OPINION:
On Sunday, I watched the Winter Olympics hockey games, both women’s and men’s, between Canada and the U.S.
Unlike professional sports in the U.S., there did seem to be a true feisty spirit in both American teams. Certainly, the Canadian teams played as hard as the Americans, but the Americans were able to fight through and win in both very hard-played games.
Some time ago, I became bored with the antics in American pro football; these hockey matches were another matter entirely. The sweat, joy and pride in our American teams was inspiring. The Americans truly exuded a love for their country, and there was no mention of politics. What pride they exuded!
Then I read Robert Knight’s column (Opinion, B3) captioned “Democrats’ foreigners-turned-voters scam lets it pursue crony socialism” (Web, Feb. 22) and how the Winchester Planning Commission in Virginia voted to remove the Pledge of Allegiance from its meetings. Thank God for the Olympian Americans!
I wonder what the American military forces in the Middle East — soldiers, sailors, Marines and Coast Guard members, who are currently not being paid — think about the attitude of the Winchester Planning Commission. Do those men and women, who are about to be in harm’s way, think the Pledge of Allegiance is “unnecessary”?
God help us here in Virginia, the home of Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Patrick Henry, not to mention those buried in Arlington Cemetery.
JOSEPH P. SMITH
Annandale, Virginia
Please read our comment policy before commenting.