Message from the Northwest Veterans Newsletter
7 August 2013

Pam and I have been at this since 1996, attempting to support our current troops serving our nation and to focus attention on military veteran issues and matters of national security.

Along this long path it was our hope that the upcoming generation would learn something about our proud national traditions and the personal sacrifices by previous generations that have made our country great, and that they would challenge our elected officials when they see that our Constitution and individual liberties are threatened.

Unfortunately, the younger generation apparently has little desire to preserve our individual freedoms or speak out to power. They seem to be perfectly content to allow the federal government to increasingly control their lives without much concern on what the end results will be for them or their children.

Frankly we feel that is a tragic mistake and clearly apathy has become the new normal. After all, less than 1% of the current population is serving in our Armed Forces. Many state they support the troops but when you cannot voice your opinion to your elected officials concerning our Constitutional freedoms, which our Armed Forces and elected officials have sworn to protect and defend, we seriously must question such support. It just appears to be a fashionable statement with little individual action or conviction.

To make matters worse, with the disclosure of NSA surveillance activities - reportedly not domestic - and the IRS scandal even many veterans are no longer voicing their opinions. Such disclosures have apparently hit their mark and have silenced many Americans through intimidation. Only a handful of patriotic Vietnam veterans across the nation continue to speak out publicly.

In closing - in my opinion - the future of our country and our individual freedoms is increasingly in peril. But the majority of our fellow Americans appear to be perfectly content with that course. It is likely that the point will come soon when we discontinue our mission.

Regards,

Roger 'Bear' Young - co-editor - Northwest Veterans Newsletter
Proud Vietnam veteran