It is timely to note that at Fort Wayne in downtown Detroit and at the Legacy Park at Crystal Mountain Resort near Traverse City there are displays in tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, the African-American fighter group that protected World War II bomber crews, including a future Michigan governor.
It is timely because this is Black History Month and because Hollywood just released a film -- "Red Tails," named after the painted tails on the P-51 fighters -- portraying the 332nd Fighter Group pilots who escorted U.S. bombers over enemy territory.
The park at Crystal Mountain has a replica of a fighter with a painted tail.
Michigan is replete with tales of the Red Tails. The late Detroit Mayor Coleman Young was a Tuskegee Airman, and other Michiganians have been featured in television and newspaper coverage of the movie.
The Tuskegee Airmen fought two battles -- the war and racism.
Former Gov. William G. Milliken (1969-82) flew 50 combat missions as a B-24 waist-gunner in World War II and survived two crashes and a bailout. He recalls that before his first mission, a briefing officer said the Tuskegee Airmen would escort the mission, but cautioned that they were likely to cut and run if the going got tough.
They did not. They had a sterling record in the war.
"I was offended by that briefing," Milliken said last year during a luncheon gathering with some past and present Lansing correspondents, including one who had been a Navy pilot.
Many of Michigan's governors have gone to war.
Russell A. Alger (1885-86) commanded the 5th Michigan Cavalry Regiment, fought in 65 Civil War battles, was wounded twice and later became Secretary of War.
Hazen Pingree (1897-1900) and Aaron T. Bliss (1901-04) both were in the Second Battle of Bull Run and spent time in Confederate prisons during the Civil War.
Wilber M. Brucker (1931-32) won the Silver Star as a World War I infantry officer with the Rainbow Division. He later became Secretary of the Army.
Harry F. Kelly (1943-46) was in the historic World War I charge at Chateau Thierry, where he suffered wounds that cost him a leg.
In World War II, G. Mennen Williams (1949-60) served on four aircraft carriers and was awarded 10 battle stars.
In the same war, John B. Swainson (1961-63) lost both legs when his Jeep hit a land mine in France.
A good first step
The Michigan Campaign Finance Network called it "welcome news" when Gov. Rick Snyder last week "announced during his 2012 State of the State address that he believes Michigan needs campaign finance, lobbying and ethics reforms. It has been a long time since a Michigan governor has expressed serious interest in this important area of government accountability."
Well said. But the watchdog group noted that Snyder "only articulated one particular idea in his address: that campaign finance reporting should be more frequent.
"Since Michigan's constitutional executives and legislators are nearing the end of a 14-month-long campaign finance reporting hiatus, this should be self-evident. Every political committee -- candidate committee, PAC or party committee -- should report at least every quarter, in addition to filing established pre- and post-election reports. More frequent campaign finance reporting is an important and obvious reform with which to begin."
The network said a second important campaign finance reform "should be to require regular reporting of receipts and expenditures by all committees that engage in any electioneering communications; that is, any mass media communications directed to voters that contain reference to a candidate for public office during the period immediately preceding an election."
It remains to be seen whether the Legislature will join Snyder in showing serious interest in campaign finance accountability.
Snyder's Cyber Hall
Snyder has done more than 100 town halls. Last week, the day after delivering his State of the State address, he hosted his first online town hall.
"This is a new opportunity to try something new and different," the governor said in a live video stream on his Facebook page.
Out of more than 4,000 questions submitted by telephone or on Facebook, Google+ or Twitter (where his handle is @onetoughnerd), his staff selected 25 to be answered, including some from Snyder critics.
The next day on his Facebook page (www.facebook.com/rickformichigan) Snyder said:
"A lot of the reporters who covered the online town hall last night seemed surprised that I didn't screen out unfriendly questions or Democratic questioners. I'm not quite sure why they were surprised -- I'm always willing to answer tough questions from Michigan citizens.
"I hope you will keep sending me both your questions and your ideas," he added. "I want to know what you think about the direction our state is headed."
Youngest-ever Speller Disappointed by Mistake
2 American Tourists Kidnapped in Egypt
Chen Guangcheng: 'Historic Transition' in China
New York City Seeks Big Drink Ban
Los Angeles Bans Plastic Grocery Bags
Raw Video: SpaceX Dragon Leaves Space Station
Police: Gunman Kills 5, Self in Seattle
Experts: Americans Must Prepare for Storm Season
Forest Fire Becomes New Mexico's Largest Ever
Montreal Police: Mailed Body Parts From Same Man
Facebook Expands Campus As Stock Shrinks
