VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
of the United States of America
Thomas F. Welch VFW Post 706
5000 Lillian Highway
Pensacola, Florida 32506

Founded September 29, 1899

COMMANDER’S CORNER

Comrades and Sisters:

It is that time of year again; Nominations for Commander, Sr. Vice Commander, Jr. Vice Commander, Quartermaster, Judge Advocate, Surgeon, and Three Year Trustee will be held this month. So, now is the time to get involved.

Our Voice of Democracy Winner, Amelia Breitling won the Department of Florida oral essay competition. See the “Bulletin – Breaking News Flash” on page 4 for more info.

We have had some great days and nights at the Post this past month. No Bingo on Friday nights. We have had entertainment and impromptu dinners on a couple of occasions and your support has been overwhelming. A hearty THANK YOU to everyone who came by.

We have some other exciting changes in the works. One thing we are seriously considering is having a Sunday morning brunch ~ EVERY SUNDAY starting about 1100 and ending about 1300 (1 PM) just before the big NASCAR event of the day. Our membership voted at the last Post meeting to be SMOKE FREE on the third Wednesday of every month. This is our meeting day, and it passed with a vast majority of our members voting in favor of the motion. The whole day will be non-smoking to allow us to clean and deodorize the Post so members who cannot be around smoking environments, for health reasons, can attend our Post meetings. I appreciate the sacrifice of those who do smoke for this one day every month.

Recently, because of fictitious rumors and innuendo being spread by people who should know better, several “regulars” have been persuaded to stop coming to the Post. Rumors and drama have NO place at our Post, and anyone who continues to spread these falsehoods must be ready and willing to experience the consequences for their actions. Attempts to subvert the activities of the Post are in direct violation of our National Charter and By-Laws, the oath we all took, and can result in the termination of your membership. It is my belief that the Post is not an individual’s Post, but a Post for the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars. Our main goal is to support our combat veterans and their families. I will not tolerate, NOR should the Post membership tolerate these insubordinate actions of a few.

Mailing your dues to National can lead to delays in getting them posted. You can now go online to www.vfw.org and pay your dues. On the main screen, click on Membership; then click on Current Members; then click on Secure Log In; fill in the required blanks and you can pay your annual dues electronically.

Visit the Post website for updated information and activity calendars of the new VFW fiscal year, 2010. Log on to www.vfw706.org.

Richard Mullen, Commander

SENIOR VICE COMMANDER COMMENTS

Comrades: Total membership is currently at 661, a figure that is composed of “life”, ”new,” “reinstatements,” and “continuing members.”  I find it appalling that the Post does not see the majority of our membership at the monthly meetings.  I ask you the question, “How can you influence the charitable, comradeship and social gatherings, and the day to day operational activities of The Post if you do not participate in the monthly meeting?” Are you not attending because of smoking?  If so, get active and change the Post environment!  The Post needs your expertise and time to keep The Post and the VFW programs going. 

Victor Looney, Sr. Vice commander

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

Recently, it was reported on the news that our President had stated that the United States was no longer a Christian Nation. My question to myself and to everyone: Is the United States a Christian Nation? It is a question I feel cannot be answered by a simple "yes" or "no" until we define more carefully what is meant by "a Christian Nation." It is a question which people can get very upset about. Different people have different meanings in mind, and so, end up talking about different things, but are using the same words and just misunderstand one another. I'm sure I may be misunderstood in what I'm going to try to say. There are several meanings one can attach  to the phrase "a Christian Nation." The answer to this question varies according to each meaning: (1) Is Christian teaching the primary religious system that influenced the founding of the United States? YES, IT IS. (2) Were the Founding Fathers of the United States Christians who generally believed in the truths of the bible? YES, THERE WERE.  (3) Is Christianity the largest religion in the United States? YES, IT IS. (4) Did Christian beliefs provide the intellectual background that led to many of the cultural values still held by Americans today? (Values such as respect for the individual, protection of the individual rights, respect for personal freedom, respect for hard work, the need for a strong national defense, the need to show care for the poor and weak, the value of generosity, the value of giving aid to other nations and respect for the law). YES, and many other cultural values. (5) Was there a Supreme Court decision at one time that affirmed that the United States is a Christian Nation? YES, THERE WAS, although that wasn’t the issue that was under dispute in the decision. It was in a 1892 decision, the Church of the Holy TRINITY vs. the United States, 143US457 (1892). The ruling established that a church had the right to hire a minister from a foreign nation (England) and thus was not in violation of an 1885 law which prohibited the hiring of "foreigners and aliens".....to perform labor in the US." The court's argument was that there was so much evidence showing the dominant "Christian" character of the nation that Congress could not have intended to prohibit churches from hiring Christian ministers from other countries. The Supreme Court seemed to be arguing that we are a Christian Nation according (3) and (4) above. There is a long history of Christian influence in the U.S. Are a majority of people in the U.S. Bible believing, evangelical, born again Christians? NO,I COULD NOT FIND EVIDENCE THAT THEY ARE. (Albert Winseman "U.S. EVANGELICALS; HOW MANY WALK THE WALK? May 31,2005. (7) Is belief in Christian values the dominant perspectives promoted by the US government, the media, the universities, in the U.S. today? NO,IT IS NOT. (8) Does the U.S. government promote Christianity as the national religion? NO, IT DOES NOT. (9) Does a person have to profess Christian faith in order to become a U.S. citizen or to have equal rights under the law in the U.S. NO; the Constitution explicitly forbids any test of faith to run for public office. "No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the U.S. (Article 6, Section 3)."

So in conclusion, can we answer the question, "Is the U.S. a Christian nation?" It all depends on what one means by "a Christian Nation." There are possibly many more meanings in peoples mind that I am too dumb to think about. I don't think this question or statement is very helpful in current political conversations. It just leads to arguments, misunderstanding, and confusion. I took most of this information from a booklet by Wayne Grudem / OUR FIRST LIBERTY ON TRIAL (pages 16 & 17).

I don't mean for this to have been a political statement. I would have answered in the same way no matter who made a similar statement. This remark had always caused me trouble. I hope that I made some sense.  I mean only to write religion oriented articles. Until next time May God everyone and May God bless America! 

                                 May God bless you--everyone,

                                 May God bless America!!

  Doc

COOTIES CORNER

On Thursday, 24 February, we lost one our former Seam Squirrels and a great friend. Oscar Bergman passed away in the early evening of that day. A memorial service will be held at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 3626 W. Jackson St. Pensacola, FL 32505 on Sunday, 6 March at 2:00 PM. “My Beloved Oscar went to be with the Lord this evening. He was such a wonderful man, kind and loving. And will be greatly missed. Thank you for your friendship and love for him. God Bless, Ro”

In lieu of flowers please make a contribution to Westminster Presbyterian Church.

                        OSCAR YOU WILL BE MISSED BY ALL.

NATHANIEL BASS, SEAM SQUIRREL