The rocket's red glare amazing

My wife and I went to a friend's home on the shores of Whitefish Lake. Fifty new and old friends gathered to celebrate, eat, drink, laugh, hug and kiss and tell stories. From newborn to elderly, we joined to celebrate life and freedom.

Most, if not all, were of the ilk that knows that "freedom isn't free." Many were veterans of America's fights that often cost lives to secure freedom and human rights at home and bring the same to the homes of other countries. It wasn't just the Fourth of July, it was the anniversary of Independence Day.

Incredible vistas. As the northern sky finally darkened around 11 p.m. and the Montana stars came out, the almost purple/black silhouettes of the mountains dipping into the large lake evoked comments of how this must be the same views found in the Scottish lochs.

The blaze of lights and thunderous booms from the exploding rockets created red glare and more of golden blooms, backed by sparkling streamers of blue, green and white. What impressed me most was the diorama of layers of light and sound that rimmed the circle of mountains and water hosting distant and nearby individual shows of privately purchased fireworks.

Talk about surround sound. You'll never get this on your iPod. This was nature's giant theater. Echoes bounced back and forth across the lake from the timpani of each mountain to never die as another round of cannon blast took to the sky and the airwaves. The audio and visual senses were at maximum stimulation.

My guess would be a count of more than 200 boats with running lights, adding more green, red and white lights, all sending shimmering reflections across the water, plus innumerable shadows of canoes, kayaks, rafts and various forms of floating furniture containing people, dogs and beverage, all circling the main raft that housed and launched the the barrage of explosives. So much depth to the scene.

A fun night of sounds and sights and too much food, all trimmed with friendship, love and respect. Our Whitefish show is small by some standards and yet so big. What an amazing place to call home.

Bill Milner

Whitefish

VA health needs

Before Congress took leave for the Fourth of July break, Veterans Adminstration Secretary Jim Nicholson acknowledged that the VA health budget falls $1.5 billion short of meeting veterans' health needs for the current fiscal year.

Before last week's recess, the Senate approved a supplemental funding bill providing the full $1.5 billion. The House approved a separate bill providing only the administration-recommended $975 million. That let every legislator go home for July 4 and claim they'd taken action, but nothing has actually been resolved, and veterans hospitals won't see a penny until Congress resolves this difference.

This isn't a partisan issue. Senate Republican and Democrat leaders both say they'll accept nothing less than the full $1.5 billion. That's the right answer, and the House needs to agree to do that quickly.

I request you to support the full $1.5 billion as acknowledged by Secretary Nicholson and approved by the Senate.

Adam G. Alexander, Jr.

Whitefish