Has it really been 3 years…

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Captain/Assistant Quartermaster Andrew J. McGonnigle (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 19, 1864, at Cedar Creek. Virginia. His citation reads:

While acting chief quartermaster of Gen. Sheridan's forces operating in the Shenandoah Valley was severely wounded while voluntarily leading a brigade of infantry and was commended for the greatest gallantry by Gen. Sheridan.

Corporal Owen McGough (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 21, 1861, at Bull Run, Virginia. His citation reads:

Through his personal exertions under a heavy fire, one of the guns of his battery was brought off the field; all the other guns were lost.

First Lieutenant Robert M. McGovern (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on January 30, 1951, near Kamyangjan-ni, Korea. His citation reads:

1st Lt. McGovern, a member of Company A, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of the United Nations. As 1st Lt. McGovern led his platoon up a slope to engage hostile troops emplaced in bunker-type pillboxes with connecting trenches, the unit came under heavy machine gun and rifle fire from the crest of the hill, approximately 75 yards distant. Despite a wound sustained in this initial burst of withering fire, 1st Lt. McGovern, assured the men of his ability to continue on and urged them forward. Forging up the rocky incline, he fearlessly led the platoon to within several yards of its objective when the ruthless foe threw and rolled a vicious barrage of handgrenades on the group and halted the advance. Enemy fire increased in volume and intensity and 1st Lt. McGovern realizing that casualties were rapidly increasing and the morale of his men badly shaken, hurled back several grenades before they exploded. Then, disregarding his painful wound and weakened condition he charged a machine gun emplacement which was raking his position with flanking fire. When he was within 10 yards of the position a burst of fire ripped the carbine from his hands, but, undaunted, he continued his lone-man assault and, firing his pistol and throwing grenades, killed 7 hostile soldiers before falling mortally wounded in front of the gun he had silenced. 1st Lt. McGovern's incredible display of valor imbued his men with indomitable resolution to avenge his death. Fixing bayonets and throwing grenades, they charged with such ferocity that hostile positions were overrun and the enemy routed from the hill. The inspirational leadership, unflinching courage, and intrepid actions of 1st Lt. McGovern reflected utmost glory on himself and the honored tradition of the military services.


It’s been 3 years since MaMa died. I still find myself wanting to call her after work each day the way I did for so many years while she was alive. I wish she was still here… I know she would get a kick out of watching Mary Ruth, Susie and Daniel all playing together. But… life goes on. Of course, that doesn’t stop me from missing her…


I have been hearing on the TV lately that we need to have a “discussion” about race. So, taking their lead, I will attempt to have a one person discussion about race. It doesn’t seem entirely right to me, but I won’t let that stop me from giving my thoughts. This is one of those times that I really miss MaMa, because this is the kind of thing I would sit in her den and talk to her about for hours. This is the kind of thing that I might not be able to fit into one post. I’ve tried to collect my thoughts before typing, but that’s easier said than done. So I figured what the hell, I’ll just jump right in and start talking. This is just the first part of this discussion, so I'll take a little time and talk about stuff that people in non-white races might not know about white people. I'm not trying to discredit anyone, so take this in the spirit in which it is intended.

*I don't speak for all white people.

*I believe there are racist people in the world.  I don't believe that they are all white and live in the South.

*Dad never told me not to argue with the police… and yet I’ve never argued with the police (if only for the simple fact that they usually have a gun on them). I probably won’t have this talk with my children, but I do plan to raise them to respect authority and I probably will let them know that no good will come from arguing with the police.

*Being white has never gotten me out of a ticket. I'm not saying this never happens... I'm just saying it doesn't happen for me (or, I'd guess, most other white people).

*To my knowledge, being a white male never got me a job or a passing grade in a class. Don’t get me wrong, I walked into many an interview with the hope that they would see me and jump up and say, “Thank God! A white man! When can you start?” And to be honest, I can’t be sure what I’ve said is true. Maybe I did get those jobs because I’m a white man… but if that is true I sure wish I’d known before I stressed over them. As far as the school stuff, I have always thought I passed Geometry in high school because I played baseball. I can’t prove that, but I’ve always thought it. But I don’t think I ever passed anything because I’m white.

*I worry about my children every time they leave my sight.

*I worry about my children every time they are with me.

*I’m starting to see where my high blood pressure comes from (you know… other than my weight).

*Saying that race relations haven’t changed in the last 60 years is the kind of political talk that makes people discredit everything you say after that.

*Saying racism doesn’t exist anymore is just as bad as saying things haven’t changed.

*Saying all whites and all cops are racist is just as bad as saying all blacks and Hispanics are criminals.

*Not to get slightly off subject, but I am having trouble understanding how Zimmerman got off without any punishment. I will fully admit that I didn’t pay attention to the trial… but here is what my confusion is based on. From what I understand, he called the cops and they told him to stop following the kid. He didn’t listen and kept following the kid only to end up shooting him. Maybe Martin attacked him, maybe not. I don’t know… but it seems like there’s no doubt he shot the kid and that wouldn’t have happened if he’d listened to the cops. So it seems like there should at least be some kind of punishment, right?

*As I’ve told some of you, now Zimmerman has to worry about what I call, getting OJ’d. I’m sure you remember OJ getting a “not guilty” verdict for murders that everyone “knew” he’d done. Years later he got a 30 year sentence for stealing his own memorabilia from someone else (note: I don’t know how long the sentence is that he got, but I know it was a lot longer than he should have for that crime.). So I could see Zimmerman getting 20 – Life for going 10 mph over the speed limit.

*By the way, congrats to all of the white-Hispanics out there!  They now, it seems, have "white privilege" yet they can still apply for minority loans.  Talk about a win/win!

*Oh come on, don't be afraid to laugh...


Ok, I talked a good bit today about what not to say and what hasn’t happened to me… next time I will solve all of the problems regarding race. By next time, I mean sometime next week… I’m not sure I’ll have time to type it up by my next post.  If you want to prepare for it, look up Charles Barley's thoughts that he expressed on CNN.  I'd love to talk to him about this subject.