LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

No Special Laws For Vets

Re: Don Slone's letter.

I think if you parked in a spot that has lines through a square, you deserved to get a ticket. God didn't make special laws just for you. You cried that Vietnam vets were spit on and they were given no respect. That may have been true for a few of your comrades; but when it hit the news, it was blown way out of proportion.

The Korean vets, of whom I can attest for, came home to a complete absence of fanfare. My best friend asked me where I had been. I said I was in Korea fighting a war. He responded, "I was not even aware that you were involved in a war." We came home and went to work. We didn't cry about our situation.

Our fellow Americans showed us little to no respect. We went on with our lives and suffered quietly about what we witnessed. We were not given what I believe we deserved. Hell, they didn't even know that more than 54,000 U.S. soldiers were killed in three years and one month. Now that's something everyone should have cried about! I served in Korea with the 32{+n}{+d} Infantry Regiment from December 1952 to October 1953. Been there, done that.

Jacob Schaper

Brooksville

Honoring Our War Dead

Fresh flags were placed Saturday, May 24, on nearly 1,000 veteran graves at the Brooksville City Cemetery by Hernando County Young Marines guided by Ron Gibson, commandant, so that families visiting gravesites Sunday and Memorial Day could appreciate the consideration and conscience of our pride and patriotism for these great heroes from World War I on.

These are cemetery flags purchased by veteran organizations in remembrance. Each Young Marine marches to the grave, salutes, places the flag, steps back, salutes again, takes a sharp turn to the right and moves to the next grave, aisle after aisle, in one of Florida's most spectacular cemeteries with large, spreading oak trees gracing old family names familiar to Brooksville.

"Flags In" has been a cooperative effort by Disabled American Veterans of the Brooksville Chapter and Commandant Ron Gibson's Young Marines who are active in scores of events throughout Hernando County.

Deron Mikal

Brooksville

Dumber Than W?

I haven't seen anyone call attention to the fact that Sen. Barack Obama, one of the candidates for the office of the president of the United States, doesn't know how many states he will be president of and was also unaware of the location of Kentucky in relation to Illinois and Arkansas. He didn't know that Auschwitz was liberated by the Russians and not his uncle, unless his uncle was in the Soviet Army. There are also a series of minor geographical gaffs, relating to city names and such that seem to pop up at various stops,

Now, other than the political hay made from these mistakes, I see a problem that FCAT might have corrected 25 years ago. His lack of knowledge of the geography of the U.S. is atrocious, as is his world history and his negotiating tactics. There may be others. I just hope he isn't asked a math question. I wonder how he spells "potato?"

What kind of education are elite liberal colleges like Harvard or Yale giving to our potential presidents? With these problems, how did he get into Harvard? I know, I know, Affirmative Action. But aren't there some standards? Shouldn't you know the basics before graduation? He also made it into their law school. Can this be why our legal system is so screwed up?

Makes you wonder why Harvard is titled an "elite" school. After all, they gave George W. a master's degree, and the liberal "elites" consider him the dumbest stud to ever make the White House. Looks like Obama could eclipse W.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have." - Thomas Jefferson

Don W. Plezia

Spring Hill