My Congratulations

No else having yet displayed good manners, i will fill the gap . . .

Thank you, Steissd, for your kind wishes. I hope that all is well with you and those whom you love.

Coming from a former member of the Red Army it is especially poignant.

2 Panzade Even while being a Soviet officer, I have never believed in possibility of direct conflict of the two nuclear superpowers. Hence, I have never had a perception of the USA as of the real enemy. More a kind of theoretical one, for the General HQRS war plans trainings (the plans that never become reality). Therefore, neither me, nor the majority of people I knew had any hatred feelings toward the USA, it was perceived as a geopolitical rival of the USSR, but not an enemy (unlike, for example, Germany in 1941-45, that was both a rival and a foe).
Afghan Islamic rebels were much more actual and tangible as an enemy, and they were really hated by the Soviet people.

My post was a tribute to you and the hope of peace for mankind...let's just leave it at that.

Thanks, Steissd...........Glad to see you around!

Thank you, steissd. Always liked Katherine Bates' song better, however. She was a teacher, you know.

and a salute to you, whatever color. <smile>

2 Letty On your request, the poem "America the Beautiful" by Katherine Bates:


O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.
Who more than self the country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America ! America !
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
"Thy whiter jubilee!


Let this be an addition to my congratulations to all the Americans.

Thank you steissd - Hope all is well with you.

Need to call my son and sing that to him, steissd. That song was a family endeavor for many years when we camped on the ocean and watched the fireworks.

Thank you....shalom.