And I cheer for the underdog: Goodbye Mr. Laughlin

As most of you know, Mr. Lauglin, my elementary school principal passed away last week of cancer. I am writing my tribute for the "Red Oak Express," but I'm not sure what will get on the pages. But I'm just using this to say another thank you for the man who changed my life. Here is the unedited version of my story. Sorry to disappoint, no conspiracy here, just a simple thank you to a good man who will be missed. He was always cheering for the underdog......

While in second grade, I was in the middle of my show and tell speech. I just got this really cool pencil from my Mom that I had to share with everyone. It looked like a mailbox, and the eraser was a little package. I quickly launched into an entire story about this being a mailbox for a mouse and its family. While I was telling my story, Mr. Laughlin was walking by the classroom and stopped mid-step. He came into the room and listened to my story. I got embarrassed because this new principle was listening to my silly little story when he probably had better things to do.

Later that day Mr. Laughlin stopped me in the hallway. He told me how much that he loved my mouse story. I told him that I was embarrassed. Mr. Laughlin then said something to me that I will never forget, "Lisa, never be afraid of your gift." Until that very moment I had never thought of telling stories as anything more than entertainment. Not a gift.

A few years later he would chaperon several students to a writer's workshop, and that cemented what I wanted to do with my life. It was because of Mr. Laughlin that I went after my dreams. He will be dearly missed, but his legacy will live on in all of his kids.

My rant.

Well, giving what has happened the last week it's really hard NOT to go there. Is Bin Ladin really dead or is this just another govt ploy to get us to believe one thing, while the truth still remains out there.

I may go on a rant here but I am so passionate about how our American troops are treated. This isn't about what kind of political group you choose to believe in. I do not choose to be labeled by something so negative. I have the freedom to choose, or not, and that is thanks to the great sacrifices that our troops make every day. Our American men and women who serve our country should be thanked every single day for what they do. They pay for our freedom in blood. I don't take that for granted for a second.

(I also don't take for granted that our country deserves justice for what happened to us on 9/11. We suffered a blow that we have never gotten over. The families suffer every day, the country suffers everyday.Nothing will ever be the same again. I don't want to take anything away for that tragedy either. We will never get back to life the way it was before. Maybe we can change the future for the positive.)

I am sicked how troops are being used though. Let me get this straight. The people who are responsible for the death of Bin Ladin are the same people Obama wasn't going to pay? And now he's getting all the credit. How dare you Obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wouldn't put it past you to use our army for your own political gain: IE saying that you had Bin Ladin captured and killed right before elections start! You weren't even going to pay these people. These people who work hard and see things that you've never seen, and they aren't good enough to pay, but good enough to use. You have never served our country so how can you truly run it!!!!

And while this whole thing is happening, it makes it easy for our to lose focus on other things. Such as the sky rocking gas prices, or how our troops are being moved into China. Do you realize that the economy isn't getting any better. There are still many many people out of work.  You just don't hear much about that now do you? Government is all smoke and mirrors. What is the truth? I believe Bin Ladin to be dead as much as I believe Elvis is dead. And I think we will continue to see appearances for both of them for years to come.

So if he's dead or if he isn't we will truly never know. But when people start yelling "Go Obama" and believe that he is the one who spear-headed this whole event maybe should think twice. Was he the person who was tracking? No. Was he the one who spent hours in fear we will never know away from family and loved ones? No. Was he the intelligence officers who came up with the plans, or the people that followed through? No. He was the person who wasn't going to pay them though. He is the one who is taking credit, and the one who is distracting the American public from other horrors that are going around us.

Thank your troops, save the praise for Obama for something he truly does deserve to be thanked for. And and aint this.