Below is an article I wrote about my dear friends Don and Jeanne Glass. I’ve just learned that Jeanne lost her dear husband and best friend of 57 years — Don. Don and I exchanged so many emails over the years — he was a constant inspiration to me in so many ways…I am speechless right now. But I wanted to look back at an article from earlier this year. Don took some heat from some who said he sounded pessimistic; I saw him as an optimistic realist! His words and frustration with what was happening in this country resounded with so many readers! THAT was what was important – he voiced THEIR frustrations; but yes, at heart he was an optimist – and for those critical of the article – well they just didn’t get the “big picture.”
Dear God how I will miss my friend. His last email was for me and my dear old mum to have a Merry Christmas because we deserved it…always thinking of others. Please say a prayer for Jeanne – Don would want you to…his family was everything to him.
See you on the other side Don. Give my Dad a hug. You guys are gonna hit it off great.
I promise to keep writing and fighting for what’s right – you told me to so many times.
Susan D. Harris
Two of American Thinker’s ‘senior readers’ grieve for America’s future
Don and Jeanne Glass live in Arizona. They are in their mid-80s and are loyal readers of American Thinker. They wrote me years ago after reading one of my articles here; and we became great friends.
They probably don’t fit the age demographic for the average, active conservative on the Internet. It’s hard to believe how many articles they consume, how much information they share, often keeping me up-to-date on important political or current events. Don writes the emails, but Jeanne is right there — she is palpably looking over his shoulder, adding her comments, always encouraging and engaging. They’re a team. They like their privacy but it seems like there’s nothing I can’t share with them. Now, I can’t imagine my life without them in it; even if it’s been mostly an Internet relationship that began with American Thinker.
Don sent out an email the other day, and I wanted to share it with you. They are you after all. Perhaps you, their fellow American Thinker readers — can relate to what they have to say, and maybe you can be the encouragement they are looking for. I will bow out.
This is what Don wrote in his email:
Help! I’ve reached a point that makes me think I need a priest. (I say “priest” because in the movies, that seems to be who everyone calls when they have a crisis.) Yes, don’t be surprised….maybe a priest, but since we’re not Catholic it would have to be a priest willing to compromise a little because of our different religious beliefs. (We consider ourselves first and foremost Americans who simply have a private, special relationship with our creator.) But I feel like I need someone to help me sort out my thoughts about where our country is going. If I could ask for help from Mark Levin that would be my ultimate choice, but I doubt he has time for me.
First of all I’m thinking, “Why in the hell should I even care? I’m not going to be here much longer; just leave things alone, don’t worry. Let others deal with our future.” Our opinions aren’t worth a rat’s behind anyway. We are no longer the nation of laws that our founders established. We have become a nation of politics and politicians who believe in BSing their way along and letting results be determined by those who BS best. It seems this had its beginning around 1913 when we listened to the BSers and instituted the progressive income tax. The influence of the left has been extremely effective since then.
Our Founders warned about that; they knew it could bring the eventual demise of our Constitutional Republic and introduce socialism, an ideology where we conduct ourselves politically and financially in a manner that’s destined to fail…as it has everywhere on earth up to this point.
I am listening to everyone I can, for instance, discuss this healthcare issue and my mind is spinning. You know how much I think of Mark Levin — his unbelievable intellect, his experience; much of it gleaned from his time with the Reagan administration. He thinks the AHCA is nothing but a Ponzi scheme that will be watered down in the Senate and we’ll be left with Obamacare-lite; despite what we are told by some of the best BSers in politics and the “news media” pundits.
Why did the childish Marxist Democrats blabber the song “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” in unison the other day after the vote was taken? Pelosi’s explanation of it being an “organic” message to Republicans that their constituents would vote them out of office was lame at best. At first I thought that maybe they knew that not much would happen despite what we hear from those incessant “moderates” — those who believe being a moderate allows things to get done in politics through compromise. You know, kind of like it was being moderate that allowed our laws and government “of the people, by the people and for the people” to be changed to a flexible form of socialism and crony capitalism. The BSers say being a moderate is good because one needs not have any convictions…stay flexible and be willing to compromise…not to worry, politicians will get things done for us.
Most of my friends know I was an avid golfer at one time. Golf, like our Republic, is played strictly by a set of rules. No ifs, ands or buts. Period. End of story.
Let’s suppose I’m playing professionally and during play, in the finals of a tournament with a lot of money on the line, I improve my lie before a shot, which is against the rules. My opponent sees me and calls me on it. I look at him and boldly say, “C’mon Joe, it’s not really important. You have to be flexible, you know, be willing to compromise once in a while. The strict rules we have are too extreme and even radical, so loosen up a bit guy. It will all work out; don’t worry.” And I play on, because my opponent knows me on tour for being a good guy and he doesn’t want to hurt my feelings by making a scene, and after all, life is a series of compromises anyway…isn’t it? Never mind Joe is out about half a million dollars. At the end of the tournament, my opponent discusses this with the members of the rules committee. They discuss it together and finally agree 6-3 that some flexibility is needed and I am indeed the winner. It would never happen, you say. (They said it would never happen for us politically either…but…there was a Supreme Court decision, wasn’t there?) And now that we’ve set the precedent, golf has now entered the era of chaos and can never be the same, ever. It would be the end of all tournament golf unless all final decisions are determined at the end of a tournament. Now that would be sane, wouldn’t it? I repeat…chaos.
We are either a country based on rules and laws, or we are setting ourselves up for being a country of manmade or dictated rules brought about by the best BSers money can buy. Just argue the stuff out. If one party has the most members in Congress and elsewhere, especially in the courts, they will get to make the decisions, and we subjects shall abide by what they decide.
We are either a country of laws or we’re not. Take your choice, but don’t complain when things don’t go your way. Just suck it up, cowboy, and keep your mouth shut. The BSers were much better educated than most of us at our most elite universities, so they are much smarter and will make decisions for us because they are better equipped! Stay moderate, be flexible; most of all be willing to compromise. That’s the way things really get done on our behalf.
I just don’t understand it. After a few years in the Navy when Ike was president, I busted my ass to get a world class education and raise my family with the same opportunities. Unlike some might feel today, it was an HONOR to serve my country; and it was at a time when our values were right and we honored our Constitution. After that I worked for fifty years. My dad told me at a very young age about getting any breaks in life: You make your own!
And yes, it was all worth it. We’ve had a wonderful life, because we were raised with traditional conservative values and we were given opportunities. One doesn’t need more, nor depend on more, unless they are physically or mentally limited to support themselves.
Do I sound like I am the last angry man because of what Marxists have done to my country? Well I am! I despise them and their ideology of lies and anyone who buys into their insanity. It is EVIL. Period.
The country has been dying slowly for over fifty years. The handwriting’s been on the wall. It feels like…How does one grieve when losing a loved one? Heart ache. I feel it within my body. I’m not just thinking about it in my mind. It’s like losing a family member, close friend; wonderful pet…but watching it slowly happen right before your eyes…
The good people of this country cried out Nov 8th for change and a return to traditional values. We had promises made; some have been kept, but far too many remain questionable. We do not like the Kushner influence or that of the GOP. Check ’em out…Dems to their core and corrupt.
Religion in America has, for the most part, let people down and they are crying out for help. These are the things that keep me awake at night.
If anyone reading this can help me figure this out (or call one of those priests they call in movies), I sure would appreciate it. It’s taking a real toll on my psyche and causing me great concern for the future of my children and grandchildren. Thanks!
(By Don Glass, and his wife Jeanne)
