CHRISTMAS' GOOD PEOPLE AND THE SCROOGES

In his own words, "I read where students were collecting sundries for U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. Why? Doesn't the U.S. Army victual its soldiers? Don't their families send them yuletide goodies? Aren't GI's paid enough to buy what they need, and even what the want? These toiletries, boxed and canned foods, socks & beanies to U.S. soldiers who can already deodorize themselves, who eat better than the poorest Americans and who are gallantly garbed, is a travesty."

One student stated, "We get to show the troops we still appreciate what they're doing for us." Professor Thomas, "What are they doing for us? Nothing. But against us they're doing a lot: creating anti-American terrorists in the countries they occupy." Student's reply, "it can't be fun to be away from your family for the holidays." Professor Thomas, "As if American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan had been conscripted? They chose to leave home."

The board of regents termed the professor's comments as "fairly offensive." What an understatement by them. Tell that to the families of the 84 West Point graduates that lost their lives over the past 10 years in Afghanistan. Or to the families of 60,000 Vietnam veterans that lost their lives in Vietnam.

And to talk bad about the military on the 70th anniversary of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor could get the prissy professor a good dirt road, red neck butt-kicking. Particularly if the "man of letters" would accept my invitation to "educate" the patrons of some cowboy saloons that I've frequented. After all, I earned a P.H.D in S and S (sale barns and saloons), so I'm qualified as a man of letters.

There is no greater sacrifice that can be made than the blood sacrifice that these men and women are volunteering to make. The choice to leave home is not the only thing they volunteer to do. The families of the thousands who have been killed for Walker's right to speak out against military order, rather than a government run by Shania law and terror.

Professor Walker fails to acknowledge that our nation was created by the military, comprised of a ragtag group of volunteers under the command of General George Washington. They were short of food, supplies, and boots during the winter at Valley Forge; but went on to defeat the British and establish this great country, under God. We honor God's son Jesus for his birth at Christmas. How dare you, Mr. Walker, denigrate our God, our nation and our soldiers. My family's ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. I invite you, Mr. Walker, to the dirt road of your choice.

Students and their parents spend a lot of hard-earned money on an education at Iowa State, only to receive a black-eye for their education and their state because of Professor Walker. The Iowa State board of regents description of Walker's statements as "fairly offensive" should be amended to a much more severe terminology. That board needs only to look west into Nebraska. The University of Nebraska's board of regents vetoed the chancellor's invitation for Bill Ayers to speak at the University because of citizen pressure to make sure Ayers knew he wasn't welcome in Nebraska. That seems logical for the likes of Bill Ayers, whose weather underground murdered two policemen and got away "scott free" for those murders.

Bill Ayers is now a college professor and gets big speaking fees at many institutions of higher learning. He too, is entrusted with influencing our youth with the revolutionary ideas of the weather underground. Do any of you want men like Thomas Walker and Bill Ayers teaching your children their radical ideas? I, for one, don't. My oldest son received a PhD in mathematics under the tutelage of Thomas Walker in the English department. Tenure, open minds, and intellectual tolerance should never trump common sense, decency, and the rights of the University's customers (those that pay the high price of tuition, room and board). Nebraskans answered Bill Ayers. Iowans should now answer Thomas Walker by giving him the boot.

The story of Jack Riggins flag is as pleasant to tell as Thomas Walker's was painful. Jack Riggins is a veteran Navy SEAL from Fremont, Nebraska. His official title is "Executive Officer for Naval Special Warfare Unit." He spent the past decade in Afghanistan fighting terrorists.

Riggins is currently back in Afghanistan, but came back home to Nebraska a while back. He was invited to speak to the Nebraska football team. And did he ever.

According to the players who were in the room, Riggins' speech blew them away. He was brutally honest as he related real war stories to the players. He compared some of the missions he served on to some of the great victories in Nebraska football history. He fired up the Team's Unity Council by saying, "As the Unity Council goes, so goes the 2011 season." He fired up the whole room and by the end of it, the entire team wanted to follow him out the door.

Riggins left the Huskers one gift. An American flag. And not just any flag. He presented them the flag he personally carried around Afghanistan for 10 year.

That flag was carried out of the tunnel and onto the field at Nebraska's two early home games. Jack told the players the flagged bagged a lot of terrorists. He told the players to do what they wanted with the flag, but to never let it touch the ground.

The team Unity Council decided to make the flag the Husker's flag for 2011. The team then carried it out on to the field for both home and away games. During games, the flag then waved proudly on the Husker sideline on a stand. During the week, it hangs in the locker room.

Senior safety Austin Cassidy said, "It's a cool reminder that there are a lot bigger things going on. Jack Riggins talk was one of the best I've ever heard in my life. We have some very proud Americans on our team. They are very patriotic. That fired up everyone."

It appears that scrooge professor Thomas Walker and Navy SEAL Jack Riggins view the world through different colored spectrums. Which one would you like to see addressing our children. That's an easy question to answer, isn't it? One speaks of cowardice and the other of patriotism.

There's an old saying that you never find an atheist in a foxhole. You'll never find people like Thomas Walker in a foxhole either. Walker and folks like him will cry the loudest when his terrorist friends bomb his neighborhood. They'll also be the first to criticize the efforts of the National Guard in stopping the terrorists.

Teachers like Walker need to be removed from Midwestern land-grant institutions and shipped off to colleges on both coasts. In their place we need inspiring patriots like Navy SEAL Jack Riggins. Think how much our kids would benefit from people like Riggins, as opposed to the poison that flows from the mouth of Thomas Walker. Iowans, take up arms and fight to get Walker shipped to Berkley. Tenure can't protect him forever.

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