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Seeking WWI history

I live in Waregem-Belgium about one mile from the US Flanders Field military cemetery. I am interested in the history of World War I, so this cemetery has my special attention. I started to write a book about the soldiers buried here and am looking for information about all those men. I think the book would be a great tribute for those young Americans, who gave their lives for the freedom of my country.

In the cemetery are ten soldiers from Seattle whose names are at the bottom of this request. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has information on or access to their history, addresses, photos etc. Perhaps a Roll of Honour Book of the county was made or something was published in the newspapers of November/December 1918.

Here are their names:

• Bulaich, (or Buliach) George--killed in action November 2, 1918
• Condon, Edward--died of disease October 31, 1918
• Hesterman, Henry--killed in action November 2, 1918
• Henley, Alex--killed in action November 3, 1918
• Mastromonaco, Mchele--killed in action November 3, 1918
• Requa, Harry--killed in action November 2, 1918
• Robinson, James--died of wounds October 31, 1918
• Roder, William--died of disease October 29, 1918
• Sonville, Ernest--died of wounds November 2, 1918
• Wattelet, Leonard (captain)--killed in action October 31, 1918

Thank you very much in advance,

Patrick Lernout

address: Drafstraat 15, 8790 Waregem, Belgium
Tel/fax: 32 (prefix Belgium) 56.61.33.41
email: patrick.lernout[at]pandora.be

Democratic Party Co-opted

The Democratic Party has been co-opted by the far-left wing of the party. That far-left are the factions that once operated outside of the two major parties. The special interests of abortion on demand, socialism, anarchists and the environmental extremists have learned co-operation and have infiltrated the Democratic Party. As such the Democratic Party is no longer the party of the people but more precisely the party against civilized democracy. The US Constitution is an enemy to the policies of the far-left Democratic Party. They cannot allow the Supreme Court to be filled by judges who will uphold the Constitution and the intentions of the founding fathers. If a candidate [nominee] for judge does not meet their litmus tests of liberal extremism they will oppose with use of the filibuster and out-right lies to deceive the mainstream of the Democratic Party. They want a judiciary that will, quote foreign law and twist the meaning of or simply ignore the US Constitution. The Democratic Party is no longer the party of even its grassroots.

Roger W Hancock, Auburn

Editor's reply: It's intriguing to read your letter, as I've often felt that the Democrats were instead co-opted by large corporations and wealthy interests, via the wholesale legal bribery known as "campaign donations." Regarding judicial appointments you may be interested in reading the article in this issue on that subject, written by Steven Hill.

American Christianity: The Jihad Within

Abraham Lincoln once said "If America is ever destroyed it will be from within, not from without". I agree. Of all our enemies, past and present, the only adversary truly possessing the power to destroy America is We the people. The Bible in the book of Jude warns of those who had slipped into the Church and were preaching that Gods Grace (i.e. unmerited favor) could be used as a license for immorality. (Jude 1:4)

Men like those Jude warned us of have slipped into positions of power within our country and are preaching a similar message; they proclaim that our freedom can, and should, be used as a license for excess, greed, pride, and immorality. This I believe is the bloodless jihad that is truly destroying America. The subtle yet insidious attacks that President Lincoln alluded to, are being choreographed not from caves in third world countries but from corporate boardrooms, not by mindless martyrs wearing explosives laden backpacks, but by Ivy League educated moguls wearing $1500 suits.

John Adams, a Founding Father and our second President, said; "Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." And consider this quote by Patrick Henry; "It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ..." But America is now viewed as the Great Satan by many people groups on this planet. How can this be you say, after all we are a "Christian" nation. A Gallup poll taken in 2003 would certainly seem to support this notion, as over 82% of 12,000 randomly selected adults claimed to be Christians. But then again, what's in a name?

Madison Avenue, Wall Street, and Hollywood, by necessity, pander to majority appetites in order to succeed and thrive. Apparently this "Christian nation" is hungry for pornography, fornication, adultery, violence, blasphemy, nudity, alcohol, drugs, avarice, gambling, doing harm to our unborn, and of course, the humanistic theology founded on moral relativism, which allows armchair Christians to gorge on these things with a clear conscience. The world views America as an all-you-can-eat buffet of vice and excess with Christian America taking its head out of the trough just long enough to drop a buck or two into the collection plate.

Hollywood, Wall Street, and Madison Avenue have become through our appetites, and their greed, an unholy trinity whose CEO and Messiah must be Satan himself.

America's moral compass is now spinning like a ceiling fan. True North is a constantly moving target. The Commandments of God, and the Gospel of His Son, have become archaic, being replaced by various renditions of the Madison Avenue mantra "Just Do It!", which is sung, chanted, and grunted out to our itching ears, by the media darling du jour. Our country is no longer characterized by godly moral character, but instead only occasionally punctuated by it. Apathy, once considered moral weakness, has now been repackaged and labeled "tolerance", and it is now embraced as a virtue.

Wake up America! God has indeed blessed America; it is now time for America to bless God!

Joe Slobig, concerned American Christian

Editor's reply: While I agree with much of your well-written sentiment--especially your insights about the decaying of America from within, and the hypocrisy of the men wearing $1500 suits--it seems that you regard Christianity as the only right belief for people, which I have a hard time accepting. The same sort of view is also sometimes argued in the Muslim world, for example: "if people would only genuinely follow Allah and Mohammed's teachings, the world would be better." I much prefer a path of not only tolerance, but also acceptance of various beliefs, all of which contain distinct kernels of truth. Such acceptance comes certainly not from apathy, but from a strong interest in and concern about others.