Dallas. No surprise here.

It’s hard to imagine that anyone would be surprised at what happened in Dallas last night.

Rogue racist police shoot people in the street, the large majority of them being black and innocent. The killers almost never get prosecuted much less brought to trial.

We have a political party in the GOP and a news industry that is owned and run by Conservatives that rants daily against the people of this country and favors white supremacy.

We have a Congress, controlled by Republicans, a party that has, for the last 25 years, done nothing but to try to tear the fabric of our country apart by pitting straight white people against everyone else who is not like them.

The defiance and hatred that spews from the mouths of Conservative leaders and talking heads is relentless. It goes on day after day, week after week, year after year.

Our news is filled with dissension, hatred and violence every day. Peacemakers are ignored or called “Bleeding Hearts”, while hateful messages by preachers, “faux News Anchors” and Right and Left Wing extremist politicians receive top billing.

We have a defiant Congress that refuses to do the work of the people but instead uses their positions as political theater and their power to do political witch hunts. Their demeanor is nasty, mean and clearly anarchist.

No. I am not surprised at what happened in Dallas yesterday. I am surprised that it took so long. I will not be surprised when it happens again in some other city. And I will not be surprised when the Republican led Congress does nothing…..again…..except to blame others.

Memorial Daze

And so comes another Memorial Day. I am 69 years old, so I have experienced about 65 that I can remember. 

Once again, we will hold Memorial Day ceremonies, plant US Flags and flowers and remember those who have died in the Armed Forces. We will play anthems, salute flags, and romanticize the wars that we have fought on others people’s homelands, in other people’s farmlands and in other people’s neighborhoods. We will call them all heroes. We will use this day to absolve ourselves of our sins. We will restate our patriotism and our pride at being “Americans”, ignoring the fact that the United States is NOT America, but part of America…along with 46 other countries. We will arrogantly challenge anyone to mess with us every again…..forgetting that, more often, it is us who have messed with others first.

One thing we will not do, and never do, is to ask the question as to why they died and if they had to die. We will not face the reality that most of the wars this country has fought since WWII have been to protect corporate interests abroad. We will not remember the dead innocent women and children that those wars created. We will not remember that WWII was fought in less time than almost all wars since, against much stronger and organized forces. We will not realize that “American Interests” has now gone from meaning security to financial gain. We will not question that it seems that war has now become a business. We will not question why the USA seems to be in perpetual war.

Please do not “Thank Me” for “My Service”. I was forced into a situation that I and many others did not support. It was not by choice. Do not consider me a hero. I am not. Do not expect me to stand by silently knowing that millions have died for corporate profit. Do not think that saying “Thanks” helps me forget the horror and dishonor of war. 

I do not ask for praise or thanks. Rather, I would ask you to look deeper into your soul and ask yourself….”Was this war necessary?”. “Did these young men and women need to die?” “How can we prevent war and suffering?” “Why can’t we use more diplomacy instead of destruction to further our cause?” And answer the question: “Would I sacrifice my own son or daughter for this cause.?”

And finally……demand the government fund the programs promised to our veterans as part of the pact the living have made for their sacrifice. 

That would be a good way to Honor the War Dead. That would be a great Memorial Day for me. 

Lord of the Flies: 2016

Young people are the majority of support 

for Bernie Sanders.

Do you really want those young people making decisions 

that will affect your life?

They know nothing about politics or history.

They are children....born in the 90s, 

growing up and existing in a virtual world.........

in which nothing is destroyed for real, 

if something is wrong...you just hit the reset button, 

a place where nobody wins...

but everyone gets an award for participating, 

who have been educated for “The Test’ but not ”For Life”,

who the new media has programmed and manipulated 

with “The Corporate View” since birth

and who, consequently, have no point of reference

to the reality most of us older people have lived.

And they tell us...we need to face reality.

A Quiet Evening in Saigon....1968

While serving in Vietnam from 1967 until 1968, I often volunteered to do Official Courier runs to U. S. Army Headquarters in Long Binh, about 24 miles outside of Saigon. You see, back in those days, although we had computers (IBM 1105s, which fit in semi-trailers) we had no way of transmitting the information so we had to hand carry the paperwork from place to place. 

Leaving my compound in Quy Nhon at early dawn, I would take my Priority Two Orders to the airfield and wait for a flight. There were very few direct flights in those days, so we had to do hops from place to place until we got to our desired destination. I often flew on private helicopters of very high ranking officers as well as normal aircraft to get where I was going. My Priority Two Orders made that possible. I basically always got the next flight out.

When doing Courier Runs to Headquarters, you got a free three day pass. The trick was……if you arrived at your destination early enough on the first day and got your mission done, you would have two days of free R&R. That was always my goal. Saigon was very fun in those days and relatively safe…….during the day. 

On a particular trip in 1968, I did just that. I arrived at Tân Sơn Nhất Airport in Saigon in late afternoon after a long, multi craft hopscotch trip from Quy Nhon. I walked across the tarmac to the heliport opposite to the main terminal to try to arrange for a flight to Long Binh, where the US Army Vietnam Headquarters were. That was my destination. 

At about 3:30 PM, I finally caught a hop to Long Binh arriving at around twenty minutes later. I immediately grabbed my parcel containing the computer print outs that were destined for USARV and jumped out of the Huey. The helipad was directly beside the headquarters building, so it was a short walk to the statistics office where I was to drop off my paperwork. 

Having completed my mission, I went back to the helipad and waited for the next hop back to Tân Sơn Nhất Airport. 

I arrived back in Saigon about 5:30 PM. I hired a cab to take me to my hotel in downtown Saigon….about 20-25 minutes away, depending on traffic. In those days, there was a curfew which started at sunset and went to sunrise. Since Saigon is only 10-12 degrees or so off the Equator….it has pretty much 12 hours of daylight. 6PM is the beginning of darkness. 

As we approached downtown, the cab driver turned and said to me that he needed to drop me somewhere because he needed to get home before curfew. I was taken aback. He wants to drop me in the middle of nowhere at sundown in Saigon?? No…I don’t think so. I argued with him and told him he needed to take me to my hotel immediately. He refused. As the argument proceeded, we reached a stand off. He was not budging. 

It was then, and only then, ever, that I have ever pulled a gun on another person. I reached down and pulled out my .45 automatic and pointed it at his head. I said he need to take me somewhere safe. He promised. 

He drove a short way and then pulled up in front of a rather large house by Vietnamese standards. The house was surrounded by a wall and gate. He quickly opened my car door and ushered me through the gate and to the door. He introduced my to a friendly woman and explained to her, I guess, in Vietnamese, what the circumstances were. She welcomed me into her home, where she introduced me to her husband, and family, including a small boy with a small white dog. She showed me to a room at the top of the stairs and, although she could not speak English, indicated to me that this was my room. 

As I was settling in, I noticed the small boy, with his dog, looking at me through a small open window between the stairs and my room. We smiled and waved at each other and attempted to connect. (I took a great photo of them, but, somehow, through the years, I have misplaced it.) After about one hour, the boy returned and indicated that it was dinner time. 

I went back downstairs and was greeted by the family and invited to sit down at the table. This family was obviously very westernized, as most Vietnamese did not sit at dinner tables. They normally sit on the floor. We smiled and I expressed my approval of the food and my appreciation to them for providing me with a well needed home cooked meal. 

It was easy to forget, at that moment, that I was in an unknown location, with unknown people in the middle of a war zone. Nobody in the Army, or anywhere else for that matter, knew where I was. I could have easily “disappeared”, but, as has always been the case, I trusted the Universe to take care of me. 

After dinner, I excused myself and returned to my room. I was tired after a long day of traveling. 

In the morning, I awoke to a sunny, beautiful day. I was served a small breakfast by my hostess and then bid her and the family farewell. I grabbed my small suitcase went out into the busy street and hailed another cab, which completed the trip to my hotel. 

Since that time, and often, I wonder about the family. I wonder if they were OK after hosting a US soldier in their home. But that is assuming that they were aligned against the VC. Maybe they were VC sympathizers. Maybe I spent the night with the enemy. 

I will never know……but I will always remember the great and unexpected experience I had one evening in war torn Saigon. And I hope they are safe and know how much their kindness meant to me on that very unusual night. 

The Wisdom of Moving On.

I guess I should feel honored. I have put my issues regarding Vietnam in the past..while so many have not.
So many still harbor negative feelings and hostility towards a people and a nation that basically kicked our asses out of their own country. We should not feel alone. They did the same to China…(twice), France, and Japan before us.

The people of Vietnam today are not the ones we fought against. They, like us, are the survivors of a terrible and brutal past and who were also the victims of governments who chose to put us all in those situations.
They are also people who do not harbor the animosity and hatred that so many Americans do towards their former enemies, which I find difficult to understand. After all……the people of North Vietnam suffered much higher casualties and infrastructure destruction during the war than the South. Still, today….their attitude is “The war is in the past. We need to move on.”
We have people in the US who are still fighting The Civil War…..which ended over 150 years ago.
My mother always taught me to look on the bright side and taught me to look for the positive in an otherwise negative situation. That philosophy usually works….unless you are dealing with someone or a situation that makes it impossible to move ahead successfully.
Time is a great healer. It does not remove the pain and hurt or physical damage done…..but it does give you the opportunity to gain perspective and to live with those things in a more productive way…but only if you are willing to take it.
Some people like to hang on to negativity, as if somehow it identifies them. Hatred, bigotry, and anger are all products of fearful people who refuse to take the chance to move into the light and away from darkness.
We can apply this meme to many things in life: …….our jobs, our relationships, our social outlooks as well as our experiences. You can choose to harbor and hang on to negativity and pain…….or you can choose “to move on.” The thing you cannot do is to attack others for your decision or inability to do so.
Peace and love.

GEORGIA ON MY MIND....

 2015 was clearly a year of growth for me. Many significant things happened that have enriched my life and clarified my path.
In addition to revealing and solidifying my relationship with my Dad, I have reconnected with more long time friends as well as welcoming many new friends and also dealt with the excess baggage I have been carrying from other relationships that were not enhancing my life. My relationships with my core family has improved and even expanded to include others and my life with my wonderful wife just gets better every day. 2016 will make it four years Ngoc and I have been together, and I have to say, I have never had a better partner in life. All of our kids are steadily progressing well and we are proud of all of them.
My first Veteran's Tour of Vietnam went very well. And I finally got my first book published after a five year delay with the next one already in the works.
I feel much more in touch this New Year and centered than ever before in my life. I am at a place where my options are almost wide open. Ngoc and I have many plans for new ventures that we hope to develop in the year ahead.
I am even more aware of all of this after the phone call I received last night.
It is funny how things happen. Ngoc and I were just entering the local Albertson’s store to pick up some chicken for dinner last night when my phone rang. It was a number from Union Point, Georgia, which I did not recognize. Normally, I might let such a call go to voice mail, especially after receiving so many unwanted calls lately, like political or solicitation calls, but I decided to answer it.
“Hello. I would like to talk to Skip Nelson please” said the clear, articulate voice on the other end of the line. “This is Skip Nelson” I said. He continued, “I am Stephen ________ and I am calling concerning my older brother, who is a Vietnam Veteran. Our mother recently passed away and I have been left in charge of care for my brother. Since returning from Vietnam, he has been troubled and reclusive. I just took him to the doctor for the first time in 45 years. He will not speak and avoids contact with anyone. He was stationed in Quy Nhon and I found your organization and your name on the internet. I am very sorry to bother you but I was hoping that you could give me some back ground that would help me understand better what he went through and why he might be in this condition. I hope you can help.”
Hook taken and set.
I asked Stephen to call me back in an hour when I was at home, which he did, and we talked at length. He told me he had gone to the trouble of obtaining all of his brother’s medical and military records from the Army Records Center, he had contacted the Veteran’s Administration and had gotten his brother “in the system” for care and evaluation. I commended him for doing what he was doing. What a remarkable act in the name of love.
Talking to Stephen, I got very emotional. At times, I found it hard to speak and tears welled up in my eyes. My emotions were both of sadness and happiness and uplifting of spirit.
My sadness was triggered by the condition of his brother, who has suffered for over 40 years, alone and without relief. My happiness and uplifting of spirit were triggered by the overwhelming sense of brotherly love and understanding that this young man was showing for his older, troubled brother and his mission to seek solutions to help him. That is what being a brother and family is all about. Sadly, many do not understand this. Many throw blame and insults. Still fewer will be like Stephen and actually do something to help. He doesn't have to.
There are way too many of these cases. Some people, although they are physically present never “came home”. It is still happening today, from Iraq and Afganistan. If we can afford to spend billions to fight wars, we should be able to spend enough to help those who fought them when they are in need.
I asked him to email me some of his brother’s records so I could get a better idea of what the circumstances were that may have caused his condition and that hopefully, together, we could do something that would help bring his brother home. Stephen agreed and we will be talking again soon. I am determined to do all I can to help bring this "brother" home.
What a wonderfully spiritual way to end the year………and to start another. I will probably never refuse another phone call.
Happy New Year everyone!!!! Broaden your horizons. Enhance your understanding. Break down walls. Enrich your lives and those around you. It is our job to lift people up, not push people down.
Don’t forget to reach out when you have an opportunity.

Happy Holidays.....

The period from November through February has traditionally been a time of celebration for every religion or culture.

It started over 6,000 years ago with the celebration of the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, which occurs on December 21.

The “Holiday Season” as we know it, has many holidays, some of which are celebrated for a week or more.

Islamic New Year is celebrated anywhere from late September until late December.

Thanksgiving is celebrated the last Thursday in November by most, regardless of religious beliefs.

Bodhi Day is a Buddhist holiday celebrated on December 8, which is the day when the Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree.

The Jewish holiday of Hanukah also falls during the “Holiday Season, this year begins on December 6 and goes until December 14.

Christmas, the celebration of Jesus’ birthday, which actually occurred originally sometime in March or April, was originally incorporated into the Winter Solstice celebration and is now celebrated on December 25.

The African holiday Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26 until January 1.

Japanese New Year, Shogatsu, is celebrated from December 28 until January 5.

The Hindu holiday, Lohri, also a solstice celebration, is celebrated on January 13.

Lunar New Year is celebrated usually in the month of January, next year on February 8 and goes for two weeks.

Holidays in this time of year are traditionally viewed as a way to celebrate the end of the year and looking forward to a new year; a time of reflection and rebirth.

This is a spiritual time for all people, even those who are not religious.

Personally, I have been wishing everyone “Happy Holidays” since the early 1960’s, when I realized that many of my friends did not celebrate Christmas as I did. I have always considered it an act of inclusion and respect.

I do not know the conditions where others live, but I know that saying “Merry Christmas” in my world is just as popular as ever. I have never seen anyone being told not to say it. It seems to me that if you are secure in your beliefs, diversity should not bother you.

I do think, however, as we get more educated in the diverse culture that we have here in America, more people are showing respect to all people, and have adapted to the more inclusive term of “Happy Holidays”.

Many businesses, whose main goal is to attract a customer base and make money, have switched to using “Happy Holidays” as a way to sell more stuff to those who do not celebrate Christmas. I thought all those who claim “Christmas is being stolen” or somehow destroyed or depleted, love business and making money.

It does not bother me one bit.

I prefer to be inclusive. I prefer to respect all people’s beliefs and do not attempt to impose my beliefs on others.

The “War on Christmas” is a hoax. It does not exist. It is distracting you from the more important issues of our day.

Do not be mislead.

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season, no matter what your beliefs!!!