WHEW! The campaign has only two months to go until the Primary. If my regulars have wondered why no posts last week, other race essentials took place. I expect that is the future too. The weather is good, spring events have begun in the communities and I am energized. Still, when late night arrives and I have a choice between posting or pillowing, snores soon follow. Sheer numbers of voters in Pope County outweigh Van Buren, thus, last week, I stayed over in the Dover for 5 days, only coming back for appearances at several VB activities and to get ready to take my sidekick, Sophie, to the vet for surgery (knee). I will be in VB tonight and off again to Pope tomorrow. This is hugely encouraging to me. I even get encouraged by the negatives. Examples: the Pope rumor about the campaign trailer as if it is a sham/scam..as if I am not from this District even when sitting at my Fairfield Bay desk this morning or taking a cold shower in the Dover trailer with water from the deep spring tomorrow, 90 miles away from home. Staying in that crackerbox saved $500 in lodging expense this time and allowed me to meet so many more folks. Over the past 15 months there, I never considered it a mistake to purchase and, as State Rep, I plan to keep using it to enhance my representation. Another encouragement is the vandalism and theft of campaign signs...$25 a pop...no one from my campaign disposes of other candidates signs and will not...we expect to win...maybe the other side is nervous. Probably, one of the real stinkers passed along to me is the untruth that us Army chaplains do not go into combat. Tell that to troops who served with and were served by Army unit chaplains in war time. Some received the Medal of Honor, Silver Star and Bronze Star for valor. I seldom mention the details of having been in battle. I do show my service on my campaign sign (and my mailings) with the depiction of the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Southwest Asia campaign ribbon. My 30 years in service were mostly spent in training for war. When it came, I was proud to go with my unit and would do it all over again. I just do not talk much. There are things that only combat veterans know and our loved ones and countrymen need not. I honor all our veterans. Never do I believe my limited time under fire or the horrors of combat experienced could compare to WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Second Iraq or Afghanistan. But chaplains from all the services join the American military as far forward as they can go. They did this in Grenada, Panama, First Gulf, along the DMZ in Korea and German border in the Cold War and many other places, some the public is unaware. To whisper they do not is uninformed at best and, if part of District campaigning, dishonorable. I am not aroused for me personally but for my brothers-in-arms. I know where a number of them lie in Arlington National Cemetery at Chaplains Hill. Back to the initial positive note of this post, our campaign tempo is very near full speed. Only in the final weeks could it be faster. As a runner, I love the final sprint to the finish...so, if I do not post on FB, know that I am coming around the bend and pouring on the speed. Thanks to all who are helping in so many ways!
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 16:36:55 +0000
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