Welcome Home Parade May 19 Richmond VA

A very good friend of mine wrote this.

Thank you, Sir.

Hello my finely feathered friendlies.

What I'm about to tell you is of utmost importance. I don't often send out email blasts, but I feel it important to do so... for this event.

On Saturday, May 19th, Richmond, VA is hosting a Parade to Welcome Home and Thank the Troops, starting at 10am, starting at the Virginia Historical Society, marching down the Boulevard and ending at the Carillon, some 2 plus miles away.

This parade is to honor the heroism and sacrifice our Armed Forces have provided, not just in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also those who served faithfully in Viet Nam, Korea, and all of the other places they've been forced to endure to fight for our freedom.

The debt we owe all of these patriots cannot be repaid with a single parade, of course, but a massive outpouring of support to these fine individuals and their families is the least we can do.

This is an effort that was built at the grassroots level and naturally, lacks the polish, funding and organization of a centralily organized event. Which is really the beauty of it. It ain't the Rose Parade.

This is not organized by a political party, a politician, or a movement. It's spontaneous. It's completely American.

But this is well worth doing and is part of the unspoken covenant that the American people have with their warriors. We've asked them to do things on our behalf, some of which are unsavory, some of which resulted in tremendous loss of life and/or severe and debiliating injury, and all of which ask them to sacrifice family time and to endure unfathomable danger and discomfort.

If you've got an ounce of appreciation for the troops and the missions they've executed on our behalf, please carve out some time for this parade in their honor. And please copy this to your friends and family, and come on down to Richmond for this Parade.

It's important.

St. Louis had such a parade in January and drew 100,000 patriots. In the bitter cold. Certainly Richmond can double that on a beautiful day in May.





This should be the mid Atlantic's Welcome Home and Thanks celebration.

Spread the word. Bring your kids. Bring on the love for the Troops.

Robin Beres from Richmond Times Dispatch is a major organizer of this event. Even Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones is a sponsor.

It's People. Not politics.

Go here for more info and how to contribute or volunteer. http://americaforvets.org/

All my best.

Jim S.

Hizzoner the Mayah Is An Idiot

Racist Mayor Dwight Jones is living proof that intelligence and deductive reasoning are not pre-requisites for elected office. It's one thing to support an issue, but to join a public demonstration against legislation intended to reinforce voter eligibility in the Commonwealth and tell everyone witihin earshot it's a Republican trick to keep blacks from voting for Democrats is just stupid beyond description and very, very racist.

Let me make several things very clear, Mr Jones; I don't care what color you are. I do not care what you do or who your mama was. I do care about who votes in the Commonwealth and I want the people who cast votes to be legal residents of the Commonwealth and eligible to cast a vote. Verification of residency is step one in the process, and the best way to verify residency is with a driver's license or state-issued photo ID. Its not racist to demand proof of your eligibility to vote. Its not racist to insure the voter rolls are up-to-date and the people whose names are on those rolls are eligible. I have to show my ID every time I vote. They check the name and address on the ID with the name and address on the voter roll.

What I want them to do is demand to see my Voter Registration Card, which I carry everywhere and have never been asked for.

Get a clue, Mr Jones. This legislation is not a white racist plot ginned up by The Man to keep the brutha down. Its simply good citizenship.

"Cause there's somethin happn'n here and you dont know what it is, do you, Mr Jones?"

Thank God The Last Two Weeks Are Done

The last two weeks have been the equivalent of a mechanical earthquake around my hooch. Two vehicles down, both needing state inspections, both needing tires and one of them in the shop because it needs a transmission. 93,000 miles on my Tahoe and the tranny just gave up. Lost 3rd, 4th and reverse on the way to the shipyard. Killin me.

Well, thank goodness we have quality family run businesses in our little town who can take care of the big stuff. Weavers Transmission over on Mechanicsville Turnpike at I-64 has been operating since the late 40's. You need tranny work done, go see Lisa. She'll hook you up with a re-man Jasper, rebuild the one you have, or you can do what I did and go the recycle route and they'll get you a used one and stick it in. Being an old-time shade tree mechanic, I will always recycle parts.

Tires...priced tires lately? Thats what happens when oil goes up. Everything gets more expensive, not just your gasoline. So you want to maximize your purchase as much as possible. There's another family owned business in town thats been here since the 30's.

Mincz Tire Service on Altamont, which is one block west of The Boulevard at Leigh St, just across the railroad bridge, across from Bowtie Cinema, which used to be Brooks Moving and Storage. Kenny Mincz is quite possibly the most knowledgeable person when it comes to tires, wheels and how they act that you will ever hope to meet. Kenny is an old friend of mine. I've known him since the early 70's. He's a combat veteran; served in Nam and returned home to pick up the family business. If you're on a budget and need tires, go see Kenny or Jennifer. Tell 'em I sent ya. Won't get you a discount, but it will generate some interesting stories; and if your front end needs work, Red is the front end man at Mincz Tire, and is no doubt one of the best front end mechanics on this side of the country.

Plenty of Time Left To Help Out

But don't wait til the last minute. The flags for the Richmond Military Society's 5K Run to benefit the American Widows Project are now 5 dollars a flag.

As noted in a previous post on this subject, United Conservatives has placed ten flags along the route. These flags are for the men of Battle and Chosen Companies
2nd Battalion (ABN), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team:

SSG. Michael W. Schafer, 25 of, Spring Hill , Florida
KIA 7/25/2005
PFC Juan S. Restrepo 20 from Pines, Fla.
22-July-07
Sgt. Matthew D. Blaskowski 27 of Levering, Mich.
23-Sept.-07
SGT. Joshua C. Brennan, 22 of Ontario, Oregon
KIA 10/25/2007

and the men who stood the line at Wanat:
SGT Israel Garcia, 24 of Long Beach ,California
KIA 07/13/2008
CPL Matthew B. Phillips, 27 of Jasper, Georgia
KIA 07/13/2008
CPL Pruitt A. Rainey, 22 of Haw River, North Carolina
KIA 07/13/2008
CPL Jonathan R . Ayers, 24 of Snellville, Georgia
KIA 07/13/2008
CPL Jason M. Bogar, 25 of Seattle, Washington
KIA 07/13/2008
PFC Serigo S. Abad, 21 of Morganfield, Kentucky
KIA 07/13/2008
JasonnD. CPL Hovater, 24 of Clinton, Tennessee
KIA 07/13/2008
CPL Gunnar W. Zwilling, 20 Florissant, Missouri
KIA 07/13/2008



Such bravery, valor, dedication and honor can only be witnessed. It cannot be explained.

Daily Caller Covers the TEA Party Convention

Potential 2012 candidates convene in Richmond at Tea Party event
By Matthew Boyle - The Daily Caller
Published: 9:03 AM 10/09/2010
Updated: 10:39 AM 10/09/2010
RICHMOND, Va. –
10:07 a.m.

Though he won’t confirm or deny candidacy, Herman Cain will admit he’s mulling 2012 candidacy and hinted at it again in his speech Saturday morning at a Tea Party Convention in Richmond, Va.
After recounting his story of having survived cancer, Cain said sometimes God keeps people around for a reason they don’t know at the time.
“I might do something crazy,” Cain told the crowd of Tea Partiers in Richmond. “I might just run for president.”