Iraq War Veteran Responds to Larry Northern (guy who mowed down crosses)

[wicket]

From the Operation Truth blog:

Mr. Northern:

I am a Veteran of the Iraq war, having served with the 4th Infantry Division on the initial invasion with Force Package One.

While I was in Iraq,a very good friend of mine, Christopher Cutchall,was killed in an unarmoredHMMWV outside of Baghdad. He was a cavalry scout serving with the 3d ID.Once he had declined the award of a medal because Soldiers assigned to him did not receive similar awards that he had recommended. He left two sons and awonderful wife. On Monday night, August 16, you ran down the memorial cross erected for him by Arlington West.

One of my Soldiers in Iraq was Roger Turner. We gave him a hard time because he always wore all of his protective equipment, including three pairs of glasses or goggles. He did this because he wanted to make sure that he returned home to his family. He rode a bicycle to work every day to make sure that he was able to save enough money on his Army salary to send his son to college. At Camp Anaconda, where the squadron briefly stayed, a rocket landed inside a tent, sending a piece of debris or fragment into him and killed him. On Monday night, August 16, you ran down the memorial cross erected for him by Arlington West.

One of my Soldiers was Henry Bacon. He was one of the finest men I ever met. He was in perfect shape for a man over forty, working hard at night. He told me that he did that because he didn't have much money to buy nice things for his wife, who he loved so much, so he had to be in good shape for her. He was like a father to many young men in his section of maintenance mechanics. They fixed our vehicles with almost no support and fabricated parts and made repairs that kept our squadron rolling on the longest, fastest armor advance ever made under fire. He was so very proud of his son-in-law that married the beautiful daughter so well raised by Henry. His son-in-law was a helicopter pilot with the 1st Cavalry Division, who died last year. Henry stopped to rescue a vehicle belonging to another unit on what was to be his last day in Iraq. He could have kept rolling - he was headed to Kuwait after a year's tour. But he stopped. He could have sent others to do the work, but he was on the ground, leading by example, when he was killed. On Monday night, August 16, you took it upon yourself to go out in the country, where a peaceful group was exercising their constitutional rights, and harming no one, and you ran down the memorial cross erected for Henry and for his son-in-law by Arlington West.

Mr. Northern - I know little about Cindy Sheehan except that she is a grieving mother, a gentle soul, and wants to bring harm to no one. I know little about you except that you found your way to Crawford on Monday night in August with chains and a pipe attached to your truck for the sole purpose of dishonoring a memorial erected for my friends and lost Soldiers and hundreds of others that served this nation when they were called. I find it disheartening that good men like these have died so that people like you can threaten a mother who lost a child with your actions. I hope that you are ashamed of yourself.

Perry Jefferies, First Sergeant, USA (retired)

:patriot:

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Welcome home Soldier

and we got yuor back

[AValdoux]

47. Optruth is a must read

Their blog is a daily must read for me. It is not political necessarily but it does deal honestly with Iraq and what the soldiers need & feel. When you read their stories, the steroetype of grunts goes by the wayside. You realize our military is just as varied as our society. The majority are good people just trying to get by.

I believe "Support the Troops" means give them the best equipment with an accomplishable mission. The current administration is failing the troops on both issues.


AValdoux

[Helga Scow Stern]

57. Yes it is! And The Sandstorm a "Must See!"

I am so thrilled to see on the OpTruth blog that it is playing in Washington, DC now.

[Aviation Pro]

58. It is this simple, reasoned response to....

...an ungrateful scumbag like real estate agent Northern, that the warrior creed is encapsulated: soldiers fight and die not for country, flag or ideology, but for their fellow brothers (and sisters)-in-arms.

Well done, Top, well done.

[ET Awful]

2. Thank you First Sergeant Jeffries.

:patriot:

This fellow ex-Army man salutes you.

[moc]

3. Excellent post.

:patriot:

[Bluzmann57]

4. Sgt. Jeffries hit the nail on the head.

Soldiers protect each other because they have to. I imagine that during battle they become very close. To have this asshole (Northern) do what he did is inexcusable. Mr. Northern, you redneck pos, I doubt that you'll get any jail time, but maybe a judge should sentence yo to look these mothers (and fathers) square in the eye and tell all of them that you're sorry. One of the sorriest so and so's who ever drew breath.

[seabeyond]

5. wow......what a chill. powerful and an awesome man

oh lordy i like to hear from these men. thank you, for sharing htis with us. and thank you for the man that shared his story with us.

this story will stay with me a long time

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

6. I couldn't have said it better.

Stay strong, soldier.

[dweller]

7. this needs to get to the front page

nom'd.

dp

[Theres-a]

13. Fantastic.

:patriot: Nominated.

[BOSSHOG]

8. Fair Winds and Following Seas Teammate

This Sailor salutes you and thanks you for your efforts on my behalf.

[BOSSHOG]

9. Fair Winds and Following Seas Teammate

This Sailor salutes you and thanks you for your efforts on my behalf.

[Spike from MN]

10. Thanks for posting that.

And thanks for your service to the country First Sergeant Perry Jefferies and ET Awful.

On edit: And you too Bosshog. Your post wasn't up yet when I started writing mine but I wanted to let you know that I didn't leave you out. The country really does appreciate you guys. Even if Bush doesn't.

[theHandpuppet]

11. So moving there are really no words I can find to express my feelings

I can only say thank you to Sgt Jeffries, and I grieve for your loss.

I hope you will consider publishing this letter in the Crawford paper, the Iconoclast, which has been very supportive of Cindy. Their website is: http://198.65.14.85/default.htm

[leesa]

12. So touching. I t needs to be said. Thank you Sgt Jeffries for

everything. Glad you made it home.

[understandinglife]

14. DU homepage, please Skinner.

Peace.

[Hubert Flottz]

15. Wow!

I'm trying to fight back the rage I feel for a man that I don't even know too Top! The sad thing is, there are so many more like Larry Northern out there. Rush should be proud of the low down bastards he and people like him, have helped to create and motivate.

God damn Larry Northern...and anyone who helped make him do the Un-American deed he did.

Larry should be on the next plane to Baghdad for a 16 month tour, along with Rush and Bush! I wouldn't care, but It might cheer me up!

[dalloway]

16. I second the request for DU homepage. Brilliant and heartfelt.

[Sapphire Blue]

38. A third request for DU homepage...

& the 57th nomination for 'greatest'.

[meganmonkey]

17. Thank you Sergeant Jefferies for telling it like it is

There is NO excuse for Mr. Northern's behavior....

[frictionlessO]

18. Quick! Freepers and Repugs smear him!!

He disagreed with you guys and thinks your hero Larry is a bad man for what he did to the memorial. You guys loved it, approved it and wanted more of it... Quick go get him!

Silly freeps, when are you gusy going to realize that you are not going to win this one, behind Cindy are more parents, children and siblings who have lost loved ones. Not to mention Iraq and Vietnam Vets, Military Families and many many others... You cannot smear them all.

[merbex]

19. This brought tears to my eyes

George Bush and those freeper followers of yours-

you make me so mad and sad for my country right now

[Generic Other]

20. I posted this thread on the All DU Cindy thread LINK

Thanks.

8/16 All DU Cindy threads DAY 11
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4376753

[K8-EEE]

Freepers Think This Was About "Principles"

They're so right -- except they are on the wrong side. A lot of them were cheering the destruction since this tribute was put up by "unwashed hippies" and therefore it was "an insult."

Sick fascists! This post points that out so clearly.

[pa28]

42. If this was about "principles" they should examine what they stand for.

They spew hot air in defense of traitors and cowards like Karl Rove and Larry Northern. Then they try to paint a grieving mother as the enemy.

Principle is admitting it when you are wrong. But to them Rush Limbaugh is "recovering" Tom DeLay is "demonized" and John Bolton's "style" is "misunderstood". Mr. Northern is a man of "principled action"(like George Washington) and Karl Rove was just helping Valerie Plame because, you see, she really wanted to be outed.

No principles. Just weasel words and hypocrisy.

[tk2kewl]

21. ya think they'll read that on Faux News?

:shrug:

This guy, or at least his letter, needs to appear in the MSM

[City Lights]

29. Agree completely that this needs to be picked up by the media.

I hope others who share his feelings speak out as well.

[noamnety]

22. Their faces

Christopher Cutchall:


Roger Turner:
"He rode a bike to work every day, enduring the extremes of weather and the ribbing of his compatriots, so that he could save for a college education for his son."

http://www.jeffzed.org/2004/02/ssg_roger_turner.html

Henry Bacon:


Henry Bacon's son-in-law, Orlando Bonilla:

[City Lights]

31. Thanks for posting their pics, lwfern. eom

[wicket]

32. Thanks for posting their pics

n/t

[Kota]

23. Thanks for posting, excellent letter.

[Mr_Spock]

24. I wonder if Bushco knows that soldiers are people too?

Amazing that soldiers have to remind us that they are not Bushbots.

I hate this band of thugs in the WH.

[ClayZ]

25. Sincere thanks, Perry Jefferies, First Sergeant, USA (retired)

This Navy mom (retired)salutes you!:kick:


:patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

[merh]

26. Thank you Sgt Perry Jefferies (ret'd)

Thank you for your service and thank you for caring for your men and for remembering these men. :hug:

You are indeed a hero and a patriot! :patriot:

[malmapus]

27. Well said Top!

It doesn't matter who put up those memorials. The fact is they were put there in memory of those soldiers who served this country and gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Drunk redneck Freepers then decides he wants to run them down. Way to support the troops.

I'm impressed I kept it this clean, I get so pissed when I think about those crosses on the ground with the flags and that #$^$$^#@^@'s truck.

[Orion The Hunter]

28. Thanks for the thoughtful post, First Sgt. Jefferies

What a great letter -- thanks for sharing it with us.

[Qanisqineq]

30. very moving

brought tears to my eyes
:cry:

[tom_paine]

33. If only a monstrous Bushevik HAD a conscience, he could then feel shame

But look at what kind of Second-Cousin to the Stormtroopers this Northern is. Such a creature could no more have a conscience than an insect.

[shaniqua6392]

34. Thank you Sgt. Jefferies

That was heart wrenching. If only others would see the horrors of war before they are so quick to vote warmongers into office. God bless you.

[Talismom]

35. Wow, very powerful writing...makes me cry. Thanks for all you've

done.

[Cleita]

36. I hope Larry Northern is man enough to apologize to

the families of the dead after reading that letter.

[The Icon Painter]

74. Man?

Whatever makes you think Larry Northern is a man?

[sonias]

37. Very moving

I am so sorry for their loss. They sounded like such wonderful men. May they rest in peace.

Thank you Sergeant Jefferies for speaking out for them and letting us know about them.

Sonia

[rateyes]

39. Thanks Sgt. Jefferies,

:patriot:

[catmandu57]

40. Very moving

to anyone who still has a soul, mr. freep scumbag douche I don't have any hope for. He was probably with the we don't care crowd, I can't see an idiot of his sort apologizing and meaning it, I hope the good citizens of Crawford ostracize and remove this stain from their midst.

[roguevalley]

41. God. How very, very said. Peace be with you, Perry. You and the others.

[goodboy]

43. Thank you, First Sgt. Jefferies!

:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:
:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:
:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:
:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:
:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:
:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:
:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:
:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:
:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:
:patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot::patriot:

[Burried News]

44. This gets printed and posted on the rear window of my Red Neck

pickup truck. Then I'm getting a chain and putting a sign saying this truck does not drag the crosses of the fallen. Then I'm going to the masonary yard and buying a ton of stone to make a display for the current count of American dead. Thanks for the motivatin Larry - I owe you one.

2/27 25th Infantry Division Cu Chi Viet Nam 12/65-5/66

[wicket]

Awesome!!!

:yourock:

[Beam Me Up]

45. Damn. Reading this at work on my lunch break. Now I'm tearing up again.

I just don't know how much more of this I can take. Damn you, *, and all your neocon scum. Thes men did not have to die. :cry:

Sergeant Jefferies: :patriot:

[BlueJac]

46. Sergeant Jefferies

Thank you for your comments they are very enlightening. :patriot:

[DrZeeLit]

48. Goosebumps. Tears. Pure poetry. Needs to be read aloud in every church

and synagogue and meeting house and open meadow -- it's a prayer.

Thank you so much for your intelligence, your eloquence, your courage, and your love -- of your men, your country, and your fellow citizens.

YOU are my hero.

[DeepModem Mom]

49. Thank you, Sergeant; thank you, wicket, for posting.

:cry:

[trekbiker]

50. Powerful.. the pictures put me over the edge..

[McCamy Taylor]

51. Salute

[Vinca]

52. Wow - I can barely speak. What a beautiful bit of writing.

His emotions are so raw and he conveyed it so well. This deserves to be read by every American. Kudos, Sgt. Jefferies . . . and condolences.

[jurassicpork]

53. Good letter

Let's just hope that someone cares enough about it to read it to Northern.

The dividing line between Them and Us is obvious: We support the troops but not the war.

They support the war but certainly not the troops.

I wrote about these Freeper asswipes on my blog.

JP
http://jurassicpork.blogspot.com/

[laugle]

54. Thank you Sergeant Jefferies! This letter so

brings it home that these were real, living human beings who did not have to die. I have no doubt that in President Bush's sick mind, he feels they were EXPENDABLE! There is a place reserved for him in HELL!!

[ClintonTyree]

55. Lies, all lies. Fabricated, made up..........

at least that's what we'll hear from the Reich Wing chicken-hawks. He made all of this up just to make Resident bush look bad. Why does he hate America? You KNOW this is going to happen!

I've had it up to my ears from these arrogant, right wing chicken-hawks. First Sergeant Perry Jefferies has to carry these emotional scars with him for the rest of his days. He will carry the memory of these men with him until his final breath. Yet these "patriots", such as Mr. Northern, will deride him, debase him, slander his character and call him a traitor for speaking what he knows to be the truth. These "patriots" who are more beholding to their pResident than they are the truth, and will do all they can to make sure that no one, not even a fallen soldier, will cast an ill shadow upon their chicken-hawk leader are cowards and liars . This man sacrificed more in his first hour in Iraq than the rest of these chicken-shit, chicken-hawks will have sacrificed in their entire lifetimes.

To these men who so gallantly fought and died for their country; Thank you. It's a shame your commander in chief wasn't behind you 100% from the start. He put you in harm's way needlessly and ill-equipped and your blood is upon his hands. WE WILL honor you, we WILL keep fighting to see that not one more soldier dies because of a pack of lies.

[mbperrin]

56. Thank you for saying it so well. Thank you for living it so well.

This goes on the bulletin board of my economics class so that the 149 budding people under my charge can see what honor and caring and service really are.

Thank you again!

[williesgirl]

59. When I first learned of this heinous crime, I thought I could never feel

worse. But, reading your letter showed me I didn't know the first thing about your type of loss. I lost of my husband 5 yrs ago and I literally would have killed anyone who showed him such disrespect, I feel your grief and will keep you, your family and fellow soldiers in my prayers. If it's any comfort, I know they're up in Heaven with my Bud. He was a wonderful person and he'll meet them with open arms. Thanks for writing your sad but eloquent letter. I know it was terribly hard for you to do that.

[sniffa]

64. weLcome to DU

i'm sorry for you Loss, but thank you for sharing. :hug:

[tlsmith1963]

60. You Tell Him, Mr. Jefferies! :)

Every conservative should read that letter. What Mr. Northern did was shameful, & conservatives are hypocrites if they support this guy. If you support Northern's actions, you don't support the troops.

Tammy

[roscoeroscoe]

61. thanks First Sergeant!

and to you mr northern? i wish you could come over here to tikrit and drive around with us a little. you could drive down the supply routes that are hit by ied's every day, or patrol the iraqi police station where the poor guys trying to keep the peace here, the iraqis crazy enough to become policemen, have been blown to pieces several times by super vbieds, cars loaded down with 20-30 artillery rounds. when they go off, boom!
mr northern, you should be ashamed.

and First Sergeant Jeffries, you sure know your soldiers and it's clear how much you care about them. bless you~ peace out

[Tsiyu]

65. roscoeroscoe

peace out yourself

[sniffa]

62. my heart just broke

:cry:

[Tsiyu]

63. This tears at the gut

like nothing else could.

[democratic veteran]

66. Thanks sergeant

This Navy vet salutes you.

[dweller]

67. for the late nite crowd and returning vigil attendees

:kick:

dp

[wiley]

68. God Bless You Perry Jefferies

:patriot:

[biggles1]

69. Thanks so much Sarge...you remind this Australian

of what it was that I admired so much about the US as I grew up. What a shame that George and his cronies like Mr Northern seem so intent on trampling that good name into the mud......

[BlueCollar]

70. Ex Navy thanks the Sergeant...eom

[SaveAmerica]

71. That's heartbreaking, I hate to hear of anyone who has died in

Iraq or Afghanistan but it's especially hard to hear of someone who died on his last day there. My heart goes out to his family, they were so close.

[AuntPatsy]

72. I pray this war ends soon, this is so heartbreaking.

[Historic NY]

73. Thank you Sgt. Jefferies........

Guys like Northern feel threatened when one tries to put a face on this war...oh yeah they say they support the troops with their little "made in China ribbons" , their braggadocio comments similar to what the * makes. When people upset their narrow minded vision, well lets say picture they go nutso. A name to a face, to a fallen comrade to a symbol to this wars toll just drives them over the edge.

[evilqueen]

75. Nominated.

And thanks, Jefferies.

[all.of.me]

76. oh god, this made me cry.

thanks for posting it.

[peacebuzzard]

77. Nominated. Welcome home.

[wicket]

78. kick

:kick:

[Imagevision]

79. Nominated and my hat is off to you Mr. Jeffries

Bush: the worse president this country has yet experienced!

[Joey Liberal]

80. 1st. Sgt. Perry Jefferies is another hero

I always had pretty good 1st. Sgts. while I was in the Army. To 1st. Sgt. Jefferies, I say thank you and I salute you, Top.

[tinfoil tiaras]

81. Wow...that is a moving letter.

I think that he should apologize personally to Ms. Sheehan and the others. He probably won't because he's not man enough to own up to his own twisted actions. Where ever did freedom of speech go...?

[Oldtimeralso]

82. Great letter

Thank you Sgt Jeffries for expressing what in in the heart of a real American.
Thank You Ms Sheehan as you are as brave as anyone and know when and how to stand up to corruption

[wicket]

83. welcome to DU!

:hi:

[julialnyc]

84. if you go to the link

this has gotten very interesting responses.It may be nice to lend our kind words.

[wicket]

86. wow, some people can be so incredibly cruel!

Ugh.

[julialnyc]

87. I know! Talk about heartless!

N/T

[julialnyc]

85. by Paul Begalla

I don't think they taught Larry Chad to desecrate crosses at the Columbus Avenue Baptist Church. And I doubt his Army buddies from Vietnam are proud to see him running over American flags and disrespecting a memorial for the war dead.
So what could drive a true-blue - or should I say Bush red? - American patriot to commit such a heinous act

Such is the hatred of the far right at the dawn of the 21st Century. And my how the optical worm has turned. Today it is the left invoking faith, flag and family, while the right destroys crosses. Today it is the left that honors the war dead, raises up a Gold Star Mother and publicly prays for our troops, while the right viciously attacks a woman who gave her country everything. Today it is the left that patiently and peacefully respects the Office of the Presidency, while the right diminishes the office by claiming it's more important for the President to go bike-riding with a sports hero than comfort the mother of a war hero.

For the last two presidential elections it has been the Democratic Party whose nominee was a Vietnam War veteran, while the Republicans have sputtered out spurious defenses of their candidate's deceitful draft-dodging.

On Thursday, Dick Cheney, who said he had "other priorities" in the Vietnam era, and so helped himself to five draft deferments, will address the 73rd Convention of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. I do not think he will express remorse for the callousness with which he explained his cowardice. Nor do I expect him to apologize for the shocking, mocking Republicans who, at their New York Convention a year ago, sported Band-Aids with tiny purple hearts to mock the blood shed by John Kerry and so many other heroes in that misbegotten war.

No, Mr. Cheney, surrounded by body guards who would gladly give their life for him, will no doubt wrap himself in the flag. A flag Larry Chad Northern wrapped around his axle on Prairie Chapel Road.
http://www.tpmcafe.com/story/2005/8/18/03721/8483
(by Paul Begalla)