GROUND ZER0, New York, N.Y.--Aug. 23, 2003-- Today celebrates our younger daughter's wedding shower.   She's the star of  the event, and in her purse is a 9mm Glock just in case the Beast of Terror shows up and tries to be a spoilsport.
      For the past five years in New York City, she's been prowling the streets during the night and day in search of the Beast's footprints.    She's part of a federal, state and local undercover team that ferrets out criminals seeking to destroy the moral and lawful fabric of society.
      But today, she's glowing, as any soon-to-be bride.

     It's her wedding shower, and the Sentinels of Vigilance are smiling down upon her.
      Her mission in life has been to find the Beast of Terror and all his many demon cohorts and "bust them" so they are rendered impotent to inject their venom into the veins of a vulnerable society.   Her work takes her to the seediest of all parts of New York City where she sits waiting for the Beast to raise his head, expose his weaknesses so her task force can swoop down like eagles and sink their talons into those who would harm the Parents, Grandparents, Loved Ones and Citizens of Vigilance when they least expect it.
      It is an honor for both my wife and I to see the sun of love shine on our daughter's beautiful face, igniting it with a passion for life that only matrimony brings to those who believe the Gordian Knot that keeps the Beast at bay is the family, and all it represents.
      She is a stalwart Sentinel of Vigilance in her field, going to work early and coming home late into the wee hours with no overtime or kudos, for her job is about being a sentry for civilization.
      Law enforcement, whether at the federal, state or local level, is a profession that tests one true skills at serving the public.   Unlike many jobs, each and every day she risks her life because the people she seeks to arrest are willing to kill those trying to stop them.   
     Not many jobs require a willingness to die for others so that they and their families may be safe.   But hers is one of those.
     I sat with her today while she was getting her nails done.    I guarded her purse.  Inside it was her weapon, a 9mm Glock, the smaller version.   It was a gift from her mother and myself, to go along with the larger one that she is issued as part of the job.
     Not too many parents get to give their daughter a gun when they launch their careers.  Most give nice pen and pencil sets, or watches, or perhaps a new car, or a nice wardrobe.   But a nice, small Glock was a prized gift when our daughter entered the federal law enforcement system and began her career of undercover work against "street Terrorism."

     About a year ago she met another Terror-Hunter.   He was retiring after twenty years on the force.  They kept their engagement a secret from fellow workers until last week when the wedding invitations were sent out.    They met doing undercover work.
      Now, he's finishing up his degree to teach school.
      Both have served their city, state and nation by putting many Street Terrorists in jail and slowing the flow of crime that streams its way into everyone's neighborhood.
     Crime Terrorism is like any other type of Terrorism.  It seeks to instill Fear, Intimidation and Complacency in all it touches.    But Terror-Hunters bring Courage, Conviction and Right Actions for the Children's Children's Children to bear heavily on the Triad of Terrorism.    And, they win the battle each time they put the manacles on a "bad guy" or "bad gal" and stop them from feeding the vermin of crime any fatter.
       I salute our daughter and her soon-to-be husband.
       May they always be Sentinels of Vigilance.

        

Aug 22--A 5,280-Pound Bomb Terrorizes Alabama Supreme Court

©2001 - 2004, VigilanceVoice.com, All rights reserved -  a ((HYYPE)) design

The Pledge Of Vigilance