Letter to the Editor: Submitted by Elmer J. Rush

To the Editor:

I write this letter to the editor because I don’t understand people today. In 1969, I served a tour with a Marine combat company north of Danang, Vietnam. In 1970-1971, I served a second tour at a river patrol boat base up the Mekong River in South Vietnam.

My reason for mentioning this is, fighting alongside of Marines in 1969 and sailors in 1970-1971, I was never asked what political party my family belonged to, and I never asked anyone else that question. We all considered ourselves Americans first.

I have been Independent all my life. Over my lifetime I have seen good and bad presidents and politicians from both major parties. I have, over the years, taken one major party’s or the other’s side in debates with people.

When I joined the Navy I took an oath to defend this country and the constitution against all foreign and domestic threats to that constitution, if need be, until death. There are those men and women over the course of our country who have given their lives for this country as we threw off the shackles of a king. I will not live under a king or group of people who want to control our country.

For those of you who believe that your anger toward the other major party or a person in that party outweighs being an American first, I can only say this: “I feel sorry for you”.

Elmer J. Rush
Waukon