It’s important today, when we have bullies at the highest levels of government–spreading fear and distrust and discrediting our loyal troops–to remember why we go to war: to fight the bullies.
With a wife and two children, my dad nonetheless enlisted in the Marine Corps during World War II to fight the bullies. He told me I should face wartime bravely. On a Wednesday in May 1944 he sent me a birthday letter and asked me to help Mom and try to understand why it was important for him to be away:
Dear Peter:
I hope you have a wonderful time on your birthday–it’s your fifth and a very important one because you and Mommy have to take care of things without Daddy’s help. It would be great if we could celebrate your birthday together, but I know you understand that Daddy is away for a very important reason and we must never forget that. If Daddy and millions of other daddies were not away from home to fight the bullies, we might never be able to have nice homes and live happily together. So however much we miss one another, we should try to remember that things would be much worse if Daddy and other daddies if were not willing to fight the bullies.
Have a wonderful birthday and Daddy will be thinking of you—and when I eat my ice cream here, I’ll pretend it’s your birthday ice cream.
This is a real Marine pennant for your room.
Love, Dad
Despite our race, religion economic status or politics, we must work together to preserve our freedom and fight the bullies who would take it away. The best way to do this is to exercise our right to vote and vote the bullies out.
Till next time, good words to you , Peter
What a wonderful memory! Your father was as right then as he would be today.