Ohio KIA's father: "I can no longer sit still and keep quiet.."

[OzarkDem]

From an excellent column by Plain Dealer's Connie Schultz:

http://www.cleveland.com/schultz/index.ssf?/base/living/112314795736070.xml&coll=2



"I hope people forgive me for what I have to say," he began. "I just don't care anymore."

He listed who he blamed for Augie's death.

"I hold the Bush administration responsible, from the president through the secretaries of state and defense and all those who have had a hand in starting this war.

"I also hold every Democrat in Congress who voted to authorize this misadventure as accomplices."

His son, he wrote, "died doing his duty. So have some 1,800 other Americans.

"Augie did his duty at every turn, from being an emergency medical technician while still in high school, a lifeguard, a Boy Scout, an active church member, and, of course, as a Marine. For all this, we consider him a hero.

"To honor him, I no longer can sit still, just keeping quiet and being politically correct."

[Booster]

1. I hope this father joins Cindy Sheehan in Crawford this weekend.

[splat@14]

22. Missed that, whats happening there?

[Booster]

31. Cindy and other Gold Star Family members are going to

Crawford on Saturday to demand answers from Bush and Cindy says she will not leave without answers even if it means she is arrested. Bet this isn't covered on any news show.

[FreedomAngel82]

32. Good for them!

Of course it won't be reported on the news. MAYBE the local news if they're lucky. The Gold Star Family members are really brave. I hope these families join them as well.

[Uncle Joe]

37. Maybe someone with a good video can get it to Current. n/t

[splat@14]

42. I'll send some thing to the press down there.

The Crawford paper and Texas Observer may be interested. Will also forward the info to some local broadcast media. Nothin may happen but its for sure nothing will happen if they don't know about it.

[marions ghost]

118. CBS News

did a short piece on it tonight.

[Trevelyan]

102. Please sign Cindy Sheehan's Petition to be deliver to Bush in Crawford

~~~~~~Below is an important message from Cindy Sheehan, a fearless champion for peace who lost her son Casey in combat in Iraq last year. I urge you to sign our OutOfIraq.org petition so Cindy can deliver your signature to George Bush on Saturday.

Bob Fertik

Dear Friends and Supporters,

George Bush said speaking about the dreadful loss of life in Iraq in August: (08/03/05): "We have to honor the sacrifices of the fallen by completing the mission." "The families of the fallen can be assured that they died for a noble cause."

In reaction to these two assinine and hurtful statements, members of Gold Star Families for Peace (GSFP) are going to George's vacation home in Crawford, Tx this Saturday, August 6th at 11:00 am to confront him on these two statements.

1) We want our loved ones' sacrifices to be honored by bringing our nation's sons and daughters home from the travesty that is Iraq IMMEDIATELY, since this war is based on horrendous lies and deceptions. Just because our children are dead, why would we want any more families to suffer the same pain and devastation that we are?

2) We would like for him to explain this "noble cause" to us and ask him why Jenna and Barbara are not in harm's way, if the cause is so noble.

3) If George is not ready to send the twins, then he should bring our troops home immediately. We will demand a speedy withdrawal.

~~outofIraq
http://elandslide.org/elandslide/petition.cfmcampaign=iraq1

~~~~
https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacypagename=homepage&id=239&page=UserAction
~~~~~
http://archive.democrats.com/preview.cfm?term=Iraq%20Prisoners

[sexybomber]

2. What gets me...

is that at the beginning, he asks forgiveness for speaking his mind. That is truly frightening that someone would have to say such a thing. What has this country come to that somehow, some way, merely voicing an opinion critical of the Powers That Be is something that you must beg mea culpa for?

[OzarkDem]

11. He's probably acknowledging

that some of the other parents and family of those killed would disagree with him. I see it more as a gesture towards them.

[mike_c]

13. we have become a nation of good Germans....

eom

[WCGreen]

21. In a time of sorrow, he is asking to forgive him for speaking

his mind in a time of sorrow

[sexybomber]

92. Oh, as opposed to simply mourning for a while...

and then speaking his mind.

Okay, I can understand that.

[WCGreen]

97. Well, if you have ever been to a solemn occassion

such as a funeral or a memorial service, you would realize there is a time and a place for everything.....

[LisaM]

3. They talked about this guy on NPR this morning

They did not discuss this aspect of his family's thoughts AT ALL.

[StaggerLee]

24. I'm sure he said plenty

The dissenting part can most likely be found on the PBS cutting room floor.

:mad:

[LisaM]

30. Yes, liberal NPR........

I don't think they've acted liberal since 1994 (when Gingrich hit the scene.)

[vickie]

4. when did he say this?

I saw the beginning of an interview with Augie's parents and couldn't finish watching because I had to get breakfast for my little one.

Did he say this on CNN?

[OzarkDem]

7. Connie Schultz quoted it in her column

from a written statement the father made just after hearing the news of their son's death.

Connie, a pulitzer prize winning columnist who also happens to be the wife of Cong. Sherrod Brown, is not the type to bury this information. Like her husband, she's not "politically correct".

[tridim]

5. Good, but why did he think "politically correct"

meant to "shut up and not criticize your government"?

It shouldn't take the murder of your own son to wake these people up. It's kind of too late now.

[MercutioATC]

6. I think he meant that it's not "politically correct" to speak against the

war (at least that's the perception many people have).

[still_one]

8. This is why every Democrat must NOT

support anyone for president who gave bush the authority to go to war:

That includes:

Clinton, Kerry, Biden, Edward, Feinstein, and a host of others

It excludes:

Boxer, Feingold, Dean, Clark, and a host of others

We owe it to the ones who were sacrificed for nothing

Please think about this whoever the democrats choose in 2008. In the debates the questions will be about Iraq, and the first question that will be thrown at a candidate is did you vote to give the president authorization to go to war?

[OzarkDem]

12. I wouldn't go that far

but they need to be made aware of what their decision has caused.

[still_one]

14. I respect your decision

but I will NOT vote for someone who did violate the war powers act, and their duty as members of congress, to provide checks and balances

Incidently, I voted for Kerry/Edwards in 2004, but would not vote for either one in 2008, not because they are bad people, but because of this one issue, which violates everything our constitution says about seperation of powers, and throwing the responsiblity to the executive branch

There were enough Democrats and people, including the State department, who knew this war was based on a lie

a pre-emptive attack against a country, based on a lie, and involving it in a potential war of ages, is unforgivable as far as I am concerned for a person to lead this country

[OzarkDem]

15. You're right on that

the standard for presidential candidates should be high, including Dems who voted in favor of it.

[still_one]

17. and believe me, I will support them in other offices

it is just that I am tired of these Viet Nams

2008 is a long way off, and who knows what I may say then, but right now that is my position, and I feel pretty strong about it, but I could see the republicans putting up someone like dobbson or pat robertson, or jeb bush, and I would probably have to support the democrat

[JNelson6563]

20. I'm with you on this

It's high time we stood on principle. I will not be casting any votes in the future for anyone who supported this war.

ABB was so 2004 and there is no premise for it next time. There will be no ramming that crap down the throats of the Dems in '08.

Julie

[still_one]

38. There are enough candidates who didn't support this war

plenty to choose from

[Trevelyan]

103. Pleasego to the Judicial or Congressional site and see the bill that

that Sensenbrenner and 6 other NeoCONS have ALREADY SUBMITTED to repeal the 22nd Amendment which states that no president shall serve more than 2 terms.

Since Sensenbrenner introduced it, it should be on his webpage or archives you can access from there on the Judicial site as well.

Graham has introduced a horrendous bill on the home page of his official website to give President Bush and his successors (because the war on terror is going to go on forever) complete authority to decide who stays at Gitmo and other places, WITHOUT DUE PROCESS AND SOLELY AT THE PRESIDENTS WHIM and this means you and this means me.

This is a PASTOR NEIMOLLER moment. Graham is pretending to care about the torture but if you read the sickening press release on this give total power to the Executive Branch to detain people at will and for as long as the "pResident" decides without any charges or any form of due process.

[maxrandb]

91. My God, You Can't Be Serious!!

First - Democrats were looking at the same "cooked intelligence" that led 60% of Americans at one time to believe that Saddam was behind 9/11 and was only a couple of week away from dropping an A-bomb on Manhattan.

Second - Considering the attitude in this country at the time this vote occured, and the above numbers, if Dems had voted against "OUR TROOPS" (sorry, but that is how it is, and would be spun), the corporate controlled media would have had a field day. This might be an exageration, but Dems would not have won a race for dog-catcher that year.

Third - I would like for you to explain how having a 75-25 (or worse) Repuke controlled Senate, and a 375-160 (or worse) Repuke controlled House of Representatives would be good for the country.

Jesus man! It's bad enough what he's done with his 51-49% "man-date". Could you imagine what this world would be like if we followed your advice and stayed home on election day?

[mopinko]

16. how about this far

don't vote for any dem for any office that is supporting this administration in any of the things that are screwing the party faithful. including this atrocity. that's how far i would go.

[electropop]

94. These battles are for the primaries.

Once we have a candidate, he have to treat that candidate like God. This is what the Pukes do, and it's how winning is done. It's hard to think of any case where it's preferable to let the Puke win by default.

[bunny planet]

26. Some of those, foolishly, in hindsight, only voted to give the President

the authority to go to war, if, and only if, Saddam Hussein did not comply with UN resolution 1441. They also expected the President to go to the UN for a second resolution before going to war. Instead, once the inspectors were on the ground, complying with 1441, he bypassed Congress, did not fulfill his promise to get a second resolution, and went to war as we now know (fixing the facts around the policy with cooked intelligence), illegally. He did not even honor the plan he laid out for Congress, so what they voted for, and what actually happened, were different altogether. Not excusing them btw, I wish they had not been so willing to trust the word of His Fraudulency.

[Laurab]

74. Yes, that is what they voted for

and I would guess many of them would like their vote back. I don't think there was any precedent for a president to bypass Congress and do what * did, and I doubt that many of them had any idea at the time that he was arrogant enough and power-mad enough to do that. Some were smarter than others, but it was not the democrats who caused this war, and with or without their vote, it was going to happen.

Myself, I will vote for any decent dem. It's too easy to be a Monday morning quarterback, and my vote will help get the real criminals out of the WH (if it is counted). Not voting will only keep the bad - REALLY bad, guys in power.

[duhneece]

105. That is how I see it, too

I will vote for Bingaman here in New Mexico.

[girl gone mad]

40. I won't argue with you there.

I don't think the Democrats deserve a pass. There were so many of us trying to get them to listen to reason. People forget, but even before the first bomb was dropped, the war was unpopular. Congress did not do its duty.

[karynnj]

75. The reality is that if the IWR failed, Bush would likely have gone to war

As CIC, he had the power to command the troops to go to fight if the US was "threatened". The war in Vietnam was not declared by Congress. Clinton didn't go to Congress before the war in Kosovo. Bush was already amassing troops in the Persian Gulf in the summer of 2002. The IWR probably delayed the war by about 4 months and did get the inspectors in - who didn't find weapons of mass destruction.

[electropop]

95. Sure, but can you imagine the limb he'd be out on now?

I mean, 42% is pretty bad, but he'd be impeached by now if the Dems didn't keep caving.

[KOBUK]

46. Concur ! *

*

[Pharaoh]

61. right on still one.....

[Burried News]

72. I agree - it really is that simple.

If you authorized this mis-adventure - sit down - and have the decency to do so without a reminder. Bad decisions have consequences. And for Boxer, Feingold etc. step forward your country needs leaders who make hard choices. Great post.

[staticstopper]

79. Well said!

very important!
(start a thread with this?)

but I think their sacrifices can be the start to the downfall of worldwide warprofitteers, so it will indeed be for much much more.

[Charlotta6]

106. Democratis are accountable

This is my first time viewing Democratic Underground. The site is first-rate but I am surprised at the number of Democrats willing to excuse the party's complicity in the Iraq war.

I don't believe we can excuse this behavior by saying Democrats were in the minority. A genuine democracy needs an opposition party, not a rubber-stamp party.

I also don't buy the idea that by voting for the war resolution that Democratis were just authorizing Bush to manage our foreign policy on the matter. Anyone could see that Bush wanted the war and had wanted it for a long time. By voting for the resolution, the Democrats were voting for war and they had to have known that.

The fact is that many Democratic members of Congress placed their own political survival above the good of the country. During the next election, we should "clean house" and elect Democrats who will be real opponents of militarism and other Bush policies.

By the way, I am a life-long Democrat and have been disheartened by the way our party caved in on this issue.

[OzarkDem]

112. Welcome to DU!

Many of us here agree with you. As loyal as I am to the party, I think we still need to stand for certain core principles above political expediency. Supporting unilateral invasion of a foreign country with trumped up phony evidence should be one of those core principles.

[leanin_green]

115. Welcome, a great first post!

"The fact is that many Democratic members of Congress placed their own political survival above the good of the country."

That's it in a nutshell! I've been a proud life-long Democrat myself and have grown disgusted by the actions(or inaction)of my party. Ever since the '04 election(?)it has become easier and easier to pick out the Dems who are benefitting from the "new order" of things. Watch and see how they survive the coming election cycle no matter how much they are opposed in their regions. Even though most of the votes may be cast against them, in the end, the tabulation process is where they will eventually prevail. And if they are defeated, it will be by a Republican that the powers that be like better. I'm waiting for one of these "in the pocket" Democrats to get hosed by this new elite and get pissed off enough to speak out. Of course, they'll either wind up dying mysteriously or threatened into silence.

[LWolf]

110. I didn't support any last year.

At least, not until the general election, when I had little choice. The Democrat I supported didn't withhold that authority by default; he actually cast a vote against it. You forgot to mention Dennis Kucinich.

[Supersedeas]

9. Democrats who voted for the war can show some courage and investigate

the DSM and Plame

[still_one]

10. yes, and that would be good

but those that voted to give bush the authority to go to war, do not deserve to be presidential candidates. This so-called "mistake" is too severe for that

[Sunkiss BlueStar]

18. I believe more parents should speak out ,Right into the Camera

and their message should be directly to *. Let him have it and dont stop till the Camera is turned off!

[bunny planet]

19. I feel total sympathy for this man. Only one question though, why not also

blame every Republican in Congress who voted for this war as well? Are they not complicit too?

[Cha]

36. The way I took it was because

the republicans were already "complicit" and the dems enabled them.

But, you're right ..it should be brought out just how COMPLICIT they were!

[GracieM]

23. Boy Scout...

Makes those pictures even scarier..

[City Lights]

25. Did I miss something?

"I hold the Bush administration responsible, from the president through the secretaries of state and defense and all those who have had a hand in starting this war.

"I also hold every Democrat in Congress who voted to authorize this misadventure as accomplices."

He blames the chimpco administration and the Democrats in Congress who authorized chimpy's misadventure, but says nothing about the pukes in Congress who went along with chimpy?

I tried to read the entire article, but am not registered.

My heart goes out to this man and all others who have lost a loved one. I'm not trying to nitpick, I just don't understand why he didn't mention the pukes in Congress. :shrug:

[noamnety]

27. I thought that part was assumed

If he's holding the Bush admin on down responsible, one can conclude he also holds the republican congressmen responsible. I think he was making the point, by calling out the dems, that it wasn't a partisan issue to him - that they aren't exempt from blame just because of that D by their name.

[ChiciB1]

34. I'm SURE That Was Implied In The Words He Spoke...

He knows the Pukes have been nothing but outright cheerleaders and shills for "the corrupt ones"!!!

[Norquist Nemesis]

28. That struck me as well. Why Democrats?

They were in the minority and the majority's lock-step, 9/11 BOO! was deafening (not to mention threatening).

[FreedomAngel82]

33. Yes

what about the rightwing republicans who went on tv and still goes on tv and promote this war? Even though Kerry and others voted for it at least Kerry has wanted to investigate the DSM (remember his Senate letter) and has been party-line since and he was for sending in investigators but Bush rushed. You MUST blame the republicans as well.

[YOY]

29. No to belittle this man's pain but

He was not blaming the voters (all ballot-funny-business aside) or the RW media media that let this monstrous regressive regime come into power.

I do sympathize with his loss though.

[Disturbed]

35. Votes Against IWR

Votes Against IWR- House

---- NAYS 133 ---

Abercrombie
Allen
Baca
Baird
Baldacci
Baldwin
Barrett
Becerra
Blumenauer
Bonior
Brady
(PA)Brown
(FL)Brown
(OH)Capps
Capuano
Cardin
Carson
(IN)Clay
Clayton
Clyburn
Condit
Conyers
Costello
Coyne
Cummings
Davis
CA)Davis
(IL)DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle
Duncan
Eshoo
Evans
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Frank
Gonzalez
Gutierrez
Hastings
(FL)Hilliard
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hostettler
Houghton
Inslee
Jackson
(IL)Jackson-Lee
(TX)Johnson,
E. B.Jones
(OH)Kaptur
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kleczka
Kucinich
LaFalce
Langevin
Larsen
(WA)Larson
(CT)Leach
Lee
Levin
Lewis (
GA)Lipinski
Lofgren
Maloney (
CT)Matsui
McCarthy
(MO)McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McKinney
Meek
(FL)Meeks (
NY)Menendez
Millender-
McDonald
Miller,
George
Mollohan
Moran (
VA)Morella
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Owens
Pallone
Pastor
hall
Rangel
Reyes
Rivers
Rodriguez
Roybal-Allard
Rush
Sabo
Sanchez
Sanders
Sawyer
Schakowsky
Scott
Serrano
Slaughter
Snyder
Solis
Stark
Strickland
Stupak
Thompson (
CA)Thompson (
MS)Tierney
TownsUdall
(CO)Udall
(NM)Velazquez
Visclosky
Waters
Watson
(CA)Watt
(NC)WoolseyWu

Nays in the Senate

Akaka (D-HI)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Chafee (R-RI)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corzine (D-NJ)
Dayton (D-MN)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Graham (D-FL)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)

[Greeby]

41. You missed these from the Senate list

Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Reed (D-RI)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Wellstone (D-MN)
Wyden (D-OR)

[roguevalley]

49. he hasn't had time to assimilate the full scope of this tragedy. He

will in time. I feel for him so much. I will NEVER vote for someone who voted for the war act. EVER.

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. I saw this dad on CNN today

The look on his face made me want to cry.

[DirtyDawg]

44. I'm crying and I didn't see him...

...For some reason this one has effected even more than so many of those that have come before. Maybe it's the accumulation of all those wonderful young men and women that were all 'doing their duty'. God how low can people go? How can the people that we have in positions of leadership in this country continue to see these kids die when in their hearts - assuming they have hearts - they know that they twisted and manipulated the information to achieve some agenda that they knew wouldn't pass the 'bullshit' test if they had tried to sell it...so they lied. And they lie still. Jesus, what manner of vermin have we allowed to even share the air we breath, much less that we have to call Mr. President? As I sit here with tissues, my heart breaking for this family, all I seem to be able to do is to curse George Bush and everybody that supports him, with every breath. I curse him in the name of whatever God has allowed him to do this to these men and women...I curse him, his mother and father, his wife, his daughters, his friends, his handlers, everybody. Goddamn them to Hell!

This probably won't be posted, but I don't care.

[NEOBuckeye]

51. You assume that they actually care about other human beings.

To Cheney, Bush Sr., the NeoCons and their ilk, it's all about survival of the fittest. They are at the top of the food pyramid, and everyone else... well, as Cheney said, they can go f*ck themselves.

"Poppy" Bush Sr. has always arrogantly believed that he and his family were born to rule this country. It's not the people of America that he feels that he owes his status to, but rather he feels that the people should be greatful for his presence and that of his family.

These people represent the worst of "American Nobility" which essentially traces its history and heritage back to the British crown. That should tell you something about the arrogant, pompous mentality of the BFEE and how they really feel about the common American citizen.

[Trevelyan]

104. Look up the 13 Illuminati bloodlines and its relation to

Bush + Anti-Christ in your search engine.

And the DaVinci Code. There was an effort at the kind of propaganda and preparation as the X Files and Tom Clancy's book were for 911 by having a book with a similar message to DaVinci Code but it didn't take off and they found a more suspenseful and populist writer to get across their message that Bush is God.

http://www.hermes-press.com

[fudge stripe cookays]

43. I sympathize with him...

but I'd still like to know if he was part of the deafening roar and rush to war. The ones calling us "peaceniks", and ridiculing us while we protested in the streets.

If so, what does he think war means, and who does he think we're sacrificing when we take these actions?

If not, my heart hurts for him.

Like another poster said above. It's a shame it takes losing a son to finally wake these people up to what's at stake here.

I'd like to think that things may finally be turning around, but at what a cost.

FSC

[hippywife]

47. Or he could be just like us

and only gets the press time to express his feelings now because he did lose his son.

[roguevalley]

50. I don't care if he was. He lost a son. That's more payment than

anyone including those against the war will have to pay. He gets a pass.

[NightOwwl]

57. Who gives a flying fuck what he thought yesterday?

Today he lost a son and he's speaking out against the war. That's the only thing that matters.

[fudge stripe cookays]

59. I do.

I'm sorry for what happened to him.

But Vietnam has now begun to fade from memory. It's incredibly sad that people have to be reminded every 20-40 years why war is a BAD thing.

FSC

[scarletwoman]

62. If you'd read the whole article, you'd have seen that he DIDN'T support

the war:

"I was opposed to this war before it even started..." (from page 4 of the article)

Rosemary (the dead Marine's mother) had sobbed the day Augie enlisted. She had begged him not to go to Iraq. (page 5)

You didn't even bother reading the whole story and yet you climb on your high horse and deliver your judgement "It's a shame it takes losing a son to finally wake these people up to what's at stake here."

No wonder so many people find it easy to despise "liberals".

sw

[fudge stripe cookays]

67. Respectfully,

go do the unmentionable to yourself. High horses seem to be a dime a dozen around here.

I SCANNED this thread while at work because I was busy, and didn't have time to read the whole article. Some of us do that when we're pressed for time.

IF you'd have read my original post you'd have seen that I said that IF he hadn't supported the war, I completely empathized with the poor man.

FSC

[scarletwoman]

73. Conditional empathy is no empathy at all.

Go ahead and make your excuses and your justifications, only you have to live with yourself. And don't bother with your "respectfully", I have no interest in your "respect".

sw

[fudge stripe cookays]

83. Yeah...you're right....

despising SOME liberals just got MUCH easier.

:eyes:
FSC

[H2O Man]

85. I agree 100%....

There is absolutely no evidence that this father was part of any "rush to war." That is complete nonsense from the giddy-up. But, even if he had believed the administration's lies about WMDs, mushroom clouds on the horizen, and the threat of aggressive attack, having his child killed seems a tad bit harsh for a penalty.

The proposition that we not be open to changing people's minds about the war reflects a lack of maturity, as well as insight into how social change is achieved.

[Susang]

76. "No wonder so many people find it easy to despise "liberals"." ?

:wtf:

Seriously out of line and out of proportion to FSC's post, don't you think?

No, I'm guessing you probably don't. But I sure as hell do.

[H2O Man]

86. I don't.

FSC wrote, "It's a shame it takes losing a son to finally wake these people up to what's at stake here." This was but part of FSC's questioning if the father had been part of the deafening rush to war, and part of those who insulted the anti-war people. However, anyone who had read the article would have known the father was absolutely not one of "these people." I found FSC's post extremely rude and insulting, and entirely without merit considering the article made clear the father was always opposed to the war.

[fudge stripe cookays]

93. And you'll notice that I clarified above.....

that I did NOT read the article. I skimmed this thread.

I'm sorry for that, because it meant not knowing if the man supported the war or not.

And I am willing to admit that people are waking up. I fully support those who are speaking out and questioning why their kids are over there.

HOWEVER, that being said, if a war supporter (who still supports Bush and supported the rush to war) bemoans the fact that they have lost a son or daughter, I will be far less empathetic to their sorrow.

Immature? No. Furious at having this crap waved in my face for the last 3 years? Yes. Insult me all you want. I live in Texas. Everyone I work with, and almost every car I drive past has a fucking W sticker on it. Excuse me for not feeling empathetic at this point.

What do they think war is? That's all I'm saying. I want these fascists to realize that when they decide to take a "nuke em all" aggressive approach like this, that there are costs involved.

I hope that in the future, if you get a few spare moments at work and are trying to catch up on quick news, that you read every word of every single article posted here to avoid what I did. Because then people might call you rude and insulting.

[H2O Man]

98. I certainly

read articles before I write something thoughtless and offensive -- and just plain wrong -- when it comes to someone having their child killed. And your attempts to justify your error are part and parcel of what the other DUer was referring to. You just don't get it.

[fudge stripe cookays]

117. Well, then...

I suggest you put me on ignore so I won't annoy you with my thoughtless offensive posts in the future.

I'm not justifying anything. My empathy tends to be quite a bit less for the assholes that got us into this mess, and I won't apologize for my opinion. Deal with it.

:eyes:
FSC

[AuntPatsy]

114. I have to agree with you to a point. There are quite a few who once

proudly supported this administration until low and behold, they lose a loved one then and only then do they begin to open up their eyes to what many have known for quite some time, that this war is and has been from day one based on lies...

I do have empathy for them though, I cannot help it, though like you stated and very on target, "What do they think war is?".....

People always die in wars, both the innocent and the guilty, war is not fickle and you can pray for days on end, but when it's your time, such will not help you, some just don't understand that reality and get caught up in thier "Rambo" style fantasies not realizing until it's too late that this war is not a movie of the week, absolutely no one can escape death when you get caught in the line of fire...

[fudge stripe cookays]

116. Thanks Patsy.

You realized what I was trying to say, albeit in an awkward way, since I was in a hurry and missed the father's original opinion on the war.

You have a kinder heart than I do towards the people who are trying to wreck our very way of life.

Thanks for not being judgmental.
FSC

[AuntPatsy]

119. I'm suprised that some attacked your post? I think you were trying

to be pretty diplomatic considering the subject line. I think some owe you an apology, tensions are running high, which is more reason to think before one posts an attack on another DUr without first reading their post in it's entirety....

The freepers reading these posts and many do since they obviously find more information and more brains on DU like to make fun of people posting on this site, I say who cares? Readin them is like reading about the awkardness and immaturity one went through while in grade school, it takes on back and everyone visits their pasts now and then, so you can't blame them for coming here nine times out of ten instead of their home site, but people should not take thier belittleing seriously, if they hated this site so much, they wouldn't come here at all, I don't hate them, I just find their mindsets so out there that you have to peek in once in a while, like looking at car accidents, the horror can draw one to look at things better left hidden from view, they only go home to roost when they need to find like minds, not smart minds mind you, just like minds.

So the Du'rs on this site should not attack others when it is obvious they are not just trolls which your obviously not so should be treated with a little more respect for your opinions..

Thats my opinion anyway and I am sticking to it.

[OhioBlue]

45. I read it.

my heart is breaking for him and his wife.

[marinemom2004]

52. I'm a mother of a Marine. Don't be so judgmental on this father.

There are many military families currently against the war who were also against the war before it started. I wrote my Congressman in the fall of 2002. He took the time to call me to discuss my opposition to the war, but he voted to give Bush the power to go to war, and I may never forgive him for that. My son arrived in Kuwait in January 2003 and crossed into Iraq the first day of the war. I thought I was in a nightmare.

You walk a fine line as a member of a military family. I wanted to go to the protest rallies but worried that somehow my son might be punished if I became too vocal. I wanted to go to the rallies for the troops; but I could not, because I could not bear the thought of showing any support for Bush and this administration. I do tell everyone that listens to me how I feel about Bush and the war. I have a bumper sticker that reads "Another Military Family Against Bush", which I display proudly below "My son is a US Marine" sticker. The other day, a woman asked me if I was ever afraid that my car would be damaged by a pro-Bush person. I told her I never worry about vandalism because my son is a Marine and has been to Iraq twice, which is more than most pro-Bush people could ever say.

These military families have given the ultimate. I attended the funeral in May of one of our local Marines who was the same age as my son, 22. It was heartbreaking. Some families cannot bear to be anti-Bush because they would have to admit that their son died because Bush lied. Others, like me, who detest Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, et al, tell people that we support the troops because this is their job, but know that this war was based on a lie.

My son gets out of the Marines in two months. He wants to go to college and get started with his life. I am so thankful that he survived to be given the opportunity. We feel very lucky.

[fudge stripe cookays]

55. As I said...

I feel sympathy for him.

BUT that being said, things need to change.

Military families are our best ammunition for doing that. If MORE military families would be brave enough to speak out, the others would follow suit.

As long as people are too scared to speak out, nothing will change. It will take on overwhelming show of bravery and outspokenness from MULTITUDES of military families to wake this country up. You have special license to speak out against this war because of all you've been through. You have CLOUT. USE IT.

I know it would have to be the most difficult thing in this world to do-- shunning, possible loss of jobs, out and out hostility from neighbors, co-workers, complete STRANGERS, but IT MUST BE DONE until at long last, it is effective. The tide cannot turn with the first drop changing direction. Then it becomes a flood.

I'm glad your son is returning home soon. You and he have my very best wishes.

FSC

[Boris]

69. Good luck, Marinemom......

Well said, and good luck to your son. If I could get smiley faces to clink beer mugs, I would. But, I can't. Good luck to your son, and everyone over there, and I hope you'll meet the challenge of speaking out aginst this war. A mother like yourself has respect others don't. I hope you use that respect to speak out against the war. Hard to argue with a mother with a son in country. Good luck, stay sharp.

[Gronk Groks]

96. You hope he will get out in 2 months...

...with the "stop loss" orders that is a dicey proposition at best.

I hope you are right...if not you need to go to the local news outlets and SCREAM AT THEM TO LET YOUR SON GO !!!

Bring your own camcorder...

[lildreamer316]

100. Blessings & strength...

I hate to think what you must go through every day wondering how your sone is. I am sending postive thoughts your way.

[w8liftinglady]

111. I'm a soldier's mom,too

I used to worry that my anti-war activism would affect my son,somehow.He "mysteriously " had his leave cancelled just days before he was to come home for two weeks.I hope it was just a coincidence.I proudly display his face here,because I want people to see the people behind this war,that they aren't all gung-ho,and that they have the capacity for good(my son and his friend made friends with this Iraqi boy,and had many good hours with him emulating them).

[OzarkDem]

113. What a good looking guy!

He's a cutie! My prayers go out to him and your family for his safe return.

I shudder to think of ever having to see my boy's face in one of those pictures from Iraq.

[deadparrot]

48. I feel for him.

What a sickening thing...to lose a child in this farce.

[flakey_foont]

53. I feel so bad for the father

this is heartbreaking to read this

[leftchick]

54. Auggie's Photo... What a smile...

:cry:

[Broken_Hero]

56. Go get them...

And give them hell, and don't stop until they answer your question, i feeel so sorry for this dad, but i am not a victim either, we ahve to stand up to this Admin, they think they can push their ideology and fake patriotism on everyone, but i'm here now, saying, Not on me, mister, and not on my damn watch....

[donheld]

58. I can't imagine what these folks go through

I'm hope more of them start speaking out.

[babsbunny]

60. Support for our troops

and their families...... and us too! www.vfproadtrips.org Veterans for peace are getting it done!

[Karenina]

109. I hope that American spontenaity

has not been totally lost and SWARMS of folks decide on the spur of the moment to go join Cindy Sheehan in Crawford, you know, "have a little talk with *George."

[Dr Fate]

63. I hope the "Safe issue" Democrats listen to this man.

But I doubt they will. I busted my ass for them and they dont listen to me, so why should they listen to this dude?

[VPStoltz]

64. I have a feeling there are a lot of parents of the KIA

who feel this way. They are confused about what to say maybe because they think they are honoring their child's misguided belief that they were going to Iraq to do some good. Most people in this situation are at a loss for words and might be thinking, what good would it do, my child's already dead. I champion those who can bring themselves up from the grief to speak cogently on this issue.

[progressivebydesign]

65. That story just breaks my heart..

It breaks every time I read one of these accounts. RIP Augie.

Remind me again who is it that claims they support the troops? Certainly it's not the republican apologists who allowed that boy to die for a lie.

[fooj]

66. Does anyone know the name of the newspaper in Crawford?

He's practically been run out of town because he prints THE TRUTH!!! I bet they'd gladly cover Cindy's quest for information if they knew she was going to be there this weekend. Does anyone know the name of the paper? I saw that she posted over at KO's...maybe someone can get her this info.

As for Augies dad...It's heartwrenching but he is absolutely right about holding people accountable for this BS! His son is a hero and more...

Peace.

[othermeans]

101. The Iconclast

[cloud75]

68. how long will it take before rush (pig) attack's him? n/t

[jwirr]

70. My deepest condolences to this father and

my thanks for his honesty in this terrible war. He is absolutely correct: his son and all those other soldier over there HAVE done their duty - now if only the administration and congress - including Democrats - would do their duty to our troops. BRING THEM HOME.

[Hissyspit]

71. If this doesn't make you cry, you are a sociopath.

I bet it doesn't make * or Rumsfeld or Cheney cry.

[In Truth We Trust]

77. May this man find the justice he seeks! I feel for him in his loss. Impeac

hment NOW!!!

[staticstopper]

78. Wow!

:kick:

[REP]

80. I Saw The Schroeders on CNN

Paul Schroeder quoted an email from his son that read that the longer he was there, the less he thought it was worth it. Something about the way he spoke made me think the father never thought it was worth it. Reading this article, I see that my impression was correct. Mr Schroeder doesn't owe anyone an apology; he is owed one and so much more.

[AtomicKitten]

81. Kudos

to a brave man who has suffered a loss for nothing and he knows it. That realization must be gut-wrenching.

[Rainscents]

82. My heart goes out to him and 1800 other family members... This is so sad.

I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate I hate Bush Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush I hate Bush

[Kolesar]

84. Pulitzer-prize winner Schultz was on the front page of the PD yesterday

"Mrs. Sherrod Brown" :) She is married to one of the best Congressmen in the House of Representatives

[OzarkDem]

88. They're quite a team

Those of us in Ohio's 13th Congressional district are pretty lucky. Connie is the only reason I still read the Plain Dealer.

[Kolesar]

90. Yeah, but you don't get to write letters to Latourette

And I am not talking about "love letters"
"You sold us out on CAFTA"
"When are you going to do something about global warming?"
"The budget is a horror"
"Get us out of Iraq!"

[brainshrub]

87. You can feel his rage in these two sentences:

You can feel his rage in these two sentences:

"I hold the Bush administration responsible, from the president through the secretaries of state and defense and all those who have had a hand in starting this war.

"I also hold every Democrat in Congress who voted to authorize this misadventure as accomplices."

Exactly. Same here.

[second edition]

89. While I feel so sorry for this father, it is unfair to blame dems.

They didn't vote for the war- per say, but to allow Bush the authority to protect our country if necessary. Dems voted with the stipulation that Bush would exercise sound judgment in decisions concerning going to war. Bush was very popular back then and the American people were feeling extremely patriotic, to go against the President on such an important matter would have created intense anger and would of allowed the repubs to exploit the opposition to Bush. We could have faced larger losses in the past election with such strong opposition to Bush and his efforts to protect America from attack. Remember, a majority of Americans though Bush was on the right track in Iraq.

[Sleepless In NY]

99. kick

[McCamy Taylor]

107. His country let him down. He is hurting. He has a right to feel angry.

The best thing the Dems--and a handful of brave Republicans--can do now is to try to make ammends.

[Imagevision]

108. His government let him and the other 1825 families down!