Hi

Today on the TV news there was a mention of a patriotic award.  No big deal except the recipient and the person hosting the ceremony made me wonder.

Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to give the award to Mohammed Ali, here is where I have a problem.  All my life I have been taught that one owes allegiance to his/her homeland.  Serving to protect the United States is an honor not to be taken lightly.

Let's look at the parties:

Bill Clinton, yes he was elected president but he is an acknowledged draft dodger (and a liar also ). Do we need him to give patriotism awards?  I hope we could do better.

Ali, he is a draft dodger. He claimed his religion kept him as an objector to war.  Do we need him to receive these awards?

Clearly we are a nation of forgiveness but do we have to go this far.  There are hundreds of soldiers who served and would be better examples of what we would like our children to be. Let's start to honor these brave people who served by awarding them respect for their service, let's not degrade the memory of the warriors by honoring draft dodgers.  During the Korean War there was an accordion player, Dick Contino.  Contino claimed status as an objector because of his religion but there was a hue and cry referring him to be a draft dodger.  Comtino had a problem with the discipline and he wound up being charged as an AWOL.  After a stay in an army stockade he was sent to Korea and received an honorable discharge.  To this day people remember him as being a draft dodger, the fact that he did atone remains largely unreported.  Why do we not use the same standard on Clinton and Ali?  Political correctness run amok. 

As a nation we are headed in the wrong direction and we should do all we could to correct this.

Pray for our brave service people.
 GOD Bless.