Dear Kristi: I thought I would relate a current Cold War episode in my own life, since it is the eve of Veterans' Day. In, I believe it was 1968 - at any rate it was November 11 and was proclaimed Moratorium Day. This was the day when untold thousands of university students marched on Washington to protest the war, men whose are now in places of political power and whose wickedness goes up to the Lord God of Hosts, the Lord's military name. I can't tell you how grieved I was at this horrible condition. Being from Tennessee, I couldn't imagine such treason. This was the height of the student revolt and revolt it was. Campuses and downtown sections burned and army tanks were not an uncommon sight, even in southern Chattanooga, Tennessee. Tears were on the face of every real patriot. I was Staff Assistant to the Director of Maintenance at the University of Kentucky. As such, I saw the filth that the maintenance men brought from the university presses and from the filthy imported radicals who travelled all over this country. These Bolsheviks and their political science professors were the crowning joy of Communism and the university refused to act against them; indeed, the President of the University was from Berkeley. Need I say more? In my neighborhood lived a few God-fearing patriots, including my family. It was so horrendous that we were the only ones brave enough to fly the American flag, but fly it, we did. We wanted to do something to counter the overthrow of our American heritage. So we decided the best thing we could do was to buy a full-page ad in the Lexington Herald. We had an artist from IBM where my husband worked sketch a picture of Iwo Jima and under it we wrote: WE WANT PEACE, TOO, BUT HONORABLY! We began to try to get up the $700.00 necessary for the ad, and this was quite a feat in that day among middle-class people who lived from one payday to the next. We went everywhere that patriotism was proclaimed. One part of this includes my encounter with a patriotic banker. He was very enthusiastic about this project and made a machine copy to take to the Oleika Shrine where he was a member. He was sure he would get a lot of support, probably enough to put us over the top. The next morning when I went to pick up the collection he had gathered, the secretary barred the way to his office and told me that he didn't want anything more to do with this project. I was amazed, to say the least. Then the day of the parade, November 11, and it was a grand parade - everyone turned out, we went to the place where we were sure we would find real patriots. The American Legion. We went into the front part and saw a bar set up and men and women coming in from the parade quite jovial. I went from one to another and told them of our love for the country and what was going on with the student revolt and begged them to give us some help in getting this notice in the paper. One after another refused and the reply was: "Look, I just have another money for one more drink." I cannot tell you how heartsick we were at this response. My patriotic friend, disgusted but not disheartened, went back that night when they were all drunk at a party, and collected a few more dollars. All we could muster was around $375.00. I went to the Editor of the Lexington Herald, Fred Wachs, and told him what we had done and asked him to print whatever space this would purchase, a half a page or whatever. He took the money and our master copy and disappeared. But hear the faithfulness of the Lord to His patriotic children! The next day to our glad surprise, the whole page was printed! I phoned the Herald and asked them what happened. And all glory be to God, we were told that the men who ran the presses had made up the difference in the collection themselves! How my heart was warmed with this news and such hope came into me that I cannot express, even after these long years of fighting the Cold War at home. It is still amazing to consider that there are behind the scenes working people who love our country and who we don't see - and who the tyrants in Washington fear - men and women who would still give their life for the love of this beloved country. I despise and abhor and hate with a Godly hatred traitors to this nation. I am on firm ground because David said, I have hated thine enemies with a perfect hatred. How could I call myself an American and feel otherwise. What spirit would possess me if I should be a traitor and not stand for my country when men gave their life-blood for God and country that I might sit in a beautiful home, with climate control and type to unseen patriots, without fear of someone breaking down my door. The Bill of Rights that they purchased for my right to bear arms, to speak my mind freely, to call in question the actions of political enemies of my country and to proclaim the Gospel that the circuit riders and Pilgrims before them under the Authority and Auspices of the Saviour am commanded to do. Will God save my beloved country? He will spare a precious and God-fearing remnant. For these I pray for forgiveness, for their complacency, for their ignorance of our history, for their neglect of reading their Bible due to heavy loads, for their bondage to fear and intimidation before higher-learning infidels who live off the fruit of our labors and clergy whose deserved destiny would be the cold plains of Siberia. After all, when I saw the rewards of II Chron. 7:14, I abandoned all my sins, threw out ihe TV, put on some decent clothes, and straightened myself out, after having begged the Saviour to forgive me of my wanderings from the God of our Fathers. He is duty bound to bring to pass the healing of my country, because His Son, Jesus, sealed that Covenant with His own Blood. Anyone who doesn't love their country more than their sins doesn't deserve this liberty. June Griffin Representative of God and the Bible in Tennessee Inaugural Recipient of the Bill of Rights Award On Tue, 10 Nov 1998 20:42:51 -0800 clarkw7iml@juno.com (Carroll H Clark) writes: >The pix of the young sailor looks to be age 10 - 15, but he is >actually age 18; very young looking. Here is his story: >2B Tuesday, Nov 10, 1009 The Herald, Kristi's Notebook Kristi >O'Harran (Herald Writer QUOTED AS FOLLOWS: >WWII veteran keeps up his march to be of service > PIX captioned - Kenneth Ervin, shown here as an 18-year-old sailor, >continues his service in the VFW (He appears with a very young face, >smile with teeth showing, in Summer dress White navy uniform-CC.). > There's a sad image of Kenneth Ervin, Pearl Harbor survivor, marching >in a patriotic parade. > He's all alone. He's the only World War II veteran walking amid >floats and bands. His hand shake with Parkinson's disease. His thin >legs are exhausted long before the end of the route. > His back remains arched with pride. > It's a pity to report he's been the only military participant in >many such events. > Ervin, the past all-American commander of Veterans of Foreighn Wars >Post 2100 in Everett, wishes younger veterans would join the >organization. At one time, the post was the 32nd largest in the >United States, Ervin said. > "Us older guys are trying to get the kids to join," Ervin said. > "There lots of work to be done, lots of community service." > It has been more than 50 years since Apprentice Seaman Ervin, >armed only with a night stick, was on watch duty in Pearl Harbor. A >self-described dumb kid, he admits to being scared to death when >Japanese planes on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941. > "I was within 200 yeards of the bombing," he said. "They >slaughtered the hell out of us." > Ervin, 75, went on to serve nine years in the Navy, ending his >stint assigned to a supply inventory team on the USS Missouri, the >battleship on which the Japanese signed the surrender. He was aboard >the USS Idaho during the height of the war, seeing action in the >Marshall Islands, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. > Perhaps you've heard of those battles. Ervin fears children today >are more in tune with Baby Face Nelson or John Dillinger. > "They're interested in jet planes," Ervin said. "They want to know >about rockets to the moon." > He wants children to know about the sacrifices of brave military >men and women who served our country. He has spoken in schools to >impart that message, bu worries now that the Parkinson's tremble in >his hands will frighten a young audience. He keeps extensive visual >aids stored in an aging suitcase between engagements. > "When I talk to kids, I ask them what they think a warrior with >eight medals would look like," he said, showing them a picture of a >baby-faced lad in a Navy cap. > "They say, 'That's a little boy,' and I tell them that's who fights >wars." > After World War II, Ervin married his wife of 51 years, Phyllis. >She worked for Sears in Seattle when a friend introduced them. Their >four children all live near their Everett home where their father >owned a sign painting shop. > Besides being one of perhaps a dozen active Everett VFW members, >Ervin helps the Central Memorial Day Committee plan patriotic >celebrations, is a member of the Navy League and is the past commander >of the Military Order of the Cooties, an honorary group of the VFW >whose members visit hospitals "to keep those smiling in beds of >white." > He has been busy with another project recently. Ervin and his sons >Skip and Robert and his grandson Philip, 15, have built a 3-foot-long >model of the USS Missouri. > The detailed replica is delicate, with turrets that turn. The >family would like it displayed around town, and is interested in >hearing ideas about a great place to pose the ship. If you have a >suggestion, call me at 425-339-3451. > If you would like to visit with Ervin, He'll be attending a >Veterans"s Day ham dinner at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the VFW hall, 2711 >Oakes Ave. in Everett. Tickets are $7.50. The public event is >sponsored by the VFW and American Legion. > Ervin suggested the dinner would be a great time for any veteran who >might be interested in joining the Legion or VFW to drop by, enjoy the >meal and visit with members. > "I don't know why the Vietnam vets aren"t interested in joining," >Ervin said. "We have some good workers at Post 2100." > The post sponsors Scouts, Little League and blwling teams. > Maybe a new member would like to help Ervin with another project. >He makes small flags that serve a specific purpose. When he's out and >about, he's apt to ask a child if they can recite the Pledge of >Allegiance. > If they can, they get a flag. If they can't, I bet they wonder who >the older gentleman is and what his message is. > If they take the time to listen, they'll learn a little bit about >patriotism. > "You've got to be proud of serving your country," Ervin said. >"We've got to keep a Pearl Harbor from happening again." > To solidify his point, he'll continue working with compatriots to >keep the VFW functioning. He'll spread his message about warriors and >heroes to school children. He'll wear his uniform in parades to >represent elderly vets who just can't make the march, even if he's the >only military presence in the procession. > When I shook his hand farewell, I felt overwhelmingly honored to >meet such an inspiring World War II veteran. > "I'm proud of my past and of those who preceded me," Ervin said. >"I'm just trying to carry on." >