Submitted by: Elaine Karsner

>>>> This is an editorial that appeared in the Griffin , GA newspaper,
>>>> written
>>>> by Pastor Herb Flanders of the United Methodist Church .
>>>>
>>>> Dear President Obama,
>>>>
>>>> As I gather the Sunday before Memorial Day to worship with two United
>>>> Methodist congregations I pastor in Griffin , Ga , I’ll think about some
>>>> of your recent comments. I’ll be thinking of what you told a crowd of
>>>> about 2,000 in Strasbourg , Germany , as you spoke of our nation’s views
>>>> of Europe – “Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to
>>>> partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where
>>>> America has shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.”
>>>>
>>>> The gray, balding heads on the people who worship with me attest to
>>>> their years of toil and labor on this Earth. They are, as Jesus said,
>>>> the ’salt of the Earth.” They are grandmamas and granddaddies, blue
>>>> collar folks who worked hard to build a community and raise families,
>>>> to
>>>> give to others when they had precious little for themselves. They
>>>> continue to do these things today.
>>>>
>>>> Salt of the Earth they are and heroes to boot. When this nation called
>>>> they answered with a resounding ‘yes’ and went where Uncle Sam asked
>>>> them. A couple of months ago, we laid John Busbin to rest.
>>>>
>>>> Like you, he visited Europe on behalf of the U.S. He beat you there by
>>>> 65 years and spent his time marking and clearing mine fields, not
>>>> giving
>>>> speeches. Rather than being arrogant, dismissive or derisive, John
>>>> partnered with the French and others to meet a common challenge. Others
>>>> did the same, sailing on ships, slogging through mud or soaring through
>>>> the air because evil and tyranny were well on their way to taking over
>>>> the world.
>>>>
>>>> I wish you’d come May 24th and sit with these folks as we sing America
>>>> the Beautiful and America . I’d like it if you could sit up front with
>>>> me
>>>> when Maxine Bunn and Jerry Turner do a medley of military service hymns
>>>> and the veterans or spouses of deceased veterans stand when their
>>>> branch’s hymn is played. They grab hold of the pew in front of them to
>>>> pull themselves to their feet. I know I’m in the company of giants.
>>>>
>>>> I’d love for you to meet Janie Worthy and understand those tears that
>>>> still glisten on her cheeks each Memorial Day Sunday.
>>>>
>>>> Janie married John Pershing Botkin in August 1943. Their daughter Gail
>>>> was born Aug. 10, 1944, three or four months after John shipped out to
>>>> Europe . Janie, 19, went to St. Mary’s , Ohio to stay with her in-laws
>>>> after Gail was born. One Sunday afternoon in early December, farm
>>>> families began to call each other as the postmaster’s Model A made its
>>>> way down the country roads. They knew that car carried news that would
>>>> shatter a family and were trying to figure out where he was headed. He
>>>> stopped in front of Janie’s in-laws’ farmhouse. Her daddy-in-law walked
>>>> out to meet him and learned that John was killed in action Nov. 11,
>>>> 1944, serving with the Army in Alsace . Cpl. Botkin never saw, held or
>>>> kissed his little girl. As a father, you can empathize with Janie’s
>>>> salty tears.
>>>>
>>>> Perhaps if you could come you’d see why your words hurt so many so
>>>> much.
>>>> America may be many things and she certainly isn’t perfect, but heroes
>>>> with whom I share my life have hardly been arrogant, dismissive or
>>>> derisive of Europe . They’ve given themselves to save Europe when Europe
>>>> couldn’t save itself.
>>>>
>>>> So, Mr. President, get out of Washington for a weekend and take a trip
>>>> down to Georgia . We’ll feed you some barbecue over in Williamson and
>>>> I’ll introduce you to some friends of mine, some everyday giants and
>>>> ordinary heroes.
>>>>
>>>> God bless,
>>>>
>>>> Herb Flanders
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Let’s circulate this as much as we can, who knows, maybe Mr. Obama will
>>>> see it too.