Surrounded by Patriotism

Recently my wife and I were fortunate to visit Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota. The first day was a sunny and hot July day and the place was full of people. People of all nationalities and all races, and all political and religious beliefs. What a glorious memorial to the these great Presidents. On this trip we saw nature and America at its best. Every corner you turn you see wonderful landscapes and open praries with roaming buffalo, prarie dogs and antelope mixed with mountain peaks, flowing crystal clear creeks with dragonflies and wildflowers. The silence at the top of some of these peaks is stunning.



"The purpose of the memorial is to communicate the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the
United States with colossal statues of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt." Gutzon Borglum

We went back the next evening to see the nightly lighting ceremony at the memorial. Thousands of people filled the park and the large ampitheatre. The program with the singing of the National Anthem, and singing it there felt very different than singing it before the first pitch of a baseball game. Then the speaker began with some facts about the monument and the individual presidents. He also spoke about the Lewis and Clark expedition that discovered the west and the trials and their journey to the west coast and the pacific ocean. They then showed a film about America and about the things that make this country great, primarily FREEDOM !!



My photograph of Mt. Rushmore after fully illuminated during the ceremony.

It was very nice to be in a setting to feel and express our patriotism without fear of how someone might interpret that or might be "offended" by America and it's greatness. This IS the best country on earth. Those of you that may not share that opinion, please visit Mt. Rushmore, because you have freedom to live and work where you want, travel where you want, worship how you want and believe what you want. If you need a reminder, please visit the Berlin Wall Exhibit in Rapid City. Below is my photograph of two pieces of the actual Berlin Wall on display. Stirring reminder of the kind of evil that soldiers and citizens of this country fight against. Not to take over new land but to keep people of the world free.

Two segments of the Berlin Wall and two tank traps. I hope we never forget what can happen when freedom is discounted.