From: "Steff & Allen Matthews" <steffnallen@cableone.net>
To: "Sarah" <Renee1007@hotmail.com>,"Robby" <rthompson1@alltel.net>,"Joe Banks Thompson" <joebanks@bellsouth.net>,"Jim" <Jim.Thompson@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: This is worth reading when you have time.....
Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 08:08:09 -0600
When you have time...this is worth reading.....
Thoughts on our President Whether you actually like George W. or not....
>
> This has some interesting thoughts...
>
> First, an observation. Have you noticed a difference
> in salutes given by our military men and women as
> President Bush walks by? Most folks would not notice
> anything, but those of us who have served in the
> military see it right away. Next time, Watch: When
> President Bush leaves his helicopter or Air Force One,
> the honor guards salute and face him as he disembarks,
> then turn their faces towards him as he passes by.
> They
> continue to salute his back as he walks away. This
> kind of salute has not been seen in the previous eight
> years, though it is customary courtesy to the
> Commander-in-Chief. You see, soldiers aren't required
> to turn and face the President as they salute. They
> are not required to salute his back. They are only
> required to salute. They can remain face-forward the
> entire time. And that is what they did during the
>
> previous administration. Our soldiers were forced to
> obey his orders, but they were not forced to respect
> him. From their salutes, we can surmise that they did
> not.
>
> Why is such respect afforded to President Bush? He
> doesn't even know how to bite his lower lip and not
> get teary-eyed whenever he speaks!
>
> The following incident from Major General Van Antwerp
> may give us an insight.
>
> Gen. Antwerp is president of the Officers' Christian
> Fellowship. He lost nearly all his staff when the
> Pentagon was attacked Sept. 11. His executive officer
> LTC Brian Birdwell was badly burned and in the
> hospital when President Bush visited him. Our
> President spent time and prayed with Brian. As he was
> getting ready to leave, he went to the foot of Brian's
> bed and saluted. He held his salute until Brian was
> able to raise his burned and bandaged arm, ever so
> slowly, in return. The Commander-in-Chief almost never
> initiates a salute, except in the case of a
> Congressional Medal of Honor winner. The injured
>
> soldier did not have to return the salute. But he did,
> out of respect to his President ...-a Soldiers'
> President.
>
> Congressman JC Watts (R. Oklahoma) said, "Character is
> doing the right thing when nobody is looking," (My
> favorite quote of all time.) The nation and world
> learned some of what our last President did when
> nobody
> was looking. That President has been disbarred. the
> worst disgrace (other than imprisonment) to a lawyer.
> CNN will have a difficult time shining his or his
> wife's tarnished images. In this time of war and
> danger, I am so grateful to have a President whom the
> soldiers salute fully.
>
> On Special Report with Brit Hume, at the close of the
> show when they normally have some funny video clip,
> they showed President Bush and the First Lady on their
> way to Maine to leave for Camp David for the weekend.
>
> As the video starts, the First Lady is leading the way
> into the helicopter with the spaniel dog on the leash,
> and the president is right behind her with the Scotty
>
> on the leash. As the First Lady entered the chopper,
> the Marine at the gangway saluted and held his salute.
> The Scottie the president was walking decided it
> wanted to sit right when he got to the steps. The
> President pulled on its leash, but the stubborn
> Scottie persisted in sitting. The president bent down
> and scooped up the
> pooch and entered Marine One. After he entered, the
> Marine cut his salute and returned to the position of
> attention. Moments later the President reemerged from
> the helicopter and out onto the steps. The Marine was
> standing at attention, head and eyes straight ahead.
> The President leaned over and tapped him on the left
> arm. The startled Marine turned his body toward the
> President and received his returned salute!
>
> I was so impressed by this true act of respect for our
> military people by our President!
>
> He really does get it. Most any other person of his
> stature would have just continued his journey,
> disregarding the neglected return salute. Not George
>
> W. Bush. He is earning the respect of the military
> community,not expecting it -- as most have and would.
>
> President George W. Bush. The man who admitted to
> having a drinking problem in younger years, and whose
> happy-go-lucky lifestyle led him to mediocre grades in
> college and an ill-fated oil venture. Who mangled
> syntax, and whose speaking mis-steps became known as
> "Bushisms." He came within a hair's breadth of losing
> the election in November. Bush named Jesus Christ as
> Lord of his life on public TV. Not an Oblique
> reference to being "born-again" or having a "life
> change." He actually said the un-PC-like phrase,
> "Jesus Christ!"
>
> On September 11, he was thrust into a position only
> known by the likes of Roosevelt, Churchill, Lincoln,
> and Washington. The weight of the world was on his
> shoulders, and the responsibility of a generation was
> on his soul. So President George W. Bush walked to his
> seat at the front of the National Cathedral just three
>
> days after two of the most impressive symbols of
> American capitalism and prosperity virtually
> evaporated. When the history of this time is written,
> it will be acknowledged by friend and foe alike that
> President George W. Bush came of age in that cathedral
> and lifted a nation off its knees. In what was one of
> the most impressive exhibitions of self-control in
> presidential history, President George W. Bush was
> able to deliver his remarks without losing his
> resolve, focus, or confidence. God's hand, which
> guided him
> through that sliver-thin election, now rested fully on
> him. As he walked back to his seat, the camera angle
> was appropriate. He was virtually alone in the scene,
> alone in that massive place with God, just him and the
> Lord.
>
> Back at his seat, George H. Bush reached over and took
> his son's hand. In that gesture his father seemed to
> say, "I wish I could do this for you, son, but I
> can't. You have to do this on your own." President
>
> George W. Bush squeezed back and gave him a look of
> peace that said, "I don't have to do it alone, Dad.
> I've got Help." What a blessing to have a professing
> Christian as President. Please take a moment after you
> read this to "pray for him." He truly does have the
> weight of the world on his shoulders. Pray that God
> will sustain him and give him wisdom and discernment
> in his decisions. Pray for his protection and that of
> his family. (Pray for our service men and women around
> the world too). And after you have prayed, send this
> to everyone on your e-mail list. Our President needs
> Christians, Democrats and Republicans alike, to be
> praying for him. As this makes the e-mail rounds,
> eventually there could literally be millions of people
> praying for him, and for our Great Country....
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