"I'm all for protection but this is getting a little bit ridiculous."

[progressoid]

Ohio families reeling after battalion loses 21 in six days

http://www.suntimes.com/output/iraq/cst-nws-iohio04.html

...In the Cleveland suburb of Brook Park, where the battalion is based, Pat Wilsox threw her hand over her heart when she heard of the latest deaths.

"Oh, my God," she said softly. "I'm all for protection but this is getting a little bit ridiculous." She manages a doughnut shop near the battalion's headquarters....

----------------

With all due respect, it's not getting ridiculous. It's BEEN ridiculous for a few years. I feel for their losses. These soldiers did not need to die like that. But it is sad that this is what it takes for people to see through the fog of blind patriotism.

It's sad that the people that brought this wrath on us receive no punishment for their wrongs.
It's sad that the aftermath of *'s dirty war will be terrible and long lasting.
It's sad that most people can't see past the flags and magnetic ribbons.
But mostly, it's sad that my country is responsible.

[Dhalgren]

1. Ditto...What you said!

[dogday]

2. This will continue and the cries of the people

will grow louder and louder as more come out of that fog....

[Sparkman]

3. Only 25% of U.S. adults voted for *, money in media creates the illusions.

And the concept that our country is responsible can be changed by education BEFORE the wars happen. But thats for the next war, those like Joe Wilson, Scott Ridder, Sybel Emdmonds, Ralph Nader, Amy Goodman, Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Ted Kennedy TRIED TO TELL THE COUNTRY BEFORE HOSTILITIES with Iraq, and that's the nature of telling TRUTH TO POWER. Hope you can keep your job, when protesing a war that is supported in the MSM, false patriotism is job security!

[progressoid]

5. It's amazing to me

I have relatives that I thought were semi-sensible, that swallowed this war hook,line, & sinker. Even the most obvious arguments against this war were lost on them. Maybe there was something in the water.

[Sparkman]

9. You can't blame economically threatened folk. Herd mentality is very real

and when we feel threatened by MSM and church and corporation office life all censuring contrarian viewpoints and any threat to their access to the water trough, much education is required to wean us off the...

[sexybomber]

4. Progressoid, I have a suggestion.

If, as you say, "It's sad that most people can't see past the flags and magnetic ribbons"...

then we should co-opt those methods.

Okay, a flying flag represents patriotism. But what we should make loud and clear is that WE are the true patriots, WE have America's best interests at heart, WE are the ones who truly and deeply love this country.

It's a half-formed thought, but there you go, there's my $0.02.

[Dhalgren]

6. That's a good idea, but how to advertise the distinction?

We should co=opt their high-jacking of our nation and its symbols. But how do we get it across to the dimly seeing that this is the truth?

[sexybomber]

13. You got me.

I'm an idealist, I need practicalists (word?) working with me...

[progressoid]

7. Funny you should say that.

I've never been one to wear my patriotism on my sleeve. In fact I always thought just popping up a flag was superficial and overdone. But now I always fly the flag at home at the appropriate times -- including during the entire 04 election cycle with all my Dem signs in the front yard!

[TahitiNut]

12. "we should co-opt those methods"?? It was called the "Peace Symbol"

[zbdent]

8. Mrs. ZBDent's co-worker buried her son a few weeks back

One of the three that were killed in an IED attack a while back - all three from NE Ohio (Brad Squires).

The other day (may not be absolutely true, heard thirdhand), Mrs. ZBDent overheard some co-workers talking, saying that they found some of his fingers recently (horrors . . .). The question was what to do with them . . .

Last night, Mrs. ZBDent informed me that her co-worker knew many of those killed these past few days from the letters her son wrote . . .

[progressoid]

10. God, that's awful.

Such a needless waste....

[pocket]

11. how many Iraqis were killed?

how many Iraqis were killed?