The first time I donned a military uniform of any kind was in 1973, when I joined the Air Force Junior ROTC program at Torrejon High School, Torrejon Air Base, Spain. My father was as surprised as anyone when I joined; I was a skinny, bookish, and shy 14-year old, and he probably didn’t think I had the interest in or passion for military life.

To tell the truth, I don’t remember why I did it. I was a loner and preferred it that way, so I wasn’t a “joiner.” I guess my dad inspired me more than I realized and, looking back on it, it was a decision that changed my life.

Even so, my life path was not altered as dramatically as those whose lives were lost in service to their country, and that is who we honor on Memorial Day. Most veterans have a story about someone who, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, “gave the last full measure of their devotion” while wearing the uniform of the United States armed forces, and I have one that is probably not well known to the general public.

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Fair warning – this is going to be a rant. I tried to let time pass to see if I’d be less passionate and more analytical about this episode, but I’m still angry – with a lot of people. So here goes:

If you national Democrats think we’re so screwed up that a state law, one that mirrors a national law that’s been in place for over 70 years, AND which your chief law enforcement officer and senior homeland security official didn’t read before criticizing it, is equivalent to the human rights abuses of one of the most murderous regimes in history (China), AND is more morally repugnant than the corruption, violence and incompetence of a developing nation (Mexico), then WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE SUCKING ON THE PUBLIC TEAT?

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I had the opportunity to review a recently aired television special sponsored by Coral Ridge Ministries, titled “Socialism: A Clear and President Danger.” The documentary, available on DVD, tackles the rise of socialism in America, and essentially asks the question, “What would Jesus do?”

For Christians, most of whom receive conflicting guidance on this topic, this is a critical question for the times in which we live.

If you’re bored and you want to start something, toss the word “socialist” into a discussion about the Obama Administration and the 111^th U.S. Congress, and watch the fireworks.

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Originally published in the Calvert Recorder, May 14, 2010

I’ve had an odd reaction to the letters I’ve read in your paper embracing President Obama’s health care overhaul. I opposed Obamacare, but when I read these letters, my reaction was not "anger" or "incivility" as one writer put it, but compassion. I fear the expectations will not measure up to reality, and many will be disappointed.

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In the morning after the kids are off to school, my wife and I both like to settle down in our respective favorite spots and catch up on the news. She sits at the kitchen table with the Washington Post and the county newspapers laid out, while I’m on the computer scanning the latest technology, politics and sports news, and checking my Facebook and Twitter profiles. Every now and again, one of us will share a topic from our reading rituals with the other and, as you can imagine from our reading choices, the discussions can get interesting.

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