Righting a Wrong

I was reading a news story this week about the Duke University woes surrounding the now old news about so-called spoiled rich kids running amok as BMOCs (Big Men on Campus).

You remember the story – three lacrosse players on the top-ranked 2006 Duke lacrosse team were accused of raping a female “entertainer” at a party attended by lots of frat boys out for a fun evening. The entertainer, a young black woman, claims she was sexually assaulted by three white guys from the lacrosse team. Her story changed more frequently than a baby’s diapers. She simply was not credible. What followed was a despicable miscarriage of justice. Duke University immediately declared that their esteemed academic institution was innocent of any wrong-doing, roundly condemning the three lacrosse players, and declaring them guilty before an investigation was even started. In other words, these young men were guilty before proven innocent. And they were thrown to the wolves.

The snowball effect began in earnest. The coach of the lacrosse team was pressured to resign; the lacrosse team’s schedule was cancelled for the season; the families of the players were abandoned by the school; and the Durham County Attorney General, Mike Nifong, who was up for reelection, declared the boys guilty before any investigation or evidence had been gathered. Everything was centered on the admission of the girl’s verbal statement that she had been raped. The following are just a few of the remarks made by Nifong who never interviewed her: He repeatedly said that he was "confident that a rape occurred," calling the players "a bunch of hooligans" whose "daddies could buy them expensive lawyers." Nifong initially garnered strong support in some quarters such as the Duke faculty and administration, the national media, and feminist and minority groups, for his willingness to pursue sexual assault charges (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Nifong).

The story quickly got out of control as the university and the state’s attorney general looked to protect themselves. They used the media to portray these young men as out of control rich white kids who have no regard for others. They were painted with an entitlement attitude, elevating them to an elitist class. The only problem is – this is not an accurate picture of these young men or their families. Instead, they found themselves publicly branded with all the vile, crass diatribes associated with misogyny, sexism and racism. They were lambasted daily by the authorities of Duke University and the government officials of Durham, North Carolina, including the police department.

So where should these young men turn for help if the University, the Police Department, the County Attorney General, and the media all had these young men accused, tried and found guilty before a single shred of evidence was ever brought to light? The bull’s-eye was squarely on them.

Folks, the United States of America is where a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. May it ever be so.

The three Duke lacrosse players brought a federal lawsuit against Nifong; the city of Durham; the lab where the DNA tests were conducted; and the former police chief along with several others in the department. I hope they win. But how do you get your reputation back?

Nifong was removed from his position as DA, losing his law license. He has now claimed bankruptcy due to the lawsuits brought against him. Pardon me if I do not shed a tear. He shamelessly abused his position and should have performed his job as DA the way his constituents would have expected.

Now there are thirty-eight additional Duke lacrosse players who are bringing a civil lawsuit against Duke University for “turning its back on them.” These young men have also suffered from the injustices foisted on their teammates. Although the athletes have attempted to resolve their own discrediting, there has continued a bunker mentality within the walls of this academic institution. Sad.

Please understand – I am not in favor of this present trend in our society where everyone wants to sue someone over the slightest matter. Spilling hot coffee on yourself after removing the cover while in a motor vehicle is foolish. The person who ordered the hot drink should learn from this by not doing it again – not by suing McDonalds for providing her with what she ordered. Seems like there are way too many folks looking for deep pockets to pick.

But in this case, where the lives of these college students have been tarnished, possibly beyond repair, I believe they have every right to correct this wrong that was brought against them by those in society who should have been defending their rights, not abusing their rights.

Think about it. Suppose you were unjustly accused of a crime, and you had the very authorities who are supposed to protect your rights coming after you. Where would you turn? Who would be there in your defense?

Berkeley - Getting it Wrong

Amazing! The Marine Corps recruiting office in Berkeley, California, a city infamous for its protests of the Vietnam War, is once again making news by officially ordering the United States Marine Corps Recruiting Office to leave their fair city. Why? Because the Marines are “uninvited and unwelcome intruders.” Are you kidding me?

I enlisted in the Marine Corps in Oakland, California. It was in late ‘72 after returning from Vietnam that I found myself assigned to a Marine squadron at Naval Air Station Alameda. As part of the instruction we were given while serving in the Bay Area, we were told we could not wear our uniform off the base. I was appalled! This is the United States of America, for crying out loud! I remembered as a kid how proud I was when my step father (a WWII Marine) would pull over and offer a ride to a military member hitch-hiking home on leave.

Now, I’m all about standing on principle and being prepared to take the heat if your view is not well received. So if the Berkeley City Council truly believed the presence of the Marine Corps Recruiting Office was undesirable, then fine. They should be prepared to count the cost. How interesting, then, that the Berkeley City Council has seen the error of their ways! But have they really? Or have they simply felt the heat of outraged state and federal politicians who have introduced the Semper Fi Act which would rescind more than two million dollars of federal funds to the City of Berkeley. This is when you find out if your principles mean something.

This morning I received a newspaper article forwarded in an e-mail by my retired Marine colonel brother stating that lawmakers are still going to pull the financial plug on Berkeley despite their half-baked apologies to no one in particular. The article reports that, “The new statement – written by Mayor Tom Bates and council members Max Anderson, Linda Maio and Darryl Moore – said the council opposes ‘the recruitment of our young people into this war,’ yet emphasizes that ‘we deeply respect and support the men and women in our armed forces.’” Oh please! This is so weak and predictable. May I remind the Berkeley council members that we have had an All-Volunteer Military for more than thirty years! Young people who join the military today do so voluntarily. In a freedom-loving, democratic republic, we call this “choice.” Get used to it.

Just recently I ran across a poem written by Navy corpsman Robert L. Owens, who is currently serving with the Marines in Afghanistan. It is entitled: Bury Me Next to a Marine.

“Bury me next to a Marine, when my time has come to an end;
So I can spend eternity, beside my brother and friend.

I’ve served beside him for years, and they’ve inspired me every day.
They’ve never asked for anything, so a debt I can never repay.

None of them served for glory, none for money or fame.
But they’ve served in every clime and place, heroes with but one name.

No one will ever outdo them, their honor is never outdone.
They will all go down in history, as America’s favorite sons.

Marines will never fail you, and their guard will never cease.
Please bury me next to a Marine, so I may rest in peace.”

City Council Member, Gordon Wozniak, said city leaders need to apologize to the Marines. “This issue is not the war,” he said. “It’s what the City Council did. Individuals have the right to choose and we should not impede that. We’ve embarrassed our city.”

Councilman Wozniak closed his comments with this clincher. “To err is human, but to really screw up, it takes the Berkeley City Council.” Good for Councilman Wozniak!

I rather liked my brother’s closing comments in a letter he sent to the Berkeley City Council on February 4. He said, “Should any of you on the Berkeley City Council ever want to visit my little village of Great Falls, Virginia, please know, with the exception of Mr. Wozniak, that I will consider you an ‘uninvited and unwelcome intruder.’ I think the vast majority of Americans share my revulsion at your lack of leadership and fundamental failure of courage.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself!

Gold Star Parents

My intention in writing this article is to share a recent experience with you that was like no other I’ve ever known. Several months ago I was invited to participate as a counselor at the annual Gold Star Parents conference in San Francisco, January 31 to February 1. The venue was the Marines' Memorial Club, an historic twelve-story building in the “City by the Bay.”

Gold Star Parents are those who have had a family member killed while serving in the military during times of war. This gathering was for California Gold Star Parents, hosted by the California Blue Star Moms. The Blue Star Moms are those who have a family member currently serving in the military.

The history of Blue and Gold Star Parents originated in the United States during World War I. It began with families with loved ones serving in the war coming up with some means of acknowledging their service to the country. Parents would hang a pennant with a blue star on a white background in the front window of their homes so those passing by could see the sacrifice made by this family. President Woodrow Wilson liked the idea, so he proposed that the blue star be replaced with a gold star upon notification of the death of a family’s loved one. The tradition continues to this day.

The Gold Star Parents in attendance were encouraged to bring pictures and other memorabilia of their sons for display on various tables. There were eighty-three Gold Star Parents in attendance for these two days. It was humbling to walk around the display tables where you could see the faces of the young men whose lives were lost in Afghanistan and Iraq. It was one more reminder that there are brave Americans fighting an enemy that wants you and me dead. My wife, Isaura, and I stopped and spoke with many of the parents, listening as they shared their love for their fallen heroes. Later we sat with several more families over dinner, amazed at the resilience of these families. We heard the stories of several families who lost an only son. There was one family that lost both their sons two years apart. Both were Marines, serving proudly the country they loved.

The next morning there was a Memorial Service which was one of the most moving ceremonies I have ever witnessed. Major General J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Retired) was the emcee. Each Gold Star family present was asked to stand to hear the name of their son read, with accompanying photos on the large screen. As the name was read and words of thanks offered by the general, a Marine in dress blues quietly lit a candle in memory of the fallen warrior. Eighty-seven candles were stretched across the front of the stage, representing each military service branch. It was an awesome sight when the last candle was lit and the last name was read. A National Guard chaplain gave the closing prayer, followed by the solemn playing of taps.

After lunch, the Gold Star Parents were invited to break into small groups where they could share their experiences with each other. Each group was led by a couple who were also Gold Star Parents. One of those families was the aforementioned National Guard chaplain. As a counselor I was simply to be available should any of the parents need to talk privately. I, and my fellow counselors, moved wraith-like in the perimeters of the various groups.

That evening we had a closing banquet. It was my honor to be asked to offer the invocation. The Guest of Honor was General James N. Mattis, USMC, currently the Commander, U.S. Forces Command/North Atlantic Treaty Organization Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. Previously, at the outset of the war in Iraq, General Mattis was the Commanding General of the First Marine Division, which means a number of the Marines and sailors who were memorialized this night had served under his command. The general gave a wonderful address and greatly encouraged the Gold Star Parents, thanking them for their sons and the sacrifice that was made in defense of our nation. In watching the general express his thoughts and feelings, it was obvious that the loss of even one Marine or sailor under his command was too many.

The vast majority of Americans will get up tomorrow morning, have breakfast before heading out the door to work or school, and then return that evening to the warmth and comfort of their families. The War on Terrorism for them is a news blurb on CNN. Not so for the Gold Star Parents. Every day they are reminded of the high cost of freedom. It has always been, and will always be paid for with the blood of patriots.

Please, take time right now to offer a prayer of thanks for these fallen warriors and their families. And be sure to thank God for the privilege of living in the greatest country in the world.

A Heart Owie

Recently I was admitted to the hospital for an angiogram. This came as a surprise to me in many ways. I have always been involved in sports and athletic endeavors, exercising routinely, not to mention thirty-three years in the military.

So why was I now being operated on for possible heart problems? Simple. Over the last year or so, I’d been feeling increasingly tired for no apparent reason. I even have annual physicals. Even after resting at times, I would still feel tired. It was becoming more difficult to exert myself in the simplest of exercises. I would find myself out of breath, with accompanying chest discomfort.

Because these symptoms were infrequent, I chalked it up to not being in better shape like I was when I was younger. After all, I am 59. It’s tough keeping up with the twenty year olds. I travel quite a bit as part of my military obligation in the naval reserves. This means I’m always in airports. Unless I am pressed for time, I do not use the moving sidewalks or escalators in the airports. I walk from terminal to terminal and gate to gate. I run up the stairs, often skipping steps to achieve a greater aerobic exercise. Add to this my backpack which contains my laptop computer and several books.

I love to play golf, always looking for an opportunity to escape to the links for a round with a friend or two. Often we use golf carts when we play, but I always prefer to walk. So when I went out for a round after work in mid-December I found myself experiencing that chest discomfort again with shortness of breath. As I was walking down the fairway toward my ball, I felt absolutely exhausted! This had never happened to me before. So I picked up my ball and headed for the parking lot. After placing my clubs in the car, I sat down and called my doctor. I told him something was wrong. He asked me to come in.

Once I was in my doctor’s office, they performed an EKG, plus a host of other checks on my body. The EKG results were within normal range, and the doctor could not detect anything abnormal. He told me he wanted me to see a cardiologist in order to eliminate the most dangerous possibilities first. He even called the cardiologist to make the appointment for me while I sat there.

A couple of days later I was sitting in the cardiologist’s office. Once again I was given an EKG. And again, there was nothing indicating a problem. He asked me questions about any past heart problems and family medical history. He then scheduled me for an echo-cardiogram and a nuclear stress test. The echo-cardiogram was really neat!

Then on Wednesday, January 16th, I was scheduled for a nuclear stress test. A solution was injected into my blood stream so that machines could track its course while I was lying still. Later I would be placed on a treadmill in order to raise the heart rate. Then more pictures were taken of the heart in operation. Fascinating!

Later that afternoon back in my office, I received a call from the cardiologist. He had reviewed the results and did not like what he saw. There was definite blockage in at least one of the arteries. He wanted me to come in right away for an angiogram. I asked him what “right away” meant. He said, “Well, it’s Wednesday afternoon. Thursday is out. So Friday afternoon.” I said okay.

So Friday afternoon I checked into Memorial Hospital and waited for the procedure. The nurses and doctors were terrific! The procedure was virtually painless. I was in the operating room for about an hour-and-a-half. I was awake the whole time, simply lying still with my eyes closed. Two stents were inserted into my front heart artery, euphemistically called the “Widow Maker.” I was then informed I would be staying in the hospital over the weekend. On Monday I was to have four more stents inserted in the back heart artery. Blockages were between 75% and 90%.

I was finally released to return home on Tuesday afternoon. I now am on a number of pills to make sure things are okay. I have several more doctor appointments in the weeks ahead. But I feel so much better already!

This past Sunday I attended church and enjoyed the wonderful fellowship and friendship of these folks I love so much. One young mother of a cute, precocious four-year-old told me she was attempting to tell her daughter, Morgan, that Pastor Chuck had a problem with his heart. Not sure her daughter would understand, she told her that Pastor Chuck has “a heart owie.”

I guess that describes it as well as anything – a heart owie. But by the grace of God and some very skilled doctors my heart owie is all better.

What's a Caucus?

This whole month of January the political landscape has inundated us with what are called caucuses. Each state enters into this arena of ideas in order to make their voices heard leading up to the primaries (usually June) and the general election (first Tuesday in November).

So, what are caucuses? We use the word in abundance every four years, but do we really know what we’re talking about? After last week’s article where I wrote about the Electoral College a friend wrote and asked me if I’d explain caucuses. Let’s see where this leads.

The dictionary definition of caucus is: “a closed meeting of a group of persons belonging to the same political party or faction usually to select candidates or to decide on policy.” The etymology of the word comes from the Greek word kaukos, referring to a drinking cup. In 18th Century England social and political clubs were called Caucus Clubs.

In our own political machinations we witness this coming together for debate, deliberation, and decision-making to discern who will be the most likely candidate to hold office. This is why you will see candidates pick and choose where they will spend their money and time in an attempt to garner support in hopes of gaining momentum which would carry them through not just one or two state caucuses, but to the top position. That would be the presidency of the United States.

Searching the Internet, I found this bit of interesting information about the history of caucuses in the United States on Wikipedia. “The Iowa caucuses are an electoral event in which residents of the state of Iowa meet in precinct caucuses in all of Iowa’s 1784 precincts and elect delegates to the corresponding county conventions. There are 99 counties in Iowa and thus 99 conventions. These county conventions then select delegates for both Iowa’s Congressional District Convention, which eventually choose the delegates for the presidential nominating conventions (also called the national conventions). The Iowa caucuses are noteworthy for the amount of media attention they receive during U.S. presidential election years. Since 1972, the Iowa caucuses have been the first major electoral event of the nominating process for President of the United States. Although only about one percent of the nation’s delegates are chosen by the Iowa State Convention, the Iowa caucuses have served as an early indication of which candidates for president might win the nomination of their political party at that party’s national convention.”

Typically you will see candidates begin to assert themselves about mid-way through the year leading up to the caucuses. This election year has been a bit unusual. Instead of seeing candidates begin to announce their intent to run in the spring or summer (Fred Thompson, for instance), there was instead a glut of candidates from both major parties immediately following the mid-term elections in November of 2006 (Hillary, Obama, Edwards, Huckabee, Romney, Giuliani, McCain, to name the most notables). This is one of the reasons many of us have become weary of the whole process and we’re still ten months from the presidential election!

Each candidate is attempting to secure the promise of support from the delegates. It is a lot like mating. Each puts their best foot forward in hopes of appearing to be the most electable candidate. This is why endorsements are important. For instance, Hillary Clinton was able to gain the endorsement of the Des Moines Register. Because of the influence newspapers have with their readership, candidates will target major papers for their endorsement. It gives the impression of electability and may sway delegates who are not so sure. No one wants to bet on a loser. This is why when a candidate realizes they are not getting anywhere and drop from the race, they will often ask those delegates who have sided with them to throw there support behind one of the front runners. It’s all very political, don’t you know!

For most of us, we sit back and watch as all this scurrying around takes place, waiting for the dust to settle, seeing who will emerge as the party candidates. It looks a lot like when we were kids getting ready to play some sand-lot baseball. Two kids would be picked as opposing team captains. Then the candidating would begin. We’d stand all in a bunch, jostling each other trying to be seen by the two captains in hopes that we’d be picked ahead of everyone else. The best players wouldn’t worry about this because they knew they’d be picked. The rest of us would try and catch the captain’s eye, at which point we’d put on our most pathetic faces, pleading to be chosen. It was the depths of humiliation to be chosen last!

The caucuses are not much different from the way we were as kids. The difference is the outcome of our election system determines who will be the president of the United States for the next four years. It is especially critical because the president is the most powerful and influential person in the world.

Choose wisely.

Electoral College Redux

Four years ago leading up to the 2004 presidential election I wrote an article about the historical use of the Electoral College. After watching the current presidential debates with its strident hyperbole, I felt it necessary to proclaim once again the importance of the Electoral College.

This is a very important subject for all Americans to understand. The Electoral College is brilliant in its foresight. The founding fathers were indeed prescient in forming the foundations of this great country. We would be well served in frequently reviewing the documents that continue to uphold our nation’s principles and ideals, not the least of which is the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Here, then, is a review of the basis of the Electoral College, and why it is still in use today, and needs to continue to be in place in the future.
First, let’s ask the most important question. Is it the popular vote, or the Electoral College vote that elects the president? Answer: Both.

Each state has an Electoral vote for each senator (every state has two senators). Then there’s an Electoral vote for every U.S. Representative (based upon state population census). Each major political party at its convention selects electors to match the number of senators and representatives. Whichever party garners the simple majority of the popular vote wins all of the Electoral votes for that state. (There are two exceptions: Maine and Nebraska). This is why, mathematically, a candidate could conceivably win the Electoral College vote, and lose the popular vote. Largely populated states, such as California and New York, could easily swing the number of popular votes in one candidate’s favor so that when you combine all the popular votes throughout the nation, the winner of the popular vote could lose the election – case in point – George W. Bush in 2000. In truth, the candidate for the Democratic Party, then Vice-President Al Gore, won the popular vote, and lost the election. The Republican candidate, then Governor George W. Bush, won the Electoral vote, and thus the election.

The founding fathers of this great nation understood the problems associated with a straight popular vote. The first danger is popularity – something we often experience in high school student body elections. The most popular kids were elected to be president, secretary, etc. At times it was laughable because you could see that the elections in high school had little to do with competency, and everything to do with name recognition and popularity. A truly charismatic personality could come along and sway the vote. This is particularly true with state electorates, winning overwhelmingly through popularity. This is even more telling today with the use of television. If a candidate is not photogenic, it will be an uphill battle.

The second danger is centered on sheer numbers. The most populated areas of the country would determine who would be elected if it were a straight popular vote. Though not a perfect system, the Electoral College does level the playing field somewhat so that smaller populated states (Wyoming, for example) still have their voice heard. To make the point, the overwhelming numbers of people who live in major metropolitan areas like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and so forth, would easily affect the outcome if we used a popular vote system only.

To further emphasize the point, notice how much time the candidates typically spend in what are called the “swing states.” These states are by definition, smaller in population, but since each Electoral vote counts, the candidates cannot afford to ignore them. In the final days of a presidential election you will find the candidates running to these swing states making one final shameless appeal for votes. Admittedly, these smaller states don’t have the clout in numbers, but they can be the tie breakers. They are players in this grand drama. This is why every vote actually does count. It’s not just some platitude we hear every four years during our national election.

I still am in awe that our founding fathers understood the importance of this, especially when you realize how very small our country was in the late 1700s. The principle applied then even as it does now: Every vote counts!

Make sure you register to vote. If you’ve moved since the last election, you need to register again. This would make our founding fathers smile!