The Shadow

I have had something on my mind for two weeks and I think it is time to get our troops out of Afghanistan.

Now I know that some of you think that we are doing the right thing, and I respect your opinion because our country was built on freedom of speech and rights of the other person to have their say.

I have felt this way for a long time and two weeks ago when that soldier, T. J. Conrad, 22, of Roanoke, was killed by Afghanistan, so called friends of the United States, during a protest over the burning of copies of Quran, the holy book of Islam, I felt like it was time to come home. We shouldn’t spill one more drop of our young men and women’s blood to try to save a nation that does not really want to be saved.

Another thing that really set me off was the news cast that showed them burning an American flag and signs with “Americans Go Home” printed on them. That was another quote that should have started the loading of airplanes and bringing the troops home.

I will mention a few of the reasons why I think we can’t win in Afghanistan.

First, it is a country of mountains and in the mountains there are clans of people that live together and have for hundreds of years and each clan has their own idea of how they want to live and we, or no one else, will change their thinking on that.

Their religion is for the most part different from ours and that means what is right and what is wrong is different for them. We wouldn’t want to change our religious beliefs either.

They are for the most part a poor nation of farmers that learn to live on one big money crop, raising poppies to turn them into drugs and then it is sold on the world market including the United States.

Another reason we should back off, the Russians could not defeat them and take over the country, but they sure tried and finally gave up.

I might add that in the Russian war, the Americans did help Afgh- anistan win over the Russians because the cold war was still going on with Russia at that time.

If we could see the light at the end of the tunnel and the Afghanistan people really wanted their freedom, I say stay and help them, but I see no end to the fighting, and think of all the billions that is being spent there, and in one hand they take our billions in relief and other funding and stab us in the back with the killing of our troops.

Let’s think a little out side of the box. The United States is hurting right now economically and mostly with unemployment figures very high. Much of the billions that we are spending on trying to free a country that does not want to be free could go for the shortfall in our schools, police departments and public highways. That is not counting the public workers and private workers that have not had a raise in about three years and the cost of living still goes up each year.

How about spending a little money to keep the post office going and we get our mail on time? In other words, why can’t we spend a little of our tax money on helping the American people for a change?

We can’t save the world on the back of the citizens in this country. The federal government is cutting back on funds to the state and in turn, the states are telling the localities that they will have to pick up the slack That really means that the localities will have to raise taxes on you and me to make up for the shortfall, and the average citizen is having a hard time staying afloat.

It would be nice to have some of the billions we are spending in the Mid east and find a cure for cancer, alzheimer’s, he-art, and other illnesses that we still can’t conquer.

We are all hurting and with budget time coming up, and the localities will have to raise fees and taxes. Things could get a lot worse and many say that hard times are here now.

If I thought that we could really free the Afgh- anistan people and they wanted it, I would say stay the course, but I don’t think we can and why lose one more American on a cause that I think we can’t win?

I will ask you one question. Did we really win in Iraq?

That country is slowly getting right back into fighting among themselves, with or without a dictator. Now we are faced with Iran. Will that be our next war zone?

One more question. Is the Bible being fulfilled when it said we would have wars and rumors of wars at the end of time? Many Bible scholars think so.

Now some other bits and pieces. Don’t forget to turn your clock a head one hour tonight, as Savlight Saving Time begins tomorrow at 2 a.m.

I don’t know about you but, I wish they would keep Daylight Saving Time all year. I sort of like the longer daylight in the afternoon when you have time to do some other things before dark. You know, Ben Franklin had a good idea when he suggested it.

One other date in March is March 20, the first day of spring, and I bet many of you have already bought your seed to plant your garden. I have cut back on my garden size and now just plant a few tomatoes and green peppers. The nei-ghbors always plant too much and they generously give us some of the over crop.

I have been told that the new bridge over Smith Creek on Main Street in downtown Clifton Forge is on schedule and may be finished by the end of October. With good weather, the contractor could possibly finish the bridge before the middle of October and the annual Shrines Fall Festival could be in the same location it always has been.

Easter is April 8 this year and on April 7 the Announcers will have their annual Gospel Sing at Alleghany High School starting at 7 p.m. and the admission is free. Keep Easter eve free and attend some good gospel singing including some new songs never sung before, according to Dale Muterspaugh.

One more date to keep in mind: May 5th and 6th, Magic in the Mountain and Alleghany Railroad Heritage Festival will be held together this year on the same weekend, On July 4 Stars and Stripes fun walk, parade, and fire works in Clifton Forge.

This will be a busy spring and summer and many things will be happening and I will try to tell you when so that you can attend, so stay tuned.

We are corning up on the best time of the year for most Christians and the Easter season with a risen Jesus, which means there is hope of everlasting life for you too.

Before I sign off this week, I want to address an oversight in my March 3 column. When I mentioned all the volunteers and organizations in the Highlands that make this such a great place to live, I failed to mention our firefighters and rescue squads. Where would we be without these folks? We appreciate every one of them.

I also want to extend my condolences to the family of Jake Cleek. Jake passed away Monday after a lengthy illness.

Jake was a pillar in the Bath County community. He served on both the school board and the board of supervisors. He was first principal at Bath County High School. Jake also operated a hardware store on Main Street in Hot Springs for a number of years.

Jake is the second member of the previous Bath County School Board to die in the past three months. Joyce Hevener died in December after a lengthy illness.

Both are missed, but both made Bath County a little better because of their contributions to the community.

Out of space, time, and coffee, see you next week. and I will leave you with this from Peter I: 5-7.

“Casting all your care on Him, for He cares for you.”