Young Republicans Strike Back In The War On Terror! ®

[Joeve]

You would think that after all these years, I would know better. Don't write a letter in anger you tell youself. Wait a while before you post something: if you feel the same way about it an hour or longer after you have written it then you can feel free to send it, knowing that it's how you honestly feel about something and not just a reactionary response. But I guess I still have a lot to learn about controlling my temper.

I recently received a response from Albert Renteria, a response to this post which in turn was a response to this one about an organization whose stated purpose is to send items to GI's in Iraq. A noble sentiment at first glance, but Mr. Renteria was parading the idea at the recent Young Republicans convention, attended by able-bodied men and women who support the Iraq war yet refuse to go out and fight, and who see liberal bloggers like me as being as bad as Al-Qaeda. This is what he wrote me:

Mr. Vecchio,
Thank you for sharing the values and understanding of our freedoms.

I can tell you are a man of integrity and honesty and why I am compelled to send this email.

Sometimes our freedoms are clouded with misunderstandings and until some clarity is sought out, uncertainties are the result.

You make reference in this email and your online posting that you believe I have not served this great nation in uniform. Hence, uncertainties and misunderstandings are prevalent. I feel you are confusing me with someone else, for I have served you and our nation for 26 years. I don’t blame you for your right to post what you believe. You deserve to know the truth so you can validate what you believe.

Here is the truth. I retired April 1, 2000, after serving with the Marine Corps for 26 years. I enjoyed the benefit of the GI Bill and earned my masters. I hate waste and I believe in you and all those of this great nation.

I enjoy all of our civilians enjoying the freedoms given to them. It gives me honor to know that my many years of service was for not.

I witnessed waste during my tour in the Gulf War; waste that I am not sure you and many understand exists. I decided to do something about it and I am enlisting every American to join the effort without regard to political affiliation. I only see you as an American that appears to care for others and I suspect you want many to understand you and why you posted the email suggesting I made those comments.

My decision to attend all types of events of any type is important to me and I always welcome the invitation. Views are perceived, but having served under several presidents, it is always about the people of this great nation.

I don’t know if you ever served and if you did, I thank you. And if it was with the Marine Corps we just might have crossed paths.

Okay, now that you know a little about me, I am sure you will recognize that your comments and the truth of what you now know of me is certainly a conflict. Leaving your posting after you have this information suggest that you are not interested in the truth and you are willing to encourage others to ignore the truth. Is this what you want?

Your actions caught our attention and I applaud you for that. It should have and I am glad it did.

I have made many great friends all over the world and it is interesting how some of them started with misunderstandings. Who knows, this just might be one of those situations.

I welcome your thoughts and please do understand those deployed are our brothers, daughters, sisters, mothers, sons and fathers. They deserve to know we are thinking about them and I am willing to share with them they are not forgotten.

OI represents one nation crossing the line together and if you decide to cross that line with us, please do visit www.oidelivers.org to learn how simple that just might be.

Thank you for expressing yourself and wanting to learn facts and understanding them so the power of your written word has substance and truth. I would hate to see your words be untruthful and misunderstood. I am here to serve you 24/7 and if I can assist you with any details so you can differentiate from a parody with truth and a parody without truth just let me know.

Service never ends for a Marine! Semper Fi,

Albert R. Renteria, CWO4 USMC (Ret.)

Founder/CEO/President
Operation Interdependence®
A Civilian-to-Military Delivery System®
Powered by Interdependence™
www.oidelivers.org

This is my original response:

Mr. Renteria:
There was a time, not so very long ago, when I would have misinterpreted your letter as a polite response by someone who honestly wanted a free and open discussion on a particular issue. But I've been at this game long enough to recognize Republican insincerity when I see it.

It was Republican lies that sent your brother and sister Marines into Iraq in the first place; if you were really interested in the truth you'd look for it there. You may not like what I have to say but you can bet that if I DO say it, I MEAN it. If you really want to convince me I'm wrong about you, you'd better give me actions and not words. Republicans have proven time and time again that their word is meaningless; they can't be trusted to tell the truth, and they will say anything to gain an advantage. As a Republican, therefore, you have no credibility with me, so spare me your phony sense of outrage.

If you think what I'm saying to you is harsh and unfair, tough. Ten years of being called a traitor and a terrorist will do that to a person. I'll be civil when you and your ilk are removed from power and can no longer do any damage to this country.

Sincerely,
Joe Vecchio

PS: Yes I am a veteran

Here's what I should have said:

Mr. Renteria:
I very much want to believe that you are a decent and honorable person, and that we live in a country where different points of view can be respected. But I'm afraid that it's no longer that easy. For the last ten years and more I and other liberals have been called traitors and terrorists, and many of us (including myself) fear that, given the opportunity, you would have us all imprisoned and perhaps even killed. Under such circumstances, it's not easy to accept what appears to be an open hand: all too often we have learned that a knife is held in the other, waiting to strike.

Marine you may be, but being a Republican I am afraid to say that your credibility is lacking: the GOP has spread many lies over the last four years and has also shown every compunction to shortchange our soldiers in favor of political and business friends and policies. The lies told about Iraq, the incompetent handling of the war, the demonizing of political opponents, the torturing of innocent civilians (and the celebration of torture: it was at the YR Convention where you could buy T-Shirts that said "I Gitmo"), all of it makes it very difficult to trust what a Republican has to say. So my skepticism is, unfortunately, well-founded. Loyalty has to exist not just from the soldier to the civilian leadership, but also from the civilian leadership to its soldiers. And this administration has betrayed your brother and sister Marines by needlessly putting them in harm's way.

I, too, am a veteran, a former Sergeant in the US Air Force, and I come from a family of soldiers going back to World War Two (my father is a Pearl Harbor Survivor), so I at least understand what duty and honor means, even if I occasionally behave dishonorably. I also share your concern at the massive waste that goes on in the military, but perhaps if we could force our representatives to do more than just mouth their support for the soldiers (and I remind you that the Republicans are once more betraying their trust by cutting veterans benefits and not providing soldiers with the equipment that they need to do their jobs). If they did, then organizations like yours wouldn't need to exist.

Since every bit of information I have found about you shows that you did indeed serve in the Marines, I will attach a note to the original post indicating such, but as long as the Young Republicans and College Republicans and every able-bodied person who supports this administration and its policies refuses to stand up and fight, I will call them out for the cowards that they are.

Sincerely,
Joe Vecchio

I know, it's not as tough-sounding as the original, though it says many of the same things. I really don't like writing nasty letters, you know. But I think my anger and frustration at what has happened to this country is justified, and I will continue to speak out in defense of American ideals.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Apologize, and send him the second letter

That will REALLY score you some good karma points!

That second letter is sooooo much better, and well-intentioned. I can't but think that the guy will applaus you for your honor in admitting the mistake and accept your apology, and will loook upon the second one more favorably.

[Joeve]

3. Actually I did

I just forgot to edit the post to indicate that I had sent it. My bad.

I don't like being this way, you know. But I'm afraid that's just the country we live in now...

[Mythsaje]

2. Even the second one

is a tad bit harsher than I would've written.

While much of what you said is quite true, it would have done no harm to answer back in the same tone as his letter to you. It was obviously a personal effort on his part rather than some form letter, and it showed a rather high level of respect in tone and content.

I would have shown him the same respect.

[Joeve]

5. I agree

which is why I sent the second letter after telling him I regretted sending the first one. But considering how we have been trated over the last few years, I still feel I'm justifiably angry. But that's just me.

[Mythsaje]

7. I understand anger, believe me...

It took me many years of e-mail correspondance, chat rooms, and message boards to remember to stop and really consider what I was trying to say. And not to let emotion get the best of me.

[johncoby2]

4. I say Fuck em and don't lose keyboard strokes over it.

[Joeve]

6. Much as I'd like to, I can't

I felt really bad after I sent the first one, like I'd been in a fight. I had to write the second one to assuage my own conscience.

I know, it's kind of wussing out, but I'm afraid that's just how I am.