Then this American hero, whose debt from us all can never be repaid, flew home to Alabama.
The Assembly did meet on that day. And we did have a ceremony that lasted nearly 20 minutes. That ceremony was to celebrate the career of a reporter from the LA Times on the occasion of his retirement. Democrats universally praised him as being "balanced." He was allowed to speak for about 10 minutes. Admiral Denton was no longer in the building.
Four years of Cinco De Mayo and not one recognition of the 4th of July. An LA Times reporter praised, and the very person whose sacrifice allows him to express his opinion is banned. It is perverse. It is wrong. And it is disrespectful to all the men and women in uniform who have stared death in the face and to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the American people.
Admiral Jeremiah Denton is a hero not because he was politician, but like all the other men and women of the Armed Forces, because he defended the ideals set forth with America's independence.
Democrats are always railing about intolerance and discrimination. But yet in practice, it is they who engage in regular state-sanctioned discrimination and who are intolerant of the presentation of other views. Maybe they are worried that people will listen.
I do not send you this to bash Democrats. I send you this to demonstrate the huge chasm that exists between registered, voting Democrats, and elected Democrat leadership. I hope those of you who are not Democrats, will send this to your friends who are. If you are a Democrat, don't be ashamed. Be angry. Straighten out your party and your leadership, or leave it.
Fortunately, we do not need the approval of the Speaker of the Assembly to celebrate our nation's independence. Nor do we need his permission to thank those who fought to give us and to maintain our freedoms. On the 4th of July, as the burgers cook and the fireworks fly, let us always remember......and give thanks.
As a final offering, I give you a poem that Admiral Denton read to us, through eyes clouded with tears:
"It is the soldier, not the reporter,Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet,Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate,It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag,Who serves beneath the flag,And whose coffin is draped by the flag,Who allows the protester to burn the flag."
Amen. God bless America.
Until next time, I remain, Assemblyman John Campbell
