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Posted on 03/25/2003 10:03:24 AM PST by cherry_bomb88
This is a letter I wrote myself and post here in the hopes that it will be seen by even a few service members...I felt I had to do something to counter the media attention of the protesters, however small that something might be:
Dear Any Service Member,
I do not know who you are or where you come from. I know not if you have a spouse or children. I don’t know your age, the color of your hair or the color of your eyes. Yet I pray endlessly for your safety and wish you Godspeed in your task. I pray for your family and friends that they have the courage and comfort they need. I pray that they are as proud of you as I am. I have endless admiration for the depths of your courage. You fight for my daughters, and me yet you know not our names. You have placed yourself in the face of grave danger and you stand fast and you stand true. My daughters and I cry with the families of your fallen compatriots.
I hope that you and the other brave men and women that stand shoulder to shoulder with you, both from our country and our allies, pay no heed to the medias portrayal of the protests that go on in America. Know that they only garner the attention of the media because they are not peaceful and they commit outlandish acts in a desperate attempt to be heard. They cannot accept the fact that the right to free speech does not give them a right to be heard and heeded. The majority of the country is behind you. Tens of thousands rallied in your support around the country over the last week. I know this to be true as I personally attended the rally in Chicago that outnumbered the protesters that assembled 10 to 1. Please know, dear service member, this country loves you, respects you, honors you and is grateful for the sacrifices you make on our behalf without even knowing who we are. Pay no attention to the protesters; they do not speak for us. Additionally, pay no attention to the Hollywood celebrities; they now more speak for the country than Saddam himself.
We watch the news with great intensity, praying endlessly that we will hear of no more prisoners or casualties. Our hearts sink and we shed tears as we hear of our losses…but make no mistake, these losses do not discourage us, rather our sadness only strengthens our resolve to see this through. Our strength increases, even through our sadness. Our wills gain resolve to ensure that you have the support, both in morale and in supplies, equipment and funding, that is necessary for you to achieve success in the mission that was set before you. We will not let you fail. We rally with greater intensity, we write letters to our congressmen & senators, and even to your commander-in-chief. We let them know the country stands behind them and that we support their efforts to ensure your ultimate success.
Dear service member, I hope this letter finds you safe and well and in as good as spirits as is possible. I hope that this letter increases that morale, knowing that the majority of the country is behind you. Please know that you and your loved ones have my gratitude, respect and endless prayers. Perhaps the words of one unknown person won’t seek to comfort you; however some how I know that if you fight for me, the unknown person, my words of comfort will find a place in your heart. Accomplish your mission, and come home safely, Godspeed.
With gratitude, love, respect, support & resolve for you unto the end of the war,
Victoria Lynn Dearing
Welcome to FreeRepublic!
Cherry-Berry, Those beloved protesters and their right to voice their opinions, and gain media attention while doing so, are part of the reason I serve - that's a constitutional right I hold very dear. So, regardless of what they're for or against, I'm proud they raise their voices in that true right of democracy. I value them all and find equal, though different, support and encouragement from both pro- and anti-war demonstrators. So, while I have no desire to sway your opinions one way or another on the war, I do encourage you to take a more positive take on those who speak out against your views - they're Americans and are exercising the rights that I so fervently defend; I'd hate to see those rights go without use.
Stay safe!
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