Congratulations Coach @thacoachmike & Michigan on the win!! Awesome for Coach May, You and your entire team on the win! 🏆 #CoachBoyton#CowboyForever 💛💙 🧡🖤
I was flying Southwest from Dallas to New York. Three rows ahead of me, there was a young soldier in uniform. He looked barely 18. He was staring straight ahead, gripping the armrests. He looked nervous. When the drink cart came around, the flight attendant asked him what he wanted. 'Coke, please,' he said. 'Heading home?' she asked kindly. 'No, ma'am,' he said. 'Deploying. First time.' The whole row went quiet. The flight attendant didn't say a word. she handed him his Coke. Then, she got on the PA system. 'Ladies and gentlemen, we have a very special guest in Row 8 today. Private Miller is on his first deployment to serve our country. Since I can't buy him a drink, I’m going to ask a favor. If you want to write him a note of encouragement, pass it forward.' I grabbed a napkin. I wrote: 'You got this. Stay safe. - A dad from Row 12.' I watched as napkins traveled up the aisle. Napkins, receipts, pages torn from books. By the time we landed, the soldier had a pile of paper on his tray table three inches high. He stood up to get his bag, and he was wiping his eyes. He carefully packed every single scrap of paper into his rucksack. 'Thank you,' he told the flight attendant. 'No,' she said. 'Thank you.' We all walked off that plane a little quieter, reminded that freedom is just a word until you meet the kid who is defending it.
Credit: Margie Lee
When I see Team USA freestyle skiers saying ICE does not represent them, my mind goes back to 2012.
Seventy-six of us - Papua New Guinean students - arrived in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Thousands of miles from home. Different weather, different culture, different everything.
That first night, during dinner, one of our own stood up and sang our national anthem.
Grown men and women cried.
Not because life was easy - but because we knew what it meant to represent your country far from home.
We were carrying our people, our families, our land with us - quietly, respectfully, proudly.
That’s why this hurts to watch.
These athletes live in the most developed country on Earth. They train in world-class facilities. They enjoy freedoms and protections most humans will never experience.
Yet when they step onto the global stage, they find it easy - almost fashionable - to trash the country that gave them everything.
Every nation has flaws. Every government has problems.
But the global stage is not the place to air domestic political grievances.
I remember @GavinNewsom at Davos. Same issue.
What happens at home should stay at home.
Abroad, the American brand should be unified - not fractured for applause.
Then there’s Billie Eilish - living in a mansion, private security, completely insulated from everyday reality - proudly chanting “ICE out.”
Let me offer perspective.
In America, you dial 911. Police, fire, ambulance show up - minutes, maybe hours.
In Papua New Guinea?
There is no 911.
In rural areas, there is often zero police presence.
Murderers, rapists, violent criminals live in the same communities as their victims.
If something happens, you either find a police station - or defend yourself. Sometimes you just say goodbye to your loved ones.
That’s not theory. That’s life for millions.
In America, you don’t even have to leave your house.
Food shows up. Packages show up. Transportation shows up.
You drive or walk to a polling booth. Ballot boxes arrive easily. Voter registration is accessible.
In PNG - a country that’s 80% rural - people carry ballot boxes on foot, climbing mountains, crossing rivers, just to vote.
Services don’t reach the people - but the ballot boxes do.
And still, people complain.
As much as Americans may struggle - your reality is the lifelong dream of millions who will never experience it. Not once. Not ever. Not even for a generation.
When you stand on the world stage, fly your flag with humility and pride.
Critique your country at home if you must - but don’t forget how rare, how privileged, how blessed your position truly is.
Some of us know what it means to represent a nation - because we come from places where survival isn’t guaranteed, and opportunity isn’t assumed.
And we still sing our anthem with tears in our eyes.
To conclude, as mentioned above, in PNG services rarely or if not ever reaches the rural populace but they consider it their civic duty to vote when the ballot boxes reaches them. Knowing full well that one day, their vote will help secure their children and grandchildren's futures.
What excuse do you have for sitting out the primaries and the midterms?
@AmyKremer Amen! My dad is a Vietnam Veteran who was TOLD he was going 2 war. He served our country with pride, honor & dignity as all military do. He went to defend the freedoms we have today & he flew & wore the American Flag with pride! It’s an honor to represent Team USA. Act as such!
God Bless our Military past and present and God Bless the United States of America. As a mom of an only child (son) I often think how my grandparents must have felt sending my dad, their only son to Vietnam. I can’t even fathom. Thank you isn’t enough. ❤️🇺🇸❤️
Anonymous
I was flying Southwest from Dallas to New York. Three rows ahead of me, there was a young soldier in uniform. He looked barely 18. He was staring straight ahead, gripping the armrests. He looked nervous. When the drink cart came around, the flight attendant asked him what he wanted. 'Coke, please,' he said. 'Heading home?' she asked kindly. 'No, ma'am,' he said. 'Deploying. First time.' The whole row went quiet. The flight attendant didn't say a word. she handed him his Coke. Then, she got on the PA system. 'Ladies and gentlemen, we have a very special guest in Row 8 today. Private Miller is on his first deployment to serve our country. Since I can't buy him a drink, I’m going to ask a favor. If you want to write him a note of encouragement, pass it forward.' I grabbed a napkin. I wrote: 'You got this. Stay safe. - A dad from Row 12.' I watched as napkins traveled up the aisle. Napkins, receipts, pages torn from books. By the time we landed, the soldier had a pile of paper on his tray table three inches high. He stood up to get his bag, and he was wiping his eyes. He carefully packed every single scrap of paper into his rucksack. 'Thank you,' he told the flight attendant. 'No,' she said. 'Thank you.' We all walked off that plane a little quieter, reminded that freedom is just a word until you meet the kid who is defending it.
@GovLauraKelly@GovLauraKelly our schools are not fully funded until every child receives a breakfast & lunch daily at no charge. School lunch debt is a real issue. Ks pays so much in taxes, use that money to feed our kids. Just a suggestion!
The kindness of one person can literally change a life! A cop, teacher, principal, a cashier, god puts people in our lives for a reason. I firmly believe that & always when you need them most.
@GovLauraKelly Ms. Kelly, when “fully funding” Ks. Schools, please please make 1 breakfast & 1 lunch daily available for EVERY child. We are not fully funded when parents have to pay for school lunches. Children learn, behave & perform better when their minds and stomachs are fueled.
I’ve seen him in concert and I can tell you, he’s an incredible man who’s genuine, emotional and spiritual and I cried multiple times but I also left the concert truly feeling like it’s all gonna be alright! ❤️ I hope this sweet little girl did too!! ❤️
Singer Jelly Roll struggles to make it through his song after noticing a young fan who recently lost her mother.
The girl was seen crying in the stands while holding up a sign about her mom.
“What a strong young lady it takes to be here representing your mama like that.
And I'm not sure that I can say anything that can make it better…”
“I hope you know that it's okay to not be okay. But I promise you, it's going to be all right.”
“We're going to dedicate this to her…”