[nikkismom]

This is the final blog entry posted by an American Soldier who was returning to the states from Afghanistan...he never made it. I've read it several times already and one thing that he said stands out each time... "I’m sorry if this just hit a little too close to home for some of you reading this". That it did...and it should.

I wish there was a way that we could require that every student read this every morning. A real wake-up call.....

http://myfriendthemedic.blogspot.com....html?spref=fb

[PreMed Mom]

Thank you for sharing.....

[Jane Doe]

Much truth there, sadly.

[vietnamvet]

"We are breeding a generation of young people who have no idea what this country is founded on or what its citizens had to go through in order to make this country great and more about what time jersey shore is on. We are losing…we are struggling. Not in some great sense of the word as though every generation has its great struggle. We are just losing. Losing ground on what we thought was right, what we thought life was supposed to be, and we are becoming very pissed off." Well said Soldier, well said. It is articles like this that relight the patriotic fire in the American soul.

Thank you Eric Williams for your story and your sacrifice. Rest in peace.

[computacat]

"We are breeding a generation of young people who have no idea what this country is founded on or what its citizens had to go through in order to make this country great..."

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom.

When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.

Looking around, confused, they asked, 'Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?'
She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk.'

They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.
'No,' she said.

'Maybe it's our behavior.'
She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior'.

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room. The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk less classroom.

Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.' At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.

Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'

By the way, this is a true story.... If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you read it in English, thank a soldier.

Yes, it really is a true story..http://www.snopes.com/glurge/nodesks.asp

[nikkismom]

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom.

When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.

Looking around, confused, they asked, 'Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?'
She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk.'

They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.
'No,' she said.



'Maybe it's our behavior.'
She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior'.

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room. The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk less classroom.

Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.' At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.

Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'

By the way, this is a true story.... If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you read it in English, thank a soldier.

Yes, it really is a true story..http://www.snopes.com/glurge/nodesks.asp

I think that stories like these should be read over the intercoms at school every morning. But they won't do that because they don't want to offend anyone...

[vietnamvet]

computacat,

Huge, huge Kudos to you!

nikkismom,
Right. I agree with you. Perhaps it is time Americans stop caring what offends non-American thinking people and start doing what Americans do, being proud of what, who, and why we are. KUDOS to you too!

[computacat]

computacat,

Huge, huge Kudos to you!

Posted in response to what Sgt. Williams stated:

The truth is that the general American public couldn’t give a **** about us. They want their Starbucks and celebrity gossip and their “16 and pregnant” We are breeding a generation of young people who have no idea what this country is founded on or what its citizens had to go through in order to make this country great and more about what time jersey shore is on. We are losing…we are struggling. Not in some great sense of the word as though every generation has its great struggle. We are just losing. Losing ground on what we thought was right, what we thought life was supposed to be, and we are becoming very pissed off.

[nikkismom]

Also, the reason that a bad bagel gets a lot more internet attention than a dead soldier and his last thoughts. I'm not surprised.....

[Jane Doe]

Also, the reason that a bad bagel gets a lot more internet attention than a dead soldier and his last thoughts. I'm not surprised.....

Isn't that the truth. Sad, very sad.

[njgirl49]

This man..hero..has deeply touched me. Being the "brat" that I am. From Army, Navy family I too know the pain this family feels. Thank God every day these very brave people put thier lives on the line for us to be free..Now lets keep prayers in our hearts and let the troops know we do love them. I do everyday at work to say thanks is just an easy way to let those who served past and those who now serve they are truely hero's.
IF YOU LIKE YOUR FREEDOM THANK A SERVICEMAN OR WOMAN..