My Landlord, one of the most inspiring men I have ever had the privilege to know!

Today is Memorial Day, a day during which we honor those Americans who have died in the service of their country.

Of the over 40,000,000 Americans who have served in the armed forces of our country since it's inception in defense of freedom the following numbers of those who died in service tell the story:

Revolutionary War: 25,324

Civil War: 498,332

Spanish American War: 1,862

World War I: 116,710

World War II: 407,316

Korean War: 54,546

Persian Gulf War: 146

War in Iraq: 4,068

Afghanistan 493

I'm proud to have worn the uniform of the US Navy during WWII and to have been an active member of the American Legion. My father was in the Army in WWI, his brother Maurice served in WWII for many years. Mac McIntyre was in WWII a long time. My high school classmates. Nearly all of the guys I grew up with were in uniform in WWII. Some didn't return.

Re-read what Abraham Lincoln said at Gettysburg in his address. It's short and can be found online. That was some memorial day speech.

Freedom is precious and keeping it is difficult. Our enemies wish us to abandon our freedom, to become followers of their ways of life. Islamic fascists wish all peoples dead unless they convert to Islam, especially their radical versions. Have you ever seen or read about a dictatorship, communist government or theocracy or the like where the citizens had any rights or freedoms? Or that it was successful in the people having a decent standard of living? Myanmar, Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, Russia under the communists, you can name countless others of today and in history. The right to bear arms is essential to keeping rogue police, rogue armies, dictators at bay. Look what Hitler did soon after he came to power - confiscated all small arms from the citizens so they could not defend themselves from the Nazi's. I've owned guns since I was probably 10-12, still do today and have the appropriate Georgia licenses to carry a concealed weapon, as does Linda. I remember all too well the sights and sounds of Nazi Storm Troopers rumbling through German streets when we went abroad in 1937 as well as the sights of the Italian dictator speaking to his troops. Even at that young age I understood all to well what was about to happen. My parents read Mein Kampf, the book Hitler wrote in which he spelled out his scheme, which he nearly successfully accomplished, so as to better understand what was soon to happen. I have seen the sights of the Holocaust - we make it a point to visit Holocaust museums in each country we visit. I proudly display the American flag daily. Be wary of charismatic, spell-binding politicians, read carefully what they have written and observe what their records disclose. Hitler, Mussolini, Chavez, Allende (in Chili) all came to power in free elections and then subverted their countries to their ends. In each instance they killed freedom, they killed ambition, they destroyed civilizations, they enslaved their own peoples.

It is my sincere hope that your freedoms are not diminished or abrogated during your life times. It's your responsibility, and in your self-interest, not to let that happen.

Ev Harrell, age 80
(My landlord sent this to me on Memorial Day. VN8)