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February 27, 2006

I'm An American, And I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore. I've had enough!

By Bill Burkett

I believe that we as stockholders in America, at some point must do more than "reflect" about the ongoing problems of this country. We have to step up and clearly say what we stand for.

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I'm a 28 year military serviceman who put the country before his family for nearly three decades. I'm a person with an impeccable career in business; a former businessman; and as my oldest son has pointed out an honorable Father, Husband, Grandfather, brother and man.

First I am a citizen - a legal one - a full blown stockholder in America as prescribed by the Constitution and the blood of my heritage. My family has long paid the price of freedom, like others.

The Constitution is my contract with America; not some political document meant to wrest my voice away from me.

The Constitution is old; written in terms not easily comprehended by a few because "cool" never appears within its depth.

The Constitution is old; but its age is a symbol of its test of time and past crises.

The Constitution is old; yet its architecture like granite has stood through internal and external oppression.

The Constitution is still valid and the cornerstone of not only America; but being an American.

There is no superior right under the Constitution. There is only superior responsibilities for integrity and duty by its leaders.

There is no superior right to wealth, religion, audacity or circumstance to the Constitution. It is quiet, emotionless equal and provides the same bulkhead for dreams and for realities.

There is shared responsibility and shared dreams in this Constitution. It is conveyed as a birthright and responsibility to all Americans; all equal stockholders and thusly responsible parties.

It establishes the basic rules and ethics of America; this Constitution. It establishes it unethical for leaders to lie and mislead the people into any action for the good of the nation. It establishes order in times of chaos and patience in times of urgency. It establishes clearly to any dreamer or believer that the strength of America and the Constitution is held in the balance of power; the balance of people and the balance of ideas.

I'm tired of being defamed every time I talk. I'm tired of 50 plus congressmen building a smokescreen to defame me; falsely accusing me of crimes when all I did was convey potential evidence of Presidential lying; an established fact on so many counts.

By God, I have paid my dues as far as most Americans. I've done nothing to surrender my stock in America and nothing but action to support her.

I've saluted six Presidents as my commander in chief; four Republicans and two Democrats. I've done so silently; while political Generals openly defiled those not of their political persuasion.

I've been a good Father and been involved locally in my schools, and children's activities and churches.

So what gives some the right to call me unpatriotic when I challenge the lies that sent my fellow soldiers into harm's way in Iraq; or call to mention that the military fundamentals were discarded in order to attack another sovereign nation without due cause.

What gives some the right to look down upon me, as another equal stockholder, when I question this new foreign policy position that places AMerica on the first attack rather than on the first defense; making America the nation of War rather than the symbol of peace and diplomacy?

What gives some the right to call me unpatriotic; unpatriotic to question policy after serving 28 years in uniform, when they have never even taken the oath of a serviceman?

I am no less an American; nor more, than any other American. And while I do not relish it, I have the same rights, no more, no less than Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter.

Are they patriotic to build a false case in order to prop up and posture the lies that led us falsely into War?

Under the Constitution, those are crimes.

Those that point a finger, most often have three pointing back at themselves. Is that the case, when those most righteous claiming higher moral ground, then lie to protect the fabircation?

Is it the case when those least experienced claim the right to call others unpatriotic or unAmerican?

I'm mad as hell.

I'm tired of being classed as a liberal when there is little liberal about me. I'm the son of a preacher man. I'm the tightest man fiscally that walks. I don't like most of the social environment of this nation today and believe that CBS's SURVIVOR is the most clear indication of the media and society in chaos for it teaches all the wrong lessons; and conveys what we as a people and society have become.

I'm not a liberal, and I'm not a Conservative. Again, the Contract with America was a political exercise that had little to do with leadership. My Contract With America is the Constitution.

I stand on it; by it; with it; and for it.

The media and fourth estate have been little more than a megaphone for those who wish to divide America for the spoils. Each interview becomes more and more blatant in propaganda manipulation and less and less factual.

And they first use the most damning of all techniques; labeling, in order to convey a point of bias and division that overrides their limited mental capability to understand what the real issue is.

I'm not a liberal. I'm not outlandish, or outspoken. These are all adjectives being used as nouns. They are diversions from the truth.

I am but one thing and there is but one NOUN - I Am an American

I am an American

An American.

By God Almighty, I'm an American.

Bill Burkett, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Texas National Guard is the man who provided CBS producers with the controversial documents at the heart of the "60 Minutes Wednesday" segment which led to Dan Rather's resignation. We at OpEdNews think he's an unjustly maligned, heroic whistleblower.

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