. "Eternal vigilance" says it all. That means every generation will be called to do its part – large or small – to maintain the Founding Fathers' vision as they created the framework of law, justice and freedom that is the United States of America.

There are many today who have spent their whole lives in peacetime and prosperity. On the one hand, that's a state of life to which we aspire, but we pay a price. We have become soft and gradually lulled into unawareness that our very economic and social contentment would, and likely will, lead to our downfall.

We are headed in that direction.

Why should we be any different? It's happened before in societies across the centuries, including during our lifetimes. It will happen again and it could be us. Prosperity and comfort lead to complacency which means a people become an easy target for enemies.

Despite the blather from Washington about what words are politically correct to use, yes, we do have enemies. They are staunch enemies who hate us for who and what we are, what we have and what we stand for.

Ultimately we are hated for our freedoms that enable people to reach their individual potential based on their unique efforts to succeed. We are allowed the fruits of our labor.

But over the decades, enemies of our freedoms were the reason our military fought battles and the reason so many were injured and killed.

We honor our military dead today, but this must not be the only time we remember them. We must keep them and their sacrifices ever on our mind as we move into a dark and uncertain future.

READ FULL STORY at WorldNetDaily.com

Be sure to check out
johnny2k's Tea Party Gear!

Profits derived from your purchases
will help me to attend tea party rallies,
(especially the one in Las Vegas, on July 15-17)!

What Mean These Stones? ~ by Henry Morris III

"When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying,What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know." Poet G. Santayana said, "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." In the life of every nation, there are "memories" that must be preserved if that nation is to retain it's unique role among others... read more | digg story ~ Submitted by 4Christ

Memorial Day 2009

From BlackFive.net: I went to Arlington National Cemetery to watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It’s a ceremony that happens every half hour, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is a somber reminder of the sacrifice many have made in the service of this nation. read more | digg story ~ Submitted by gbudavid

Greater love hath no man ... ~ By Craig R. Smith

"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom." ~ Author unknown... Craig writes about Michael A. Monsoor, a Navy SEAL that died saving his comrads, and died fighting for his country (but not the country that the NYTimes wants you to believe it is.) read more | digg story

The most tragic event of my life ~ By Chuck Norris

"If there is ever a time we should be grateful for our service men and women, it is now. Memorial Day and Veteran's Day should not be bottled up into two days a year. Our patriotic commemorations and military gratefulness should extend to every day of the year." And Chuck should know; he lost his brother Wieland in the Viet Nam War on June 3, 1970. read more | digg story

Memorial Day: A Time to Remember (By John Kubicek)

I bring you this today because Memorial Day is a time to remember that freedom isn't free. It really IS a time to remember those that have paid the ultimate price in defending our freedom. I only wanted to raise the awareness that their courage and patriotic duty is remembered during the long holiday weekend, from various perspectives. read more | digg story

Forever young ~ By Don, husband of Patrice Lewis

It was a special request from her husband, and Patrice obliged by posting Don's story about his uncle, who he had never met. Don's uncle was a gunner on a B-24 bomber in WW II, and didn't make it back from a very important mission. Donald Philip Sowers died fighting the greatest evil of our time. A young man of 19 who will never grow old. read more | digg story