Reader regrets losing son in Iraq - LTTE

[proud2BlibKansan]

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
July 21, 2008

*Reader regrets losing son in Iraq *
*by John Scripsick*
_http://www.hpj.com/wsdocs/LTTE/letters.cfm_

I started farming in the late '70s from scratch. The following year
before we embargoed grain to Russia because they invaded Afghanistan.
I'm sure that most farmers would remember by the early '80s there were
more auctions than you could attend. I had to work as a carpenter in
town, harder than most city folks, to make land payments and pay
expenses. There was no FHA loan, so it was the only choice; but I
finally got some breathing room by the late '90s. Then, Sept. 11 happened.

My son was in high school at the time. As all citizens we would salute
the flag at every sporting event. I was shocked when he came home and
wanted to join the Marines. A recruiter had a desk at school and became
friends with my son. A professional football player even joined. My son
went in at 19 and was sent back in a sealed coffin at 22 from Iraq.

In Trent Loos' July 7 column, "Get a bang out of this," he does not
question entering the war in Iraq and says it is best for him as a
citizen. While I agree with other parts of Trent's article, the U.N.
questioned this decision and every American citizen should question it
as well. Five years later I know they chose faulty intelligence and
discredited ones with good intelligence. Trent Loos said the U.S. was
built on the backs of capitalistic entrepreneurs. My son died so that
those entrepreneurs can make more money next year than last year:
Haliburton, KBR, Blackwater, Lockheed-Martin, Shell, ExxonMobil, Hunt
Oil, British Petroleum, many ex-generals and admirals. The list goes on
and on. Twenty-two billion dollars spent through the Pentagon is
unaccounted for. What farmer would occupy a neighbor's land because he
could overpower him? Trent Loos has not talked to one family directly
involved that is regretful.

The young men who spent the most time with my son the last three years,
said he talked about becoming a coach; but they told him he was going to
be a farmer. We will never know, but this dad is regretful he died over
lies. I see fewer companies buy fat cattle and grain, and less in pork
and poultry. There are fewer retail stores on main street. Could a few
companies also control our military--like maybe 374 votes for the war
and 156 against?

--John Scripsick, Wayne, Okla.

[bigbrother05]

1. Sad beyond description....

[salin]

2. k & r

[mmonk]

3. He figured it out. Unfortunately in a most tragic way.

[KG]

4. when will poor boys stop signing up to fight rich mens wars?

[salin]

5. where have all the flowers gone...

[Historic NY]

6. Do all those who lie here know why they died?.........................

Did you really believe them when they told you the cause?
You really believed that this war would end war?
But the suffering, the sorrow, the glory, the shame -
The killing and dying - it was all done in vain.


Pvt. Willie McBride.

[gratuitous]

7. This happens

This happens every fuckin' time. War is a racket. It doesn't solve problems. It fills a lot of coffins. It makes news people salivate with the prospect of cool photos and video footage of stuff blowin' up reel gud. And it makes a lot of money for greedy overrich bastards who care more about pocketing an extra hundred thousand dollars than all the death, destruction, misery and waste experienced by everyone else.

Violence does not solve anything. Violence doesn't drive out violence. Violence doesn't redeem a situation, it just leaves us with a worse one that encourages more violence in reaction. And as long as the sacrifice is borne by the Scripsicks of Wayne, Oklahoma, the warmongers and the profiteers will gladly set it up and do it all again. And people like Trent Loos will cheer it on.

[elehhhhna]

9. War is just cover for theft. Has been since time began.

[barbtries]

8. that is an excellent letter

i wish it would be reprinted in every paper in the country. i think i'll go see if i can leave a comment for mr scripsick.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. I found this article about him

http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/local_story_008002331

[barbtries]

11. link doesn't work for me n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. This was emailed to me

I couldn't get the link to work either so I emailed the person who sent it to ask for a better link.

This is a man who did lose his son in Iraq. There is lots of info on him on the intertubes.

[barbtries]

13. yeah, i googled him

and learned more about his son too. i wanted to respond to the letter to let the father know he's doing the right thing by his son's memory and by the country. at any rate. he wrote an excellent letter that should be read by many, many people.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

14. It looks like the article was published in January 2008

so probably comments are not enabled at this time.