John Wayne's 100th Birthday

100 years ago this Saturday the man who many, including this humble write, consider the epitome of what an American man should was born.

In the small Iowa town of Winterset, on May 26, 1907 John Wayne was born. Actually Marion Morrison was born.

I grew up watching John Wayne movies. I still do. There was never a bad John Wayne movie, unless you count "The Conquerer" which was made in 1956. It was, in my opinion, not the best, but it had John Wayne in it, so it was OK with me.

As we look at the troubled times we are facing in our great country, I can't help but wonder how we would be if we had more men like John Wayne around at the present time.

You see, I don't think men are like they were 40, 50 or more years ago.

John Wayne was a "man's man." He had values, morals, and a sense of what was right. I remember a "credo" he had in his final movie, "The Shootist."

He told Ron Howard that he lived by a code. That code was as follows:

I won't be wronged.

I won't be insulted

I won't be laid a hand on.

I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them.

What more can you say about life. What more can you say about being an American. That credo says it all for me.

As the weekend goes on, Turner Classic Movies is playing many of John Wayne's movies. I can't think of a better way to spend Memorial Day weekend than being at home with my loved ones, thankful that we live in the greatest country to ever exist on earth, and to watch John Wayne on the tube.

It doesn't get much better than that. At least not for a TRUE AMERICAN!!!