One of the few things which bring a consistent chuckle to this Blogger, in this Age of American Decline,    is how much love and compassion illegal aliens, undocumented workers, asylum seekers and refuges expect from the American government. American males, of a certain age, know better than to expect love or compassion from the government.    This Blogger’s first love note from his government was received two months after graduation from college; it was the GREETINGS letter, informing him to report to an ancient building, Whitehall, for his induction physical into the Military.   Brooklyn veterans had formed what would now be called a support group; the group invited inductees to come to a seminar to discuss the ins and outs of induction, Basic Training; how there were no compassionate sergeants, combat and what it was like to kill a man in combat.  Under a veneer of Athenian democracy, America was very Spartan. One, obviously tortured young man, stood up ...

In April, 1945, less than a month before Hitler committed suicide in his bunker, effectively ending World War II; Lt. Bob Dole, a small-town Kansas boy was leading a patrol against the Nazis in Italy. A Nazi machine gun had pinned down his radio man, and Lt. Dole, being a member of the Greatest Generation decided to rescue the unfortunate soldier.   His reward for that courageous act was swift; his body was shredded by the very same machine gun. So shredded, the Medics, doing instant triage,    left him for dead, and moved on. When they doubled back, after saving the ones they thought could be saved, they found him still alive.   His right arm was useless; he was paralyzed and could not walk.   Dole had been assigned to the elite 10 th  Mountain Division, to replace a commanding officer who had been killed in combat. Dole never understood why.   “I thought it was mighty odd that a kid from Kansas who had seen a mountain up close only once in his l...