Vigil in Providence, RI tonight for 1000 war dead

Brought to you by moveon.org ????? Hmmmm, smacks of a political statement and not a true attempt to “ . . .honor the 1000 American war dead . . .â€

Thousand to one odds they protest the war and president - at the expense of truly honoring our fallen heros.

Just one retired veteran’s musing.

 

Can one not honor the individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice, while disagreeing with those who put them into the position of making the ultimate sacrifice?

 

As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, what would YOU say if he remained silent? Therein lies your answer.
He MUST make that "Call to Honor."

I have no qualms about anyone exercising their right to protest - but a memorial is neither the time or place, unless your ulterior motive is to denigrate the fallen soldier and what they stood for. The fact that this “vigil†was organized by moveon.org , a self proclaimed Political Action Committee, is in itself self-evident that this was a political stunt, and done so in very bad taste! As an example: Someone attends a gay wedding, and during the ceremony protests that gays are the reason for the spread of AIDS! Disingenuous in the least, and in very poor taste too! (My wife and I do have gay friends, so don’t try to go there . . . it is an example.)

Why is it that moveon.org PAC planned this event to coincide with the one thousandth war casualty? Of course it was for maximum political impact - because all news outlets would be running the milestone story - not as an attempt to honor the war heros to the max! It is just a blatant misdirect of “honor the war dead†into a political message.

So what you are saying is that you disagree with the soldier for putting themselves in harms way.
We have an all volunteer military!
If you are attending a memorial for the fallen soldier and then proclaiming to speak-up on their behalf, you are either insincere or naive.

If you want to honor the fallen soldier, do so. If you want to protest the war, the president, the military, the whatever - you can do that too. Just don’t try to mix the two.

 

Of course you can both honor our fallen and you can disagree with the government that put them there.

But you can't do both at the same time.

 

Would anyone care to also spare a thought for the 18000+ Iraqis, including 11000+ civilians, that those 1000 Americans killed?

 

uh, an aside here - moveon.org and moveonpac.org are two seperate entities run by the same people. If you give money and support moveonpac.org, its for political action. Moveon.org put the vigils on last night and demanded that no one use this as a protest arena, that it was simply to honor the fallen - both US soldiers and innocent civilians. As an fyi to all those thinking everything is always political.


It's the equivalent of thinking buying a heinz product directly supports John Kerry.
-m.

 

There is nothing contradictory about honoring the bravery and sacrifice of the soldiers while excoriating the dishonesty and cowardice of those who sent them to war.

As for being political, G.W.B. cannot mention the fallen dead without using their deaths as a reason for continuing his failed policies. ("If we pull out now they will have died in vain," he says.)

 

Thank You Prius04 for being right on the money. Love my Prius!

 

At the Dallas vigil there was an incident between a family who had just lost a husband/son/brother the day before and some vocal critics who among other things, told the family that their loved one died for no reason. I'm proud to be a Texan and I'm even prouder to be a Democrat, but I think actions like these do nothing more than alienate undecided moderates to vote Republican. Well, that's my two cents.

 

Granted, it was completely wrong of anyone to attack this grieving family, bigbaldcuban, they need nothing but sympathy, kindness, and all the respect in the world - but usually when one lashes out, it's because there's some truth in what the aggravator says.

The point is, 1,000 + soldiers have died for almost nothing. It will be years, at the earliest, before Iraq is "secure" and decent - if at all. Did I want Saddam gone? Of course. If I was asked if I had to choose between Saddam staying in power or losing a family member or loved one, which choice do you think I'd take?

But, like I said, you are right - these people should not have to face the possible reality that their family member died for no reason or purpose, they should have time to mourn his/her loss without interference.

-m.

 

Well, that has to be the biggest non-sequiter I've read in a long time. Probably since the Viet Nam War.

I believe that the vast majority of US military personnel enlisted for one of two reasons. Some are truely dedicated individuals who either believe it is a righteous responsibility to serve one's country by protecting it militarily or felt it as a "calling" as some people feel a "calling" to the clergy or altruistic work.

Others see military service as one of the few ways that they can escape the poverty that so many Americans face. Military service is one of the few ways for non-outstanding young people to get access to skilled job training and college.

(BTW, I don't think these motivations are mutually exclusive.)

So there is no conflict between honoring those who make a decision to enter the military and disagreeing with those who determine a specific, or policy, determination of the assignment of military personnel.

 

I found the following link interesting:

http://bodegabay.blogs.com/north_coast_cur...ainstream_.html

Back in July, it said "The Navy Times" reported 1,000 deaths while AP was reporting a lower number. The difference was apparently because AP did not include 6 "non-hostile homocides", 33 deaths by illness, 34 self-inflicted deaths (suicides), and 200 accidental deaths.

 

Iraq

It's amazing to me that so many have already determined, without any doubt, that removing Saddam and trying to establish a democratic government in Iraq is terribly wrong.

I must not be as smart as these people because I believe it will take ten years or more before we truly know the complete impact of this action. I'm not sure what it will be, but I believe we need to give it some time. Of course, I realize that there are those who are opposed to ANYTHING that Bush and the Republicans do or stand for. I think this attitude is unfair no matter who it is directed against.

This opinion comes to you from an independent who has voted for all the major parties at one time or another.

 

Prius04,
Rant or not, I think more are with you than against you on this board with respect to your points. And would have many others to add (such as the heavy weighting of the tax cuts toward the rich, and gutting the Clean Air Act, and writing and passing a Medicare Presciption Benefit program that does little to benefit the elderly but is a windfall for the drug companies, and the non-funding of their own "No Child Left Behind Act, and his faith based initiative whose funding has ONLY gone to Christian groups (no other religions need apply), and... , and..., and...)

Just My Two Cents,

Jon

 

If you “care more for the long range future of the USA†and think the tax codes are all messed up, why don’t you make a stand and not pocket that extra tax savings. Stop being such a hypocrite and give the government “its money†back!!!!