Posted on 03/21/2003 3:35:02 PM PST by elles_robinson
Edited on 03/21/2003 3:51:35 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
I am the mother of a daughter in the U.S. Air Force. I'm in my 40's and generally try to conduct myself as a lady. I must admit to feeling _very_ unladylike over the last few weeks. I am absolutely appalled at what is befalling my country and am becoming quite militant in my beliefs. I have always felt that everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. I would fight to my last breath for anyone to be able to express that opinion freely regardless of how idiotic or worthy I personally felt that opinion to be. This is what makes our country great.
War is never popular. No one wants to see our children or spouses, friends or other relatives at risk. No one wants the vast expenditures required to take away from programs at home. No one wants media attention taken away from important issues on the homefront. No one wants to feel responsible for lives taken elsewhere. We Americans, for the most part, are a peaceful people who's only lack may be a sense of world community. Most of us do not realize how good our lives actually are compared with the rest of the world's population. Some of us do.
I've been watching the protests in San Francisco and in other areas of the country (I live in the Bay Area). I have noted most of these protests taking place during standard working hours and I have been wondering about the people taking to the streets and causing disruption to the lives of law abiding citizens. My conclusions (right or wrong) are that mostly college students and people who are feeling disenfranchised already are taking part. The rest of us are too busy making a living to support ourselves and our families.
I received a call from my daughter prompted by her Commander. She told me that no one was allowed to wear their uniform off-base until further notice. They are to avoid anything identifying themselves as U.S. Military while off-duty. They were to make calls to their family to suggest they not wear sweat shirts / t-shirts such as the ones I most often wear saying: PROUD AIR FORCE MOM. I needed to know I was making myself a target by having the same bumper-sticker on my car. Apparently in the last couple of weeks there has been a lot of harassment (mostly verbal, thank God) of families wearing the same t-shirts I wear by anti-war protestors. This harassment occurs regularly at gas stations and at the local grocery stores. Unfortunately some has degenerated into the physical realm.
I ask myself what I would do confronted with someone if this particular mindset in my local grocery? This is where the unladylike feelings kick in. I have to admit I would be rolling amidst the produce using teeth and nails defending the right to my beliefs when assaulted. I am not proud of this in any way. I am ashamed things have come to this; but I am not ashamed of myself - I am ashamed of my fellow countrymen.
Why are you not in class? Why are you not at work? I and most average citizens would be far more likely to pay attention to your beliefs if you were not sucking off the hind teat of your family, or off public grants and loans WHICH I HAVE PAID FOR. Get a job, exist in the real world for a while and I would be willing to listen to you. Until then, you are nothing but parasites.
Our military personnel get less than the vote you and I do. They are not asked whether they agree with government decisions, they are only told to perform - which they do, putting their lives on the line regardless of their personal beliefs. You protestors - you know the Police go overboard not to harm you in any way - I should respect this? I try to, but with what I've seen lately, whether from Hollywood or from local city streets, leaves me feeling disgusted.
I will be wearing nothing but Air Force t-shirts, sweatshirts and when wearing business suits, lapel pins. I am not ashamed of what my daughter does: I am PROUD. You are the first to scream for protection when things get tough, but the last to support those people willing to lay their lives down for their country; for you.
I have lost, or worse, had maimed, family members in every major war since _before_ this country was founded. We apparently make great cannon fodder; but at least we stand and are willing to actually fight for what we believe.
If you want to fight for what you believe in, you can fight with me; it may keep you off the streets.
I can relate. I got into today with a woman who was selling flags and patriotic t-shirts of all things. I couldn't even understand where she was coming from.
First off, she was selling this stuff. Then she went into a diatribe about how this war was wrong and something really foggy about how Cheney is calling the shots,hopefully we can get rid of Bush in 2 years and something about having someone "over there"...
America's strength comes from good decent people like you.
There is beneath-the-surface anger out here in America againt these people, so they had better be very afraid. I say drop them in North Korea and let them demonstrate against the regime there and let them experience what that is like.
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