I Pledge Allegiance To.........

My country, the United States of America, just went through what might be mildly termed a contentious election cycle. One of my personal heroes was a candidate for President of the United States.

Senator John McCain of Arizona was the nominee of the Republican party. Senator McCain has been one of my choices for President for at least 20 years. Every time I think of the John McCain story I am inspired. Shot down over North Vietnam and seriously injured, LTCDR McCain was imprisoned for more than five and a half hears in the infamous Hanoi Hilton.

While there, the North Vietnamese learned that he was the son of Admiral John McCain, commander of the American Central Pacific Fleet. They decided to use the younger McCain as a publicity piece. They decided to release the young Lieutenant Commander to his father as a gesture of good will and, of course, as a propaganda tool.

They had only one problem with their plan. LTCDR McCain said no. He refused his own release unless the other men confined with him were also released. This infuriated his captors. He was beaten. And then he was beaten again and again and then beaten more. His severely injured left arm was twisted until it snapped. When it healed, they did it again.

All he had to do to make the beatings stop, to receive immediate and desperately needed medical attention for himself……..all he had to do was say yes. He just had to agree to release.

Put yourself in that position. What would you do? The prospect of years of abuse ahead of you and the ability to make it all stop at once. I believe that everyone would have understood if John McCain had given in.

But he never did. Ladies and gentlemen, that’s what I call character. The best kind of character. That’s why John McCain is a hero of mine. That’s also a big reason I thought he was the best choice for President. He is possessed of sterling character and love for this country which has been tested and found true.

Having said all of that, I am a true believer in this country of mine and its process for choosing leadership. The people have spoken and have selected another man for President. Senator Barak Obama has been chosen and as of 20 January next year will be the President of the United States.

It is my duty then to support the man, pray for him and help him in any way that I can. I did not vote for him but my personal opinion must take a back seat to the will of the people of my free America.

And so it is that I find myself pledging my personal allegiance to Barak Obama as my President. That allegiance will be steady unless the new President takes actions which threaten rights granted to me by God and currently protected by Constitution of the United States.

No matter who you supported for President, our country needs unity now. I ask you to please join me in supporting the man the people elected.