Simplicity Speaks Volumes

Captain Richard Phillips has finally made his way home after his ordeal with the Somali pirates. This man is the poster child of America for many reasons. First, he is a working man, doing a job that takes him away from home and family for long periods of time, a career that is dangerous on a normal basis as everyone knows that the sea is a unforgiving element, even when you face it in a large vessel. And it is a dangerous job when you also have to face criminal element that no nation is willing to tackle.
Second, this man returned home hailed as a hero, with the MSM foaming at the mouth to turn him into an Obama talking propaganda stooge. Instead, he just told all to leave him alone and retreated to the privacy of his family’s to enjoy his favorite meal and the unforgivable taste of freedom. Surely he has a much better understanding of what freedom means, as we do not realize the real preciousness of something until it is taken away from us.
Third, and definitely most important at least to me, Captain Phillips gave praise to the real heroes of the whole ordeal: the members of the United States Military.
During his short speech upon returning home, he called them heroes, professionals, doing an impossible job under impossible conditions. He expressed his gratitude not only to the fact that they saved his life through action that exemplifies their training and readiness, but also spoke of their position as the spear head of our Nation, a dangerous and hard place to be, in my opinion, especially these days.
Phillips called the Navy SEALs supermen and continues to praise all the others who not only saved his life, but also assisted him in the aftermath for their professionalism and dedication to the mission.

After hearing the speech from Capt. Phillips, I was most impressed by the simplicity of the man. in my mind he exemplifies what America really is, or at least was: a community of hard working people, struggling everyday to provide for their families and their communities and to achieve all that is possible through their labor. A community that recognizes the great gift they were given by just being Americans and have the opportunities that this country affords us every single day. But mostly, a community that realizes the immense debt we owe to those who go the extra mile and serve in our Military, putting their lives on the line definitely not for money or fame, but for a sense of duty and dedication to the strength and security of a Nation that unfortunately does not always shows much appreciation.

I wish I could tell Richard Phillips personally how grateful I am to him for giving real Americans a voice, transcending for once political affiliations and ideologies, giving praise where it’s due.
I hope that he will maintain his posture and not be lured into the 15 minutes of fame syndrome the Media is surely offering him. If he continues to stand tall in his simplicity, he will probably be thrown under the bus by the MSM, but in the mind of this American the simplicity of his words spoke volumes about the strength of the American people.

God bless the Military and their Families!

And these are my thoughts!
Frank “Semperpapa”