Grief is a very personal thing. Anyone who is mature enough to know what grief is, lives moments of grief for someone all their lives. Grief moments are not the sole proprietorship of any of us. I have moments of grief for my niece; Claire Kauffman killed by a drunken driver at age 17 and my first cousin Richard Witzig shot down by the Japanese on his one and only flight against the enemy. Many of us did grieve and still grieve but we do not blame the person who was presidents at that time for our grief.
We relatives did not hold vigils or try to make our presidents responsible. My niece had taken some drivers training and knew the risk. My cousin enlisted in the air force and knew the risks. The mother, who is holding a vigil in Texas to try to embarrass our country, should be grieving. But her son, like my cousin, knew their was a risk to his well being once he enlisted in any branch of the service, or was he like some, who thought it was just a way to earn some extra money, learn a skill and spend some time with like minded comrades?
The mother has become an embarrassment to the United States along our peaceniks and pacifists. I see by today’s news, her husband has filed for divorce.
Musab-al-Zarqawi is reading all the stories of protest coming out of the U.S. so the terrorists can see how we are giving solace to the enemy. While they are reading and watching how our own “citizens” are undermining our own travelers abroad, they are calming “whacking” off another human head, arming an ignorant youth with bombs of self destruction, and looking forward to dinner with their wives, watching CNN and lately “Fox New” and other comforting news from the U.S. media..
There are few people who went to Iraq, who returned from Iraq or are there now, who weren’t aware of life threatening risks when they signed up for any type of operation in the armed services or as news reporters, contractors or care givers.
Speaking of risks, even the grieving mom takes a risk every time she gets into any kind of a vehicle. Over 42,000 people killed in just our country each year by vehicle accidents, 16,000 in which alcohol is involved and more and more cell phone involved deaths. Perhaps it would be helpful to the country to have the 5 million or more people directly affected by these deaths, many in our own neighborhoods to all go to Texas to lay all blame at the feet of the president. En route we should look up Bill Clinton and every living president and blame them also.
Tomorrow I expect to see the “chatterers” in print telling the world how cold-hearted our president is. Too bad they can only read headlines and don’t have the capacity to read an entire column such as Kathleen Parker’s column yesterday and Cal Thomas column today. Reading might help them understand the situation we are actually in, like it or not. Thanks, Journal Star Editorial Board for occasionally presenting views different (say conservative) compared to the usual diet of liberal writing on your daily page.
What a shame they can’t realize we have no option but to finish this job as best we can for the sake of those who want peace in Iraq. To continue to harp on why we are there can be handled in future elections if that is the voter’s desire. Right now, please grieve among family and friends as most of us do and stop causing the Iraq situation to be prolonged and by “chatterering” cause, more people to die or be injured.
3 comments:
Your poor niece was killed by a drunk, but you seem to say, "Hey, she knew the risks." Your grief seems to take the form of shrugging off her death. Grief could motivate you to action, by working for Mother's Against Drunk Drivers, educating H.S. students about the tragic consequences of drinking, pursuing stronger legislation, or helping recovering alcoholics.
The mom who insists meeting with Bush is motivated by her grief to action. The mother feels that this war is cruel and unjust. As a conservative, I DON'T agree with her point of view, but I recoginize that there is nothing more American than dissent and speaking out against one's government. Ultimately our guys are fighting for her right to do exactly what she is doing.
I thought Iraq would welcome U.S. troops getting rid of Suddam and his vicious government. I would feel better about this war if I knew most of the Iraqi people actually wanted us there.
History and God will decide if our involvement in Iraq is right or wrong. A lot of people thought the Civil Rights protests of the Jim Crowe era were wrong. Thank Goodness there were those who had the courage and conviction to stand up for what they believed instead of just wallowing in their grief.
No, I didn't say "Hey, she knew she risks" You said "Hey" not me. I believea I have more classf than you by reading your comments with out ever having an original thought of you own that you print and if you are who I think you are, you always had a hard time getting things right. Not hardly shrugging off my neice death.
I have a high profile in taking firmer action on drunken driving. At one time, I contributed to MADD but if you will list the results they have had compared to the money they have spent, have a financial statement sent me as to how much of the money they take in is spent on administration costs, how much their executive director makes including benefits,what they spend on billboards and television ads (essentially useless) compared to how much actual volunteer teaching they have done and do, I might be willing to support them again. 16,000 alcohol related deaths last year despite all the drivers education, all the publicity against driving drunk, seat belts and advanced technology appear not to have reduced drunk driving.
On 4/12 a headline in the JS said "Woodford MADD staggered toward extinction" and so the six year old branch called a meeting and no one came. I'm surprised that since you feel so strongly for MAAD that you weren't there??
You are totally wrong about people in IRAQ not wanting to be free. You should read more than what the overly liberal media write and more conservative media that try to put the picture in focus. You overlook that the Iraq neighborhoods are controlled by gangs of terrorists who try to kill everyone who cooperates or shows friendship to our troops. I doubt you would have the courage to show appreciation to our troops for fear of being beheaded by the terrorist WITHOUT ANY trial.
You probably don't read the WSJ but if you did you would have read an article about a grieving mother and what she thinks of the publicity seeking, now being divorced woman, giving solace to the enemy. Not much!!
As to wars, all wars are cruel. As a pacifist, you of course feel all wars are unjust. Just glad you weren't around during the revolution. You would have been a Loyalist to the King and after you lost you would have just tried to blend in with the patriots.
You say the guys who are fighting are doing the same thing the mother who just left Texas is doing; speaking out against the war. What planet are you on??
Merle, Hello?
Your anger seems to have gotten the best of you, because it appears that you read every tenth word or so of my comments.
I wrote that I'm a conservative and I DON'T agree with the mother protesting in Texas (Leher New Hour reported tonight that she left to attend to her gravely ill mother.)
My point was that there is nothing more American than dissent and speaking out against government when one thinks it is wrong. I did NOT write that our solidiers were doing the same thing as the mother. FREEDOM, including freedom of speech, (even the freedom to be wrong) is what our guys are fighting for over there. One woman's protest is hardly giving solace to the enemy. I'm sorry, but that's just silly.
I also did NOT write that I believe that Iraqis don't want to be free. I'm sure they do. Doesn't everyone? I wrote that I would feel better about this war if I knew that Iraqis wanted the U.S. to be the ones to "free" them. I don't think the media or our president has been completely honest.
I DO NOT feel all wars are unjust and I'm certainly NOT a pacifist. I really didn't mean to upset you so much Merle. I think if you re-read my original comment and take it as intended, you will see that I was only trying to point out that protest is essential to democracy and our way of life. Even when it is painful to the opposing side. In fact, protest was the way America was launched -remember the Boston Tea Party?
I like your blog and I regret upsetting you.
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