I shouldn't be surprised, yet the focus today on the tragic loss of former NFL Cardinals safety Pat Tillman has filled the airways. All of the attention doesn't say so much about Pat Tillman as it does about the American public and our mania with celebrity. One thing I'm sure of, from the stories about him, Tillman would be embarrassed by the attention.
This young man with a promising sports career left it all to serve his country in the war against terror, shunning the spotlight that surely was his for the anonymity of his unit and his Ranger team.
As tragic as his loss is, it is only one of many, at least 118 in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and at least 698 in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Each life lost, each American son and daughter, is tragic. Yet, each is a hero who served their country with distinction and gave their life to preserve the security of our nation and secure the same freedoms we enjoy of the afghan and Iraqi people.
The Matthew J. Bourgeois' and Evan W. O'Neill's, the Craig S. Ivory's, the Lori Ann Piestewa's and the Ryan C. Young's all tell a story of honor, of potential, of service and love of family and country. Of men and women who believed in an ideal, a promise, a hope and were willing to lay their lives on the line so their friends and families, acquaintances and strangers could enjoy those ideals, even as the candle of their lives was snuffed out.
Never forget the sacrifice made for freedom. Never take it for granted and never forget to honor the life, and death, of those who died that you can enjoy those freedoms taken so casually.
Be sure to visit Letters From Iraq

Clark Howard, the radio consumer advocate, mentioned a website on his show that I’ve found interesting. If you are by nature curious, politically inclined, and/or naturally inquisitive, you will spend hours checking this out. It is FundRace.org, a searchable compilation of the public records of political contributions as reported by the Federal Election Commission.
You can search by name or by neighborhood. Just put in your address, or any other for that matter, and you’ll get a list of the records of those living near you who’ve contributed in this political cycle. What I found most interesting was doing a search by name. Hmmm, what are the big names doing?
At times you’ll have one of those, “oh of course” moments when you learn the obvious. Pat Robertson supporting President Bush or James Hoffa (Teamster President) supporting Dick Gephardt.
Often you a “what!” moment when you encounter the unexpected. For instance, billionaire investor Warren Buffett (investors on this scale are usually by nature conservative) from the conservative breadbasket state of Nebraska supporting both Wesley Clark and Sen. Bob Graham in the Democratic Primary. On the other hand, from the liberal state of Washington, software billionaire Bill Gates (techies tend towards the liberal side of the aisle) gave to the Bush campaign.
What I found most interesting was what I didn’t find. I could dredge up no records for the likes of Martin Sheen, activist Michael Moore, Bill or Hillary Clinton, Christopher Reeve, or Natalie Maines (of Dixie Chicks fame).
Neither could I find contributions listed for Rush Limbaugh, Neal Boortz, Oliver North, James Dobson or Republican strategist Mary Matlin. To be fair to Ms. Matlin, her husband, liberal pit bull, James Carville wasn’t listed as giving either.
‘Course I expect as the next cycle begins in earnest, when we get past the primaries and into the heat of the battle, the contributions will pick up and many of these names will begin to show up on the list.
So if your curious about who’s giving what, or just want to check out your neighbors to see who they support, surf on over. One bit of advise. Famous people, especially celebrities, often work by a pseudonym or stage name. You may have to do some background work to search out their real name for the search to be effective. So be creative, use your imagination and have fun!

Be sure to visit Letters From Iraq

While watching the war on terror from afar, I never thought it would have a direct effect on me. Our church has been planning a missions trip to Barcelona, Spain for several months that was to take place the end of May.
With the March bombing, the capitulation of the Spanish to terrorist threats, and the continuing threats against Spain, we've decided to postpone the project until a later date. While I'm disappointed, there is a sigh of relief for several who were going or loved ones were making plans.
I look forward to the opportunity to minister to the Spanish people when the circumstances improve.

Be sure to visit Letters From Iraq

While Spain capitulates to terrorists demands and military forces scramble to fill the gap, John Kerry promises, by the policies he is espousing, to capitulate to them if elected. Kerry's campaign accuses George Bush of conspiring with the Saudis to hold oil prices high until just before the election (based on their interpretation of Bob Woodward's book) and by Kerry's statements regarding US involvement, and more importantly, UN involvement, under his administration, conspires to invoke terrorist activity on US soil just prior to the elections.
While all this is going on here to attempt to unseat President Bush in November, the city fathers of Falluja are calling on the terrorist there to give up their weapons. Seems they understand this far better than the Kerry campaign. It takes strength and resolve to overcome evil, not a quivering lip, a shaking hand and a teary eye.
Learn more of what's really happening on the ground with our soldiers, check out "Letters from Iraq." A recently started compilation of letters from the 30th Brigade Combat Team.