“Serving overseas as a small-town boy in America has been intense, stressful and humorous! Enjoy a light-hearted story with me from our last 20 years overseas!”
—Matt
Saying much without words
I was at the perfect age when a new TV station came to our area of Indiana in the 1980s. My favorite thing about the new station was their Saturday programming where they’d show two or three black and white movies in a row of the same type: “Monster Theater” (old Japanese movies with bad dubbing), Jungle Theater (old Tarzan movies) and my favorite, Western Theater. I loved brave lawmen with the prominent, star-shaped badge, who had to keep law and order in the rough and tough world of cowboys. Every time I look at the gold star of the Sheriff’s Department, I get transported back to Western Theater on Saturdays.
We have lived overseas in a country where one branch of their law enforcement has never changed. Its name, uniforms, attitude and even symbols are the same that were present when they had a fascist dictator and operated as his special military police. Today small rural towns are overseen by this branch of their police force. The symbol for this police force is the “fascist,” a battle axe from Roman times that had logs wrapped around the long handle to create more force. It is little wonder that this country still struggles with tensions and divisions from their unresolved past.
Another country I regularly visit had a dictator during that same fascist era of the 1930s and 1940s. However, the symbol they have for their present day rural police force is an Edelweiss flower. A dramatic change from their dictatorship has taken place and it is a country that has largely come away with success from their dark years.
Small-town America can be thankful for our police forces. We have so many good symbols of proud American living around us.
Something similar ever happen to you? Contact me and let me hear your story!
mattsmishaps@gmail.com Matt’s Mishaps, PO BOX 114, Grabill, IN 46741
