In my tribute to Eddie I wrote, Hope Rides Eternal, I ended it saying:
“Most of you who wrote Eddie said that hope does not ride alone. You are right. Hope rides eternal. So let’s ride!”
I received numerous emails and had private conversations where you told me you were “awaiting my orders.” My goal, as stated in my article, is not allow my son to have died in vain, something that can happen if we do not get involved and push our legislators to allow our soldiers to win; to support our President who is, along with the military, fighting hard to win this global war against Islamic Fascists.
Well, here are my first “orders,” and they are general orders not unlike Eddie or any soldier would have to know while on guard duty. I’ve included the original general orders but I’ve re-written them to align with The Ride.
GENERAL ORDERS
1st General Order
I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved.
2nd General Order
I will obey my special orders and perform all my duties in a military manner.
3rd General Order
I will report violations of my special orders, emergencies, and anything not covered in my instructions, to the commander of the relief.
GENERAL ORDERS FOR THE RIDE
1st General Order
I will forever guard the memory of our fallen heroes with all my abilities and never quit my vigilant watch as long as I live.
2nd General Order
I will forever dedicate myself to work for the goals of The Ride and perform all my civic duties in an honorable and patriotic manner.
3rd General Order
I will contact my elected officials whenever they try to tarnish the image of our military, betray the sacrifices of our fallen soldiers, and give into political pressure at the expense of our beloved country.
Here is the goal of The Ride: To bring honor and glory to God and to continue the fight my son, Sergeant Eddie Jeffers, passed on to us.
If you will join me, please say so by leaving a comment with this post. If you’ve not already signed up with the blog, now is the perfect time!
God bless you!
In the words of a brave martyr for the cause of Freedom, Todd Beamer, who died defending our country, while simply a civilian passenger on a commercial flight; he and his fellow passengers voted, prayed, and fought Radical IslamoFacist who were bent on destroying thousands of people in our nations capitol, “Let’s Roll!”
Dave, it is so good to have some general orders and a direction to go. I love the direction you are going. I think that commited citizens, informed of abuses and surrender-loving-cowards in our government, will take action to make a difference.
As I am thinking about what to do first, maybe it would be helpful if those of us who know about such politicians or policies that need to be protested, need letters written, need emails sent, and need faxes fired off, were reported to you or some entity that would track, investigate and then alert us, we could then take appropriate action.
I am also thinking that if there are local issues, each person may need to organize their own “Ride Action.”
I can also envision things like “Ride for Hope” bike rides to bring attention and raise funds for worthy causes. We could ride with Eddie’s name and with banners that might say, “Make Sure That Hope Will Never Ride Alone Again.” Or, “We are Riding For the Hope of Victory!” or a hundred other sayings people could come up with.
I can see veterans in wheel chairs riding for the cause and proudly displaying banners that say, “We are Riding for Sgt Eddie Jeffers and His Hope!” or other clever titles.
I can see car clubs “Riding” for Eddies “Hope” I can see Truckers with the sides of their 40-foot trailers in big bold letters, “In Memory of Sgt. Eddie Jeffers” He will never Ride Alone, We are Riding for Victory and For Our Brave Soldiers!” or a hundred other great things people could come up with.
Let us all consider what, where and how we can defend our Military from the enemies within, and how we can honor the memory of the author of “Hope Rides Alone” so that hope will never ride alone again!
We are ready, General Orders in hand, awaiting more specific targets, “Let’s Roll!”
May God draw millions into the fight for America, Victory, and Freedom,
Cliff Jones
Bro Cliff,
That is exactly the type of enthusiasm, innovation, and initiative I am looking for! I will be posting special order #1 tomorrow. Stay tuned!
Thanks Dave,
I am looking forward to it!!
As a reminder to all, let us never forget the words of our late great American President Ronald Reagan, who said, “Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have.”
We are those men and women, we have the will, we have the moral courage and we are free and motivated be involved, active and effective freedom fighters, in the best sense of the word.
Cliff
I’m signing up for the ride. The enemy within (liberals) will not win this war to demonize and demoralize our brave fighting forces. Already we see the Harry Reids and his 5th column reds twisting words and lying about Rush’s accurate portrayal of a phony soldier who was busted out of the Army and making up stories about our troopers in Iraq. The liberals are good at this game of lying, manipulation and deceit. These weasels are anti-American unpatriotic communists. Next time one of them challenges anyone to question their patriotism I’ll call them what they are, traitors. Eddie gave his life fighting for these b****ds and they spit on him. We’re fighting a war on 2 fronts, the Islamic terrorists abroad and America haters (liberals) at home. We must win both if we are to survive and continue to make America the greatest country on God’s earth. Eddie will not have died in vain. bob
The Vietnam war proveked this, but it applies to all of our vets.
Our Vets
I’m grateful for our Vets,
Who never served in vain.
Every job important,
None of it mundane.
Every one a hero,
No matter where they served.
For those alive or dead,
Our gratitude’s deserved.
To those who fought and died,
Because they had no choice,
I’m especially grateful,
With sadness in my voice.
L. A. Wittenberg, 5/3/05
Hi Dave- I’m ready. Let’s roll! Carolyn
Saddle up and move out everyone!
Welcome aboard Carolyn and Lil Bit! May the Holy Spirit ignite our hearts and give us courage to stand in the gap for Eddie and all our brave fallen heroes!!
To God be the Glory!
Dave – I wish I had more time to come up with something inspirational and witty but I’m on my way to speak at the funeral of another Soldier. He, like many of us, is an “old Soldier” meaning he’d done his time and retired but he would be one of the first to have jumped on this ride. It’s comforting to think that perhaps Harry has looked up Eddie in Heaven and that they’re both smiling knowing that the battle has only just begun.
Count me in Brother!
Count me in my Brother! I am already a member of the Vanguard. But, as an Evangelical, a true conservative and a man who loves this country..I find it appalling that millions in our nation still find it easy to “sit on the fence”, to “watch as our nation is slowly but surely being brought down by the Left”….and all we do is complaint about their ways. Complaining is meaningless without action and Nov 2008 will be her a lot faster than we all think!!
The Liberals are the equivalent of the Iraqi Insurgency. They are cowards and will go to any length to destroy whatever gets in their way. They will destroy their own “Democrats” if they go against their agenda, they will destroy any Republican with the slightest weakness, they will destroy the minorities they say they care about. It is all about Power to them, power they will try and achieve ANY WAY POSSIBLE. Just as the Iraqi Insurgency is willing to murder Muslims, Jews, Christians, children, women, et-al because it does not matter if their “muslim brothers” get killed if and when they “get in their way of reaching Power.”
Like the Iraqi Insurgency, the Libs will do it and have been doing it “stealthily” and use lies and propaganda to get people to “see it their way”. How do you defeat an insurgency? We are the “soldiers” that will defeat it! By attacking them, confronting them, smacking them right on the kisser. That is what we need to do, we “smack them” with action, we confront their lies – immediately -, we call those that are acting treasonous, the traitors they are. We keep the high moral ground, but never give up being straightforward because the facts are on our side on all things that matter (abortion, immigration, War on Terror, taxes, capitalism vs socialism).
I invite everyone to read an article by a former KGB hand, General Ion Mihai Pacepa. To defeat your enemy, you must know your enemy. Learn about their new word “progressive” and who used it in the past (Communist party).
The General delivers a “warning for all of us†that wish to make a difference. It is called: “Propaganda Redux” – Take it from this old KGB hand: The left is abetting America’s enemies with its intemperate attacks on President Bush.
The time is nigh for Evangelicals to “show their power”, the time is nigh for “Real Conservatives” to tell the RINOS, enough!! The time is nigh to “eviscerate and defeat the Leftist-Progressive INSURGENCY!
This is a War of Ideas we have allowed them to win many battles on, but the War of Ideas is not lost.
OUR ideas, our philosophy and our love for this nation will DEFEAT them. All we have to do is TAKE ACTION.
Get off your couches. Do you care about your children and grand children? I do. Do it for them, do it for the “Eddie’s” fighting in the front lines, do it for the United States. Be a proud but still humble American. Because that is the American I know, the one that passes candy to children on the streets of Iraq, the one that visits orphanages all over the world while serving. The one that, despite their hatred (I think it is envy) still feeds the Palestinians, the Africans, the Latin Americans and still “protects” even the Europeans. That is the American we really are, not the one painted by the MSM, the Leftist world-wide machine and the DEMOCRATS. Eventually, enough of them will be shamed into submission.
God Bless you David, God Bless youR son Eddie and let’s ensure we make Eddie proud. Because we know where he is and he is watching over us.
Let the Lord guide us.
Dave,
I so much would like to join you, but it’s not possible. However, I’m sending this blog to a good friend who has a large mailing list. With luck, a bunch of them will be able to join you.
God bless and keep you,
Chris
Dave,
Eddie did his part, now we must do ours’. God be glorified in all we do.
Blessings,
Sherri
Co-chairman, TheVanguard.Org
ps….Rod and I are leaving for the border next week. It should be interesting to work with the Minutemen!
Davo!!! You and I talked about these orders yesterday at lunch. Glad to see you promptly followed through. I do not need to tell you how passionate I am about this and how I hope these people that responded become part of a movement I feel will develop for the purpose (as you said) to continue the fight that Eddie left for us to finish, and to take back America. You know you have my support and I will do all I can to help make this happen
God Bless Eddie
Dino
If anyone really-I mean seriously-wants to devote some time and energy to opposing the deliberate effort to bring about American defeat via political means as path to the end goal of political power…then I strongly urge those people to do something that is perhaps the hardest, most dangerous, and most worthwhile thing possible:
get up off the couch [or off the computer desk chair], get your car keys, and venture into that dangerous place, the den of power found in every town in American, and open the door.
In other words, go to the library.
In the library, there are all kinds of books-entire shelves often-filled with actual battleplans. No joke. The arrogant leaders of the left actually published their plans on how to undermine the United States in the pursuit of seeking political power. First, I suggest trying out CODE PINK’s book, STOP THE NEXT WAR NOW. Next, James Carville’s, Had Enough. Paul Krugman’s got 20 books to his name (ie his own shelf), and the list goes on and on. These books are awful reading, but (no joke here) they are written with a structure designed for junior high students. They detail exactly how the politically left seeks to regain power [ie, their “end” result] even if the expense is American defeat (of which this week’s FOX poll shows 20% of Democrats actually, freely,strongly, and actively desire) [ie the “means” to their end].
It’s a hard thing to do. Not anywhere near as hard as enlisting, training, serving in Iraq, getting shot at and worse, but it’s a hard thing to reduce the pressure on one’s ass and actually get up and go to the library. It’s even harder to stomach reading through their plans, but the plans are there. If the plans are there, then you will know what actions you can take to counter them.
btw, yes, I have done this. I have checked out the books listed and more, and read them, and renewed them and re-read them. They are awful, insulting, disgusting, and best read with large quantities of beer or bourbon.
The plans are there. If someone really wants to take action, then the first step is to read the plans and determine where to choose one’s battlefield-the web, the newspapers, the blogs, through mail, door to door, rallies, etc. Whether it’s when you go hunting, or fishing, or whether you’re a general looking to fight, rule #1 is to fight on ground of your choosing. You look for that perfect place for a tree stand, or the perfect fishing hole, or a wide upon field with long sloping hills and woods that funnel an attack to your lines.
Check out the books, see how they plan, and decide how to oppose that under terms that are best for you, and least effective for them.
Best,
Scott
As I have said before, Dave: I ride with you and Eddie – always! I will be posting this over yonder…..
Love, love, love!
All my prayers include our troops (past and present) and their families. Without them, I fear what this country would devolve into. God bless them and watch over them.
As you know, I’m behind the scenes keeping The Right Balance on the air. Greg’s doing the show and making certain that people are supplied with the right material to make good decisions. We have always been and will always be 100% behind our military. Without them, our country is nothing. I pray our leaders make the right decisions. When they don’t, I favor them with a crusty email. I will be out here doing this until I can’t do it any more and that won’t be any time soon. Just as long as I don’t have to ride a motorcycle or break a nail! God bless all who contrubute however and whatever they can.
Well Dave, I guess the battle line has been drawn……
In the book “5 disfunctions of a Team” the auther whose name is escaping me says this – “Who ever can get a group of people running in the same direction for the common goal of the group; it doesn’t matter which market, what industry, or who the competition is, that group will be victorious?”
You seem to be putting quite the team together. I hope you knew before I wrote this, but you can count me in.
Another quote is – “You can’t stop an idea whose time has come!” Dave, I believe you son’s legacy is about to stir a sleeping nation. Too long has America been kept in the rut of complacency. Too long has America been feeding on incorrect information. It’s time for America to begin feeding on truth again, and awake to show to the world what (as was quoted by Cliff) free men and women are capable of.
How many people can this message reach. It’s up to us. As a team we can inspire a nation.
God bless you Dave, your family, and your efforts
You are an inspirational to all men and women
Brother at Arms
Brother in Christ
Adam
Dear Dave….
That is undoubtedly one of the most touching tributes ever written…not only to your son, but to His Son. I know you will have the Lord’s strength to see you through these hard days. You have strengthened my resolve as well. God bless you and your family and may He hold Eddie, and all of us, in the palm of His hand.