| Honoring Montana’S World War Ii Veterans |
September 21, 2012 |
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Denny Rehberg, R-MT
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"Lee Alderdice (Polson, MT); Milton Lyman Amsden (Broadus, MT); Harry A. Arvidson (Lincoln, MT); Peter N. “Bert” Bertram (Absarokee, MT); Leonard E. “Len” Bestrom (Laurel, MT); Warren Charles Bodecker (Plains, MT); Ralph Floyd Brewington (Broadview, MT); James C. “Jim” Brook (Lewistown, MT); William Boner “Bill” Brown (Billings, MT); Jackson Lamar “Jack” Burger (Lavina, MT); Filmore Burton Canon (Broadus, MT); John M. Clark (Butte, MT); Harold Lee “Hal” Conrad (Lewistown, MT); Hollis E. Coon (Butte, MT); Gool Counts (Livingston, MT); Carley Rhein Cromwell (Missoula, MT); Leo Eckhardt (Billings, MT); James E. “Jim” Elander (Missoula, MT); James “Jim” Ellison (Billings, MT); Charles T. “Bosco” Eskro (Billings, MT); Frank D. Evans (Billings, MT); Alvin Oscar Fisher (Billings, MT); Samuel W. Frank (Laurel, MT); Durl J. Gibbs (Buffalo, MT); Raymond P. “Ray” Gregori (Hungry Horse, MT); Robert Glover Hall (Potomac, MT); Charles E. “Chuck” Halstead (Columbus, MT); Thomas A. “Tom” Hanel (Billings, MT); Russell LeRoy Hartse (Missoula, MT); James “Jim” Hasterlik (Great Falls, MT); Milam V. Hearron (Billings, MT); McDonald Watkins “Don” Held (Billings, MT); Lewis Wiliam “Louie” Holzheimer (Great Falls, MT); Bernard E. “Barney” Ilertson (Corvallis, MT); Earl T. Jackson (Deer Lodge, MT); Elwin M. Johnson (Laurel, MT); George L. Kimmet (Billings, MT); Vincent Leo “Vince” Koefelda (Laurel, MT); Vernon Lee “Vern” Koelzer (Billings, MT); Frank J. Koncilya (Lewistown, MT); Andre Rioul “Andy” Kukay (Great Falls, MT); Willard E. “Bud” LaCounte (Billings, MT); Albert Raymond “Al” Lasater (Ryegate, MT); Harold J. Lasater (Forsyth, MT); Gorvan J. “Duke” LeDuc (Laurel, MT); Oscar Lawrence “Lawrence” Lee (Shepherd, MT); Norman D. Leonard (Billings, MT); Joseph Biggs “Joe” Litle (Bozeman, MT); Max E. Long (Laurel, MT); Robert W. Lubbers (Billings, MT); Leonard John “Pat” Mager (Harlowton, MT); James J. Marshall (Missoula, MT); William R. “Bill” Matthew (Anaconda, MT); Paul Messer (Billings, MT); Elizabeth Steele “Betty” Meyer (Paradise, MT); Geraldine E. “Gerry” Mihalic (Missoula, MT); Gerald Kenneth “Jerry” Nelson (Billings, MT); John H. “O’bie” O’Bannon (Stevensville, MT); Clarence Allan “Ole” Olson (Billings, MT); Eddie C. Olson (Vida, MT); Ray A. “Ole” Olson (Billings, MT); Thomas F. “Pat” Patterson (Stevensville, MT); Roy Louis “Pete” Peters (Roy, MT); John W. Porter (Deer Lodge, MT); Carl “Corky” Redding (Billings, MT); Michael Gene Rhodes (Billings, MT); Robert V. “Bob” Ryan (E. Helena, MT); Charles Franklin “Frank” Sandford (Missoula, MT); Dave Schledewitz (Townsend, MT); Laurence Norbert Shipp (Miles City, MT); William James “Jim” SiveIle (Poison, MT); Anthony William “Bill” Skorupa (Bridger, MT); Charles E. “Chuck” Smith (Billings, MT); Donald E. Smith (Melville, MT); Kenneth C. “K.C.” Smith (St. Regis, MT); Robert M. “Bob” Standefer (Billings, MT); John R. “Jack” Stevenson (Missoula, MT); Frank Phillip Thatcher (Billings, MT); Clifford V. “Cliff” Thomsen (Billings, MT); Robert E. “Bob” Torgrimson (Billings, MT); Ronald Wilmar “Buck” Torstenson (Kalispell, MT); James Arthur “Jim” Vick (Billings, MT); Albert “Al” Wade (Billings, MT); James Forest “Jim” Walker (Billings, MT); Bernard Edgar Wanderaas (Vida, MT); Joseph A. “Joe” Weber (Deer Lodge, MT); Allen L. “Buster” Whittington (Billings, MT); Bryce Wood Williams (Billings, MT); Andrew R. “Pete” Winter (Ronan, MT)."
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| A Chanuka Message |
December 19, 2011 |
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Scott Rigell, R-VA
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"Chanuka’s origins in the drama of a small people standing up to the might of the Hellenistic empire of antiquity is a poignant symbol and a timeless reminder of Israel’s unique and timely legacy. The Maccabees’ successful revolt in 167 B.C.E. against the dictates of King Antiochus IV that sought to deprive the Jews of practicing their faith, was truly a stance of a proud conscience. Our refusal to submit to a superior physical power when our spiritual inheritance was at stake, is a clear indication of how deep a bond we held with our religious convictions, ready to sacrifice the sacred gift of life for the sake of an ancestral covenant with the God of Freedom and Responsibility. The word Chanuka and its very meaning represent the spirit of dedication to noble ideals and ideas through the cleansing of Jerusalem’s temple of old from pagan defilement. The Talmud’s insisting focus on the miracle of the cruse of oil lasting eight days reflects the Rabbis’ aversion to the bloodshed and the Hasmoneans’ intra-political strife, associated with the war and beyond. Consequently, the Book of the Maccabees was not included in our own Biblical canon but was fortunately preserved through the Catholic one. In truth, the conflict was not only against the enemy from without, but also in response to the experienced assimilation from within. The encounter with the dominant, flourishing and tempting Greek culture led, however, to a fruitful engagement influencing Rabbinic thought and logic. The flickering lights of Chanuka have come to represent through centuries of trying suffering the miracle of Jewish survival in spite of great odds, while endowing the human family with an enduring, undying hope for a world transformed and redeemed. Let us continue to pray and labor that the ancient promise of prophetic Shalom from the hills of Judea, the first such inspiring and courageous message of universal embrace, will yet be realized for all of God’s children including the offspring of Isaac and Ishmael whose familial bond cannot be denied. How frustrating that there are Palestinian leaders attempting to re-write history by removing the incontrovertible Jewish connection with the Temple Mount, seeking to extinguish Chanuka’s authenticity. As our American nation, the State of Israel and the entire free world fight the blight of contemporary terrorism with Iran begrudging the Maccabeean victory leading the way, much can be learned from the Maccabees’ old and new saga and spirit. The terrorists negate the life-enlightening, pluralistic and inclusive principles of Chanuka’s bright Menorah daring to challenge the darkness. All humans have now become like vulnerable Jews yet empowered with our people’s indomitable faith and heroic example to face an oppressive foe—physically, spiritually, and psychologically—and prevail."
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