J. Davy Crockett III

In this age of "latch-key" children in which the parenting of small children is often left to the hired help, the concept of shifting the burden of child care to others is very popular.

“If it bleeds, it leads” seems to be the rule that newspapers, television and other news sources use today—and they have no shortage of heinous crimes and tragic occurrences to write about.

Rape, robbery, murder, extortion, corruption in political and business circles and other acts of crime and violence seem to permeate all strata of our society. Abductions, once rare, are now almost commonplace. And yet, our entertainment, in the form of television and movies, is filled with stories—some fictional, some true—of murder, mayhem and intrigue.

So-called "animal rights activists" are aggressively promoting this incredibly dumb idea.  Carried out to the extreme, this cockamamie idea means to ascribe to animals the rights and privileges that human beings have.

It was a family gathering. Three generations from far and wide taking advantage of the Labor Day weekend to honor the patriarch of the family, who was to turn 88 years of age the next day. He was a man who had served his country with distinction; a young pilot in WWII and later in the Korean Conflict. When asked about his wartime experiences, the Colonel usually responded by quietly saying: "I don't study war anymore."

Sadness does not fully convey the emotion I have experienced in recent days. As a patriotic citizen of the United States of America, one who has experienced the blessings showered upon this nation, I have seen the blessings our citizens have received since the founding of this country, seemingly evaporating before my eyes.