Tag Archives: courage

Mar 27 2015

What is The Summit Project?

readytogoIn a recent post, I recounted my experiences snowshoeing up Borestone Mountain carrying a memorial stone in honor of a young soldier, PFC Tyler Springmann. Some may be wondering why I did this and who organizes these hike. I’d like to post a short description of why a bunch of people would hike a mountain in the middle of winter with stones in our backpacks.

For me, its pretty simple. I’m the son of a Vietnam vet and have always had a special place in my heart for our military. I like hiking. My father was Pastor of a church in Berlin, N.H. and I have fond memories of climbing Mt. Washington with him along with my brother. My two boys have caught the hiking bug and we have been making memories together.

atsunset So when my brother-in-law told me about this group called The Summit Project, described the hike that he took with them, and shared the emotions he felt during the trek, I immediately knew this was something I wanted to do with my boys. It seemed to me a perfect marriage of a couple of passions that I have. I also thought this was a great way to help instill in my sons a healthy respect for our soldiers and a better understanding of the solemn magnitude of the price of freedom.

What is The Summit Project? The Summit Project is the culmination of a vision David Cote had to find a uniquetsp-logo-blue2 way to honor fallen warriors with more than just a token sentiment, but something that required some sort of sacrifice by the living to honor the dead. He conceived this idea while hiking with Navy Seals in the mountains of California. When the Seals reached the summit they pulled stones from their pack and piled them in small hidden area to honor any Seals that had fallen in battle that past year. For Dave Cote, who watched in admiration, this quiet ritual was the seed of a dream for The Summit Project, planted by the Navy Seals on mountain in California.andrewbaseofsummit

What if everyday civilians from Maine took the time to learn the story of a fallen soldier, carried took a stone etched with his name and rank, gave the simple sacrifice of climbing to the top of a mountain with that memorial stone, and on that mountain gave a public remembrance of that fallen warrior? Perhaps that short hike would give civilians just a little taste of what our soldiers do for us on a daily basis. There is something about being in nature surrounded by its majesty that makes one realize there are things in life much bigger than one’s self.

The Summit Project is apolitical. What that means is that it is non-partisan, non-political. Some might find this hard to believe, but the fact that it is politically neutral is one of the major reasons I find The Summit Project so appealing. I hope it stays neutral. It’s the way it should be.

summitflag

As I told Dave Cote, its nice to have a place where we can lay down the hammer and tongs and step away from the heat for a while. Don’t get me wrong! I have no intentioheadedbackdownn of abandoning my opinions and my campaigns, but there is something grand about Americans from all political stripes coming together and honoring those who give them the freedom to pick up those ideological hammer and tongs and go at it.

Maine’s First Lady Ann LePage and First Lady Michelle Obama have endorsed the Summit Project. If that isn’t bi-partisan I don’t know what is. TMCV recommends that our readers check out The Summit Project at their website. Do a hike to honor Maine’s fallen warriors or, if hiking is out of the question, check out ways that you can volunteer. Go to The Maine Summit Project’s website or like them on Facebook.peakofborestone

Oct 29 2012

Stand Down!

 

For seven hours two Navy Seals held off the terrorists in Benghazi, waiting for the support to arrive.  One hour away, marines were stationed and ready to assist.  General Ham, Commander of AFRICOM, wanted to send his troops to the aid of those in the Embassy, who were calling for aid, when he was told by his Commander-and-Chief to “Stand Down”.  When General Ham ignored the order, he was apprehended by his second in command and relieved of duty.

While two Navy Seals heroically held off a compound over run with terrorists, the President held off their military support, watched in the situation room of the White House until the two men were dead, and then jetted off to Vegas for a fund raising event.  Yes, the two Seals ignored the “Stand Down” order and chose, instead, to hold to the oaths they had taken to the citizens of the United States.  They died waiting for the President to uphold his.

What has followed in the aftermath is myriad of lies and cover-ups, even at first trying to blame the “incident” on an obscure filmmaker and promising to arrest him, violating his freedom of speech.  The media has been working overtime trying to cover this mess up for the President.  It isn’t working and some in the media are starting to see the folly of their ways and abandon the sinking ship.

The Democrat brand has the mark of deceit seared onto every package it presents to the people. It is apparent throughout the liberal ticket that lies is the campaign strategy of choice.  What is most disturbing is the disdain the Democrat ticket has for the basic unalienable rights for Americans-life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Angus King has told so many whoppers in this campaign that the word count in this column couldn’t contain them.  He has put the Maine Democrat Party in the awkward position of trying to support his campaign, neutralize their own candidate, and still try to make King seem independent.  And remember when he said that those who supported traditional marriage needed to be “educated”.  He never said how he was going to do that….  Maybe the hum from his windmills is sending out subliminal messages to all Maine residents, besides the toxic waste they are dripping all over our mountains.

Mike Michaud, not so affectionately known as Pelosi’s Puppy, has a unique approach to representative government.  When the district he represents votes over 65% against gay marriage, he thumbs his nose at those he represents and instead represents his own interests on this issue.  Those incessant tugs on his leash from Washington way may be causing him to hallucinate, perhaps.  At last telling, he believes the Kevin Raye is moonlighting as a high-end designer, building exorbitant kitchens on the taxpayer’s dime.  This prompted Maine newspapers to categorize Michaud’s deception, as the biggest lie of the campaign.

Michaud’s close friend, Herbert Clark, has a similar approach to campaign strategy.  Work to co-sponsor a bill with the Senator you will be running against in the next election.  Then blame the whole thing on him, cry that you were hoodwinked and had no idea what you were doing.  Finally, assure everyone that if they vote for you, from now on, you will be aware of what you are sponsoring when you sponsor a bill, and, oh, please keep screaming about the bill that I sponsored but I wish I hadn’t sponsored because its all I’ve got to campaign on. I think he needs some cheese with that whine.

Finally, the Piscataquis County Commissioner races are of great importance.  Roxanne Quimby has been on a crusade to gate off the people of Maine from any access to the wilderness that we love so much.  The Democrats have been her allies in this crusade. Recently, she attempted to block access to the Little Wilson Falls by gating a County road.  The Piscataquis Republican Party answered the call of the people to rectify this travesty and, with Paul Davis, Doug Thomas, Pete Johnson, Fred Trask, and Jim Annis leading the charge, the Commissioners voted to demand Quimby remove the gate.  It was Fred Trask who forced the vote on the Commission to remove the gate. Silence, at best, from the Democrats.

Make no mistake; a vote for Sue Mackey Andrews and Donald Crossman for County Commissioner is a vote to give Roxanne Quimby control over the Maine Highlands and the 100-mile wilderness.  This is an important vote not only for Piscataquis residents but for the precedent it sets for the State of Maine as a whole.  Vote for Fred Trask and Jim Annis as Piscataquis County Commissioners.

It seems the leaders of the Democrat Party have telling Americans to “Stand Down” for far too long.  Perhaps, it is time for Americans to tell the Democrat Party to “Stand Down”.  Vote for Liberty November 6th!