The Right and Wrong Ways to Honor Independence day

The Right Way:

On this Fourth of July, 2005, I encourage you to go into this Web site, as President George W. Bush urged you to do in his speech today in West Virginia, and send the troops a message of support, or participate in some other way that assists our men and women in the United States' military.

The Wrong Way:

Even on a day in which patriotism should flourish, the editorial board of the "Houston Chronicle" chose to publish a cartoon depicting George Bush as an ape; and I'm not simply offended by it, I am furious about it. It's a slap in the face to our troops for whom George Bush is their Commander-In-Chief.

Hat Tip to A Certain Slant of Light.
This is the message I sent to our soldiers via America Supports You. Go send one of your own right now. Here it goes:

You are the bravest of us. You are the noblest of us. Never let the doubters and the doomsdayers cause you to question the greatness that you accomplish every day. You stand as the sentries of freedom. Tyranny will not pass on your watch. I can sleep well at night for that reason alone.

Thank you for the incredible sacrifice you make for my family, friends, and countrymen. We live in freedom because of your blood, sweat and tears. Our heart goes out to you on this Independence Day. May it find you safe and in hope that your duty makes a difference. It does. Never forget that.

Happy Fourth of July! May Almighty God watch your back and guide your path every step of your way until you come home at last in pride, knowing that the mission has truly been accomplished.

And as for the Houston Chronicle. If you live in the Houston area and subscribe to the paper, consider cancelling your subscription. I wrote the following letter. You may consider writing one as well. The only change I made in my letter is that I removed my street address and city. No, you don't get to know that. A little mystique is good, remember? Here it is:

To: Viewpoints
The Houston Chronicle
P.O. Box 4260, Houston, Texas 77210

From: Frank J. Tassone II

Re: Mr. Mike Lucovich’s disgraceful political cartoon, published July 4, 2005

To Whom It May Concern;
Dear Sir/Madam:

I saw Mike Lucovich’s political cartoon in the online version of the Houston Chronicle’s “Editorial, Letters and Outlook page” on July 4, 2005. The cartoon shows a characterture of President Bush as King Kong, identifiable by the “W” on his arm. This “King Kong” hugs the now fallen World Trade Center Towers in New York City. Beneath are people and a caption that explains, “He climbs it whenever he’s threatened.”

I am apalled at the utter contempt and lack of disregard that you show the American People on Independence Day. Whether you agree with them or not, A majority of this country—by at least eight million voters—elected Mr. Bush to the Presidency for a second term. You choose the day of celebration for our nation’s birth to take a cheap and utterly disgraceful political shot at the President. You hold the Commander-In-Chief of the United States Armed Forces up to unconscionable public ridicule in the cruelest way while our nation is in the midst of war. Whether you like it or not, the Iraq War is no longer about the legitimacy of invading Saddam Hussein’s terror-supporting state. It’s about winning a crucial battle in a War for our civilization’s survival. It is beyond ironic that you assisted the enemies of democratic liberty and human rights on the very day in which we as a nation articulated those very rights.

Independence day is the day when Americans should unite under the banner of our common history. Our founding fathers stood toe to toe with the mightiest superpower of the time and boldly proclaimed that America would go her own way. The Declaration of Independence that we celebrate states the creed by which our nation began. This is no day for pandering to the basest instincts of our partisan politics.

Had I a subscription to your newspaper, I would have cancelled it immediately. Your disgraceful behavior brings shame upon your countrymen and upon yourself. Continue to consign yourself to the foaming-mouthed corner of irrelevence in which your blatent partisan politics drives you. When you have offended the last of your readers and have at last expired upon the dustbin of history, then perhaps the people of Houston may be better served by your successor. May the shame that you have sown today reap the abandonment of those Americans that you have offended. It is the least that you deserve.