The Fifth Day

Michael Kountouris (Greece)

The Grinch hated Christmas -
the whole Christmas season.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
Or it could be that his head wasn't screwed on just right
--How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings

If a nation expects to be ignorant and free,
in a state of civilization,
it expects what never was and never will be
--Thomas Jefferson
_________________

The mind wanders in times of joy and holiday spirit. The wonder is, where is my ration of these goodies? And Ranger knows he is not alone in these feelings.

Just look around and absorb the tenor of the nation. We are in a grim time, and sweet government words will not change the reality. America is suffering on so many levels, yet we continue the march and pretend that our leadership has The Answers and is working in our in Our Best Interest. Bah Humbug.

Many Americans no longer believe in our government's ability to preserve our way of life. They are the depressed who have been out of work for months (Poll Reveals Trauma of Jobless); the Medicare recipients who will not receive a cost of living adjustment for at least the next two years; those who have lost their retirement investments due to the greed of some -- their numbers are many. Yet we continue to allow Congress and the Executive branch to forcibly impose our grand system on sandbox nations wanting nothing to do with it.

Face it: There are people that do not believe in Santa Claus. Even if they did, the Jolly Fat Man would avoid their street for fear of IED's.

This Christmas season Ranger salutes the memory of Doug Bohlenbacher, old friend and former Marine who popped his own balloon Christmas Day '08. He was a Marine who also had the good sense to become a paratrooper.

Merry Christmas to all the Doug's out there. We hope you take a different route.

Every day you stay alive is another day of testimony and screwing the bastards.