In today's America, ask a growing number of high school and college
students; their teachers and professors; the self-anointed media elite
and/or hard working men and women of all ethnicitie s, the question,
"What is a Republican?", and you'll be told "... a rich, greedy,
egotistical individual, motivated only by money and the desire to
accumulate more and more of it, at the expense of the environment. the
working poor ....and all whom they exploit..."

I am a Republican .. I am none of those things ... and I don't know any
Republicans who are.

WHAT I, AM. first and foremost, is a loving husband of some 52 plus
years, the father of four and an American who's proud of his
country...and his country's heritage

WHAT I AM . is the grandson of immigrants who risked everything,
including their lives and those of their children, to escape tyranny in
search of freedom.

WHAT I AM .. is a man who grew up during the Depression and witnessed,
first hand, the effects of the Stock Market crash and the soup lines
that followed. I watched as both my parents and grand parents, who had
very little themselves, share what food they had with a half dozen other
families, who had even less.

WHAT I AM . is someone who worked his way through college by holding
down three and four jobs at a time and then used that education to build
a better life.

WHAT I AM .. is a husband who, at age 24, started his own business for
the "privilege" of working 60, 70 and 80 hours a week, risking
everything I had, including my health, in search of a better life for
myself and my loved ones.

WHAT I AM . is a businessman whose blood, sweat and tears.... and plenty
of them..., made it possible for me to provide a secure living, not only
for my family and myself, but also for literally hundreds of my
employees throughout the years. Employees, who in turn, were able to buy
their own homes, raise their own families and give back to their
communities and their country.

WHAT I AM .. is a man who believes in God; a God who has blessed this
country... and all for which it stands.

WHAT I AM .. is someone who knows, if you doubt miracles exist in
today's world, you need only to look into the face of those who received
them ... and the eyes of those who give them.

WHAT I AM .. is an American who's proud that his President embraces a
belief in God; proud of a President who understands, as "politically
incorrect" as it may be, there is evil in this world and for the
security and safety of all freedom loving people everywhere, it must be
confronted.. and it must be defeated.

WHAT I AM is an American who takes comfort in the knowledge that our
President refuses to allow decisions concerning the very safety and
security of this nation, to be governed by the political whims of
foreign governments.

WHAT I AM .. is tired of hearing from leading Democrats who see only
negativity in America; racism in her people; class warfare in her
society and "political incorrectness" in her character.

WHAT I AM .. is a former democrat who now understands that it is the
soldier and not the reporter that guarantees us our freedoms of press,
speech and dissent.

WHAT I AM . is a man who believes in the sanctity of life. A man who is
repulsed by the pandering of the political left for votes, at the
expense of the unborn.

WHAT I AM .. is a husband and father who believes in the sanctity of
marriage and the preservation of the family unit.

WHAT I AM .. is a ex-movie goer who is repulsed by those
insecure,socially inept, elementary thinking, ego-inflated
"entertainers" who have appointed themselves "experts" in the fields of
national security and geo-politics and then use their forum to attack
this nation, its leaders and its actions.... much to the delight and
encouragement of our enemies.

WHAT I AM . is an American who understands the difference between
"censorship" and "choice". Evidently, these individuals do not, because
when these same "celebrities" receive public ridicule for their
offensive actions, the first thing they yell is "Censorship!". What they
seem incapable of understanding is... the right of free speech and
dissent is shared equally by those offended... as well as those who
offend. I support and will continue to support those films and
performers whom I choose to and refuse to support those I don't. It is
my right as an American a right I will continue to enthusiastically
exercise.

WHAT I AM .. is a voter, tired of politicians, who, every time their
voting records are subjected to public scrutiny, try to divert attention
from their political and legislative failures by accusing their
opponents of "attack ads" and "negative campaigning".... and the news
media who allow them to get away with it.

WHAT I AM ... is a Catholic who loves his God and his Faith... and who's
been taught to respect all religions whose teachings are based in love,
peace and charity. As such, I am embarrassed and ashamed of those
individuals, in both private and public life, whose decisions and
actions are devoid of any sense of character or morals; individuals who
are only driven by what's best for them .. rather than what's right ...
often times at the expense of many .. including our national security.

WHAT I AM .. is a realist who understands that the terrorist attack that
murdered hundreds of innocent Russian children could have occurred here,
in our heartland. That's why I sincerely believe America needs now, more
than ever, a President who sees with a clear and focused vision and who
speaks with a voice when heard by both friend and foe alike, is
understood, respected and believed.

WHAT I AM .. is eternally grateful to Ronald Reagan for having the
bravery to speak out against Communism and the courage of his
convictions in leading the fight to defeat it; and George W. Bush for
the vision, courage, conviction and leadership he has shown in
America's war on terrorism amidst both the constant and vicious,
personal and political attacks both he and his family are made to
endure.

WHAT I AM .. is a human being, full of numerous faults and failures, but
a man nonetheless, who, though not always successful, has continually
strived to do "what's right" instead of "what's easy". A man who is
challenging the religious leaders of all faiths, to not only preach to
their congregations the fundamentals of "what's right" and "what's
wrong", but to also then hold them accountable for their actions in both
the public and private sectors.

WHAT I AM . is disgusted with the Courts who, on one hand, call the
murder of a pregnant woman a "double homicide" but then refer to the
abortion of her baby as, "pro-choice".

WHAT I AM .. is someone deeply troubled by a political party which
embraces a candidate whose primary "leadership" qualities center around
his protesting of the Vietnam war and his labeling the honorable men and
women who fought in it, (50,000 of whom gave their lives in that
action), as rapists, and war criminals. (John Kerry). That same
political party then stepped forward this year to block the appearance
of a true Vietnam war hero, retired Admiral and former United States
Senator, Jeremiah Denton, (a man who spent seven years and seven
torturous months in a North Vietnam prison), from speaking before an
open session of the California legislature as part of that state's 4th
of July celebration. The reason Democrats gave for refusing to allow
this American hero to speak before their state legislature was because
of the "conservative" nature of his views. As an American, that troubles
me deeply ....as well it should you. (Are you listening Mr. B?)

WHAT I AM .. is a man who feels the need to spend, ONE HUNDRED & FOUR
THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED & FIFTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($104,655.60, tax
paid) of his own money, to purchase this advertisement, in order to set
the story straight. Some may say this money would have been better
spentfeeding the world's poor. At the risk of sounding self-serving, as
an American and as a Republican, for the last six decades of my life, I
have done exactly that... and more. Following the examples of my parents
and grand parents, I have used my earnings to feed the poor, shelter the
homeless, provide housing for the elderly and medical care for the
sick..... and continue to do so... and I'm not alone in that work.

WHAT I AM .. is someone who is paying for this announcement, at my sole
expense, in hopes of opening the eyes of those led blindly by
ill-informed elements of our great nation, who, through either
ignorance, or malicious intent, repeatedly attack and belittle those of
us who belong to a political party that holds true to the belief, "...
the rights of the governed, exceed the power of the government". For
those interested, I am speaking only as a tax-paying individual who is
in no way associated with The Republican National Committee, nor with
any of its directors, or delegates.

WHAT I AM .. is a man who understands, "the American way of life" is a
message of self-empowerment for all.

WHAT I AM .. is an American who is grateful that our nation gives each
of us the opportunity of self-determination and the right to benefit
from the fruits of self achievement.

WHAT I AM . is an American who wants to preserve that way of life for
all who seek it.

WHAT I AM .. is blessed to be an American.... and proud to be a
Republican.