Freedom is not free

Date: 7/23/2010

As a junior member of Medicare, I've lived long enough to see what I feel is the last gasp of a once-great country that was based on Christian principles no matter what our current president says. My America was a place where people from around the world came to this land legally, learned the English language and felt blessed to be in our country, i.e., the land of the free and the home of brave; one nation under God and all the rest of that glorious stuff that seems to be a thing of the past.

For those with an open mind, America was founded on Christian principles and I reiterated that term for this reason: The Muslim world and our president's push to "educate" America on the need to include the Muslim world in such things as the NASA program. What? Since when has America become dependent on other nations for its greatness?

In all honestly, I'm very tired of our President traipsing around the globe apologizing for America's "missteps" as if we Americans have something to be ashamed of. Perhaps the President should "visit" Tom Hank's "Saving Private Ryan" flick to give himself a quick lesson of what America is all about and most importantly, how many young lives were given long ago to allow our president to spout off the way he does.

In short, I'm an American of French decent and to date I have NOT demanded to be called a European American and neither has any other ethic group from Europe because we see ourselves as plain old Americans, period. If I felt the need to be called a European American, I'd probably go back to Europe and badmouth America for not bowing to my ethic needs while being a guest in their country.

As I witness our government tear the American Constitution to shreds and do its best to rip God out of our daily lives, I hold fast to the principal that God gave me a brain to know the difference between good and evil and the adrenalin to back it up if the need arises. Freedom is NOT free and to those who detest violence in any form, know that you live in a plastic world and it if wasn't for those brave individuals, some of whom gave their lives for our country, you wouldn't be here to sound off, period. Again, freedom is NOT free. God bless America despite its detractors.

Fran LaFreniere

Chicopee