When it comes to treason, who does it refer to?

Dear editor:

Walt Bilenski's letter of June 12 was interesting, calling it "treason" to not obey or respect his president while referring to Bush as an "8-year border-line imbecile." I guess that's different. (It usually IS.)

Walt, I'm sorry about your cancer. Been fighting it myself over the past several years from Agent Orange, thanks in part to another one of your presidents who couldn't make decisions either, back in '67-'68.

If you're retired, you took an oath of enlistment four or five times. So did I, right along with everyone else who has served out a military career. Every president has taken that same oath as well, Mr. Bilenski, but having an office or a title doesn't earn him automatic respect and blind obedience, "no matter what."

Politicians are the biggest thieves and liars in the country. How much "blind respect" are we expected to give a liar and a thief? "Just because" isn't reason enough. Trust and respect has to be earned. At ANY level. Nobody's "special" here, we ALL came out of "mommy's womb." Nobody was born "in-charge" of anything.

CICs don't have to do the dirty work, spill the blood and even lay their lives down for their policies, We do. So when the CIC chooses to ignore and discard the same oath we ALL took, "do his own thing," inflict mandates and virtually shred the Constitution for his own agenda, that same Constitution we ALL swore to protect, I no longer have any obligation to serve, respect or honor that CIC. He is no longer "one of us" and to continue offering blind obedience is not only a direct violation of the oath YOU took, but a violation of the common sense we're all supposed to be born with as well.

Blind obedience to an arrogant charismatic "leader" got the 7th Cavalry wiped out at the "Little Big Horn."

Blind obedience to an arrogant, charismatic gifted orator and "community organizer" eventually cost over 30 million human lives cross Europe from 1939 to 1945. We've obviously learned nothing.

You need to know what "treason IS" before you apply it, Walt: "Violation of the allegiance owed to one's sovereign or state; betrayal of one's country; giving aid and comfort to its enemies." Nowhere in Websters does it mention disobedience or disrespect to an elected official. This president with a ballpoint pen is far more of a threat to this nation than all the assault rifles ever made. And speaking of "assault rifles:"

Supplying assault rifles to Mexican drug cartels while blaming gunshows is where that word "treason" can be applied. Supplying warplanes and tanks to people who seek our extermination from the earth is "treason." Trying to take constitutional rights of self protection from honest citizens, leaving them wide open for God-only-knows-what is CERTAINLY "treason." Leaving folks to die in embassies without even making an attempt to help, just "write them off' and resume the campaign trail, well, what else could you call it?

I've never done anything against our country, Walt, just spoken out against those who seek its dismantlement. I've always held my oath as sacred and will not respect or follow anyone who doesn't.

I would never follow a "90-day wonder" 2nd Lieutenant across a rice paddy dike into an obvious ambush, but that's exactly what half of this country has done at the ballot boxes. I may have to acknowledge your president as an elected official, but he is not MY president, I do NOT have to accept him as the "2nd Coming" anymore than that "8-year border-line imbecile" YOU spoke of.

And, Mr. Bilenski, no real American president would do a worldwide "apology tour," trashing and demeaning his own country and the people he is supposed to be serving. You may gather I do NOT share your sentiment about this guy.

Heard any jet noise around here lately? No money for fuel so our F-15s sit. Air Force One does NOT. After the summit, it was on to Berlin to "woo" the crowds at the site where "Mr. Gorbechev tore down that wall." Neither does the "sequester" affect a $100 million trip to Africa. What's THAT all about? Everything is obviously fixed here at home now, eh?

What a "Kodak moment" with Putin. Does Obama actually think he's gonna get some kind of square deal from the same communist who used to head the KGB?

I retired from active duty in 1988 Mr. Bilenski. "Uncle Ronnie" was still in charge, the country was still strong and proud.

Today we've become the laughing stock of the planet, but it DOES make me grateful to be 65. I got to live in this country when it DID make sense, and I most likely won't be around to see the end of it.

Our grandkids will though, and THEY will cry "treason" when they realize what our collective stupidity has saddled them with.

-- Mike Bradbury