my latest ltte re: my son and the war

[w8liftinglady]

I hope this isn't too dramatic.


President Bush says we will be in Iraq long past the end of his presidency.He tells us we will be there until victory is acheived,but can not tell us what "victory" is.Most people who read this paper do not know anyone who is,or has,fought in Iraq.I'd like to give you a little glimpse...My son is home on leave for the first time in 18 months.He has been to Afghanistan once,and Iraq twice.He is 21,and has the empty,soulless eyes of someone who has seen too much.He talks vaguely of killing,but is a tank mechanic.He tells of recovering tanks and humvees still drenched with his buddies' blood.When he did guard duty,he told me-don't worry,mom,we aim low with the kids.9 in his unit have been medically discharged with PTSD-and these are MECHANICS.Incidences of war crimes being committed by our troops are surfacing.These are the things that happen when you lie to your soldiers.My son and his comrades enlisted to avenge the attack on our country.We were all led to believe that Iraq was complicit in this attack.Our President stated yesterday that he NEVER implied that Saddam Hussein was involved in 9/11.If you still believe in this president,and this war,then chose which of your children will be the next one to go.I lost a part of my son over there.That's all you get,America.

[katinmn]

1. Well done.

:cry:


Not too dramatic at all. Very honest.

[acmejack]

2. Good letter!

I was wondering where you were! I was missing the Washington Journal thread this morning.

Please thank your son for his service for me. Tell him he can find a community of those us who understand exactly how he feels at Veterans for Peace I hope he visits us there.

[w8liftinglady]

7. Thanks,dude

I had "spring break" last week-so actually got to sleep in.I will steer my kid towards veterans for peace when he's ready.He's not there right now.

[durrrty libby]

3. As a mom, my heart aches for you

I hope you and your son find a way to heal the pain you are experiencing.
I’ve cared for so many vets, and they often speak of the pain in their hearts
and souls. The best advice I can give is to be there to listen, without judgment, and encourage him to seek professional help if needed.

[lostnfound]

4. Thank you for writing this.

I hope it gets published.

As a mother with a young son whose emotional and mental life I am constantly focused on (am I raising him right? what kind of person am I teaching him to be?), I think very, very often about the mothers of those young men who have gone off to the horrible conditions of war, and about the reality that so many will come back awfully hurt, in non-physical ways. I've felt that it is a loss which is never adequately conveyed in the media. It is too personal and too intangible to be written about.

Only rarely in the extreme cases do we ever get glimpses of the emotional toll that it takes on the individual.

I hope your son recovers and finds healing.

It's an excellent letter, by the way, and if it gets published you are doing a real service by getting it out there.

[lostnfound]

5. (duplicate - deleted)

[Minnesota Libra]

6. I can hear and feel the heart of a Mom in that letter, I hope.........

.....it makes someone stop and think about what is going on. :hug:

[luckyleftyme2]

8. welcome to the world of greed

my neighbor spent 14 months over their.and he may have to go back.he's in the guards.he also was in dessert storm. he sees this from the eyes of a middle-aged male;also a seasoned veteran.
it's hodge podge;no leadership,no venue,and damn dangerous.
his comment: absolute insanity,strickly unnecessary and probably unatainable peace;and besides that it's hot as hell!
and his final comment: to make a few people rich,at the expense of human suffering!

[Coexist]

9. that is so touching

[babylonsister]

10. w8liftinglady, I am so glad to hear your

son is home finally, though I'm sorry to hear about his state of mind. I hope he's home for good! :hug:

[w8liftinglady]

11. Thanks,everybody...

Somehow,writing these letters is healing for me.I hope that i can change one mind regarding these criminals.Thank you all for your support.

[Joe Fields]

12. I am so sorry. I have an eighteen year old son, and he told me

that no way in hell is he even going to register his name. If a draft comes, and we feel certain that it will, he has said that he will simply refuse to go, even if it means jail. My wife and I suggested moving to Canada, if it came to it, and he said that he was not going to run from the consequences. He would fight for his right to deny this administration his body to use for evil purposes.

[CrispyQ]

13. I hope your letter gets printed.

It is a crime that our "news" stations do not show photos of the real war. It is a sanitized, patriotic event to too many people. I am deeply sorry for the changes this awful, illegal war has made on your beloved son. I never want to beleive in karma as much as I do when I think of what these chickenhawk warmongers have done in our name.

BTW, that is a great bumper sticker!

[w8liftinglady]

15. I understand-this isn't reporting the good news...just the truth

thanks for replying.you are right.

[lonestarnot]

14. Good job. But understand no one who volunteers to fight under

a bushitler.

[readmoreoften]

16. I'm sorry for both of you.

I wanted better for all of us. We all did. Sometimes I wonder if it's too late.

[Kurovski]

17. I’ve read many LTTE, and your letter is clear and clean and

it is simply heartbreaking.

It's better than what many columnists produce. I can't imagine that it will not see ink. It needs only minor adjustments, easily handled by an editor.

You must send this to many different newspapers, if you haven't already. I would try the Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Kansas City Star, USA Today,--here's a list of papers in the US

http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/usstate/usatable.htm

I know there is a list, a "media blaster" somewhere here on DU that would have all the LTTE address' in one easy source. I can't find it, but maybe someone else will have it handy.

You know, all evening I skipped over your thread because I just knew what would happen, and it did. It's just a beautiful piece of writing and has the same clear voice I've seen in other writing by parents with children in Iraq.

It is not overly dramatic, it's actually so pure and simple that one can't help but be moved. And that is what real drama is all about, IMO.

To you and your son, :hug: Thank you.

[w8liftinglady]

21. thank you.

your kind words,and those of everyone else,have been very helpful.At the risk of appearing exploitative,I will take your suggestion,if only to help one more family speak out.Bless you all.

[SeattleGirl]

18. Excellent letter.

I'm sending good thoughts and prayers to you son, that he come home to you for good.

[NMMNG]

19. So heartbreaking

:cry:

[Swamp Rat]

20. .

:hug:

[Neil Lisst]

22. thanks for writing it, and thanks for sharing it with us