Into The World

On April 12th, 1952 in Reynolds, Georgia, Ed and Naia Goddard became the proud parents of a brand new, bouncing, happy, healthy and extremely handsome baby boy. He was named George after his paternal grandfather and uncle. He was also named Clyde after his maternal grandfather who had died as a young man, when little George's mother was about 11 years old. So, little George Clyde Goddard came into the world around 7PM in the operating room at Sams-Whatley hospital in Reynolds.

The doctor in charge of the delivery was Dr. Edwards C. Whatley ( who was also the next-door neighbor of the Goddards). Dr. Whatley would be a second father of little George because being next-door neighbors, little George would grow up in the back yards of the respective houses where all of the Whatley kids and the Goddard kids played together. Dr. Whatley already had a son, Jimmy, who was born a couple of years earlier, so little George, Jimmy and later George's little brother Bruce were destined to spend their childhoods together and would spend equal amounts of time in both houses. As the boys got older, they would often eat lunch at both houses if the menu was suitable or they would only eat at one home if the other's menu consisted of turnips.

Dr. Whatley grabbed little George by the ankles, slapped his butt and then handed him off to Marie Martin, R.N. who worked with Dr. Whatley. It was probably Marie Martin who then handed little George to the new mother, Naia. Naia often talked during her life of what a special moment this was, as George would become her favorite child! She did have deep affection for her other children (Mac, Kikky and Bruce), but NOTHING like the special bond she had with little Chicken George. Marie Martin would often remark to George, as he grew up in Reynolds, that she was honored to have been a part of this union.

So, as fate would have it, Little George (now big George) would meet with both Dr. E. C. Whatley and Marie Martin, R.N. at a funeral some 50 years later. It was a special moment and was forever captured in time by this photograph. Big George quizzed both of these remarkable people about that special day and the events that took place. Dr. Whatley and Mrs. Martin happily shared their memories with George.

Today is Sunday, February 25th, 2007! This week I purchased a copy of the DVD, FLAGS OF OUT FATHERS!

The movie centers around the famous photograph of the flag raising at Iwo Jima during WWII. This picture is certainly to be as famous.

"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH"

In the 1992 film entitled A FEW GOOD MEN, Tom Cruise's character, an attorney, was cross-examining Jack Nicholson's character (a military officer) and yelled at him to just tell him the truth. Nicholson yelled back, "You can't handle the truth"!

This line has been quoted countless times by writers and speakers everywhere ... and rightfully so. Our culture is in a postmodern nosedive ... it is as if the ground under us is constantly shifting and we're looking for a place to stand. We collectively have lost our set of values and are searching for another. Truth is relative we are told and there are no absolutes. Plainly stated, we are lost and confused! We just cannot handle the truth ... Nicholson was correct!

The election of 2006 has just ended and there is a power shift in Washington. The Democrats are in and the Republicans are out. The evening news, newspapers and all the daily radio talk-shows are filled with the vitriol of this governmental transformation and the everyday people, the masses, are caught in the no-man's land of this power struggle. And it makes me sick to my stomach! Most Americans are so oblivious to any truth that they are easily influenced by sound bites and easily fall victim to this verbal manipulation. No one really knows what is important anymore when every word that comes from the mouths of these politicians is meant to serve their own agendas.

I am convinced that many of our politicians (on both sides of the aisle) really desire that America would lose the war against the Islamic terrorists ... just so they could say, "I told you so"! All that matters is that their self-serving agendas are accomplished and they get their "power"! My heart sincerely aches for our soldiers who are treated as pawns in this dangerous game. There is a lot at stake here ... we were told it would be a long war (decades)! Bin-Laden's words that America doesn't have the stomach for this kind of fight will be proven correct. They saw us not finish the job in Viet Nam and they are sure we will do the same in Iraq!

The next time you hear someone spout the number of deaths in this war, please just question the motive behind the comment. If one is sincerely concerned about senseless or preventable deaths, please consider the following:

There are about 500,000 deaths from heart attacks in the US every year. (AHA)

5600 teens died in traffic deaths in the US in 2005! 7500 teens were driving cars that were involved in fatal accidents! About 90% of these teens were talking on cell phones while driving. (AP)

559,650 people will die from cancer in the year 2007. 30% of cancer deaths are caused by smoking and another third of these cancer deaths are linked to poor nutrition (eating junk) and lack of physical activity. (ACS)

17,011 people died from AIDS in 2005. (AVERT.org)

There were 4657 asthma deaths in the US in 1999 chiefly from incorrect treatment. (MMWR)

There have been 25,000 Americans killed by illegal aliens since 911. This comes to 12 murders per day and there are another 13 Americans killed daily in auto accidents by drunk illegal aliens, which comes to another 4745 citizens per year. (Rep. Steve King R. Iowa)

The United States and Great Britan invaded Iraq on March 21, 2003 ( approximately 48 months ago) and to date there have been 3000 soldiers killed. May God bless the families and loved ones of these brave Americans that keep us safe because ...

Since 911, there have not been any deaths of citizens caused by Islamic terrorists on our soil!

Folks ... that is ZERO (0)!

So, the next time one of the power hungry BS artists that we call Congressmen and Congresswomen start puking these war death numbers up ... just remember to think about the motive behind the numbers. If they really cared about deaths, their energy could be much more wisely spent elsewhere.

One of my son's teachers in high school ( who was a graduate of West Point) once expressed to the class that when the day comes that America's young men and women are no longer willing to go to distant lands and spill their blood for our cause ... the great American experiment will be over.

The rhetoric coming out of the halls of government of the United States is hastening the approach of that day.

I would just like to say to the United States Senate and to the House of Representatives ... you make me vomit! All of you!