Happy Fourth... Tap on the walls..make contact

Posted by John on July 04, 2001 at 14:07:18:

Hello Friends..... I’m only 36, and I, as most other people my age, still have to overcome the
notion that the modern world began when I was young. But since then and now things seem
different than what I can remember - I look around and find I am living among strangers and
what ever has passed between then and now has left me the fear that I have little in common
with them... they don’t come over to borrow a cup of sugar, we don’t hang out on the front
porch, we don’t go to the same church..... I’m not sure if they know why we have a Declaration
of Independence, a Constitution, an American and National League... I’m not sure if we have
any common values.

Which brings us to this day, a celebration of our country. I find that I don’t know my
neighbors as well as I should and that makes ME the problem - I’m making us all weak.
America is country if neighbors.... it always has been and I’m the one who is being un-American.

Then I remember something from my Navy days. They made us fliers go to a school to learn
how to survive imprisonment. If a learned nothing else, I learned that I must make contact with
my neighbor.... If that is not allowed.... if that is not possible... if I am placed in a solitary cell...I
am to tap on the walls of my cell... and make contact with the man in the cell next to me.

It is a great day to tap on the walls...to meet my neighbors...to shake their hands... to sit on the
front porch with them... to light fireworks with the teenagers...to share food and laughter.... to
break the ice and start being a neighbor that can be relied upon and can rely on the others. That
is what is patriotic, that is being a great American.... that is the vision of the founding fathers.

HAPPY FOURTH.

Follow Ups:

• Neighbors, and neighbors Pvt. Chauncey Goodrich 17:57:25 7/04/2001 (2)
  • Thanks Chauncey John 00:15:04 7/05/2001 (1)
    • Re: Thanks Chauncey Pvt. Chauncey 08:00:45 7/05/2001 (0)
• Re: Happy Fourth... Tap on the walls..make contact Rich 14:15:55 7/04/2001 (0)

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Comments:
: Hello Friends..... I’m only 36, and I, as most other people my age, still have to overcome the
: notion that the modern world began when I was young.   But since then and now things seem
: different than what I can remember - I look around and find I am living among strangers and
: what ever has passed between then and now has left me the fear that I have little in common
: with them... they don’t come over to borrow a cup of sugar, we don’t hang out on the front
: porch, we don’t go to the same church..... I’m not sure if they know why we have a Declaration
: of Independence, a Constitution,  an American and National League... I’m not sure if we have
: any common values. 

: Which brings us to this day, a celebration of our country.     I find that I don’t know my
: neighbors as well as I should and that makes ME the problem - I’m making us all weak. 
: America is country if neighbors.... it always has been and I’m the one who is being un-American. 

: Then I remember something from my Navy days.  They made us fliers go to a school to learn
: how to survive imprisonment.  If a learned nothing else, I learned that I must make contact with
: my neighbor....  If that is not allowed.... if that is not possible... if I am placed in a solitary cell...I
: am to tap on the walls of my cell... and make contact with the man in the cell next to me. 

: It is a great day to tap on the walls...to meet my neighbors...to shake their hands... to sit on the
: front porch with them... to light fireworks with the teenagers...to share food and laughter.... to
: break the ice and start being a neighbor that can be relied upon and can rely on the others.  That
: is what is patriotic, that is being a great American.... that is the vision of the founding fathers.

: HAPPY FOURTH.     


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