WE'VE MOVED!!!! Come over and join us at the new site!!!!

Their Finest Hour can now be found over at a brand-new site and URL. All the content from the original TFH page has been migrated, but this page will be retained indefinitely, but will no longer be updated.

Please repoint all your bookmarks to:

http://theirfinesthour.net

You can follow the blog and the TFH Internet radio show on Twitter too!

Don't forget to also follow Vigilant Liberty Radio, and like our growing network on Facebook!

Thanks to everyone who's ever visited Their Finest Hour and enjoyed the content I've provided. I'm looking forward to bigger and better things over at the new site, adding some contributors (stay tuned!) and providing a whole lot more for readers (and listeners) to enjoy!

When I started this blog in 2006, I don't think I ever really expected anyone to read it, much less that it would lead to me visiting the White House as a reporter and becoming a new media broadcast personality! Thanks all, and we'll see you at the new site!

A Thank You

I have one piece of unfinished business from my White House trip for the Medal of Honor presentation to US Army Staff Sergeant Ty M. Carter, which is to thank the White House press and media relations staff for the assistance I was given and the access I was granted.

Witness to History

Dear Readers,

I suppose there was part of me who thought once I got over the initial nervousness of being at the White House today for the Medal of Honor presentation to United States Army Staff Sergeant Ty M. Carter for his heroism during the Battle of Kamdesh at Combat Outpost Keating on October 3, 2009 by President Barack Obama, I'd be able to easily write about my experience.

I wish that were the case. Today was an absolutely amazing experience. I'm feeling quite a bit overwhelmed by the experience, but in a very different way than the jitters I felt while I was sitting in Lafayette Park across from the White House this morning at 11:30 calming myself for walking up to the visitors' gate and saying, "I'm supposed to be here."

To best relate what I saw and experienced today, I have to start at the end.

Live from the White House!

I'm composing this sitting in the rightmost (as facing the podium) seat of the second row in the James S. Brady Briefing Room in the West Wing of the White House.

I just wrote that, I've read it six times, and I still can't believe it!

Good Morning from Our Nation's Capital!

I arrived in Washington, DC this morning just after 5:00 AM after an uneventful and thoroughly satisfactory ride on Megabus from Pittsburgh. I did manage to get some sleep, although I chalk the lack of rest value to my keyed-up state rather than a condition of the accommodations!

After getting coffee & breakfast at Union Station, I walked around the surrounding streets and by chance came upon the Japanese-American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II. The monument remembers both those who were unjustly interned during the war as well as those patriotic Americans - including the late Senator and Medal of Honor recipient Daniel K. Inouye - who still rose to their nation's call and valiantly wore the uniforms of our Armed Forces in the defeat of tyranny.

The real excitement for the rest of my day is of course yet to come, and thanks to a phone call earlier, got a whole lot more interesting.

The Journey Begins; Thanks to a New Media Pioneer

I'm about one-half hour into my six-hour ride on MegaBus from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC. to cover the Medal of Honor presentation Monday to United States Army Staff Sergeant Ty M. Carter at the White House. It's my first time traveling on MegaBus, and so far, I couldn't be happier. I'm seated on the upper level of the motorcoach at the very front. If it was daylight, the view would be great from this seat. The seat is comfortable, the temperature on-board isn't too cold, and I'm also seated right by the power outlets. There's free WiFi, but I'm opting to tether across my iPhone instead.

The one thing I'm not sure I'm going to get during this trip is much rest, but that's because I'm so keyed up for what I'm going to witness tomorrow and not any discomfort in the ride.

TFH Goes to Washington!

To everyone who's ever read a post here, commented, shared links, and encouraged the labor of love that is this blog - and especially to the American warriors who have received the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force Cross whose exploits in the defense of liberty have and always will be my focus here - I have to say thank you, for without you all, the story I'm about to tell wouldn't be happening.

Their Finest Hour is going to be breaking new ground - for me, anyway - on Monday, August 26, 2013! This is a story though that really begins on October 3, 2009, and for me in April 2012.

Blogger's note - cleaning up the page

Time for a change!

Apollo 17 Reprise & Thanks to My Readers

I'd like to thank everybody who helped make my series of posts on Apollo 17 and the end of the Apollo era some of the most read ever here at Their Finest Hour! In case you missed any of them, here they all are in one convenient landing page:

Blogger's Note - 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea

Following my 70th Anniversary posts recounting the attack on Pearl Harbor and the aftermath, and the triumphant Doolittle Raid, I had planned to write posts recounting the prelude and each day's events of the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 3-8, 1942 on May 3-8, 2012.

Sadly, a family situation has precluded me from posting as I originally intended. My wife's mother, Karen, was originally diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia about a year ago during Memorial Day weekend, 2011. She fought her disease bravely, and by late summer 2011 was in remission. Karen's immune system never recovered, and about two months ago she was again hospitalized with an agressive infection.

The infection responded to antibiotic treatments but weakened her even further. On Tuesday, May 1, we were heartbroken to learn that the leukemia has returned and, save for a miracle, there is nothing more that medicine can do to save her. Karen entered hospice care on Friday and we are cherishing each and every moment we have left with her as the end approaches. Needless to say, this is an incredible sorrow upon our family and my responsibilities there necessarily took precedence over blogging.

I can't say thanks enough to all our friends and acquaintances who have reached out to us with support and prayers via phone, Twitter, and Facebook since the sad news of this week became known. You've all made dealing with this so much the easier. I ask your continued prayers for Karen and:

• Missy, my wife and Karen's daughter
• Kelli and Scott, Missy's siblings
• Ron, Missy's father and Karen's husband
• Penny and Neil, our children and Karen's grandchildren
• The wonderful physicians, nurses, and other caregivers who have seen Karen through to this point and who continue to look after her.

My 70th anniversary post for the Battle of the Coral Sea will appear as one large article on Tuesday, May 8.

One Moment in Time, A Cause Shown

One week ago, I was attending BlogConCLT, a fantastic event put on by the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity and FreedomWorks. As my regular readers know, the bulk of my content here is on the "Finest Hour" motif, and I don't weigh in on other topics as often as I'd like to. I'll admit, my original reason for going to BlogCon was selfish: I wanted to meet so many of the wonderful people I've interacted with via Twitter and other online methods in person.

I did accomplish that, and so many e-acquaintances I can now count as real friends. What I really took away from the experience though was completely unexpected.

United States Military Decorations - A Primer

As both regular and new readers I'm sure know, one of my main goals behind Their Finest Hour is to make people aware of the amazing accomplishments of our men and women in uniform. Today's 70th Anniversary post regarding General of the Army Douglas MacArthur's Medal of Honor spoke also to the myriad of other decorations he received over the duration of a long and storied career as MacArthur's heroism and contributions should, in my opinion, be viewed as a whole. It occurs to me though that not everybody has the context I do under which to view decorations below the Medal of Honor, and where and how they are used to recognize the efforts, exploits, and sacrifices of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen.

What follows is a run-down of the current order of precedence for all US Military decorations from the Medal of Honor to the Purple Heart.

TFH 1/24: Lord Baden-Powell - a Reprise

Five years ago to the day I posted my first "Their Finest Hour". The honoree was Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, known by boys and men as the founder of Scouting.

On January 24, 1908, the first Boy Scout meeting was held. (links to original 2007 TFH post)

And, Life Scout Allan Bourdius (2-Time Philmont Scout Ranch Veteran), is now proud to reiterate:

On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my Country; to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; and to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

And

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.


In closing, I also remember one very important thing out of the Scout Law. In explaining the importance of "A Scout is...brave", this is a quote from the Boy Scout Handbook I've never forgotten, and always try to remind myself of when I face challenges:

A Scout is brave, even when he is afraid.

I hope to never be in true danger, but if I am, that I will act in spite of it.

A dilemma

As readers of this space know, most of my regular content fits with the blog title: the stories of heroes, in particular those who have received the Medal of Honor or DSC/NC/AFC. I am ever in awe of the deeds of these great Americans, as I hope all my readers are too.

For December 6, I found a Medal of Honor Citation that jumped off the page at me for recognition (as if any MoH citation is mundane) because of who the individual was. I had started cutting and pasting and writing the blog post when I found out something troubling. This hero later renounced his Medal as a protest against our government and Nation, and returned it.

I am a believer in the United States and our freedoms, including that of dissent. Lord knows I have enough issues with our government that I better believe in protecting dissent. I have a hard time though recognizing someone who rejects that our Nation can legitimately honor his actions while pursuing policies he disagrees with. To me, honoring this man in this space diminishes the deeds, courage, and sacrifices of the other 3,457 recipients of our Nation's highest honor.

Am I wrong? Way off base? There are five USMC Navy Cross recipients whose deeds fell on this day in 1950 I can choose from, or honor all five, as an alternative.

I have a record of honoring heroes with whom I disagree politically. There's only one Medal of Honor since 1900 that was awarded for actions on December 6. I'm just having a hard time understanding how a man who saved 20 American soldiers can reject his Nation's gratitude under any circumstances.

Please let me know what you think. Comment or send a tweet to me @allanbourdius

Thanks.

Site Note

It would appear that the United States Army has changed the site for Medal of Honor Citations. This is the new link!

As I am able, I will go back and correct previous embedded links in my "Finest Hour" posts.

New layout

I think this is much more attractive than what I had previously. I hope the sidebar images will be both "grabbers" and inspiring!

Why I am a Conservative

I was born into and raised in a Democrat household. Supporting Democratic candidates and their positions was all I knew until my early twenties. Even though I wasn't quite old enough to vote, I helped campaign for Michael Dukakis in 1988 (as an aside, if we fast forwarded 20 years then, I'm sure the Democrats and their ACORN co-conspirators would have been happy to have me vote). And yes, I voted for Bill Clinton in 1992 - a short-sighted decision that I will rue until the day I die.

To give you an idea of what I'm talking about, I remember very vividly coming home from school on March 30, 1981 - the day President Reagan was shot. I was not quite ten years old yet. I remember wondering why my mother was so upset, since I knew full well how much she hated Ronald Reagan. I may even have asked her why she wasn't happy about it...it's a little foggy on that point.

So, what changed? I can point to one single occurrence that changed my point of view forever, and it happened in January or February of 1995. One night after work at my salaried, but gross of about $10/hour, job I went to buy groceries. I'm sure my load of food consisted of hot dogs, ramen noodles, and macaroni and cheese mix, since I couldn't afford much else. The man in the checkout line in front of me opened his wallet to pay, and I saw a bankroll that I could only dream about - a wad of Ben Franklins that was easily 3/8 of an inch thick. How did this individual pay for his purchases? With USDA food stamps. I saw this individual leave the parking lot in a luxury car; memory has it as an Infiniti, but it could have been a Lexus or one of the others. I trudged off through the sleet and snow to the bus stop.

Now, I'm conjecturing a little bit, but the conclusion I drew at that point was the individual I observed probably obtained those food stamps in exchange for a product or products that wouldn't exactly have qualified as food. Either that, or he was committing out-and-out fraud.

In any case, this really irritated me. I couldn't have gotten food stamps to feed myself; I know, because I inquired one desperate moment when I was dead broke not six weeks before. I saw the whole system then as broken, and I realized that with my votes I had sustained the whole house of cards.

This was also the opening days of the 104th Congress and the Contract With America. Back in November, 1994 I recall my then dismay at the Republicans' sweeping victory - but now I took another look. What did I find? Ten proposals for legislation that I agreed with.

Then I did something I'm not certain I had done since I first had to in high school: I read the Constitution of the United States of America. Two things stood out to me above all, and they were the text of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments:

Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited to it by the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Why these two parts? In the case of the Ninth Amendment, one of the "regulars" at the bar I spent too much time at (yeah, I was a "regular" too) often griped about how he couldn't work unless it was through his union. By all means, labor unions have the right to organize based on the free association rights guaranteed by the First Amendment ("right of the people peaceably to assemble"); but doesn't the Ninth Amendment guarantee one's ability to exercise a right to free disassociation?

In the case of the Tenth Amendment, I went back through the Constitution and counted. I found that (I admit I just now recounted) that there are only forty-six specific powers ceded by the States and people to the Congress and the United States. None of which, by the way, could be construed to include the aformentioned food stamps. The rest of the Constitution enumerates what our government can not do.

Now, I know the Left loves the text of Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 that reads, "provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States" - and believes that this gives the Congress an omnibus writ to do basically whatever they want. If that's the case though, then why do the texts of the 13th, 15th, 18th (since repealed), 19th, 23rd, and 24th Amendments include provisions that "Congress shall have power" to enforce said amendments with legislation?

I then also came to realize that the Constitution's framers got it right the first time; the 17th Amendment served only to weaken the 10th Amendment by removing the representation of the States from the Federal Government and over representing the people.

What came next? Well, I got myself a paperback copy of The Federalist Papers and read the whole background behind the framing of the Constitution (time well spent riding the bus) - and became even more dismayed and incensed at how far our Nation has decended from what the Founding Fathers intended.

I realized the fallacy of liberal philosophies and policies. I quickly began to rip apart in my mind all of the supposed reasons for believing in liberal policies and exposed them in my mind for the lies and falsehoods they are. I rejected the very premises of them. I realized that the heart of Liberalism is intellectual dishonesty.

Well, then I looked at my paycheck and for the first time I really asked myself a question that I know many have: Who the hell is FICA, and why do they have all of my money?

I realized then that if my taxes were halved (yes, earning $20,000 a year gross meant at the time that I shelled out about 30 percent of my income to the government, including state and local taxes), I wouldn't be riding the bus anymore; I'd be able to afford a beater used car.

And then, yes, I started listening to talk radio. First was Fred Honsberger on KDKA - my shift started at 3:00 PM when he came on the air. I graduated from there to Rush Limbaugh - who I had previously had nothing but disdain for, even though I had never listened to him or read anything he had written. What I heard was everything I was feeling. What I heard was everything I knew now to be the truth about the United States and the freedom, liberty, and opportunity handed down from our forefathers.

We're now up to March or April of 1995. The last phase of my transition from unthinking, lemming Democrat to Conservative came in two parts. The first was when I sent an e-mail to Fred Honsberger (as I remember, the topic was reverse racism) which he read on the air. The second was I changed my residency to Pennsylvania, and registered to vote as a Republican.

In 1996, I supported Steve Forbes in the Presidential primary. I voted for Dole/Kemp that year for President. I proudly voted for George W. Bush both in 2000 and 2004 (I'm pretty sure I voted for McCain in the '00 Primary, but don't remember for certain). I wrote in Louisiana Republican Governor Bobby Jindal in this year's primary, and while he's not the pure Conservative I'd hope for, I'll be voting for John McCain tomorrow, and working as a poll inspector to try and help assure that this election isn't stolen by the forces who do and will trample our Constitution.

In the end, the answer to the question "why am I a Conservative?" is simply:

I can see, I can read, and I can think.

Why I believe John McCain should be the 44th President

I believe that our Constitution, as amended, is still in some ways imperfect but is superior to any societal blueprint elsewhere. We must have no doubt that whomever will be sworn to "preserve, protect, and defend" our Constitution will truthfully and faithfully do so. They must appoint federal judges and Supreme Court Justices who will interpret our laws and Constitution, not rewrite, invent, or reinvent them according to their own philosophies. Writing law must be left to our elected representatives, not imposed by judicial fiat.

I believe that the United States should be energy independent. We must develop our own energy resources - coal, solar, oil, natural gas, wind, water, tidal, geothermal, nuclear - everything. We have thrown up too many regulatory and legal restrictions in the way of sound utilization of our natural resources. Our economy can not grow without plentiful, unrestricted sources of energy.

Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence that we have "certain unalienable rights", the first - and therefore most important - listed was life. Since 1973, over 40 million human lives have been ended via abortion in this country. To put that tragic count in perspective, a nation state of 40 million souls would be the 32nd largest country on Earth, right in between Argentina and Sudan. In the last 35 years, we have lost millions who could have become doctors, nurses, teachers, police officers, soldiers, firefighters - or mechanics, construction workers, computer programmers, etc., etc., etc.; most of them simply for reasons of convenience. This is a holocaust of unimaginable loss, and I fear, unrecoverable cost. There is no life unplanned by God; if we do not defend the defenseless, then what worth are we?

Taxes are too high. Our economy will continue to hemorrhage jobs and our industries will continue to diminish and perish unless we reduce - or better still - eliminate corporate taxes and let the ingenuity of the American entrepreneur flourish and thrive without crippling oversight and regulations from a government that has no idea how to produce, only consume. Economics is not a zero-sum game; new wealth will always be created, and government must not stand in the way.

I believe that if not for the United States of America, there would be no freedom and liberty in the world today. It was President John F. Kennedy who would have said, "If we are strong, our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak, words will be of no help." We must continue to combat tyranny around the world, with diplomacy first, but must always be ready to use our military might if necessary. Our exit strategy for the War on Terror's two fronts should be victory, not negotiation or compromise. Our enemies should never doubt that conflict with the United States of America can have only two possible outcomes: their unconditional surrender or their total annihilation.

Most of all, I believe in American Exceptionalism. I have never had to search for a reason to be proud of my country. I see American greatness every day. We became the first colonies to break away from their European parent because we no longer wanted to be Europeans, and we have no desire to be like Europe today. This is the greatest Nation on the earth - yesterday, today, and hopefully forever more - and our President should never be a man who thinks the United States of America is not the "shining city on a hill."

Nearly forty years ago on July 20, 1969 the United States of America put two of our own on the Earth's Moon - arguably the greatest achievement in all of human history. Forty years on, and all the other nations of the world have yet to equal the United States of America. Forty years hence, let us hope that we have not been equaled or God forbid, surpassed.

On July 20, 1969 while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were taking their historic Moon walk, an American Naval Aviator was suffering unimaginable torture at the hands of the Communist enemies of the United States. That man never lost faith in his comrades or his Nation. He was coming up on just the end of his second year in enemy hands, the second of five and a half years of brutal captivity. That man was John McCain.

John McCain would not have been my first choice as my candidate for President. I disagree with him on many policy areas. That aside, on all of the above issues I have listed Senator McCain is the clear choice. He has the experience, independence, and integrity to lead this great Nation forward. He will not let our national security be dictated by foreign powers. He will honor and defend our freedoms and Constitution. He will reduce taxes, and get our economy moving without the encumbrance of an ever-growing government weighing it down.

Finally, I believe that John McCain should be elected for one more reason. I believe that one of our Nation's darkest black marks is the absolute contempt that returning Vietnam Veterans were received with. Tens of thousands of Americans served in that war with honor and over 58,000 gave their lives. We should be grateful for the services and sacrifices of the Vietnam generation, and they deserve to have one of their honorable own be the President.

We don't feed the trolls

Been getting some comments lately from what I'll call a "typical liberal", that is, a left-wing nut case who leaves the same comments under two IDs. (OMG, I've been "seminar called"!) It comes as no suprise to me that these upstanding folks act completely anonymously and don't have the courage to stand behind their words. So, I'm not posting those comments for that reason, and also because frankly, they're vile.

I will, for example, never accept a comment which denigrates the memory of our fighting men and women of the Armed Forces. Never.

Then there's this tidbit, from a brave soul known only anonymously as "BarackStar":

Obama is training people to vote, it's simple vote Democrat, straight
ticket, no Al Gore moments for the blue hair jews in FLA, or the illiterate
illegal non citizens McCain has let into this country.

Disgusting.

I don't care if you disagree ("I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the the death your right to say it"), but with free speech comes responsibility to stand behind one's words.

Why I call Barack Obama the New Soviet Man

(Images collected around the Internet)

First, there's the imagery that Mr. Obama has either chosen or endorsed. Anybody who doesn't see the iconography of Soviet propoganda isn't being honest.

Then there's his associations with Communists, Marxists, and their policies. See:

Barack Obama and Karl Marx

Barack Obama joined Marxist-Socialist Third Party in 1990s

Marxists/Socialists/Communists for Obama (THIS IS ON BHO's OFFICIAL SITE)

Barack Obama and Socialism/Marxism

Decoration of Barack Obama campaign offices with Cuban/Che Guevara flags

Colombian FARC, Marxism, CPS & Barack Obama

And there's lots more...just search for "Barack Obama" and "Marxism" or "Socialism" or "Communism".

Obama praised by murderous Communist/Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega

Connections from William Ayers to Hugo Chavez

Obama's Communist Mentor

Barack Obama's Communist Connections

Obama, Black Liberation Theology, and Karl Marx

Comparing the message of Karl Marx with Obama's

And so on...

Then, there was the new words to the old Soviet tune as heard on the Glenn Beck Program:

Mark my words: should the American people make the disasterous move and elect Barack Obama on November 4th, there will be a move to repeal the 22nd Amendment so that the "Blessed Leader" can benevolently rule the revolution so long as he lives.