Dear son
You ask my reaction to long hair or beards on young people
Some great men have worn long hair and beards
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln
If to you long hair or a beard is a symbol of Independence
If you believe in your heart that the principles of this country
Our heritage, is worthy of this display of pride
That all men shall remain free
That free men at all times will not inflict their personal limitations of achievement on others
That demands your own rights as well as the rights of others
And be willing to fight for this right, you have my blеssing
You ask that I not judge you merely as a teenagеr
To judge you on your own personal habits, abilities and goals
This is a fair request
And I promise that I will not judge any person only as a teenager
If you will constantly remind yourself that some of my generation
Judge people by their race, their belief or the color of their skin
And that this is no more right
Than saying all teenagers are drunken dope addicts or glue sniffers
If you will judge every human being on his own individual potential
I will do the same
You ask me if God is dead
This is a question each individual
Must answer within himself
But a warm summer day with all it's brightness
All it's sound, all it's exhilarating breathiness
Just happened?
God is love
Remember that God is a guide and not a storm trooper
Realize that many of the past and present generation
Because of a well-intended but unjustifiable misconception
Have attempted to legislate morality
This created part of the basis for your generation's need
To rebel against our society
With this knowledge perhaps your children will never ask
Is God dead?
I sometimes think much of mankind is attempting to work Him to death
You ask my opinion of draft card burners
I would answer this way
All past wars have been dirty, unfair, immoral, bloody and second-guessed
However, history has shown most of them necessary
If you doubt that our free enterprise system in the United States is worth protecting
If you doubt the principles upon which this country was founded
That we remain free
To choose our religion, our individual endeavors our method of Government
If you doubt that each free individual in this great country
Should reap rewards commensurate only with his own efforts
Then it is Doubtful you belong here
If you doubt that people who govern us should be selected
By their desire to allow us to strive for any goal we feel capable of obtaining
Then it's doubtful you should participate in their selection
If you are not grateful to a country that gave your father
The opportunity to work for his family to give you the things you have
And you do not feel pride enough to fight for your right to continue in this manner
Then I assume the blame for your failure to recognize the true value of our birthright
And I will remind you that your mother will love you no matter what you do
Because she is a woman
And I love you too, son
But I also love our country and the principles for which we stand
And if you decide to burn your draft card
Then burn your birth certificate at the same time
From that moment on, I have no son!