> I have loyalty to myself before any loyalty to America. I have > "desecrated" the flag. And more than all the rest, I absolutely believe > that the word "god" does NOT belong in the Pledge of Allegiance.
If called upon to do so, I would die for my country and every man, woman, and child in it regardless of their race, creed, or color. I consider this to be my duty as an American. When I was a child, my father and I came close to drowning one very windy day when our sailboat capsized in frigid waters on Lake Michigan. Right around the time where my reactions were getting slow, my speech was slightly slurred, and my skin had turned a bit blue, an olive drab helicopter with the word "MARINES" in white capital letters on its underside appeared overhead and lowered a basket. My dad put me in first, and on the way up I kept looking at the Marine working the hoist. He looked worried. He quickly got me inside and wrapped me in blankets, then lowered it to my dad who came up next. The Marine checked my eyes and fingers, asked me my name and what day it was, etc., and they flew us over to Highland Park Hospital were we were treated for exposure and hypothermia. They saved our lives. Why were the Marines there, and not the Coast Guard? I found out later that the Coast Guard had its hands full with previous calls for help that day, so they placed a call to the closest Marines they could find, who simply replied, "We're on it." The weather was not good for a helicopter rescue, but all the Coast Guard boats were too far away to get there in time, so a couple of Marines who got a call risked their lives to save ours, and it wasn't even their job. A couple of years later I enrolled in Marine Military Academy, and for the next three years I had the honor and privilege of learning from some of the finest men alive what that was all about. As a result, I am loyal to my country and her countrymen first and foremost, my family second, and every other responsibility in my life third. I'll worry about myself after 1, 2, and 3 are secured. This may be corny and old-fashioned, but I'll never change. I can't. Respectfully, Adam Phillip Churvis Member of Team Macromedia Advanced Intensive ColdFusion MX Training ColdFusion MX Master Class: July 14 - 18, 2003 http://www.ColdFusionTraining.com Download CommerceBlocks V2.1 and LoRCAT from http://www.ProductivityEnhancement.com The ColdFusion MX Bible is in bookstores now! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?forumid=5 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/index.cfm?method=subscribe&forumid=5 Signup for the Fusion Authority news alert and keep up with the latest news in ColdFusion and related topics. http://www.fusionauthority.com/signup.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.5
