06/02/2026
From our Lima host ♥♥♥...
Personal musings of the daughter of a Marine, an advocate for democracy, a grandmother.
As many of you, there are days when I say “I can’t believe this is my country!”
On 60 Minutes this past Sunday Boris Pistorius, Germany’s Minister of Defense, said these words “we can no longer rely on the United States.” As Memorial Day had just passed, those words caught my breath. The country that saved Germany and all of Europe from fascism - could no longer be trusted. The controversy of Hiroshima and other aspects of the war will long be debated, but, there is no question that without the blood and tears of Americans, all would’ve been lost.
Bringing the giant preamble to the Constitution here was no easy task. Some of the men who reconstructed the banner here were veterans, some were not. I got to meet Michael Bendele, one the artists of the beautiful monument in front of the Veterans Memorial Civic Center. Singers raised their voices , voter registration was available. Volunteers handed out plumed pens, pins and stickers. Lady Liberty and Betsy Ross posed for pictures. And then, the people of Lima, Allen and Hardin counties showed up, parents, grandparents with their children, young and old, over 500 people signed on to this document with the shared belief that our democracy should be honored.
This giant banner was moved around all over Ohio, reconstructed, protected and advertised ALL by volunteers.
So, on those days when despair creeps in, remember the power of committed people who still dream of a world that provides freedom, justice and opportunity for all, because they honor some of the most powerful words, ever written