Our Duty on Veterans Day

GRASS IN REVIEW

GRASSROOT INSTITUTE OF HAWAII

Nurturing the rights and responsibilities of the individual in a civil society.

WEEKLY GRASS IN REVIEW - November 14, 2007

Our Duty on Veterans Day
A Message from Dick Rowland

Veterans Day is so very, very important as a time to honor most veterans for their service in defense of our nation. I say most veterans because we all know that in any large group there are a few who failed to live up to ideals.

That brings to mind another failure of our national leaders to serve our founding documents and our armed forces adequately. They have set precedents that make it too easy to make war. Wars are serious business. Lots of people die. Personal liberty is damaged. This last time, the Congress delegated the duty to the President. Now they hound him about what he did. He deserves the criticism because he asked for it. But let's not forget that lots and lots of congresspersons willingly delegated that important obligation.

By doing so, they failed us, our armed forces and our veterans. So, for this Veterans Day, let us remember that duty requires that we do not let our national leaders become flippant about that duty to all of us in the business of war making.

Otherwise we fail to genuinely honor our veterans, our war dead and their families.

IN THE NEWS - HIGHLIGHTED COMMENTARIES
Grassroot Institute is regularly featured in news articles and broadcasts around the state. Here is a sample of some of our recent articles, research stories, and other articles of interest.

Troops Deserve More than Bumper Sticker Support
By Chuck Muth

For this Veterans Day weekend I decided to read Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. The story is about four U.S. Navy SEALs whose June 2005 mission in northern Afghanistan "was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader known to be ensconced in a Taliban stronghold surrounded by a small but heavily armed force. Less than 24 hours later, only one of those Navy SEALs remained alive," Marcus Luttrell.

(To read more, click here.)

The Gipper on Veterans
By Ronald Reagan, 1988

We’re gathered today, just as we have gathered before, to remember those who served, those who fought, those still missing, and those who gave their last full measure of devotion for our country... One of those who fell wrote, shortly before his death, these words: "Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own. And take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind."

(To read more, click here.)

FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Opportunity for Young Adults:
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii created the Fresh Perspective column exclusively to publish the work of high school and college students. In addition to work appearing on GRIH’s website, their work is also submitted to Hawaii Reporter. Submissions are welcome from any interested young adult, and we will publish work that is clearly written and grammatically sound. For earlier Fresh Perspectives please click here.

Contact: wendy@grassrootinstitute.org for more info.

TRY OUR BLOGS
Use these links to access various topics.

Dash of Calabash>>>Blog Archives>>>’60s Generation Heads Into Their 60s

Dash of Calabash>>>Blog Archives>>>Free Health Care, Sans Government

The Mystery of Hawaiian History>>>Blog Archives>>>Major Business Publications Alarmed By Akaka Bill

Read what others have written or add your own thoughts. Click here for more blogs.

LIBERTY NETWORK

Grassroot Institute of Hawaii is a member of an extensive international liberty network of organizations that promote more individual autonomy and less governmental involvement in human affairs.

On Thursday, October 25th, from 7:00-9:00 AM, Elaine Willman, Chairman of Citizens Equal Rights Alliance, spoke at the weekly SBH Sunrise about her experience with Indian tribes and the Akaka Bill. As with any SBH Sunrise, a broadcast of her talk will be aired on Channel 54 @ 4:30 pm each Sunday for the remainder of November. Elaine's talk has been slightly edited in order to fit the broadcast time. In the future, a shorter portion of her talk will be available in YouTube format on the SBH site.
GRIH president Dick Rowland attended the "Preserving the American Dream Conference" November 8-12 in San Diego, CA. He will be in Washington, DC from December 2-6 attending a State Policy Network networking meeting.
GRIH seeks one or more individuals willing to endure up to six months of clerical work (to learn the center-right think tank business) who could then be promoted to handle some amount of program work. Funding for program work in the youth program and government/tax areas is available now. Funds for programs in other areas forthcoming. We seek college graduates or individuals with an equivalent amount of work experience. Applicants must be able to type and format Word documents; send, reply to, and forward Outlook e-mail with various attachments; enter data in Excel work sheets; and have fair understanding of Windows XP file management and experience with standard office equipment. We are looking for individuals who have something to show from their life experience that they can bring to the job. Good writing skills, knowledge of current events or American government... if this sounds like you or someone you know, call Wendy at the GRIH office [(808)591-9193] or e-mail resume to wendy@grassrootinstitute.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS

All of the Institute’s events, research publication dates and speaking engagements are available on our website.

1. Through a grant from the CHEAR Foundation, the GRIH is sponsoring free market on-topic debate training for various high school students, starting November 13-16.

A number of high schools as well as some home schoolers have signed up. This season's topic is, "Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its public health assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa." If you would like to learn more, participate, or otherwise support the program, e-mail Wendy Fujimoto at wendy@grassrootinstitute.org or call her at the office: (808)591-9193. More information is available at Greg Rehmke's site: www.economicthinking.org/debate.html or click here for the Economic Thinking debate program flyer.

Tentative schedule for Greg Rehmke's free market economics on-topic debate training:

Tuesday, 11/13, 3:45-5:00 PM, Punahou School Debaters
Wednesday, 11/14, 3:30-5:30 PM, Iolani School Debaters
Thursday, 11/15, 3:45-5:00 PM, Punahou School Extemporaneous Speakers
Friday, 11/16, 3:30-4:30 PM, Iolani School Extemporaneous Speakers
Friday, 11/16, 6:30-9:30 PM, Home schoolers meeting at Faith Baptist Church in Kailua

Please call Wendy (a former Hawaii high school debater) at the GRIH office [(808)591-9193] if you are interested in attending a session and/or helping out with the program. Times and locations subject to change at any time.

2. Friday, November 30th GRIH is sponsoring a showing of the Acton Institute's "The Call of the Entrepreneur."
The 57 minute film will be shown at 3:30 pm in HPU's Warmer Auditorium, 1060 Bishop Street, Penthouse. From 4:30 - 5:00 PM, there will be a roundtable of local entrepreneurs sharing personal stories and their comments on the film. Open to HPU students and the community. Light refreshments will be served. There is no admission fee. Sponsored by HPU Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE@HPU), GRIH, Entrepreneurship Center of HPU and The Acton Institute. Seating is limited to 80. Call Wendy at the office or email wendy@grassrootinstitute.org so seats can be saved for you.

How fast does the state spend your money?
State spending is out of control. Watch the dollars fly out the window.....

Have an Institute speaker at your next meeting!
From taxation to education, from health care to transportation, the Institute’s staff is ready to address your group regarding the important policy issues facing all citizens of Hawaii. Call (808) 591-9193 to check availability and make arrangements, or e-mail us at roz@grassrootinstitute.org.

Grassroot Institute is a proud member of the State Policy Network and Townhall..

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