VETERANS UTILIZE RALLY TO URGE RENEWAL OF PRIDE IN AMERICA

Speaking at a Prisoner of War-Missing in Action Rally Saturday, two veterans urged those in attendance not to lose their recently revitalized pride in the United States and its military.

"It's nice to see people that have regained the spirit that we recognize as that of America," said retired Lt. Col. Ian Sutherland, assistant Cape Girardeau County prosecuting attorney. "I want you to maintain that spirit."

Sutherland said in order to make sure that spirit and pride in country are not lost, people are going to have to take America back again.

"I'm not sure exactly from who, yet, but we're going to have to take it back," he said. "For at least 20 years we sat back and let a whole lot of special interest groups take over this country, and I think it's about time for the mainstream, which is people like you, to take it back.

"We've done a fair job during Desert Storm because we regained our pride in ourselves," Sutherland continued, "but don't lose it. Don't go back to the complacency that this country is so powerful and so big that we don't really have to be concerned about."

Sutherland said each individual in this country is important. "Yeah, you're just one person ... just one vote," he said, "but that's desperately important, and if you forget that, they'll take it, and take it away from us for good."

Who is "they," Sutherland asked rhetorically. "I don't know. Maybe it's the politicians. But I don't think what's been going on the last 20-25 years has reflected your spirit, or your attitude about the way America should be," he said.

"That's the phase I'm talking about, because our values the values that we hold near and dear are those things that we have never had to argue with anybody in this country about before. Now, we find that we are."

Sutherland said the United States is still the most powerful nation in the world, but warned that power is not infinite. "And if we're not real careful, we won't have it, and then it'll be too late," he said.

"I don't want to have to fight a revolution in this country. When I came back from Vietnam in 1969, I thought I was going to have to. When I came back in 1972, I was sure I was going to have to," Sutherland continued. "About once every two or three years, I look around and wonder that maybe we ought to."

He continued, "But I can guarantee you from personal experience that you don't want to have to fight a revolution here. So let's keep it the America that we want. And it's people like you that will do it."

Jerry McCall of Bloomfield is a former Vietnam POW. He served with the Marines in Vietnam in a search and recovery unit that tried to locate prisoners of war and downed pilots. He spent three years in a Viet Cong POW camp, from 1968 to 1971. McCall is the son of a World War II Navy veteran, and a nephew of a fighter pilot who served in Korea. He and his brother and half-brother fought in Vietnam.

"I'm old enough that if Desert Storm would have continued, I would have been the father of a veteran," McCall said.

He said Desert Storm revitalized the American spirit. "It made America come back the full circle, back to being proud of who we are and proud of our military," McCall said.

He described a veteran as an American who dons a uniform and leaves home to pay back, in part, the privilege of being an American and enjoying the freedoms of this country. "A veteran, to me, is a person that has faith in their country," McCall said.

During his captivity in a Vietnam POW camp, McCall said it was his faith in America that kept him going. "I had faith in my country and in my fellow American," he said. "I knew that I would not be a POW forever. I can't speak for the 50,000 guys who are not here, but I do speak up to remind you that we have veterans from all wars that are missing. They are your fathers, brothers, sons, and daughters."

The rally was sponsored by the Joint Veterans Council of Cape Girardeau and held at the VFW Lakes, west of Cape Girardeau.

Proceeds from the dinner will go toward the Joint Veterans Council's programs and activities, which include Memorial Day services and the Veteran's Day Parade.

The council said it plans to hold a POW-MIA rally each year.