I'll be manning the polls all day from before dawn to after sunset, so I won't be here on Election Day.
Thank you! We always voted. All four of my grandparents were immigrants. They took voting very seriously. Since this is a numismatic forum, let me tell this: My mother's mother had only an 8th grade education. However, she read a lot. When talking about the old country or at election time like now, she would say that Hungary was an apostolic monarchy, church and state were one. She used that phrase, "apostolic monarchy," and I learned it from her. It meant nothing to me until I learned in college what "apostolic" meant. (We were not practicing Catholics, obviously, and there is another story in that.) Then, as coin collector after 1993, I finally saw a coin from Franz Ferdinand II: Apostolic Monarch. No kidding, Grandma was right... Anyway, the point is that all four of my grandparents came from societies that were basically still feudal, so they were grateful to live in a democratic republic. We always voted. (Sometimes I slip... but it is a deeply ingrained habit.)
Again, thank you! You and I share something about how important it is for citizens to participate in their governments. You and I, Roy, are about the same age, mid-50s, baby boomers. So, one summer evening, when I was about 12 or so, running into the yard from playing army, my Mom stopped me. She sat me down on the back porch and said that she wanted to talk to me about the concentration camps. I told her I knew all about them -- Buchenwald and Dachau were all over TV and there were documentary movies playing in the theaters. "No," she said. "I want to tell you about the concentration camps here." What?! "After Pearl Harbor, we locked up all the Japanese in America." So what? They were Japs. "Their grandparents and parents had come to America the same way yours did. Many were born here. Some were three generation Americans, more than you. We locked them up on the excuse that they came from a country that we were at war with. But we were at war with Hungary and Austria and Italy, too. They could have locked us up." Oh... So why didn't they? "They needed our labor for their steel mills." And by the way, we were Republicans. Conservatives. Three years after that night, I was in Youth for Goldwater and then Young Americans for Freedom. So, my mother's economic analysis of the wartime loss of liberty always carried a double message to this day. Anyway, we always voted.
"Freedom Is Not Free" These are words from the Korean War Memorial in D.C. There is a price to pay for the freedom we enjoy in this country and we are paying for it now. Evil exists and needs to be destroyed for evil wins when good does nothing in return. Many of our coins reflect the freedom and majesty of the United States, so I am proud to be an American. Just like many Americans that considered Hitler a nuisance in the 1930's, those like Churchill and others recognized that evil was growing and needed to be dealt with. Even after Japan attacked the U.S. on December 7th, the first enemy the U.S. went after was Germany (Battle for North Africa), not Japan for this was a World War! The same holds true today. We are in a World War...Not in the same sense of army divisions fighting against army divisions, but an enemy that attacks and then hides in a hole. Our coins have the latin phrase "E Pluribus Unum" which is latin for "Out of Many...One". That is what is great in a free society for many people have differant opinions, which results in one for all. Vote today and Good Luck!
I served my country in ways I care not to discuss over this forum and I do know what we are facing. We are at a world war and we should understand this. But this not what I care to discuss. What I wish to say is for us not to fight each other. Let us not follow the Michael Moore's on the far left or anyone from the far right. For remember Hitler was from the far right and Stalin was from the far left and like a circle they met at the same spot which was lousy for all. There will be election fraud, there always was. That is where the saying"stuffing the ballot box" comes from. So after this election, no matter who wins, what we do need as a nation is to come together and voice our disapproval to the media and individuals who are trying to destory us for their own agenda's and remember "United we stand" for "United we are strong".
We all must do our part if we wish to succeed. I agree with Andy. We must unite for the better good. No individual can lead alone. We all have the same basic needs and desires. In this time of uncertainty it is more important to remember that we are all Americans. It is time to put America first.
Bravo to all those that take their "Rights" seriously!. As a Retired Navy CPO I have always tried to Vote even if by absentee. No matter who won at least I couldn't complain as I had done my civic duty. Sorry Ed, but Dolittle's Raid on Tokyo, Japan was in April 1942 (launched from a Navy carrier ), which is 7 months before Operation Torch (North Africa Landing).
I forgot about the raid lauched from the USS Hornet. Pretty gutsy to lauch 16 medium size bombers from an aircraft carrier since it was never done before. Lucky for Dolittle, they were able to take off into a strong head wind. What I was referring to was the first major sustained attack of World War II. No discredit to Dolittle's raid as it did more for our moral than what destruction it did on Tokyo. In any case, we were fighting a world war against evil and I always believe that evil wins when good does nothing.
Started preparing the polls for opening at 5:59 a.m. Got my receipt for the voted ballots, etc. from the Registrar of Voters at 9:56 p.m. Having about 85% of the registered voters in my precinct either show up and vote, or send in their absentee ballot, makes a 16-hour day worthwhile!
