Thankful for those who serve and protect us
This Thanksgiving, we’re reminded of the fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, children, wives and husbands among us who dedicate their lives to keeping us from harm’s way.
First, there are the 1.3 million active duty military and more than 800,000 reserve forces.
These are the men and women who make this country great by contributing to its freedom and safeguarding our future.
Having no control over where they’re sent, these veterans leave homes, families and jobs in order to protect our freedoms and way of life.
Many of the veterans often return home with permanent scars. Some are visible, such as the loss of a limb.
But many others have made the ultimate sacrifice or returned bearing mental or emotional scars.
These veterans have earned any benefits our nation can offer to help return their lives to a sense of normalcy.
Next, we’re thankful for the 25,300,000 first responders in the U.S. who answer the call to keep our communities safe and our loved ones and homes protected.
Last year, Sen. Wayne Allard of Colorado sponsored a bill that designated Sept. 25 as National First Responder Appreciation Day. It was co-sponsored by more than 30 senators.
Whether it’s from a natural disaster like hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms or the wildfires that are currently raging in California, these responders put their lives on the line to save lives, protect property and uphold the law.
The daily challenges they face are reflected in these statistics:
• One hundred firefighters die in the line of duty each year.
• An estimated 240 million 911 calls are made in the U.S. per year.
• A fire department responds to a fire every 24 seconds.
• Emergency Medical Services take care of 22 million patients a year.
Finally, we can be thankful for the more than 20,000 Immigration and Custom Enforcement employees working within the U.S. and in 46 other countries.
They are the ones who enforce the federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration to promote homeland security and public safety.
ICE has been fiercely criticized by some high-ranking Democrats who want to see the agency abolished.
One of the most vocal, California Sen. Kamala Harris, grilled Ronald Vitiello, the acting director of ICE, in a hearing on Capitol Hill last week. Showing obvious disdain for ICE agents, Harris asked if he is aware of the “perception” of similarities between ICE and the KKK.
Even mentioning these two groups in the same sentence sparked immediate outrage from right-wing conservatives, including RNC Chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel who called Harris’ remarks “disgusting” partisanship.
Rep. Dan Webster of Florida knows firsthand the vital service that ICE gives residents of southern states.
“America is a nation of laws,” he said. “Our nation’s law enforcement officers play a vital role in preventing crime and promoting a sense of security for all who live, work and play in our communities.
“In order to keep our communities safe and free from fear, law enforcement officers often place themselves in dangerous and even life-threatening situations. These courageous public servants deserve our respect and confidence.”
Respect is something politicians like Sen. Harris need to show when addressing public servants whose sole focus is to enforce our laws by protecting our national borders.
By Jim Zbick | tneditor@tnonline.com
Comments
http://www.armchairsubversive.com/
46 REPUBLICAN PEDOPHILES
* Republican anti-abortion activist Howard Scott Heldreth is a
convicted child rapist in Florida.
* Republican County Commissioner David Swartz pleaded guilty to
molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in
prison.
* Republican judge Mark Pazuhanich pleaded no contest to fondling a
10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation.
* Republican anti-abortion activist Nicholas Morency pleaded guilty
to possessing child pornography on his computer and offering a bounty to
anybody who murders an abortion doctor.
* Republican legislator Edison Misla Aldarondo was sentenced to 10
years in prison for raping his daughter between the ages of 9 and 17.
* Republican Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year sentence in
federal prison for sexually abusing 8- and 10-year old girls.
* Republican campaign consultant Tom Shortridge was sentenced to
three years probation for taking nude photographs of a 15-year old girl.
* Republican racist pedophile and United States Senator Strom
Thurmond had sex with a 15-year old black girl which produced a child.
* Republican pastor Mike Hintz, whom George W. Bush commended
during the 2004 presidential campaign, surrendered to police after
admitting to a sexual affair with a female juvenile.
* Republican legislator Peter Dibble pleaded no contest to having
an inappropriate relationship with a 13-year-old girl.
* Republican activist Lawrence E. King, Jr. organized child sex
parties at the White House during the 1980s.
* Republican lobbyist Craig J. Spence organized child sex parties
at the White House during the 1980s.
* Republican Congressman Donald "Buz" Lukens was found guilty of
having sex with a female minor and sentenced to one month in jail.
* Republican fundraiser Richard A. Delgaudio was found guilty of
child porn charges and paying two teenage girls to pose for sexual photos.
* Republican activist Mark A. Grethen convicted on six counts of
sex crimes involving children.
* Republican activist Randal David Ankeney pleaded guilty to
attempted sexual assault on a child.
* Republican Congressman Dan Crane had sex with a female minor
working as a congressional page.
* Republican activist and Christian Coalition leader Beverly
Russell admitted to an incestuous relationship with his step daughter.
* Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger allegedly had sex with
a 16 year old girl when he was 28.
* Republican congressman and anti-gay activist Robert Bauman was
charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar.
* Republican Committee Chairman Jeffrey Patti was arrested for
distributing a video clip of a 5-year-old girl being raped.
* Republican activist Marty Glickman (a.k.a. "Republican Marty"),
was taken into custody by Florida police on four counts of unlawful
sexual activity with an underage girl and one count of delivering the
drug LSD.
* Republican legislative aide Howard L. Brooks was charged with
molesting a 12-year old boy and possession of child pornography.
* Republican Senate candidate John Hathaway was accused of having
sex with his 12-year old baby sitter and withdrew his candidacy after
the allegations were reported in the media.
* Republican preacher Stephen White, who demanded a return to
traditional values, was sentenced to jail after offering $20 to a
14-year-old boy for permission to perform oral sex on him.
* Republican talk show host Jon Matthews pleaded guilty to exposing
his genitals to an 11 year old girl.
* Republican anti-gay activist Earl "Butch" Kimmerling was
sentenced to 40 years in prison for molesting an 8-year old girl after
he attempted to stop a gay couple from adopting her.
* Republican Party leader Paul Ingram pleaded guilty to six counts
of raping his daughters and served 14 years in federal prison.
* Republican election board official Kevin Coan was sentenced to
two years probation for soliciting sex over the internet from a 14-year
old girl.
* Republican politician Andrew Buhr was charged with two counts of
first degree sodomy with a 13-year old boy.
* Republican politician Keith Westmoreland was arrested on seven
felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition to girls under the age
of 16 (i.e. exposing himself to children).
* Republican anti-abortion activist John Allen Burt was charged
with sexual misconduct involving a 15-year old girl.
* Republican County Councilman Keola Childs pleaded guilty to
molesting a male child.
* Republican activist John Butler was charged with criminal sexual
assault on a teenage girl.
* Republican candidate Richard Gardner admitted to molesting his
two daughters.
* Republican Councilman and former Marine Jack W. Gardner was
convicted of molesting a 13-year old girl.
* Republican County Commissioner Merrill Robert Barter pleaded
guilty to unlawful sexual contact and assault on a teenage boy.
* Republican City Councilman Fred C. Smeltzer, Jr. pleaded no
contest to raping a 15 year-old girl and served 6-months in prison.
* Republican activist Parker J. Bena pleaded guilty to possession
of child pornography on his home computer and was sentenced to 30 months
in federal prison and fined $18,000.
* Republican parole board officer and former Colorado state
representative, Larry Jack Schwarz, was fired after child pornography
was found in his possession.
* Republican strategist and Citadel Military College graduate Robin
Vanderwall was convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex
from boys and girls over the internet.
* Republican city councilman Mark Harris, who is described as a
"good military man" and "church goer," was convicted of repeatedly
having sex with an 11-year-old girl and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
* Republican businessman Jon Grunseth withdrew his candidacy for
Minnesota governor after allegations surfaced that he went swimming in
the nude with four underage girls, including his daughter.
* Republican director of the "Young Republican Federation" Nicholas
Elizondo molested his 6-year old daughter and was sentenced to six years
in prison.
* Republican benefactor of conservative Christian groups, Richard
A. Dasen Sr., was charged with rape for allegedly paying a 15-year old
girl for sex. Dasen, 62, who is married with grown children and several
grandchildren, has allegedly told police that over the past decade he
paid more than $1 million to have sex with a large number of young women.