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2024-2025 Voice of Democracy
"Is America Today Our Forefathers' Vision?"
It’s hard to picture what our Founding Fathers thought the future would look like. Back in the late 1700s, when a journey across the Atlantic took over a month and the cotton gin formed the cutting edge of technology, it must have been difficult to even fathom a world with the abilities and luxuries that we enjoy every day. Chances are good that most people during the early days of the U.S. had no idea that the flag flying over the 13 States of America would one day symbolize a global superpower. Chances are even better that if someone could go back in time and ask our forefathers what their notion of the twenty-first century U.S. would look like, not one would be able to accurately guess what the U.S. has become. And at first glance, it’s pretty easy to see why.
In 1789, the Founding Fathers were so hesitant to put in place a strong central government for fear of replicating the British government they had so recently gained independence from that they gave the federal government permission to do little more than levy taxes, declare war, regulate commerce, and maintain a federal army. In 1789, four out of five Americans lived in a rural area, and our leaders were hesitant to enter into relations with any foreign entity that could potentially take advantage of their newborn country. The early U.S. was highly decentralized, staunchly isolationist, and very rural.
In contrast, today’s government has expanded its influence to include everything from agriculture and food production to business itself, which seems to stray greatly from our forefathers’ initial concept of a weak central government. Additionally, in the 20th century, the U.S. joined the world scene, entering into wars thousands of miles away from our homeland, an action that many of our Founding Fathers may have condemned. Finally, Thomas Jefferson is often quoted for stating: “Those who labor in the earth are the chosen people of God, if ever he had a chosen people”. Yet today, almost 80% of the U.S. population lives in urban centers. On the surface, it seems that the U.S. has deviated greatly from our initial values. But have we really lost the vision of the U.S. as our Founding Fathers saw it?
The U.S. looks, acts, and operates very differently than it did two and a half centuries ago. Our federal government has grown immensely, we have taken a much more active role in global politics, and our demographics are worlds apart from the rural society of early America. By all definitions, the U.S. is a completely different country than we were in the 1700s in all but name. But what if our forefathers’ hopes were less of a vision, and more of an idea?
The U.S. was founded on three central ideals: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Throughout the most chaotic three centuries of human history, we have somehow managed to uphold these three simple concepts. When financial behemoths like Standard Oil threatened the stability of our economy, we let our government intervene to stop monopolies from taking away the ability of everyday people to pursue their happiness. When we saw the basic human rights of people around the world endangered by fascism, communism, and totalitarianism, we stepped in to uphold the liberties of people worldwide. And when we experienced a massive influx of people into major cities, we industrialized to support the lives of the millions who now wanted to experience urban life. We may have allowed our government to grow, our politics to change, and our demographics to shift, but time and time again, we have maintained our commitment to the three central values that have governed our nation since its founding.
It is truly a miracle that we have been able to conserve the ideals that our forefathers put in place so long ago. And I think that our veterans have played a large part in this achievement. Veterans have been fighting to uphold these values ever since our independence. Talking to veterans and hearing their stories reminds us that, no matter how many changes the U.S. may endure, the most important aspect of our country is, was, and will always be our values. They help us remember to uphold these beliefs through thick and thin, through good times and bad times, through war and peace. Because in almost 250 years, many aspects of our country have inevitably changed. For one, a trip to Europe no longer takes a month, and the cotton gin is far, far below the cutting edge of technology. But at the same time, the most important aspects of our country, our commitment to preserving the lives, liberties, and opportunities of every citizen, have remained constant. And if our Founding Fathers could see the United States for what it is today, they may be surprised by all of the cars, planes, and skyscrapers, but I’d hope they’d rest easy knowing that the core beliefs of the U.S. haven’t strayed since the founding of this country, and as long as we continue to honor our veterans, and as long as our flag still flies over the 50 States of America, I doubt they ever will.
Noah Lorenz |
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Comrades, Brothers and Sisters,
At last, the long-promised Suicide / Depression Awareness and Prevention Resource is available for your use -- please see attached pdfs. This is the result of collaboration between the Colorado VFW and Auxiliary, and the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention. This resource may also be used by the DAV, the American Legion and the Wounded Warriors within the State of Colorado to assist their members that might be experiencing difficulties.
The mobile version of the pdfs can be downloaded to your phone (see instructions below) or the Z fold version can be printed for distribution to your members. The advantage to downloading it, is that you can expand or enlarge it to make it easier to read. When it is downloaded to your phone, it is immediately available at any time that you wish to review it or might immediately need it. We are still working to get this printed on card stock, but no date is available on that at this time. The important emergency numbers to remember are 988 and 911 -- do not hesitate to use them if you need to aid someone that is in trouble.
How to download to your phone:
- For iPhone users click on the Suicide Prevention Info - Mobile pdf to open it, then tab the "Share" button and swipe to "Books" to add the file to your library.
- For Android users click on the Suicide Prevention Info - Mobile pdf to open it, then select Print. Select the dropdown menu and tap Save as PDF. Pick your preferred location for your PDF and press Save.
Please do not hesitate to email or call if you need any additional information. I am still available to make presentations on this subject at your Post if you wish. Thank you for your patience while we all waited for the completion of this project.
Phil Reinpold
Department VFW Auxiliary President
Are you in a financial bind because a pipe sprung a leak? A utility bill drained your budget? Did you have an unexpected repair on a vehicle you use to get to work? Emergencies happen with no regard to your paycheck or monthly expenses.
Colorado Veteran VFW Foundation grants of up to $500 are available to Post and Auxiliary members on a one-time basis for the purpose of meeting an essential basic need for utilities and/or health care. Grants are not made for items that are discretionary in nature (“wants”), and are made on a first come, first serve basis.
Some of the requirements have been updated. For instance, the grants are available only to Post and Auxiliary members now. You or someone authorized by you to assist can apply directly to the Department. Grant applications are available online at the Department website vfwco.org. Or you can call: 303-421-1630. Of course, in some cases this may be just a stopgap. When more financial help is needed, referrals to other resources are available.
Colorado VFW Foundation Board of Directors
The American flag has a long history, and the members of our organization have spent nearly as long defending and honoring our nation's most iconic symbol of freedom. Whether you're looking for the historic details of how the U.S. flag came to be, or the rules and regulations that encompass her daily flight, we're here to ensure you can find the information you need.
Displaying the Flag
On Same Staff: U.S. flag at peak, above any other flag.
Grouped: U.S. flag goes to its own right. Flags of other nations are flown at same height.
Marching: U.S. flag to marchers right (observer's left).
On Speaker's Platform: When displayed with a speaker's platform, it must be above and behind the speaker. If mounted on a staff it is on the speaker's right.
Decoration: Never use the flag for decoration. Use bunting with the blue on top, then white, then red.
Salute: All persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the armed forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart.
Over a Street: Union (stars) face north or east depending on the direction of the street.
Half Staff: On special days, the flag may be flown at half-staff. On Memorial Day it is flown at half-staff until noon and then raised.
You haven’t been feeling like yourself or you are going for your annual checkup, or you have found something somewhere that shouldn’t be there. Sounds pretty routine until you get the diagnosis that you have Cancer. Doesn’t make any difference what kind, what stage, where it is, your age. You have Cancer! Now the change in your life and pocketbook starts.
It has been said that insurance pays the bills. If you are very lucky that may be true. Many of us have private insurance or Medicare Advantage that have an out of pocket yearly maximum or copays which can be substantial for the average person. No one has a Cancer savings account.