Thursday, December 17, 2015

Lake Chargoggagoggmanchoggagogg

LAKE CHARGOGGAGOGGMANCHOGGAGOGG
By Jim "Gymbeaux" Brown, December 12, 2015

Lake Chargoggagoggmanchoggagogg is a 17-mile-around lake in Webster. (Some sources offer this spelling: Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg). The original name of the lake as it appears in ancient deeds was Chabanakongkomom, with fewer letters and easier to pronounce. The Nipmuks gave the body of water this name because it was neutral territory and a favored site for powwows among their tribe and the Narraganssett, Pequot and Mohegan tribes. Residents of Webster have shortened the name, understandably, to Lake Manchaug.

Another name for this lake if it were to be named in 2015 could be, Lake Political Correctness.  We could all take a lesson from the Nipmuk Indian Tribe.  A translation for the name of the lake in Webster is, "you fish your side of the lake, I fish my side of the lake and nobody fishes the middle!"  That is how the Nipmuks made peace with other tribes in the area; the middle of the lake was considered neutral and it was as stated, oftentimes used for powpows between the various tribes.


The Nimuks could have been like America in 2015 and simply buried their heads in the sand thinking that if they can't see what was happening, it would eventually go away.  This graphic is a perfect representation of the Political Correctness that has become the curse of America for many years. 

Consider this.  Our universities want "safe zones" where students can go without hearing words that may offend them.  Universities also want "trigger" words that are prohibited in classroom discussion for fear of offending one or more of the students.  Every year people try to remove Christ from Christmas.  The President of the United States refuses to name our enemy for who they really are, Radical Islamic Terrorists.  Our mothers were right - sticks and stones may break our bones but names will never hurt us.  At some point in time, someone has made the determination that names CAN hurt us and that is the road we have collectively decided to take - Political Correctness Avenue!

Growing up if someone did not like me because of who I was or who they thought I was, we either worked out our differences or we just ignored each other.  Today, people have passed up discussing issues and even fighting over the trivial and have gone directly to shooting each other.  In case you did not hear it on the news and my guess is that most of you who read this did not, a group of at least 9 thugs in New Orleans fired upon a peaceful gathering at a public park wounding 17 people in the process.  Thankfully no one was murdered.  Why did this happen?  It is and remains my opinion that people are now growing up not just in foreign lands but here at home with a total disrespect for human life and respect for the diversity of opinions.  If you don't agree with EVERYTHING that someone believes in, your life is worthless.  That seems to be the prevailing attitude of today's youth or at least a large portion of today's youth.

If you think I am incorrect, when was the last time you stopped to help someone stranded alongside the road?  You may have called in to help the distressed driver but I seriously doubt you stopped to help.  With so many people being attacked, why would you put yourself and your family in jeopardy by stopping?  The Good Samaritan died a long time ago.  That is not the way is has always been in America but it is now.  We had a city councilman in Slidell, Louisiana who did stop to help and he was murdered for doing so.  Lesson:  Don't stop to help someone apparently in distress.

It gets worse.  It seems people are more interested in catching someone in distress on their cell phone videos than stopping to help them.  You know I am right on this.  One only need to look at the numerous videos posted on Facebook.    The most disturbing videos to me are the ones that involve teenagers fighting and someone catching it all on video and no one stepping in to stop the mayhem!

I pray for but hold out very little hope that we will return to the day when people took care of their own business (fished their side of the lake) and I took care of my business (fished my side of the lake) and when the two of us had a conflict, we knew we could find middle ground, (the center of the lake) where disputes could be resolved without fights, the threat of fights, or someone pulling a gun.


Common sense in America has gone the way of the Unicorn - it no longer exists!

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Thoughts on SGT Berghdal

THOUGHTS ON SGT BERGHDAL
By Jim "Gymbeaux" Brown, December 13, 2015

On the surface this should be a simple and very straight forward case of a soldier deserting his post and his troops during a time of war.  Throughout the history of warfare there have been deserters, some shot on the spot, but most ran FROM the battle instead of TO the enemy as Berghdal did.  Attorneys tend to throw in facts not in evidence just to confuse the issues but the only fact that remains valid is that he deserted his post and fellow troops during the course of battle.

The REAL question is why has he not been brought to justice?  Can you think of any legal cases that did not involve a murder that has taken as long as the Berghdal case has taken for it to come to trial?

Let's look at what we do know.

1.  Berghdal enlisted in the U. S. Coast Guard; most people are unaware of this.  Within a couple of weeks of attending Coast Guard Boot Camp, Berghdal was declared not fit to continue and was discharged from the Coast Guard.  First question that should have been asked by the U. S .Army was, WHY?  http://time.com/2861963/the-significance-of-bergdahls-washing-out-of-the-coast-guard/

2.  Berghdal spent almost 5 years with the enemy.  During that time it has been reported that he converted to Islam and declared jihad.  During those 5 years, several U. S. American servicemen lost their lives while searching for Berghdal the deserter. http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/06/06/exclusive-bergdahl-declared-jihad-secret-documents-show.html

3.  President Obama arranged for a swap of 5 known Islamic high ranking officers of the enemy for Berghdal and even went so far to conduct a Rose Garden ceremony with Berghdal's parents to announce the swap and release of Berghdal.  https://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2014/05/31/president-obama-speaks-recovery-sgt-bowe-bergdahl

4.  The Berghdal Swap was most likely illegal.  http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/21/justice/bergdahl-prisoner-exchange/

5.  Lt. Col. Mark Visger recommended that Berghdal SHOULD NOT face jail time.    http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/10/10/military-officer-recommends-bowe-bergdahl-shouldnt-face-jail-time-punitive/

OPINIONS

The desertion should stand alone and not be confused by all the political activities of the President of the United States legal and otherwise.

Berghdal having deserted during war time could face and probably should face the death penalty.

The President should be legally investigated for breaking the law by releasing the enemy prisoners without the approval of the U. S. Congress.

The President should be legally investigated for putting American lives in jeopardy as a result of the release of the 5 enemy prisoners who have since rejoined the fight against America.

The President should be legally investigated for interfering with the due process of legal action being taken against a Deserter.  This case should have been tried months and months ago.  What was the cause of the delay?  We will probably not know for certain for a long time but on the surface it appears that it is strictly political - President Obama cannot afford to have all the facts ever surface, especially while he is still in office.

Sadly, not on trial and I know not why, is the U. S. Army.  Why did they permit Berghdal to join the service knowing that the U. S. Coast Guard found him not fit for military service?  There should have been a huge red flag regarding his fitness yet they enlisted him nonetheless.  Why?  Who authorized it?  What has happened to that person's career?  Actions have consequences and acceptance of Berghdal into the Army certainly had negative consequences when you consider that his prior declaration of unfitness should have prevented his enlistment.  If the U. S. Army declares that they "did not know about his unfitness" that scares me more than someone just making a mistake.  If the U. S. Army cannot properly vet a U. S. Citizen for enlistment, how is the government going to properly vet refugees coming to America?


It is long overdue that Berghdal should have been brought to justice!

Friday, December 11, 2015

2016 Presidential Election, Thoughts

2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 
My Food for Thought
By Jim "Gymbeaux" Brown, December 11, 2015

What a ballot of kooks!  The Democrats have three, the Republicans have at least that many if not more.  To understand why I make the comments I make here you have to first understand what I consider important, to me, in the next President and America.  Specifically:  A smaller government.  A balanced Budget!!!!!  A secure border program (north, south, and all coastlines).  An end to Executive Orders!!! An end to the IRS meaning a new simplified tax program!  An end to the Department of Education AND Common Core!  A strong military force!!!  Proper care and treatment of Veterans!!!!!!!  An end to ISIL!!!!!  Here goes my analysis as if someone other than me actually cares what I think:

DEMOCRATS

Bernie Sanders:  He is a self-confessed Socialist which is just one step away from being a confirmed Communist.  I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but electing a Socialist just isn't in the cards.

Hillary Clinton:  She is a confirmed serial liar.  Brian Williams was forced to resign for lying about much less severe situations than Hillary (Benghazi, being shot at, etc).  She has accomplished nothing as First Lady, Senator and then Secretary of State.  In fact almost all of the countries she has work with or against now have a far worse relationship with America than before she took office.  If that were not bad enough, she studied, just like Barrack Obama, Saul Alinsky's (a Communist) Rules for Radicals.  Do we honestly need another 4 years of an Obama like Presidency?  I certainly do not!  If anyone wants more proof, watch the movies, Agenda, Grinding America Down AND Agenda 2, Masters of Deceit.  If you watch them there is NO WAY you could possibly vote for Clinton for President.

Martin O'Malley:  He may be a good man but has no chance at the Presidency.  Why he remains in the race is beyond my understanding.  In actuality he is probably a better Democratic candidate than either Sanders or Clinton.

REPUBLICANS

Jeb Bush:  He actually did a lot of good in the State of Florida but in my opinion and mind he will be forever linked to the establishment of Common Core which is a "non starter" for me.

Ben Carson:  In all respects, a very fine man with tremendous credentials as a surgeon.  As much as like him I am not convinced that his limited knowledge of foreign affairs would leave me to question him as being able to be a great President in such dire times.  I am not sure I can get over that one shortfall.

Chris Christy:  Like Jeb Bush, he has done a lot of good for the State of New Jersey.  Like Donald Trump he tends to speak his mind which is a plus in my book.  I wish I could tell you why I would not support his candidacy but I can't.  It is more like a "feeling" that I am not prepared to ignore.

Ted Cruz:  Of all the candidates he is most like Donald Trump in that he does not align himself with those Congressman/women and Senators in the Congress and that is definitely a plus for me.  Along with Marco Rubio he is the most well-spoken and President-like than any of the other candidates for the office.  If the election were held in December 2015, Cruz would be the one I could support with no reservations.

Carly Fiorina:  I like Fiorina.  Is she ready for the Presidency, I don't think so although like Christy, I could not specifically state why other than my gut "feeling."  If she were to become the primary candidate against what appears to be Hillary Clinton, of course I could support Fiorina.

Jim Gilmore:  Why he is still running is beyond me.  He should leave the race.

Lindsey Graham:  Well versed in Foreign and Military Affairs but I doubt he could work with others as President Graham.   He should leave the race.

Mike Huckabee:  A good and honorable man.  Is he President material; not in my book.  Why?  Again a gut feeling. 

John Kaisch:  He is confusing to me.  As a Congressman he did wonderful things for the country.  As the Governor of Ohio he completely reversed the state's fortunes in his short term so far as Governor.  Why he does not resonate as a future President is beyond my understanding.  He should be garnering far more support than he has thus far so others obviously see something that I don't see.

George Pataki:  A good man but why he remains in the race is beyond my understanding.  He sould terminate his run immediately.

Rand Paul:  What can I say?  He has so many good points but he also has so many points that I just don't agree with, mostly in foreign relations and policy.  ISIL will NOT go away on their own and it appears to me that the ONLY way the world will ever rid itself of these demons is to take them on NOW.  Being an isolationist simply does not hack it in my opinion.  If he were the last Republican standing I could support him.

Marco Rubio:  A very well spoken candidate.  I don't agree with everything he has thus far stated, especially when it comes to Amnesty but in all other respects I could get behind his candidacy.  In regard to amnesty, I do not understand or approve giving people amnesty for breaking our laws while so many other people legally wait on the list to be approved for immigration.  Of all the candidates Rubio and Cruz are the most Presidential-like.

Rick Santorum:  Another good man but not someone I can get behind.  Not for any particular reason, just could not do it.

Donald Trump:  He is last because that is how his name fell alphabetically.  I believe that money makes you more about what you already are or were.  In Trump's case he is a blowhard and egomaniac.  His abundance of money has just made him an even bigger blowhard and egomaniac who speaks from the hip and then fails to thoroughly explain his positions other than one sentence sound bites.  The question then becomes, would he make a better candidate than Hillary Clinton?  Answer, a rock would make a better candidate than Clinton.


As it stands at this moment in time, December 11, 2015 at 12:05 PM, there are really only two candidates that I could support and vote for, Cruz and Rubio.  But if it comes to Hillary Clinton against Trump, Cruz, Rubio or Carson, there is no doubt in my mind that I could support any of the Republican candidates over a Hillary Clinton who I consider a disaster looking for a place to happen.  I understand everyone is entitled to his or her opinion but when it comes to her nefarious background and their ultimate continued support of Hillary Clinton, there opinion is based on smoke and mirrors rather than upon FACTS!  That I cannot accept or understand.  A person's support for Clinton is verifying that THEY, the supporters, want more of her same behavior!  That is incomprehensible!  

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

A Very Short Tale of Three People

A VERY SHORT TALE OF THREE PEOPLE
By Jim "Gymbeaux" Brown, December 5, 2015

Please meet General Jack Keane in the event you have never heard of him.  He was born in 1942.  John M. "Jack" Keane.  He is a retired four-star general and former Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and a defense analyst currently serving as chairman of the board for the Institute for the Study of War.

Now for me.  I was born in 1945.  My military claim to fame?  I served twenty years in the U. S. Coast Guard and while I am very proud of my service, I know my service does not qualify me to make life and death decisions regarding the future and safety of America nor did I recently stay at a Holiday Inn Express nor have I ever made any claim that I ever did know of such dire things.  I did attended Bowling Green State University where I majored in marketing and advertising and where I finished only my sophomore year of school.  Like our President, I would not want anyone to know about my grades either.

You already know President Obama.  He was born in 1961, yes, that is correct 1961.  Without proof we have ONLY his word that he graduated from Harvard Law School and Columbia University where his records have all been sealed by him.

Why do I make these three statements?  Two of the three have absolutely NO EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING when it comes to maintaining the security of the United States and NO EXPERIENCE when it comes to waging any type of war whatsoever.  Can you guess which two?  Yet having said this, only one seems to know more than anyone on the planet and that ONE wants everyone to believe he knows what is best when it comes to fighting ISIL and preserving America.  The ONE is President Obama, He HAS NO MILITARY EXPERIENCE AT ALL!  NONE!  He came from the ranks of being a community organizer which is another nice way of saying he stirred the pot.  He now ignores the advice and counsel of his senior military leaders, his own civilian experts in the FBI, CIA, DSA, the U. S. Congress, General Keane and others and does whatever he damn well pleases in spite of them.  In my book that is a dictator!  Sadly very few of his advisers want to tell the emperor he needs a new suit of clothing.

Maybe you are not frightened at where America is headed but I am.  We are a rudderless ship on a collision course with disaster.  We have a delusional and incompetent president in the White House who is singlehandedly destroying America and the relationships we dearly held and decades to develop with our allies around the world.  I am more convinced than ever that is exactly what President Obama meant AND wanted when he said he was going to "fundamentally transform America."  Remember both his parents were Islamic Muslim, that by itself is not a bad thing unless they were radical Islamic Muslims which appears they may have been, and they were also Communists; check the record.  That speaks volumes about what is now happening; the acorn does not fall far from the tree.


Nothing more need be said.  If I were an attorney I would rest my case.

Monday, December 7, 2015

And Then He Said.....

And Then He Said...(Not What You Think)
By Jim "Gymbeaux" Brown June 3, 2015

There I was at my desk when she called on the intercom, "Mr Brown, can you come up front, I have a package for you."  I was pretty certain I knew what the package was.  One of my assignments as the Chief, Military Personnel Officer in the Third Coast Guard District office was also the Decedent Affairs Officer so you can imagine what was in the package.

As I approached the desk I could not help but notice the package had been damaged in shipment and there was grey dust coming out of the hole that had opened up.  I said, "Oh that must be Commander Henderson."  Real name withheld to protect the deceased.  That is all it took, the receptionist who called and to whom the mail was delivered remembered what my job was and what was now all over her desk. She freaked out like I have never seen anyone freak out before.  Seriously, she jumped away from her desk and went screaming down the hall.  We cleaned up the best we could and put the good Commander back in his receptacle.  It was a good hour before the receptionist would return to her desk.

On another occasion, same receptionist called, "You have another one of those up here, come get it quick or I may quit!"  This time the package was in tack.  There was a problem however.  There was no return address and there was no paperwork inside the wrapped receptacle.  I had no advance warning of the package arriving like I usually got therefore I had no idea whose remains were in the package.  I put the package in the cabinet next to my desk on the top shelf out of harm's way.  It sat there for a long time.  The days, weeks and months passed by before I received telephone call from a member of the deceased's family.  This is how issues become major issues because at first there was anger over the perceived treatment of the deceased member.  That simply was not the case.  There was no way to know from where it came or whose remains were in the package.  Once everything was cleared up, all went well.

So you know, we did not carry out funeral proceedings but we arranged for them most of which were requests to be buried at sea.  In fact everyone that I handled were such requests.  We would check the sailing schedules of the Coast Guard Cutters that sailed out of New York where my office was and then transported the deceased to the ship just before departure.  The Commanding Officer would contact the next of kin to set up any ceremony they desired on the dock before departure and on some rare occasions the next of kin were even permitted to sail to the site where the ashes were scattered at sea.  The problem with this is that they are Coast Guard Cutters and they can be diverted on a moment's notice to participate on a Search & Rescue Mission and they really shouldn't do that with visitors aboard.  So sailing with visitors is a very rare occurrence; why I am including this I have no idea.  Maybe because of the next incident.

While serving aboard the U. S. COAST GUARD CUTTER ALERT (WMEC-630) that sailed out of Cape May, New Jersey, the Commanding Officer received a request for a burial at sea.  I do not know if he was told or not but when the hearse pulled alongside the ship, a full size casket was unloaded.  We had burials at sea before but never a full size casket; always ashes.  After a discussion, the Commanding Officer accepted the casket once he was satisfied everything that was required had in fact been done.  Specifically the funeral director was required to drill large holes in the bottom of the casket and additional weights added to insure that once put in the water it would fill with sea water and sink. That was the plan.  The casket was loaded aboard and placed on the Flight Deck.  Okay just so you know, the ALERT was only 210 feet long but it did have a Flight Deck that would accept helicopters.  Off we sailed, all hands on board plus one, a casket.  I can assure you that there were some of the "all hands" that avoided the Flight Deck like the plague.  It was not long before we were on station and the Commanding Officer instructed most of the crew to form on the Flight Deck where the he followed all the protocols and eventually the casket was lowered into the sea with the proper salutes.  We all remained at attention as this was designed to take only a few minutes.  So when it didn't immediately sink the Commanding Officer placed us all at ease but we remained in place.  Time passed - it seemed like hours but it surely was not that long.  The Commanding Officer finally dismissed us but most hung around the flight deck and leaned on the ships' railing to watch the casket which was now bobbing in the Atlantic Ocean.  It obviously did not want to sink.  We could all see the holes they were now on top, not on the bottom where the water would enter as intended.  I specifically remember the Gunner's Mate asking permission of the Commanding Officer to ready the 50 caliber gun which was denied.  Instead the Skipper tried to maneuver the ship, remember it was 210 feet long next to the casket using the rudder and ships' screws.  He was trying to get the ships' wash off the stern to wash over the casket, fill the casket enough through the holes for it to sink.

You can imagine a bunch of young men all leaning on the ships' railing and the comments that started to freely flow.  For example, one was overheard to say "He must have been a swimmer."  Another, "Do you think the Skipper will shoot it to make it sink?"  Finally it sunk and then the comments changed to what the Officer-of-the-Deck would put in the ship's log as to WHERE the deceased was buried at sea, like, "Seaman John Doe, buried at sea somewhere approximately 100 miles off the coast of New Jersey at a location unknown between New York City and Cape May, New Jersey.  So you wonder why the next of kin are not usually invited to sail with their departed.  Not a good idea.

And then there was the request to be buried at sea in the Hawaii District.  I cannot swear this actually occurred but enough people have told the story and that makes it true, right?  The way the story is told is the request came in just like it did in my office.  Unfortunately there were no ships that were going to sail any time soon so someone thought of burying the deceased at sea from the air; what could possibly go wrong with that?  The deceased was delivered to the Coast Guard Air Station and placed aboard a helicopter, an HH-52 to be exact.  Some of you who know aircraft are already beginning to snicker.  The helicopter lifted off and went over the Pacific Ocean to a designed spot and the copters crew perform the dignified ceremony as is so often performed by ship captains.  But here is where it gets nasty.  If you are familiar with helicopters you know that there is a tremendous down force of wind created by the helicopter's rotors and this copter was no exception.  So when the ashes were released, yes, you got it, some went into the sea rather quickly, but most, yes indeed most were blown back into the depths of the helicopter not to mention all over the air crewmen who were performing the task.  The helicopter was cleaned as best it could be but there is no doubt that there are parts of the deceased flying all over the Pacific Ocean garnering more air time than anyone could ever possibly achieve.

It gets better.  At an official burial in a local cemetery, the Chief Boatswain Mate, a good friend of mine, performed a flawless ceremony.  As he stood alongside the grave site where the casket had been lowered, the Chief turned to the next of kin with the properly folded American Flag and presented it to the next of kin and said, "On behalf of a grateful nation....".  But that is when  it all went wrong.  He stood erect, saluted the next of kin, did an about face and yes, you may have guessed it, he fell into the grave site on top of the casket.  As he lay there, he closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest as he knew everyone would now be looking into the site.  Even the next of kin had to laugh.

One more, I promise.  I had a new instructor teaching a class of about 30 Coast Guard members.  I was suppose to observe him and give him tips after the class.  Somehow we finished a bit early and the discussion in the class was turned to decedent affairs because that is what the new instructor did at his last duty station.  So as he stood behind the podium, I stood on the floor a little lower than the podium with my elbow resting on the podium.  He then proceeded to tell the class exactly how a military funeral was to be conducted including exactly what is to be said to the next of kin.  I was totally silent during his description of the event.  When he was done there was a silence in the classroom.  That is when I said and I quote, "Make sure to wash it in cold water so the red won't run into the white."  The instructor had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.  The classroom remained silent, no one moved, no one laughed.  Finally the instructor had to let loose and roared with laughter.  One of the students put his hand up and asked, "Petty Officer Brown, do you mean you don't really say that?"  We all had a fantastic laugh about it and realized we had to be careful what we said in the classroom because they could not always tell when we were joking.

This all leads up to the real reason I am writing this.  I am concerned about when my turn comes, and come it will.  With each passing day it is closer than you anyone could actually know.  Could be today, tomorrow, next week, next month or years from now - no one knows for certain even those with terminal illness.  I have been to a lot of funerals.  Not sure how anyone other than the deceased's immediate family can say they want to be there yet there are a lot of people who attend to say their last goodbyes.  That may be true but I believe most are there because they expect that others expect them to be there and they don't want anyone to think they didn't care.  Personally I don't want that to happen to me.  In fact I would (1) prefer to be cremated and I'll explain why and (2) that a formal funeral not be conducted.  If the immediate family wants to do something on a small scale that would be fine.  But in truth I would be gone from the planet and why would I care what they do?  Let me tell you why....

You probably have been to a funeral, most people have.  Tell me this does not happen.  Let's pretend that I am in my casket which is now open to the public for viewing but dead as I may be, let's pretend I can hear what is being said.  Ready? 

Shhh, someone is approaching.  I don't recognize them.  Then one says, "I didn't know he was in the Coast Guard, did you?"  No answer.  Then he says, "Come on dear, there are people in line, let's move on."  Ahhh, I remember these folks.  AND THEN HE SAID: "Geeeze he doesn't even look like him does he?"  "Actually I haven't seen him in a while, looks a little old to me."  That is just what I needed to hear; there are more coming.  "Oh my, what happened to him, what did he die from?  Must have been horrible, he looks terrible."  Again that is just what I wanted to hear.

You know I could go on.  That is why I would prefer to be cremated.  Then there is no one to look at, no criticisms to render, no touchy feely going on; you know that is what happens.  If a wake does happen they can look at a box.  What could you possibly say about a box?  More importantly I would hope they would remember how our paths crossed and that their lives were touched in some positive way because they crossed; not about how I look or not look.  It is hard to think in those terms when you are looking down upon a body that does not look like me or you for that matter.  A quiet family-members-only ceremony at the grave site in a national cemetery would be nice where they put me up on a shelf and close the door but remember THAT IS NOT ME.  No one needs to come visit me; I'm not there.  No one needs to place flowers that will eventually die; I'm not there.  I promise, I'll come back to haunt anyone who places plastic flowers on my site; I'm not there but I know where you live.

I found this poem in an old book in a deserted and ransacked home and it remains with me.  You can change the words on the poem so that it would apply to either a man or a woman.  This one is for a man.  Plus I added the last verse:

Measure of a Man

Not – how did he die?
But – how did he live?
Not – what did he gain?
But – what did he give?
These are the units
To measure the worth
Of a man as a man
Regardless of birth.

Not – what was his station?
But – had he a heart?
And how did he play
His God-given part?
Was he ever ready
With a word of good cheer,
To bring back a smile
To banish a tear?

Not – what was his church?
Nor – what was his creed?
But – had he befriended
Those really in need?
Not – what did the sketch
In the newspaper say?
But – how many were sorry
When he passed away?

Author unknown

I do not want to assume that I could make the poem any better than it already is, yet I would suggest another verse:

Not -what he achieved
Nor - how much did he make
But - how many did he help to find THEIR way?
How many achieved their life's desires?
Who by not knowing what he did or thought
May have travelled a good many roads,
To a lot of places they'd prefer not to go.
But instead arrived safe and sound
To exactly where they wanted to be
All because they took
The measure of this man.

Now that his time here on Earth has passed
It is time to say our goodbyes
Wrap gently in brown paper
And tie it gently with twine and a note
And in your own hand you write

"Return to Sender and Handle With Care!"