A mistake was made in this spot last week. Some miscommunication regarding this column found someone else’s column heading (or name and photo) where my name and photo should have appeared, and as I was pretty proud of the &uot;Bedford goes hog wild&uot; thing, I’d hate to give credit to someone else.

Anyway, on to this week’s column …

I have watched and kept my mouth shut (well, mostly) about this whole protesting thing.

I took that 12th grade civics class. You know the one &045; where you have a really hard teacher and you learn all you ever wanted to know about government, and probably economics, too.

I know all about the right to protest, the right to speak freely, the right to peacefully gather. I get it. I understand it.

But when you have to stand by and watch the glorification of those protesting something you would stand toe-to-toe and celebrate, it’s a little difficult. Scratch that &045; a lot difficult.

They’ve gathered and protested American actions regarding Iraq &045; actions which are undoubtedly leading us closer and closer to war.

Now, it doesn’t even need to be said that not one of us wants a war. We don’t want to send our family members to fight an enemy, no matter how evil that enemy is.

But there comes a time when good men must stand for what is right and just.

I believe this is that time. So, no matter how many people across our own country and across the world, stand in protest against our military, I believe we must carry on and &uot;stay the course,&uot; as it were.

I was deeply moved last Thursday night when I attended the Stand Up for America rally in Pelham. It seems when &uot;good&uot; people &045; strong, brave Americans &045; stand together, their voices are loud and proud.

At the end of the program, re-enactors marched onto the stage in front of a choir which was singing &uot;God Bless the USA&uot; and planted an American flag just as they did about 60 years ago on the shores of Iwo Jima.

An older gentlemen passed by me on his way to the stage with a pill bottle in his hand.

Sen. Hank Erwin bent down and let him have the microphone. With tears in his eyes and a catch in his voice, he said the most amazing and unexpected thing.

He said he was standing about 400 yards away when that flag was raised and one of the re-enactors was representing one of his best friends.

The pill bottle he raised held dirt from Iwo Jima, which he said he planned to have spread over his grave when he died.

His name was Mr. Jarvis, and Mr. Jarvis said he could remember standing there and thanking God that he was not being shot in the back anymore.

That was one of the most touching things I’ve ever been a witness to.

It really makes you wander if those who are protesting have ever met someone like Mr. Jarvis.

He risked his life for the freedom they have to say whatever they would like to about our President, no matter how negative.

It’s because of Mr. Jarvis, others like him in the past, in the present and in the future, that we live the way we do today. I really wish someone would point that out to those who spend so much time protesting.

In the meantime, I’ll just stand here and thank God for letting me live in a country where I can say, for that matter, write, anything I want