Don't Lie To Me

By; Judge Jeanine Pirro I have been a huge supporter of Judge Pirro for many years. She never pulls her punches, just says it as she sees it. I self-congratulate myself as being the same. The difference is she is heard, I am not. In this book she is a staunch supporter of President Trump and equally derisive of former Vice-President Biden. If you are of the same persuasion then you will enjoy otherwise let it go on by. She lists the many accomplishments of Trump in spite of the never ending criticism from the left leaning news media and the Democratic Party. She blames China’s communist leadership with inflicting the virus on us and the rest of the world and sees them as a major threat to our nation. She also condemns the radical elements led by Antifa and the Black Lives Matter Organization. Their goals will result in the destruction of American life as we have known it all of our lives. She quotes the words of Abraham Lincoln who in 1838 as a 28 year old lawyer gave a speech in Springfield, Illinois. “From whence shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall some trans-Atlantic military giant step the earth and crush us at a blow? Never. All the armies of Europe and Asia…could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge in the trial of a thousand years. No, if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men, we will live forever or die by suicide.” This was published before the election. She warns of the consequences of a Biden-Harris Administration. If you listen to her Saturday evening program of Fox you will understand her frustration.

Public Speaking 101

I once had a position where I was being interviewed by the press. I was sent to a class on speaking on TV. The things I remember were; speak to the camera not the interviewer. It is the public you are hoping to reach. Keep a pleasant face, smile, never look angry. If asked an outrageous question such as “Are you still beating your wife”? Never respond by saying no. It will be implied you had been. Take the opportunity to say whatever you want to inform the public about. I am only writing this out of disgust for the shameful “debate” we watched last night. Both candidates disgraced themselves and our country with their childish ranting. They refused to respond to the moderator, talked over and constantly insulted each other. Their teams had promised not to do this and to allow two minutes uninterrupted. Both supposedly had advisors to help prepare. They should all hang their heads in shame.

George Floyd

Those officers should receive the highest type of sentence for committing this heinous act of cruelty. I believe the police were called after Floyd presented a counterfeit twenty dollar bill. How many times have you given a twenty and watched the cashier run a crayon over it. This incident is tragic because of the consequences. I understand the deep feeling of concern by people of color and the knowledge that they were kept in virtual bondage for 100 years after the end of the Civil War. That does not mean that we should not take every means possible to stop the violence from those who take advantage of these occurrences to create disorder. I care about my country. I fear for our future if we cannot find a way to live together judged by the content of our character not by skin color as a great man once said. Jack B. Walters May 31, 2020

Comments on the Conventions, Climate Change and the Middle East

I watched as much as I could stand of the Democratic Convention. I watched every minute of the Republican Convention. It featured ordinary people whose occupations had been aided by Trump’s policies including a lobster fisherman from Maine, a mining worker from Minnesota, a dairy farmer from Wisconsin and other ordinary people. The theme was how all groups including blacks, Hispanics and women experienced job gains and increased income. Where Obama made the statement “Trump will need a magic wand to bring back manufacturing jobs”, Trump did start bringing them back by lowering the Corporate Income tax from 35% to 21% and eliminating regulations that were an impediment to business in general. The Democrats featured their “stars” Hillary and Bill, Obama, Michele, Cortez and Sanders. The whole theme for four days was a condemnation of Trump. Never a word about how they would bring back jobs or any other aspect of their programs. Not one word about the ongoing chaos being carried out on a daily basis somewhere in America. No condemnation or even recognition that there was a problem. Since then, as their lead in the polls was diminishing, Biden at least has mentioned it. He even said should he lose the chaos would continue. Isn’t that a great way to scare people into voting for him? As we get closer it seems on a daily basis the liberal press runs features of a woman who claimed to have been raped decades ago, the Colonel who thought Trump’s phone call was an impeachable offence, Bob Woodward’s latest attempt to bring down another President, repeats of the videos of police using force to subdue black men. The unproven allegation of Trump denigrating the service people buried in a cemetery in France. He has fully supported our military. It hurts to see letters to the editor by service men who believe this scurrilous comment from the Atlantic magazine. There was a time when I subscribed. It had been suggested as a good source of information. As soon as Trump came into the picture it started writing negative articles. I did not renew. They blame him for the hurricanes and wild fires. He does not hesitate to deny global warming but the truth is that due to fracking producing low cost gas America has lowered their emissions. Every State has active programs installing solar panels and wind mills. The real culprits are countries like China and India who under the Paris plan were allowed to keep increasing over decades while America would in effect shut down. Obama gave a speech at West Point on December 2, 2009 about the need to increase troop levels in Afghanistan from 71,000 to over 100,000. It was entitled “Our Security is at Stake”. At that time there were still 140,000 troops in Iraq. Shortly thereafter on December 10, 2009 he received the Nobel Peace Prize. How bizarre is that? Currently Trump has started the reduction in Iraq to 3,000 and under 5,000 in Afghanistan. Can’t anyone understand what an amazing accomplishment this is? Under Trump’s leadership the ISIS group was decimated and with the change from combat to training, the troop levels have been dropping quietly. The major holdup I have read is removing our heavy equipment. This should be front page news trumpeted from the highest towers but it won’t because of the liberal press’s onslaught of negative columns as they try desperately to defeat Trump in November. The Kosovo- Serbia agreement ends the conflict that was supposedly ended when Clinton was President. There were United Nations troops sent there to keep the peace. I can only assume this expense will no longer be necessary. Further Serbia will be moving their embassy to Jerusalem along with other countries one by one. The idea to move was approved by Congress when Clinton was there. Until Trump, no other president had the nerve to do it. Bit by bit the Middle East is settling down. Soon, hopefully the Palestinians will be left with support only from Iran, a country which is in dire financial stress because of Trump’s sanctions. They will be forced to accept Israel, when that happens Gaza can finally devote their efforts towards enhancing the lives of their people. Jack B. Walters September 18, 2020

Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel prizes were the legacy of Alfred Nobel. He was a wealthy man. In 1896 he stipulated that his entire fortune to be used to award annual prizes in fields such as physics, chemistry, medicine or psychology, literature and peace. I checked thru Wikipedia to find notable American recipients of the Nobel Peace Prizes. 1906- Theodore Roosevelt- Mediation of the Russo-Japanese War 1919- Woodrow Wilson- For establishing the League of Nations 1945- Cordell Hull- United Nations Organization 1953- George Marshall- Marshall Plan 1964- Martin Luther King, Jr- proved a struggle can be made without violence 1973- Henry Kissinger -1973 Paris peace agreement ending the Vietnam War 2002-Jimmy Carter- for decades of effort to find peaceful solutions 2007-Al Gore- Disseminating greater knowledge about man made climate change 2009- Barack Obama- Extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people Why have I researched this because of the brouhaha about Donald Trump being nominated not once but twice? First for the UAE, Bahrain and Israel agreement and second for the agreement between Serbia and Kosovo. I listened to Pelosi minimizing the achievement because it didn’t include the Palestinians. She called it a distraction. Also the editorial writer for Atlantic said it was time to stop handing out peace awards. Trump, Kushner and the team took a different route to try to end the never-ending conflict in the Middle East. Instead of coddling Hamas they tried an end run with the hope that as other Muslim nations sign on and stop subsidizing Hamas they will eventually have to settle as well. These two new ones are added to Jordan and Egypt. It is reported others are close to agreement. A magnificent achievement.

We Have One Last Chance

Do you remember the eight years when Obama was president how deferential the media was towards him? Anyone with the audacity to criticism his policies was immediately labeled a racist and therefore relegated to the trash pile. His personal history was defined by the books he wrote. Any reference to his college days, friends, grade point average, etc. was simply not available as if it were of the utmost importance to be kept secret. Some people like me could not accept McCain and Palin and voted for Obama. I listened closely, as I always do, and liked the words he spoke about programs he would pursue. I didn’t vote for his second term as his programs were not what he had stated. He was re-elected anyway. It seems to me that only nuts like me pay attention to what is really happening. Most voters it seems decide based on personality, race, religion or other irrelevant criteria whereas I am mostly concerned with programs promised and made or not made as was the case for Obama. Over 90% of Blacks voted for him each time. I consider that racism even though it was obviously important for that community to finally achieve this pinnacle for their race after hundreds of years of oppression. Now let’s compare his experience to that afforded President Trump. From the first time he descended the escalator he was lambasted by the media. His candidacy was extraordinary in that he had no political experience. He defeated Governors, Senators and others with resumes which was the basis for their request to be elected. As you should know I have devoted my retirement years in attempting to learn about our history and policies of government. During my early years I was a stanch supporter of F.D.R. My first vote was for H.S.T. From there I bounced between parties with a trend towards conservatism. In later years I became disappointed with both parties as they became more tribal and less capable of compromise for the good of the country which is why I was ready to vote for Trump. He promised to shake up the status quo and whether you support him or despise him he has certainly accomplished that. After a rough start with the old line Republicans, the party started to transform from being a fat cat party to one with concern about the common man similar to the programs of Roosevelt. At the same time the Democratic Party no longer cared about the working citizens. They blissfully allowed millions of jobs to head overseas leaving destitute whole communities with the result of drug abuse and unemployment. More and more became totally dependent on government for sustenance whereas before they had supported their families by dint of their effort. To be fair I also accuse G. W. Bush of allowing jobs to leave our country during his eight years. Before Trump was even elected, the Democrats wanted to start impeachment proceedings. Most stayed away from his indoctrination ceremonies. Right away there was an organized “Women’s March” in Washington wearing their vagina hats. He tried to stop people from radicalized Muslim nations from entering America. Organized protests erupted at major airports. The news media began on ongoing onslaught of hatred towards Trump for any and all reasons they could conger up. His every word was dissected to find a negative connotation. In Charlottesville he merely tried clumsily to state that people like me who did not want historical monuments destroyed were good people not Nazis or KKK. Every day in all media he is pummeled. My own newspaper includes daily attacks from so-called experts. The letters to the editor are hate filled. Mine get published occasionally as a counterpoint. The vast majority of my classmates at OLLI hate him with passion. I am alone in my defense which has created at unhealthy position for me. Just now the Atlantic printed an expose of negative comments he allegedly made about our soldiers in European graveyards two years ago by anonymous sources unverified. No one near him that day has any knowledge that he made these scurrilous comments. Trump has proven his support for the men and women volunteers who defend our country. Obama had seriously weakened our capability. It was he who allowed ISIS to create a huge empire in the Middle East. I remember how discouraged pilots were when their planes returned to the carrier with bombs still attached as they were turned back out of fear of killing civilians. Under Trump these same forces decimated ISIS until it is no more. He assassinated two leaders responsible for creating ISIS or from Iran, the country that provides weapons to radical Islamic organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas. Joe Biden criticized him about this. Now for the most important issue facing America today, the ongoing chaos being created in cities all over the country. It is my firm belief that these are planned by the organizations of Antifa or Black Lives Matter. There are many people of all colors who have demonstrated in honest concern about the treatment of blacks by police. The point I wish to make is that these organizations are primed and ready to kick into motion the destruction that has decimated communities by looting, arson and destruction of all types. All they needed was a visual, taped incident like the knee of a police office on the neck of Mr. Floyd. Immediately chaos descended not only in Minneapolis but New York and others. Many of these are found to be from out of town. Money has been given to protesters and bail money made available so that even if arrested they are let go to participate over and over. To allow this to happen over 100 days in Portland is just not acceptable. Trump would send in the Guard if requested as they were in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The rioting ceased immediately. Biden or Harris won’t even acknowledge that mayhem exists. These are their supporters. They hope that they will get the votes. I believe that the chaos will end once they have their victory. It will be a false peace, as they will rise again anytime they sense opposition. In addition there is harassment of everyday citizens who are just going about normal activities which are disrupted by thugs holding their fists in the air and demanding they do as well. Free speech no longer exists on college campuses or in communities. You either do as told or your voice is drowned out. There has never been a report of Trump supporters harassing Democrats after their convention but there was in Washington after the Republican convention. A great positive evening was destroyed by harassing people as they returned to their hotels including death threats. The Corporations are caving in one by one. American Airline employees can wear BLM tags, Goodyear was caught stating it was OK to wear BLM but not Blue line, Thousands and perhaps millions have been extorted. I am totally convinced that should the Democrats win all three branches of government that they will drastically destroy our country that we have known and loved our whole lives. From here there will be no opportunity to recover. This is not merely a change from one party’s philosophies but a transformation. Forget the Constitution; they will abolish the Electoral College and rule by numbers only. We are a Republic. The small States demanded two Senators as a check against the many Representatives that the larger States would have. Our founders wanted checks against mob rule. They will pack the Supreme Court to erase the Conservative majority it now has achieved. With a victory they will assure that there will never be a close election again. They will have complete control. Only by taking up arms will they relinquish control. Please don’t allow this to happen.

Democratic Party is Anti-Black

All throughout our history the Democratic Party was the party of slavery. Not just in the South but also the North. They also opposed women’s right to vote. Just look it up. It is there in history books. The KKK members were Democrats. When Truman desegregated the military the Democratic Dixie Party was created. With the passage of the Civil Rights acts of 1964, Lyndon Johnson said we now have the Black votes. They were taken as a given as if they only voted their skin color not issues. Biden actually inferred this in a recent interview when comparing latinos to blacks. The black lives matter movement is also associated with the Democrats. Harris referred to George Floyd in her acceptance speech. .That makes them anti-police. Never a word said about the chaos in our cities. It is the black people who suffer most with police removed from their communities. In 2016 Trump asked to be given a chance. “What have you got to lose?” He was able to increase black employment and increased wages. He also supported the black colleges and lowered the prison population. He will do so again once the virus is under control.

The Case for Trump

Victor Davis Hanson I discovered this historian while listening to programs sponsored by Hillsdale College. They were the details about the process of writing the Constitution and a critique of WWII. On U-tube I found a short video providing his personal history and education. I have been greatly impressed by his insight and knowledge. It is with this background that caused me to purchase and read a book he wrote about Trump before the election and through the first two years of his presidency. The Case for Trump The author writes about the events leading up to the debates between the large group of Republican Senators, Governors and other notable candidates. It concludes at the end of Trump’s first two years as President. I believe any person who would read this book would give the author credit that he gave a critique including the positive and the negatives about this man who without any political experience was able to eliminate each of his rivals by blistering attacks and ridicule never before witnessed in my lifetime. As the process was unfolding Trump held huge rallies all over the country creating excitement and enthusiasm among the common people. He would make outrageous comments which infuriated the liberal press who unwittingly gave him countless hours of free advertisement while others like Jeb Bush spent millions on TV ads while only earning low digit approval. He then took on Hillary Clinton and narrowly defeated her by winning more States and amassing Electoral College votes enough to win even though Clinton had two million plus more total votes. Trump realized he had no chance in States like California, New York and Illinois, so he concentrated on States like Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida as well as visiting all other Midwestern States. His margin of victory in many was very slim. Clinton had no doubt that she would win against this crude upstart and neglected to campaign as hard as he. She and the country and indeed the entire world were astounded that she would lose. The calls to eliminate the Electoral College rose to a crescendo afterword. Trump as President was treated with contempt and one process after the other was initiated to overturn the election and remove him from office to no avail. What it did was make it extremely hard for him to govern. He not only had the Democrats to contend with but also Republicans. An interesting fact is that like Reagan, Trump had been a lifelong Democrat often supporting Democrats like Chuck Shumer, Nancy Pelosi and the Clintons. We have become hardened by the political process of candidates telling us what we want to hear but once elected fail to carry out those promises. Trump has actually concentrated on his issues to the astonishment of us all. The tragic thing is that causes which were universally agreed needing attention were fiercely opposed once they became his. For example, Illegal Immigration. Bill Clinton as President included it in his state of the union speech. Senator Shumer and other Democrats gave speeches on the negative effect it had on employment opportunities for American workers. Once Trump made it a priority no Democrat would support anymore. Whatever he accomplished was done in spite of total opposition. The tax reduction was enacted without a single Democrat vote. This last comment is my own. For the Democrats to claim in the current election that they will make jobs a high priority is a sick joke. During their last eight years in power our jobs were systematically shifted to other countries with no attempt to reverse and illegal immigrants flooded into our country.

The Good Shepard

By; C.S.Forester I bought this book after my son telling me about watching the movie starring Tom Hanks. The movie is called Greyhound. I look forward to the opportunity to see it for myself, Tom hanks never disappoints the viewer. The story is about the American Captain of a destroyer in change of bringing a convoy of 37 cargo ships to England in 1942. This was America’s first year in WWII. We were woefully unprepared. Captain Krause had been in the Navy for over 20 years but this was the first time he would be in combat. The German U-Boats were operating in Wolf Pacts with deadly effect. It was a critical time. The cargo was needed desperately. We learn of the tactics of evading attack by zig-zagging at irregular interviews. There were only four destroyers to protect the convoy. Once contact is made there is almost continuous combat. The description is so vivid you can sense being there yourself. I will not provide the details; I leave that hopefully to you to read for yourself. You will not be disappointed. J

With All Due Respect

By; Nikki R. Haley To start this report I must admit that I have been impressed with this lady for a long time. Every time her name appears what she has said or done I agree with. I didn’t know that her parents emigrated from India. They are Hindu in faith. She tells of discrimination during her youth. One time they were picking black girls for one team and white girls for another. She was excluded as not being one or the other. She was the Governor of South Carolina when the young white man killed eight black worshipers in a church. This was a traumatic event. She met with the families, attended each funeral and later was able to convince the legislature that it was time to remove the flagpole carrying the Confederate flag from the State grounds. At first they agreed to take the flag down but leave the pole. That would have been the impetus at some other time to put it back up. During her six years as governor the State enjoyed good job growth, some from foreign firms. She had kind words for Jeb Bush and how he helped her organize her cabinet when she was elected for the first time. She lent her support to Marco Rubio in his candidacy for President. During a debate in South Carolina, Trump called her out and gave her a compliment. After Trump became President she received a call to come to New York to meet with him. He was considering her for Secretary of State. She didn’t think she was ready for this position. A little later he offered her Ambassador to the United Nations. This she did accept with the proviso that she could be included in the Security Council to assure she would not to do anything at odds with the President’s position. He agreed. It was a shock to the organization as she came out forcefully announcing that the U.S.A. was resuming a leadership role. After trying to improve the Human Rights Council she got the president’s approval to withdraw. It had as its members countries with the most blatant human rights. She also defended Israel at every opportunity. Israel had been condemned on a yearly basis for all kinds of sins while others got away with real offenses, countries like Saudi Arabia, Syria, Cuba and Venezuela. She was dismayed to witness the ongoing condemnation of America. Since the beginning we have borne a large share of costs particularly for refugee camps in Africa and the Middle East. She visited some and spoke out on the travesty of aid not reaching the victims. After two years she decided she had done all she could. It was time to step down and take a rest. We will hear her name again, trust me. Jack B. Walters July 24, 2020

The 19th Amendment

I watched a four hour in two episodes documentary on NPR about the forty year struggle of the suffragettes to allow the women of America the right to vote. The struggle was also occurring in Europe about the same time. If you are able I would highly recommend trying to find this so you can learn as well. I don’t remember the title, women’ rights? I learned a lot I didn’t know. We are reminded that the Founders did not say anything in the writing of the Constitution about who was eligible to vote. It was left as a State issue to resolve. In the beginning only white men owning property could vote. The percentage voting for Washington was very small. By the early 1900’s a few western States gave them the right, then over the years more would join. Wilson, as a Southern Democrat was opposed. At the end of WWI when he was trying to have his 14 points peace plan approved, advisors counselled him that he would have no success with Europe, who by this time was allowing women to vote. He came out in favor and while the vote in the House was decisive it was only approved in the Senate by one vote. Then it was up to ¾ of the 48 States or 36 to ratify. States one by one approved. The very last State was Tennessee and it was approved by one vote. The solid Democratic Southern States East of the Mississippi was the only section not to approve. Supposedly the reason was that Negro women would be covered. It is obvious that they were able to keep that from happening in the South just as they were able to keep Negro men ostracized. Learning the history of America has been an obsession with me since retiring from the work force and having the time to do so. While we are all in isolation why don’t you do it as well?

The basic responsibility of government is to protect the people

I’m reading a history of the United States. I have reached 1774 when the congress of representatives of the colonies was assembled in Philadelphia to address their concern with mother England’s treatment. I was reminded of the famous writers whose thinking was utilized in these discussions. Men like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Charles de Montesquieu. Hobbes stated that government was necessary to deliver citizens “from fear of violent death”. His conviction was that man was at war with every other man and was solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. Locke’s state of nature was beautiful and virtually sinless but somehow had fallen out of that state. He further stated that the most desirable government was one that protected human “life, liberty and estate”; therefore government should be limited, only strong enough to protect these three inalienable rights. Montesquieu suggested dividing authority among various branches with different functions. This provided a blueprint for the future government of the United States. I am using the above in my attempt to bring sanity to the current hysterical movement all across America to somehow defund law enforcement from our cities. Once that is accomplished we will be left with only ourselves to defend our families. This violates the basic ideas expressed above that the primary purpose of government is safety. Lawlessness is most prevalent in places like Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, New York, Chicago and Atlanta where city councils and mayors have proposed reducing funding for their police. All of this because of the belief that police are racists. I contend that if they are then so is everyone else since the only difference is their choice of occupation. The thin blue line is the only thing we have to create a climate of normalcy. Even here in Tucson looting and burning was allowed to occur with the police kept away. How tragic that store owners were completely put out of business. Police are resigning. Recruiting is negligible. Why would any young person want to be put in a position where they are vilified instead of respected? On the news we hear of killings of 15 or more in cities. Some of the deaths are police officers. The right to protest is important for a democracy. This does now mean impunity for setting fires, looting, tearing down statues or other acts of violence. This is not about Black Lives Matter, Trump, Biden or any other politician. We are voluntarily giving up our right to live without fear. Take action. Write to some leaders or editorials as I have often tried to do. Be a part of the solution not a cowering victim hoping not to be affected. They will tire after a while and venture into the quiet neighborhoods, you know those that have security systems in place so you can call 911 and hopefully have police arrive in time to save you and your property. Jack B. Walters July 19, 2020

Reagan: The American President

By; Larry Schweikart If you are a fan like I am of President Reagan you will enjoy reading this book which is written as a tribute to him. The author is an unabashed believer in the ability of this great man. He came upon the scene from nowhere living in the small town of Dixon, Illinois. His mother was a devout Christian. He became one also. It was the base for his beliefs throughout his lifetime. He was a lifeguard as a youth credited with saving many lives. He became a radio sportscaster where he honed his skill as an orator who could think fast. In Hollywood while acting, he also became the President of the Union. It was during this time that the McCarthy hearings were taking place routing out Communists. This became a crusade for him that continued till his death. Reagan, of course, is credited for the downfall of the USSR. Gorbachev also deserves credit, as he was the leader of Russia at that time whose goal was to open up his country. I could fill pages of tribute but I will ask you to read to restore your memory of what a great leader he was. I will also ask that you go to U-Tube and type in “A Time for Choosing” It is a speech he gave in support of Goldwater for president on 10/27/64. Most of you no doubt were afraid of Goldwater and he was soundly defeated. None-the-less this speech clearly expressed Reagan’s great concern for the direction our country was heading. He had switched from Democrat to Republican out of his concern that the Democrats looked to Washington to solve all of their problems to the detriment of freedom of thought and initiative of individuals.

Three Days in January

Dwight Eisenhower’s Final Mission By; Bret Baier This book covers Eisenhower’s life story with emphasis on the end of his eight years as President. His successor to the office was John Kennedy. During his campaign against Richard Nixon one of his major themes was a supposed missile gap with the USSR. Ike resented this but kept his peace. As his term was expiring he felt the need to tell the American people of his concern about the never ending arms race to assure supremacy to Russia or any other country. He reminded them that throughout our history we had never maintained a large military force. We were woefully unprepared for WWI or WWII. Now half of our national budget was spent on arms. Without minimizing the need to be strong, he was asking for balance between the military and all of the domestic needs of our people. At that time and continuing today the armament industries are located in every state providing high paying wages and thereby assuring support to continue to grow. He called it the Military Industrial Complex, a phrase that was made famous. The date of the speech was January 17, 1961, three days before the end of his term. He is given credit for his meetings with Kennedy to prepare him for taking the reins. When he succeeded Truman there was bitterness between them. Originally Truman had encouraged him to run until he found out that he would run as a Republican. Ike made himself available to help Kennedy and the Johnson with advice in the following years until his death on March 28, 1969. I have read a number of books about Ike. Some called him the do nothing president. He ended the Korean War, did not engage in another war somewhere else. He was encouraged by some in his Cabinet to do. He began the Interstate Highway System enacted the Civil Rights Bill of 1957, which while watered down, at least opened the debate on civil rights for the blacks in the South who were prevented from voting. Our country enjoyed eight years of ever increasing prosperity. He was a fine man and a respected leader who accomplished much good in his lifetime.

Leter to the editor

Dereliction of duty The Tucson City Council led by Mayor Romero has overturned a common sense ordinance that kept people out of areas designated as crime scenes. They need to remember that most of us common citizens admire and respect the police officers whose job it is to protect and defend all citizens. It has become fashionable to condemn them on a daily basis. It is time for this insanity to end. A crime scene is created so that proper investigations can be accomplished. People do not have the right to violate and thereby contaminate the area. At least Steve Kozachik understands. Thank you Sir. I request the Mayor and Council understand they should care for all not just the few who enjoy creating havoc. Jack B. Walters July 9, 2020

Charley Wilson's War

The Democrats in Congress are furious at their perceived Russian plot to have Afghans kill American soldiers. Whether true or not, their only objective is to add more bad press against the President. In the 80’s when Reagan was president, the Russians controlled Afghanistan. Our government gave billions in training and weaponry including Stinger Missiles to the Afghans to kill Russians. This is just another attempt to convince American voters to elect Biden in November. What will they think of next?

My Country Right or Wrong, My Country

In our growing pains as a new country on this huge continent, there were many times when grievous actions were taken for which we cannot be proud. I ask you to put your negative thoughts aside and ask you to be proud of your heritage. The experiment in believing that “All Men are Created Equal” was unique in the world in the 1700’s. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution with the 10 Amendments added to protect individuals was and still remains the best effort towards creating a free society. I fully agree and understand that slavery as an institution was not compatible with these ides but even here there was intense discussion to end it. The fact of the matter is there never would have been a new country if slavery was abolished at that time. The Southern States would not have joined and England could have easily put down the rebellion if the Northern States were alone. I am writing this as my effort to get at least a few to consider the steamrolling across the country today, tearing down Monuments, efforts to rename streets and cities. What started as Confederate monuments to Southern Generals has now expanding to Grant, Jackson and where will it stop. Must we erase all vestiges of our past to satisfy those who hate America? There is a petition to rename Columbus, Ohio. Parks and military bases as well. I can see there is no end. The State of Washington must be renamed as well as Washington, D.C. Will Washington and Jefferson be chiseled off of Mt. Rushmore? Will their memorials in D.C. be destroyed? Even Lincoln who hated slavery did not believe the Negro was the equal of whites. It is reasonable to accept since they were kept in ignorance at that time. It is unconscionable to take today’s knowledge and infer that it should have been the thinking in those early days. Once the whitewash job is completed and our history replaced or distorted to where there is no longer a country worth fighting for, it will be all over. Lincoln once said we cannot be defeated externally only internally. That still holds true. Our struggle upwards was never pretty but I for one thank my lucky stars that I was born an American. If you do not feel this way then you are part of the problem. Fix the problems aggressively but don’t throw out the baby with the bath water.

Brett Favre Comments

Has everyone lost their common sense? Brett Favre compared Pat Tillman with Colin Kaepernick as being on the same level. Tillman at his prime gave up his career after 9/11 to join the Army and fight for his country and tragically died from friendly fire. Kaepernick took a knee during the playing of our National Anthem to protest his perceived police bias against black men. As a result he created an incentive for thousands to protest while at the same time being paid millions by Niki to stimulate shoe sales. Tillman was a hero in my book not Kaepernick

General Ulysses S. Grant

The Complete Personal Memoirs of General Ulysses S. Grant Several weeks ago I watched the three-part two hours each history of Grant on the History Channel. It was extremely well done. I am sure you can find it. I urge you to try. It was after this that I decided to order his biography. I have finally finished. I am not necessarily asking you to read because of its extreme length and thoroughness. It is amazing to me the depth of his knowledge and memory. The details from his youth are amazing. You know I wrote my own biography and published it in 2004. My memory of those early years was dismal. I can only assume that the description of battle events was from notes taken during the events. Otherwise it would be impossible to remember. The incredible fact is that he never lost a battle during the four years of the Civil War. He may have had setbacks but he always was able to start anew and win. He never met President Lincoln until after his conquest of Vicksburg on July 4, 1864. It was then that Lincoln made him Commander-in-Chief of all the Armies East and West. From that time on both Armies synchronized their efforts in a mutual way to prevent the South from shifting their Armies from one sector to the other. When Lincoln was told that Grant was a drunk, his reply was to find out what whiskey he drank and supply it to all the other Generals. He said Grant fights. There had been a time early on when he was posted to California after the war with Mexico and separated from his wife and family that he drank excessively. He resigned and returned to Civilian life until called up after the secession of the Southern States. He put this book together at the end of his life in order that his family would have income to support them. Otherwise he was in debt due to being swindled in a business affair. He was dying of a throat cancer and within days of finishing the book he died. America has been blessed throughout our history with leaders who arose when desperately needed. Grant was one of them. Jack B. Walters June 16, 2020

Dare to Fly

By; Martha McSally (Simple Lessons in Never Giving Up) For all kinds of reasons many of you living in Arizona will vote against McSally in November. I can say the same for those in other States, who will support Democrats, no matter what to effect a change in the power structure. I bought this book as I was interested in what she might have to say. Thankfully this was not about her politics but for the most part her life story with emphasis on the difficulties she had to overcome to graduate from the Air Force Academy, learn to fly the A-10 and rise in rank to Colonel leading others in combat. The one issue that I had followed closely when it was happening was her brave actions to reverse the policy of female military to wear burkas in Saudi Arabia when off base and have a male driver. She fought this against Donald Rumsfeld and won. The Bill to rescind the policy was approved by the House unanimously The Senate then also approved. One piece of Legislation that was passed which she sponsored was to give recognition to the female pilots from WWII. At the time they were considered civilians. The Army would not allow them to be buried in Arlington. She has been athletic her whole life running marathons and triathlon events. I was impressed by this. The most I ever did was running in 10K races. Other than the above this is an interesting biography which you might enjoy reading. Jack B. Walters June 16, 2020

George Floyd

Watching the ridiculously futile effort by police in places like Santa Monica, I just have to add my two cents, as I have been doing for the past 19 years. A newsman walking by saw stores being looted, he watched them inside picking out what they wanted with impunity. He actually witnessed an officer telling a loot filled car to move on. It seems every time a clear case of police brutality occurs rioting is soon to follow. I don’t place the blame on the police; it is the cowardly elected officials who make a show of force with no intention of stopping the chaos. It has been this way for many decades. To me this makes a mockery of their everyday purpose of keeping the peace. I, like you have seen the video many times of the knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck. As I understand it, even after he stopped struggling the officer kept his knee there for nearly three minutes. I agree, as I am sure you do, that this officer and the other three should receive the highest type of sentence for committing this heinous act of cruelty. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe the police were called after he presented a counterfeit twenty dollar bill. How many times have you given a twenty and watched the cashier run a crayon over it. Let’s say I did it without me knowing. Would the police have been called? I doubt it. This incident is so tragic because of the consequences. I understand the deep feeling of concern by people of color and the knowledge that they were kept in virtual bondage for 100 years after the end of the Civil War. If I were of color, I no doubt would react as they do. That does not mean that we should not take every means possible to stop the violence from those who take advantage of these occurrences to create disorder. I am one who believes these groups are financed and encouraged to create havoc. Most of the violent ones it seems are not from the cities being looted and burned. I am an old man but I still care about my country. I fear for our future if we cannot find a way to live together judged by the content of our character not by skin color as a great man once said. Jack B. Walters May 31, 2020

The Life of Abraham Lincoln

By; Henry Ketcham You like I, have no doubt read many books about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. One documentary was published in three volumes of over 600 pages each. This is a small book devoted to teaching us about the character of Lincoln starting as a small boy until the end of his life. First and foremost he was a kind, gentle giant of a man who wished to not harm anyone. The grievous loss of life during the war devastated him. There were many episodes to show this to us. As a young man on a river boat to New Orleans he witnessed the brutality towards the slaves. It was here he resolved if it were ever in his power he would wipe it out. He was challenged to a duel by a small man. As the person being challenged he got to choose the weapon. He picked large broadswords. At six foot four inches it would be comical to see. The duel was called off, they became friends. One time he came across a young pig struggling to get out of the mud. In his lawyer suit he picked up the pig and brought it to safety. During the war young soldiers guilty of falling asleep on guard duty or some other infraction were brought to him to be brought before firing squads. He just couldn’t do it even though the Generals were furious. He did all he could to keep the Union together. He told them he would not start a war. When they bombed Ft. Sumter then he responded. Read this book if you want to learn more about this great man. I enjoyed reading. Jack B. Walters May 29, 2020

Every good thing has to end sometime

The deadline to renew men’s basketball tickets is June 1. We decided not to renew. No matter what changes between now and November I cannot envision myself joining 15,000 to see the games at McKale. I will be 92 by then, very vulnerable for the virus. I have been hesitant to renew buying tickets for some time. The one and done irritates me. The push to pay college athletes offends me. We attend cheering on for Arizona. If their only goal is making money and they do not possess team spirit for the University then my interest is gone. We have enjoyed the experience of being part of the cheering gang for decades now. We will miss it but will settle for TV as a poor substitute. Jack B. Walters

A Higher Call

An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II By; Adam Makos I really enjoyed reading this excellent, well researched effort by a young author. He discovered this story while researching for WWII veteran’s stories while they were still with us. The interviews were done fifty-nine years after war’s end. He found the name Charlie Brown. While interviewing, Charlie told him to first talk to Stigler and then he would tell his story. He said “In this story, I’m just a character; Franz Stigler is the real hero”. In the process he discovered one of the greatest untold stories in military history. The two main persons in this story were Second Lieutenant Charlie Brown, the pilot of a B-17, Flying Fortress with the 379th Bombardment Group; and Franz Stigler, a German Fighter pilot flying a Messerschmitt 109. They came together on a cold December day in 1943. It was Charlies first command flight, a bombing raid on Bremen by 475 bombers. As part of his formation he had dropped his bombs and was returning when hit by flak. He and another plane were forced to leave the protection of the formation and try to make it back on their own. They were attacked by a flight of Focke-Wulf 190’s. The other plane was shot down. His was severely damaged and limping back. His gunners were able to shoot down two of the pursuers. Half his crew was either dead or wounded. Only one gun was able to function. The plane was severely damaged. They flew right over a German Air Base and Stigler got into his plane to finish him off. What happened in the next few minutes is the reason this book was published. So incredible it is hard to believe it could have occurred. I will ask you to read so you learn in the reading. Most of the book is spent telling of their lives before, during and after the war. Charlie completed 29 missions and Franz 487 mostly in the I09 but near the end of the war in the Me-262, a jet fighter that was faster than any of our fighters and in my opinion had they been produced in quantity the bombing of Germany would have been impossible to achieve. Franz as a young man considered the priesthood but when the war began he enlisted. As a fighter pilot he scored many victories starting in N. Africa then Sicily, Italy and finally Germany. The bulk of this book is of his four year history of flying combat which only ended when the war was over. We also read about Brown’s tour of duty. Of all of the WWII books I have read this one stands alone in first place. I highly recommend reading. Jack B. Walters May 27, 2020

The Things Our Fathers Saw

The untold stories of the WWII Generation- Volume I I: War in the Air- from the Great Depression to Combat By; Mathew A. Russell The author was born 16 years after the end of the war. Fifty years after the war ended as a history teacher he became interested enough to enlist the help of students who were willing to fan out over the country collecting stories from veterans still alive. Together they collected over 200 interviews. These were published under titles such as this one. Others were; I- Voices of the Pacific Theater, III-War in the Air- Combat, Capture and Reunion, IV- The war in Italy and V- D-Day and Beyond. We have all read the accounts by Generals and government leaders but these individual stories of ordinary men doing their job fills in the spaces usually overlooked. By now they have all passed away. Due to the interest of the author their stories have been immortalized and are there for anyone, now or in the future to read. We get to know them starting with their lives before the war, their wartime experiences and their lives after returning. I enjoyed reading, perhaps you will as well. Jack B. Walters May 19, 2020

Helmet for my Pillow

From Parris Island to the Pacific By; Robert Leckie The author describes his life from the time he entered the Marine Corp until he was convalescing in a hospital in America. Fully expecting to recover and return to action the Atomic Bombs were dropped ending the war. He philosophies the reason men like him do as they do. They are willing to defend their country if attacked. He signed up on January 5, 1942. His account of training is oftentimes humorous. He landed on Guadalcanal with the first wave and stayed until this was ended. While rehabbing in Melbourne, Australia he got himself into trouble by not obeying the rules. He returned to action at Peleiu and Okinawa. He writes about his fellow Marines and the jungle warfare. We learn a lot about what it was like fighting a fanatical opponent who would fight to the death, no surrender. He was wounded many times and suffered with malaria as well. If stories about WWII interest you I recommend reading this one.

Air War in the Pacific

By; George C. Kenney Early in 1942 when the battle of Bataan and Corregidor was near the end. President Roosevelt ordered General Mac Arthur to leave for Australia so that he would be available to lead our forces back when it became possible. When he arrived, he only had a scattering of personnel to defend Australia. It was expected that the North Coast including Darwin would be conquered by the Japanese. Two famous statements he made. 1- I came thru and I shall return. 2- The battle for Australia will be fought in New Guinea. To that end he moved his headquarters to Port Moresby on the Southern Coast of New Guinea. The Air Force he inherited was totally ineffective. He knew of General Kenney’s reputation and requested he be assigned to him. It was granted. It didn’t take him long to see the many shortcomings. He went to work and shortly had enough planes in the air to make a difference. He was also effective in his trips to Washington in getting replacement aircraft and parts. He would visit with Roosevelt and after a friendly chat somehow a miracle would occur and shipments started arriving. Early on they were P-40s, P-38s and B-25 bombers. Later P-47s and P-51s were received. With training his men learned tactics to be effective. One of his innovations was Skip Bombing. He had worked on the theory before coming and shortly perfected it. It consisted of flying low towards the broadside of a ship and dropping the bombs in the ocean. They would skip over the water and bomb the side like a torpedo would do. One interesting side note, General Kenney had a young pilot on his base in San Francisco when he commanded the Fourth Air Force. The pilot was caught flying close to the ground, under bridges, etc. He was called in and reprimanded but the General made sure that wherever he would be assigned that this pilot would follow him there. At that time he was a little blond-haired Norwegian boy about five foot six with a round pink baby face and the bluest, most innocent eyes. His name was Richard I. Bong. He became the highest achiever of downing aircraft in the air with 40 confirmed kills. At that point he was sent home only to die as a test pilot soon thereafter. The first major achievement was the destruction of a Japanese re-enforcement fleet of troop ships, cargo ships and destroyers. It became known as the Bismarck Sea Battle. All were destroyed. The book is a chronicle of events leading to the Philippines and preparation for the invasion of Japan. Due to the vast distances needed to reach objectives, he quickly garnered a construction crew of engineers. They were the first to arrive after a landing took place to build air strips and buildings to support the arrival of fighters so they could support the longer range bombers. As an Air Force veteran myself it was, of course, fascinating for me to read. You might find it otherwise but I recommend anyway.