Personal appeal to the anti war crowd.

[Fang]

It's a lawful right to protest war, but please choose your words and your actions carefully. Regardless of what people say, words can have consequences. If your intention is to protest while offering support for the troops, you'll understand the spirit of the following message:

As a soldier in a potentially hazardous environment, your biggest fear is survival. But there are other fears that soldiers have that aren't as obvious. One is letting down your team or failing to do what you've been trained for. Another is the fear that your country will not be fully supportive of the war your being asked to fight. Soldiers don't care much about politics for the above reasons. I served under different political parties. It didn't make a difference to me, my friends, or my fears.

People of this great country have the right to disagree with the policies of their government. And they should excercise this right. But as a former soldier. I feel it is my duty to tell people that the words they use should be carefully chosen. For the soldier in the field, there is not much difference between hateful words directed at the Commander in Chief who gave the order, and the soldier who must carry it out. The reasons for this are simple. Patriotism for the flag, love for your country, and belief in what you're doing help distract you from other things besides your fears..

WK11xray@airborneran ger.us

Fang..

[XNavyGunner]

http://gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/flag17.gif Face it, Fang, the ati-war crowd is made up of spoiled little cowards. They're mainly white upper middle class brats who've been over indulged by their parents. They've never been told, "No", and been given free reign their whole lives. They have no investment staked in America and resent those who do.

[Fang]

Thanks for the feedback XNavyGunner..

I agree with your summation. But it bothers me that even those that are sincere in their anti war beliefs can be equally reckless. I tried to get this letter placed in OP-ED's or at least published online during the height of the protests, but to no avail. Maybe I'm not the most articulate person, but I thought it's message was important. And I still do. Because the war on terrorism continues, and men and women will be placing themselves in harms way for the foreseeable future.

WK11xray@airborneran ger.us

Fang..

[blarney104]

Of course it is lawful to protest war but one thing I noticed while watching clips of protests across the country...more often than not, the war protestors were causing chaos in the streets. Every rally in support of our troops was peaceful and respectful.

I just cannot fathom anyone disrespecting our military with their words or their actions, it makes me so angry to think about it. Not a day goes by in which I don't think about the sacrifices the women and men of our armed services have made for our safety and the safety of others around the world.

Blarney104 *

http://gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/usflag22.gif

[Fang]

I agree 100% Blarney104..

I don't place civil disobendience in the same category as peaceful protesting. Civil disobedience doesn't have to be so uncivil. During the 60's it was tool of the oppressed. Now it is a tool of the depressed.

Depressed, because the real pot stirrers care more about politics than people. For some of these protesters it never was about WMD's, oppressed Iraqis, or a ruthless regime. It was all about getting their way, right or wrong.

Of course, they are never wrong. They are the elite, the intellectual, and the scared. Scared to be proven wrong. Scared to take a real stand involving real risks. So they try to mock those that are willing to take such stands, like the fine men and women serving in our Armed Forces. And disrupt the lives of others in the process. Knowing full well that they will simply be arrested and released. And then they can pat themselves on the back and look in the mirror and say "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it, I deserve it." Very few of these people have any clue about real sacrifice. These are the ones who disgust me.

Thanks for replying to my post.

WK11xray@AirborneRan ger.us

Fang..

[rellybois]

I HAVE YET TO ENCOUNTER A PEACE RALLYER THAT HAS SAID OR EXPRESSED ANYTHING HOSTILE OR DEFAMATORY ABOUT THE ARMED SERVICES. I MOSTLY SEE AND HEAR "BRING OUR TROOPS HOME." PERHAPS THAT'S "MOCKING" THEM, AS YOU SO BLUNTLY PUT IT.

[stormy]

Quote[/b] ] I tried to get this letter placed in OP-ED's or at least published online during the height of the protests, but to no avail. Maybe I'm not the most articulate person, but I thought it's message was important. And I still do. Because the war on terrorism continues, and men and women will be placing themselves in harms way for the foreseeable future.

Fang, I disagree--I think you are very articulate!! You use plain, sincere words that anyone who wants to can understand!! Unfortunately, there are those who don't want to understand!

And, I agree with you, wholeheartedly, that you CANNOT separate the troops and the president--it seems there are those who forget that he IS the commander-in-chief--(for those who may not realize it, that means THE HEAD of all military personnel)!!

So, for one to say they "support the troops" and, yet, hate the president cannot really be sincere about supporting the troops!

Just my http://gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/twocents.gif

Stormy

[iansays]

I'm not sure I want to be the voice of dissent here, but it seems to me that if they were 'my' troops, they'd be home with their families and loved ones, and not on the other side of the world getting killed and wounded.

For a variety of reasons, I didn't give my support to the war. I also didn't participate in any demonstrations - most of them seemed to be a cobbled-together collection of various groups, (some more radical than others) that only had one thing in common: a dislike of the Bush administration. They protested everything from the war to a lack of affordable lesbian housing.

I don't feel such an overflow of compassion for the soldiers over there (at least, not more than I feel for my co-workers, or the bus driver, or my neighbor). The people in the military sign up, get paid, and are expected to do a job. Sometimes that job gets them killed or wounded. Just because someone accepts a job that is dangerous doesn't mean I should elevate him/her to hero status. The only person in the military I ever made a hero of was my father.

It's easy to divide the world into 'us' and 'them.' In reality, though, all that ends up doing is fanning the fanaticism on both sides. If all I hear is people agreeing with me, I'll never stop to consider the merits of any other argument. I may not change my opinion, but I owe it to myself to let my ideas be challanged.

[Fang]

I'm not sure if your post is directed at my letter, or the follow ups to it. I believe in voices of dissent, protest, and advocacy, as clearly outlined in my letter. Providing of course, that it is done civilly and without interferring with the rights of people who are not involved.

I too noticed that many so called "anti war" demonstrations were being hijacked by groups with other motives. And some were clearly just anti-Bush rallies disquised as anti war rallies.

Quote[/b] ]I don't feel such an overflow of compassion for the soldiers over there (at least, not more than I feel for my co-workers, or the bus driver, or my neighbor). The people in the military sign up, get paid, and are expected to do a job. Sometimes that job gets them killed or wounded. Just because someone accepts a job that is dangerous doesn't mean I should elevate him/her to hero status.

No one in the military asks for an overflow of compassion. *And no one in the military asks to be elevated to hero status. I think the humility and professionalism displayed by the men and women of our military is very apparent to even the casual observer. I hope it wasn't my letter that gave you these perceptions.

WK11xray@AirborneRan ger.us

Fang..

[iansays]

Quote[/b] ]I hope it wasn't my letter that gave you these perceptions.

No, Fang, it wasn't.

I respect the people in the military that do their jobs well. I know they don't expect to be lauded as heroes any more than my mailman. The people I don't respect are the ones who imply that unless I put on my 4th of July suit and wave my flag around patriotically in support of the war that I am unpatriotic. They seem to forget that those very troops have historically been protecting my right to support whomever I want.

Ironic, isn't it?

[Fang]

There are as many different ways to demonstrate patriotism as there are worshipping the faith of your choice.



Quote[/b] ]The people I don't respect are the ones who imply that unless I put on my 4th of July suit and wave my flag around patriotically in support of the war that I am unpatriotic. They seem to forget that those very troops have historically been protecting my right to support whomever I want. Ironic, isn't it?

I am ex military and I don't wave the flag or wear an Uncle Sam suit. I salute the flag at the appropriate times, and have a barbeque if the weather is decent. My main concern is that people don't use their personal beliefs to obstruct the rights of others who are conducting themselves civilly. No matter which side of the issue they are on.

WK11xray@AirborneRan ger.us

Fang..