Charlie Daniels

I saw the strength of America this past weekend, her will, her goodness, her compassion, her unity and her greatness.

It was in Payson – a small town in Arizona I’m sure most of you have never even heard of – when the residents of the area came together on a Saturday night to honor their veterans.

Farmers, cowboys, merchants, clerks, truck drivers and Americans of all professions, put aside their beliefs and political persuasions, their differences and banded together to pay homage to those who had put their lives on the line for the liberty of our beloved America.

When the color guard took the stage and the national anthem was sung before the show everybody rose, and silver haired old veterans stood ramrod straight at attention, paying homage to the flag, the nation and the ones who fought for her.

I have no doubt that those same grizzled old vets, proudly wearing battle ribbons and medals they’d won in combat in Korea, Vietnam et al. would gladly mount the ramparts again and defend America with their dying breath.

And I also have no doubt that the civilians who were there last night would do the same thing if it came down to protecting their families or their homes. They’re a hardy breed of folks, self-reliant, desert tough with calloused hands and sun-ripened faces.

I seriously doubt if any group of politically motivated radicals would fare very well if they came to their town to deface a monument or tear down a statue or walk down the street shouting anti police slogans.

These are people who believe in law and order, punishing crime, respect for authority and the vital importance of maintaining the strongest military on the planet.

Payson, Arizona is a microcosm of middle America, where the prevalent attitude of the people differs radically from the one American major media would have us accept. There are a thousand little towns and rural communities like it all over this nation, people who are ignored and forgotten by the bicoastal obsessed media, an attitude which got its fingers severely burned in the last election.

They pay their taxes and raise their children to respect people and property. They fight our wars, raise our food and build our infrastructure, and they’re sick and tired of the political correctness, disrespect for the law, the flag and the military.

Folks, no matter what agenda driven media and self-serving politicians would have you think, there’s still a patriotic America out here in the hinterlands, a place where a promise can be sealed by a handshake, where people still get up before the sun does and work all day, where neighbors still look out for each other, still stand for the anthem, salute the flag, still honor God.

I so much enjoyed our trip to Payson, Arizona, the concert we played and the people we met and the opportunity to be in the company of true patriots honoring our military past and present.

It makes me know that the America I envision is still alive and well and the underpinning is still solid and strong, and although you’d never know it by watching the evening news, that same feeling and patriotism exists in the big cities of this nation, it’s just not as evident as it does not present the kind of America liberal politicians and major media want to present to the world.

Last night, Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservatives, Catholics, Methodists, sinners, saints, veterans and civilians of many different backgrounds put aside their differences and came together under one common cause, to honor our nation, our flag and the brave men and women who had fought and died to keep America free.

The strength of America is the people of America. When they unite and band together under one banner dedicated to the proposition that, under the patina of politics, social division and our many differences, we are all Americans.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops, our police and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels

Charlie Daniels is a legendary American singer, song writer, guitarist, and fiddler famous for his contributions to country and southern rock music. Daniels has been active as a singer since the early 1950s. He was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on January 24, 2008.

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