This venerable and much honored WW II vet is well known in Hawaii for his seventy-plus years of service to patriotic organizations and causes all over the country. A humble man without a political bone in his body, he has never spoken out before about a government official, until now. He dictated this letter  to a friend, signed it and mailed it to the president.

 

I enlistedin the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during and after WWII retiring as a Master Chief Bos'n Mate.  Now I live in a "rest home"located on the western end of Pearl Harbor, allowing me to keep alivethe memories of 23 years of service to my country.

 

One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.

 

So here goes.

 

I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do, but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish.

 

I can't figure out what country you are the president of.

You fly around the world telling our friends and enemies despicable lies like:

             " We're no longer a Christian nation"

             " America is arrogant" - (Your wife even

                 announced to the world,"America is mean-

                 spirited. " Please tell her to try preaching

                 that nonsense to 23 generations of our

                 war dead buried all over the globe who

                 died for no other reason than to free a

                 whole lot of strangers from tyranny and

                 hopelessness.)

I'dsay shame on the both of you, but I don't think you like America, nordo I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the obviousgifts this country has given you.  To be without shame or gratefulnessis a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.

After 9/11 you said," America hasn't lived up to her ideals."

 

Whichones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that500,000 men died for in the Civil War?  I hope you didn't mean theideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knewpersonally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about notletting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.

Idon't think you mean the ideal that says equality is better thandiscrimination.  You know the one that a whole lot of white peopleunderstood when they helped to get you elected.

Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man.

 

Shapeup and start acting like an American.  If you don't, I'll do what I canto see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on PennsylvaniaAvenue.  You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss thehands of murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their peoplelike slaves.

Andjust who do you think you are telling the American people not to jumpto conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of hisfellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don't want us todo what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that blackcollege professor in Massachusetts, who was putting up a fight?  Youdon't mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don't wantus to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.

Onemore thing.  I realize you never served in the military and never hadto defend your country with your life, but you're theCommander-in-Chief now, son.  Do your job.  When your battle-hardenedfield General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission,give them to him.  But if you're not in this fight to win, then getout.  The life of one American soldier is not worth the best politicalstrategy you're thinking of.

You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest challenge ever presented to any president. 

You'renot going to restore American greatness by bringing back our bloatedeconomy.  That's not our greatest threat.  Losing the heart and soul ofwho we are as Americans is our big fight now.

And I sure as hell don't want to think my president is the enemy in this final battle.

 

Sincerely,

Harold B. Estes