Offering thanks, and perspective

By John Perkins, Las Vegas

Sunday, July 20, 2014 | 2:02 a.m.

I have a blister on my finger. My wife had breast cancer.

Two police officers and a civilian were murdered by psychopaths doing nothing wrong.

A Malaysian plane disappeared with my fellow brothers and sisters aboard. My heart goes out to their families never knowing what happened.

I put my flag out today. I look at it and think of our dearest friend, Nicholas Anderson, who was killed in Iraq fighting for what it stands for. Freedom, freedom, we take for granted. I need to look at it every day. To me it is beautiful. Sure, America is hated by government but is loved by their people who envy us. People die by the thousands trying to get there.

We lack discipline not only with our children but with ourselves. We have become a thin-skinned society. We worry about offending American Indians with the name “Redskins.” Gosh, don’t you think they were offended when we took their land and put them on reservations? I’m one-fourth Apache and proud of it. This is my land and it’s yours to be proud of it and take care of it.

I cry with joy watching my wife prune her roses because of the medical magic of Dr. Joseph Contino, Dr. Anu Thumala and Dr. Andrew Cohen of the Comprehensive Cancer Center because they turned my wife from a cancer victim into a survivor.

Oh, and that blister on my finger. What blister?