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Close to a million of our veterans, and many active duty Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines depend on food stamps. Those of us who have military experience, or have lived on or around the major military bases throughout the United States, know about the poverty that many of our military personnel experience, a burden that falls very heavily on the children of our servicemen and women. Trivial scandals abound in the news about politician's personal lives or the traffic situation in Jersey, but US veteran and military poverty in the United States is a real scandal. The unprecedented pace of deployments that accompanied the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have only made the situation more extreme, more obvious, and more in need of public attention (and public money). Nonetheless, even at the highest levels of the United States government, the troops' real problems are not being addressed. The mainstream media does not seem overly interested in it either - probably because both political parties are culpable and are refusing to deal with it. Recently, former Vice President Dick Cheney, an architect of the Afghanistan and/or Iraq wars, commented on a television program that President Obama would "rather pay for food stamps than . . . a strong military or support for our troops." What Mr. Cheney doesn't understand is that nowadays paying for food stamps or paying for federally provided medical care is " supporting the troops." What the troops and our veterans need more than most is food, clothing and shelter. Often the wounds of war, the disabilities and disfigurement our uniformed personnel receive, and the sheer length of their service out of the job market, has left them unable to adequately provide for themselves or their families. But I don't think that Mr. Cheney was confused about what he was saying or that he doesn't know about this. When Mr. Cheney says "support the troops," he just means what a lot of politicians mean by that phrase. What they mean by "support the troops" is to spend huge amounts of money on expensive weapon systems to drive up the profits of the companies their friends run. When Mr. Cheney says "support the troops," what he means is increase the size of contracts from military contractors like Haliburton that have a permanent, massive financial interest in  perpetual war. When Mr. Cheney says "support the troops," what he really means is use the troops in as many conflicts and in as many places as possible, and as often as possible. Often, politicians with their eyes on campaign cash, try to make the military buy expensive weapons the Pentagon doesn't even want. Mr. Cheney is not alone. War profiteers on Wall Street, and in Washington, DC, are always braying the words "support the troops" at us. The troops provide them their profits. The troops provide them their bonuses. The troops line their pockets and allow them to enjoy the political power. One report explained very clearly what kind of "support" Mr. Cheney wanted for the troops while he was Vice President: The biggest winner to date is Vice President Dick Cheney's former company, Halliburton. In one year, Halliburton went from being the Pentagon's number 37 contractor with just $500 million in contracts to lucky number 7 and $3.9 billion in defense contracts. And that's just the beginning, the company now has over $8 billion in contracts for Iraqi rebuilding and Pentagon logistics work in hand. That figure could hit $18 billion if it exercises all of its options. Halliburton's work includes everything from rebuilding Iraq's oil infrastructure and building military bases to providing meals, doing laundry and maintaining military vehicles. Whenever and wherever the U.S. Army has to deploy on short notice, Halliburton is there. That's how some people want to "support the troops" - not with food, or body armor, or wise policy, but with money the troops will never see, as they are marched into the next convenient and profitable war. But I think of something different when I say we should support the troops. I believe supporting the troops means, first and foremost, honoring the promises we have made to them to provide them with the medical care they require, to pay them decent living wages, and funding appropriate pensions to compensate them for their service and the disabilities they have acquired in the name of their country -- that is the very least that we can do to support the troops. But the most important thing we can do to support the troops is to make sure that they are never deployed or placed in harm's way recklessly, foolishly, or needlessly, or in places where neither our country, nor its allies, have been attacked. Those who truly wish to support the troops can do so in many ways. The Wounded Warrior Project directly supports our troops by helping them to recover from the wounds of war. The USO organization is another good place to start when one wants to actually support the troops. You can look at IAVA too, if supporting the troops is on your mind. All these ways exist to support the troops by doing something for them, as opposed to asking them, yet again, to do some more for us or, more often, to do something for the politicians who are in the trillion-dollar business of perpetual war.

You won't believe what happened to me this morning. I have to tattle on myself in order to tell this story but it's so worth it! I was feeling pretty stressed this morning, so I decided to go through McDonald's and get an Egg McMuffin (I'm doing Weight Watcher's - that's where the tattling comes in) on my way into work. However, that's not all I have to confess. Today, Egg McMuffins were two for $3.00 so, of course, I got two. When I got up to the window to pay, the McDonald's employee told me that the vehicle in front of me paid for my Egg McMuffins. I was shocked, and asked the employee if I knew the woman who had paid for my breakfast. The girl said she didn't know whether we knew each other, she just knew that the woman paid for my Egg McMuffins! I was flabbergasted, to say the least. Who does that? To pay it forward, I put my $3.00 in the little slot that takes contributions for Ronald McDonald House. Hours later, I realized that it would have been really wonderful to have used the chance to pay for the order of the person in the car behind me instead. Who knows how long this could have gone on? Oh well, maybe next time. Until then, as I didn't have the opportunity to thank her in person, I want to use this chance to say thank you to the woman in the red Ford Escape with a Michigan sticker in the back window and a Michigan license plate bracket! You really made my morning much more pleasant. Have you ever been the recipient of a random act of kindness? How did it make you feel?

I've been a big fan of the Olympics for as long as I can remember. I especially enjoy the winter games. I don't really know why. I can't ski, skate, or do anything else remotely athletic on snow or ice. I'm lucky to keep myself from falling. And maybe that's the point: I enjoy watching these Olympic athletics excel in areas where I struggle to simply stand or walk. I was watching the figure skating competition a few days ago. Jeremy Abbott, 28, the US skating champion, was attempting a "quad" jump when he fell--really, really hard. In fact, he slammed into the wall and lay still for several seconds clutching his side. The music continued to play in the background, but Jeremy lay perfectly still. Then slowly, painfully he stood up. And as he did, the crowd roared its encouragement. With a look of determination, Jeremy made his way back onto the ice, caught up with the music and completed his performance, hitting every trick. The ovation at the end of his skating was thunderous. It was a very emotional and inspiring performance. I'm sure Jeremy's amazing comeback will be replayed again and again as an embodiment of the Olympic spirit. But I took away more than that. I took away two valuable life lessons. First of all, life has its share of "falls." As flesh-and-blood human beings, we blow it. We fail. We make mistakes. But we don't have to let our falls define us. We can get back up. Like Jeremy, we can refuse to let a fall keep us down and, instead, we can keep moving forward and keep pursuing our dreams. I'm reminded of Paul's words in Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Second, never underestimate the power of encouragement. The crowd made it perfectly clear that it was standing behind Jeremy. As he struggled to his feet, unsure of whether to keep going or to simply give up, the crowd's applause was ringing in his ears. That's the power of encouragement. It emboldens us. It energizes us. It helps us to see beyond our falls. I thank God for all of the encouragers He has put in my life. And I pray that you'll look for opportunities in your own life to be an encourager for someone who has fallen and needs the strength to get back up. It's good to know that the Olympics are more than just sporting events. The Olympics are full of the stuff of life. We can watch and be entertained, or we can watch and become better people...

As you may have heard, the SEC defensive player of the year, Michael Sam, recently announced that he is gay. No big deal I thought, it's 2014, and generally speaking as a nation I feel we are slowly but surely moving in the right direction concerning basic civil rights for all of our citizens. By the end of the day, I realized I had made a huge error in judgment. The only stories that followed were about how the NFL would deal with this distraction, whether his announcement would hurt his draft stock, the impossible locker room environment that people believed would follow and so on and so forth. I read nothing about social progress, and saw nothing even resembling support from the NFL camp. One "unnamed" scout (read: coward) said that many of the scouts already knew Michael Sam was gay because scouts often spy on prospective NFL draftees. He then went on to explain how he graded Sam as having "character issues" as a result of his homosexuality. Character issues! This is coming from the organization that will condone almost any criminal behavior if the player can help the team win. Obstruction of justice in a homicide? No problem, you still average 12 tackles a game, right? Fight, murder, and bury dogs in your backyard? No problem, just keep working out in prison, there's always a home for you here in the NFL when you get out. DUI vehicular manslaughter? It's all good, you can still run fast right? Domestic assault, drug abuse, reckless endangerment-- the list goes on and on. Apparently, being gay is where the NFL draws the line. Well, homophobic bigotry is where I draw the line. You can find me on the golf course on Sundays this fall.

A few weeks ago I received an invitation from WVU to sing the National Anthem at this Saturday's basketball game against Baylor. It is really an incredible honor for me to have been asked twice to perform for the Old Gold and Blue. A close musician friend told me anyone can be asked to do something once, but it's when they ask you back that you know you're onto something. I was first asked to sing the Anthem two years ago for the Big East opener against Villanova (a Mountaineer victory, too, I might add). My family was more nervous than I. My wife was nauseated, my dad practically cried, my mother nearly had a heart attack, and my kids simply asked if it was time to go to the concession stand. But they all had legitimate reasons for concern. After all, I have no formal training, can't read music, and don't know anything about keys, pitch or harmonies. And there is arguably no tougher performance than standing in the middle of 10,000+ people who are completely silent with their full attention fixed on you singing THE song that forms the very fabric of our national identity. And, for me, therein lies the challenge - the thrill and the reason I'm willing to subject myself to such scrutiny. It was an exhilarating experience last time, and while I don't expect my kids' behavior to be any different this time around, I do hope it's a little easier on everyone else. Of course there were plenty of nerves for me the last time too, but when I stepped to center court, I felt calm and confident. And getting to that place was surprisingly easier than I anticipated. I simply thought about everything WVU has meant to me. I thought about the incredible, valuable education I received in both undergraduate and law school. An education that enabled me to compete at a top  level nationally. I thought about the social and cultural enrichment WVU provided me, building my confidence and insight to seamlessly integrate into different communities all over the country, no matter where I landed. I thought about the  amazing professors and mentors I had who provided me a tremendous foundation on which to foster a lifetime love of learning. I thought about my fellow classmates, who have gone on to great success at the highest levels in their respective professions in law, medicine, science, engineering, athletics and the arts. I thought about Bill Stewart and the tremendous hometown pride he brought to the football program, not to mention some of the best Mountaineers we've ever seen. I thought about Pat White's speech after the North Carolina game. And De'Sean Butler's season of buzzer beaters. And Jerry West. And all the other standout Mountaineers and moments in WVU's storied history. And when you think about those things, you can't but help channel that Mountaineer pride too. So when those lights dimmed and the spotlight hit me, I was ready to deliver. The same way WVU has always delivered for me. I'm not one to necessarily repeat myself when it comes to bucket list items, but  this time I was asked to sing at the Basketball Alumni Weekend game. This means that amongst the many Mountaineer greats on the floor during the halftime presentation for past hoop players this weekend will be my father, a WVU scholarship basketball player from '62-'65. It's not often a father and son get floor time together at the Coliseum, so I jumped at the opportunity when presented this time. West Virginia University has been instrumental in helping to mold me into the person I am today, and I will forever be grateful for the incredible opportunity  afforded me by the University's generosity and standard of excellence. I am truly humbled and honored to have been asked to tackle such an important responsibility this weekend. It was always a childhood dream of mine to get to perform at the Coliseum in front of a big crowd. And although those dreams always involved being a member of the basketball team, it sure is nice to be recognized as worthy of a place at mid-court, even if it's not quite how I always pictured it. After all, as Pat White famously said, "Once a Mountaineer, Always a Mountaineer."

By now, most of you have heard about the horrific natural gas well fire and explosion that occurred during the early hours of February 11 th in Dunkard, Pennsylvania. This well fire burned for days, but eventually extinguished itself on Saturday. Unfortunately, the aftermath of this accident gas left one worker injured and recently identified employee, Ian McKee, missing and feared to be dead. Gas well site injuries caused by negligence have become more and more common. For Chevron, a titan in the natural gas business, this is a public relations nightmare. How does a corporation begin to do damage control in a situation like this? Well, obviously, not using the method that Chevron chose. It has been reported that on February 16 th the Chevron Community Outreach Team delivered letters to one hundred homes residing around the explosion. In the correspondence provided to these families, Chevron states: "Chevron recognizes the effect this has had on the community. We value being a responsible member of this community and will continue to strive to achieve incident-free operations. We are committed to taking action to safeguard our neighbors, our employees, our contractors and the environment." And what action did they take to safeguard their neighbors? Chevron included with their letter a coupon for a free large combo pizza and a 2-liter beverage from Bobtown Pizza. It seems to me that Chevron and their Community Outreach Team need to reevaluate their standards for " outreach." In their minds, a free pizza certainly outweighs the fear and outrage that comes from living next to an exploding gas well. Oh no, wait, I forgot! They included a free 2-liter with that offer. When you keep that in mind, I guess their efforts don't seem insensitive or inconsiderate to the members of the Dunkard community now.

Barley, Guinness and Caroline would like to remind you that if you really want a true Valentine, you can have one for 365 days a year. Adopt a pet from your local animal shelter, and never worry about not having a Valentine again! We hear so many humans say "I wish I had someone to love me on Valentine's Day! The girls and some of the guys at work are going to be getting flowers, cards and candy from their significant others, and I'm not going to get anything because I don't have a true Valentine!" Well, we would like to know why anyone feels that they need to have a loved  one just on Valentine's Day? Just think, you could have someone to love you unconditionally for the whole year, and then some. We (the four-leggers) may not send presents or cards, (that's because we can't order online yet) but every day when you come home from work we will be there to greet you like you have never been greeted before. We will always love you each and every day of the year, and not just on Valentine's Day. We are happy to see you when you come in the door, even if we or you have had a bad day. No matter what, we will be oh-so-happy to see you! You, our human friends, (and the loves of our life) make our lives complete. All we want is to do the same for you. We, the Bordas & Bordas Dogs, would love for our shelter fur-friends to find loving fur-ever homes. Please, if you are thinking about getting a pet for yourself or for someone else, go to your local animal shelter first. The life you save might just be your very own pet! Happy Valentine's Day! Bark on Bordas Dog Nation, Bark on. (We would like to say thank you to our dog moms for helping us write this for you. High paw!)

At Bordas & Bordas, we make it a priority to give back to the community in any way possible. Below are some of the many philanthropic sponsorships that we've recently been involved in. Faith in Action Caregivers supports the independent living of older adults and people with disabilities in Ohio, Marshall and Belmont counties. The organization provides services ranging from escorted transportation to medical appointments and shopping trips to friendly visits and phone calls. Faith in Action Caregivers is holding its annual Triathlon/Duathlon on July 12, 2014 at Wheeling Jesuit University. The money raised at this event plays a large role in funding the organization's efforts. We are happy to support an association that offers so much good to the people of our community. Here at Bordas & Bordas, we are very supportive of any organization that benefits those less fortunate than us. Since its inception, the Greater Wheeling Coalition for the Homeless has been passionate about providing temporary shelter for Wheeling's homeless, seeking and creating long-term solutions to homelessness, as well as communicating with other agencies to provide comprehensive services to the local homeless population. Coalition staff and personnel strive to address the many issues involved with homelessness and enrich the entire community in the process. Monetary donations aid the Coalition in its efforts. Bordas & Bordas is very involved many of the youth sports programs within our community, one of them being the Wheeling Amateur Hockey Association. The WAHA celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year, and offers hockey leagues for Wheeling residents of all ages. WAHA staff and personnel teach the fundamental skills of hockey such as stick handling and speed skating. Moreover, WAHA also offers a roller hockey league for kids of all ages and skill levels. The Oglebay Institute prides itself in offering a multitude of experiences to the Upper Ohio Valley, from cultural and educational to environmental and recreational. One component of the Institute is the Towngate Theatre and Cinema. Located in Wheeling's historic Centre Market district, Towngate showcases plays and productions year-round for children and adults alike. The theatre also houses favorite local musicians and bands for all to enjoy. Support from generous sponsorships enables the Towngate Theatre and the Oglebay Institute as a whole to sustain and expand its cultural programming. Bordas & Bordas is honored to be involved with such outstanding organizations and events. We will continue to reach out to community partners who are passionate about making a difference. As always, we encourage everyone to support these very worthy causes in any way possible.

Oklahoma State player Marcus Smart recently received a three-game suspension from his college basketball team for shoving a Texas Tech fan named Jeff Orr. The shove came after Orr said something to him when Smart went out of bounds under the basket while making a play. The focus since then has been on whetherOrr used a racial epithet - Smart said he did - or whether Orr only said "something he shouldn't have" - Orr's words. It has since come to light that that Orr, a middle-aged man, considers himself a "super-fan" of Texas Tech. A photo of him directing an obscene gesture at opposing players has surfaced from another game and a number of players have indicated he has a lot of negative things to say to opposing players from his seat under the bucket. Smart's shove raises a question that isn't getting enough attention at all levels of inter-scholastic athletics: Why do we allow grown men and women to scream at and insult school-age boys and girls just because these students play sports? Is it because it's always been that way? Why should kids signing up for their high school or college teams have to agree to take verbal abuse from adults as part of the deal? Some seem to think that as long as Orr didn't use the n-word, anything else he felt like saying to Smart is "fair game," and Smart has to take it. But why? It's been pointed out that there is next to nowhere in the world where Jeff Orr can curse at or insult Marcus Smart to his face and feel he can get away with it, except where he was, under a basketball hoop. Some have made much of the fact that Orr is white and Smart is black. But white student- athletes get heaps of abuse as well. J.J. Reddick of Duke was notoriously hated during his career, and Ohio State's Aaron Craft seems to be getting the full treatment this year. The question is not so much about race as about why the discussion revolves around punishing players and protecting fans, instead of protecting the young people actually involved in the competition? There is no reason why athletic contests between young kids, high schoolers, or even college students should create a safe place for people to heap abuse on the players who are, after all, just playing a game, for free, for their schools. Comments and taunts directed at student athletes don't have to be racially-motivated to be out of bounds. When Marcus Smart shoved the loud-mouth jerk under the basket, he was telling all of us that if we aren't going to protect him while he plays, he'll do it himself, and I think he had every right to do that.

Reports indicate that one worker has been injured and another is missing after a natural gas well fire and explosion in southwestern Pennsylvania early this morning. Fire was reported at the Lanco 7H well in an area about 50 miles south of Pittsburgh and just miles from the West Virginia border. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this tragic accident and it is our hope that the appropriate personnel handle the situation safely and efficiently.

If you believe their slogans, insurance companies are like a good neighbor. They're on your side. They keep their promises. They're helping people, guiding people, serving people. Rest assured, they say, you're in good hands. But that's the world of advertising, not the gritty world of reality where insurance companies are far more concerned with making a buck than being honest, reasonable or fair. It goes without saying that insurance companies should be fair. West Virginians work hard, and part of their hard-earned money goes toward paying for things like insurance to cover their homes, cars and small businesses. We should get what we pay for, right? We pay for protection. If we suffer a loss, the insurance company should promptly investigate and pay any claims that are covered by the policy we're paying for. But it seems like insurance companies are constantly on the lookout for ways to fatten their pockets, even it means hurting their own customers. This year our Legislature will be considering two bills to require insurance companies to be fair. These are small steps, I know. But these are two specific areas where our own experience has shown us that insurance companies deprive customers of basic fairness. Remember the derecho a year and a half ago? Thousands of people throughout West Virginia suffered wind damage and made claims under their homeowner policies. Many of those same people received cancellation notices in the mail. Why? Because insurance companies were counting the derecho claims against them and now they were considered to be unacceptable risks. But the Legislature is responding. During the Legislature's interim sessions, a joint  committee approved a bill that would prevent insurance companies from canceling or failing to renew property insurance after a claim relating to an act of nature. That bill has now been introduced in both houses. A similar situation can occur with auto insurance. If a customer submits too many claims, insurance companies will increase their rates because of the increased risk. But what if the accident wasn't their fault? Should it count against them anyway? The Legislature says no. A bill that is being reintroduced from last year, HB 2551, HB 2551 would prevent insurance companies from increasing premiums under an auto policy for claims that weren't caused by the customer's own fault. Unfortunately, these bills won't force insurance companies to live up to the promises they make in their advertising. Nor will they change the profits-over-people mentality that we see far too often from insurance companies operating in our state. But they will provide a real fix for a real problem that's affected thousands of West Virginians who did nothing more than file a legitimate claim. The Legislature should give swift consideration and passage to both of these bills.

Like a whole lot of other folks, I look forward to the Super Bowl as much for the commercials as for the football (at least when the Steelers aren't playing). Over the years, marketing firms have outdone themselves in coming up with one great commercial after another. Who can forget Mean Joe Greene tossing his jersey to that young boy in the Coke commercial? Or the Budweiser commercial where the Clydesdales kneel to the empty New York skyline after 9/11? Although the vast majority of the commercials tug on our heartstrings or our funny bones, this year we had a new emotion added to the mix: anger. I am, of course, speaking of the Coke commercial in which "America the Beautiful" is sung in multiple languages. Shortly after the commercial aired, I began seeing a lot of Facebook comments and Twitter posts expressing a very wide range of emotions. The common theme in these comments was that this is "our" song, written to be sung in "our" language, and "our" language is English. Some of these comments came from folks that I know and respect, so I know they aren't made out of ignorance. Lots of times, people just haven't been presented with the other side of the issue at hand. Let me see if I can fix that. As you can quickly guess from my last name, the roots of my family tree in America don't run particularly deep. My grandfather was a Spanish immigrant, and my grandmother was the daughter of German immigrants. In thinking about the various reactions to the Coke commercial, I spent a lot of time reflecting back to my childhood. I remember the days when my Mom and I would drive my grandmother to visit her friend, Josefa Maria Garcia, at her home in the south part of Moundsville, known as "Spanish Row." Family names there were Menendez, Rodriguez, Garcia, Alonzo, and many others. My grandmother would get out of the car, and she and Mrs. Garcia would begin shouting to one another. I never understood the conversation, because they were shouting in Spanish. It never once occurred to me that their failure to speak to each other in English was  objectionable. I also recalled images of my grandfather, who we all called "Papa". Papa came to  the U.S. at the age of 13. He died in his early eighties, having retired from two different jobs after spending more than twenty-five years at each one. He first worked at the zinc smelter, which was located where the Moundsville Kroger store now stands. After retiring from there, he took a position as a corrections officer at the Penitentiary. He was there for over twenty-five years, retiring in the late 70s as a captain of the guards. He was proud of the fact that in twenty-five years, there had never been a successful escape during his shift. He had no delusions that his record was due to his incredible vigilance; instead, he was convinced the prisoners did not want to make him look bad. I remember asking him why he felt that way. In his broken English, he told me: "They respect you Papa. I treat like men, no like dogs. They respect." I can still see Papa sitting in his chair in the living room, chewing on an unlit cigar. He loved to sing, and he sang often. Despite the fact that he lived in this country for over 70 years, Papa never got a good grasp on the English language.  Accordingly, almost all of the songs he would sing were in Spanish. There was one and only one song I can remember hearing him attempt in English. It was "How Much is that Doggy in  the Window". He butchered that one pretty badly as well, but he tried. My grandparents raised two sons: my father and my uncle, Manuel. Both were taught the value of hard work and family. Both were instilled with a deep love for and pride in their country. Both put their lives on the line to fight for our country in World War II. Uncle Junior (Manuel) was a scout in the infantry who suffered a serious battlefield injury that affected him the rest of his life. My grandparents were fiercely proud of their sons' military service. I sometimes try to imagine what it must have been like for my grandparents to go to sleep, night after night, wondering if tomorrow was the day they would get the telegram that began "We regret to inform you." That is a hell they lived for years, yet never once did they complain or object. Photos of both sons in uniform occupied a place of honor in my grandparents' living room until the day they died. I can still see Papa walking over, looking at those photos,  and smiling. He was SO  proud that his sons had fought for HIS country. When I mentioned my grandmother earlier, I neglected to note she spoke five languages: German, Hungarian, Spanish, Russian and English. She learned those  languages growing up in "Spanish Rows" all over this area, living next door to  immigrants from all over the world. These were the communities that built this  country some now arrogantly call "ours," to the exclusion of anyone who doesn't speak English. Our country was built on the hard labor, heart, and determination of people who came here for a better life. The coal mines and the steel mills that produced the energy and materials which were the lifeblood of the Ohio Valley were run by men to whom English was a second language at best. Take a look at the roster of the men who died in the Benwood Mine Disaster in 1924. Now tell me how many of their funeral hymns you think were sung in English. And so, I continue on to the argument that "America the Beautiful" is "our" song and should be sung only in "our" language. I am struck by the arrogance of such an edict, and I wonder why anyone would feel that way. Is it because some folks feel they are "more American" than others who have yet to (and may never) master English? To me, the argument is the ultimate example of placing form over substance. What should matter is the thought one seeks to express, not the language in which you express it. My Papa loved this country as much as anyone I have ever known, but he couldn't have sung the first verse of "America the Beautiful" in English if his life had depended on it. He and my grandmother were the embodiment of American values: opportunity, sacrifice, hard work, and honor. So, if he chooses to sing what has become our country's national hymn in his native language, wanting to avoid the embarrassment and appearance of disrespect that would certainly come with butchering the lyrics in his broken English, he is to be chastised? I don't think so. I choose instead to focus upon the love and respect he shows by learning the song to begin with. My grandparents, and thousands just like them, BUILT this country. It was THEIR children who were sent off to fight the wars that secured our freedom. It was THEIR sweat and blood and tears that built our cities and our factories. The United States of America is THEIR country, every bit as much as it is yours and mine. People today who claim the right to define what is and is not sufficiently "American" have forgotten where they came from. There is an inscription on the Statue of Liberty that begins "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. . ." I looked long and hard to find the part that says "but make sure they learn to speak English." I'm still looking. I hope I never find it.