Letters home haunt W

New York Daily News ^ | 11/29/03 | THOMAS M. DeFRANK and ALISON GENDAR

[SuziQ]

It was a brief note, probably a form letter, but the President took the time to thank me and remember Brian's sacrifice, and that does make a difference," said Ronald Slavenas of Genoa, Ill., whose son, helicopter pilot 1st Lt. Brian Slavenas, 30, died Nov. 2. "Nothing makes up for the loss, but it is good to know that he is being remembered."

I don't believe for ONE minute that these are form letters. They may be typed by a Secretary using information given to her, but I believe the President reads, then signs each one individually. I don't consider it a 'form letter' because he's mentioning each soldier's life and career, and someone is having to do research to get that info. That shows a wonderful sense of compassion for the soldier's family.

[armymarinemom]

They are preyed upon by leftist groups like Military Families Speaking Out and Global Exchange. Skillfully the communists work to turn the families' grief and sadness to anger and hate.

You are 100% correct. Leftist have contacted a lot of the parents that I talk with. Veterans for Peace is really hitting hard on the parents of our deployed troops. They never identify their true agenda but work on the aspect that our troops are being lied to with propaganda. A lot of parents swallow this wihtout questioning just why this group has contacted them.

[tiki]

Presidential prayer bump.

[Mr. Silverback]

Hmmm. It's interesting that they got Ron Slavenas to comment in the article, when his wife (in an earlier article from a local paper) was slamming the actions of the son and the man who sent him into battle.

Yes, I saw (and was disgusted by) an article on Mrs. Slavenas' outburst. I would wager that Ron and his wife come from different backgrounds (he has a military tradition in his family and she doesn't) or it's as simple as politics--she may be (like so many others) an anti-Bush activist more than anything else, and if her son had been killed under Bill Clinton she would have kept her mouth shut. The "peace" movement is full of folks like that; just this week I responded to an ed letter by a local Democrat activist who is part of the local appeasenik group, who was basically making the President out to be a coward because he didn't make it to Vietnam, but was sending all these working class kids into harm's way in Iraq. The problem (which I pointed out with glee) was that he had never had any problem in '98, '99 or '00 with a military-loathing draft-dodger sending working class kids into Iraq and Kosovo, and he made no complaints when we lost 17 sailors on the Cole, but lamented the 17 dead from the Chinook crash.

I would bet it's tense in the Slavenas house, because the parents seem to have opposite views of the war their son died in. As for how Ron got quoted, probably the reporter researching the piece went looking for grieving families mentioned in recent articles. That would explain de Solar; his son died quite a while back, but his name has probably popped up in some articles because he's preparing to go to Iraq and bash our country.

[Mr. Silverback]

But Bush's lightning trip to Iraq was just a stunt to Fernando Suarez del Solar, whose son, Jesus, 20, was killed in March. "Bush goes and looks like he loves the troops with his posturing," said the grieving father, who will be among a dozen anti-war parents to visit Iraq next week.

NPR mentioned these folks this morning. All they said was that a group of military parents was "going over to Iraq to see conditions for themselves." Just by virtue of the fact that they didn't describe the parents in any other way, I instinctively knew that it was an anti-war group publicity stunt. Sure enough...

[TEXOKIE]

Thank you for your very kind words about the prayer threads, baseballmom! We are grateful for lurkers' participation! Each and every prayer is needed, powerful, and counts.

[TEXOKIE]

bump your 59, Miss Marple. Thanks

[GatekeeperBookman]

You are very kind to take your time to reply & it is such an elegant reply! Thank you.

[VOA]

bump of thread for publicity...

[Outraged]

They never identify their true agenda but work on the aspect that our troops are being lied to with propaganda. A lot of parents swallow this wihtout questioning just why this group has contacted them

Bingo, this is an organized front manufactured in a fashion similar to the telemarketers who called the old folks in Florida and scared them into calling Robert Wexler to engineer a fraud, in 2000.

Anyone doubting the true underpinnings of this movement I urge you to pull out the barfbag and watch this spectacle arranged by John Conyers and Maxine Waters, with the ("Military Families to end U.S. Military involvement in Iraq").

[armymarinemom]

Anyone doubting the true underpinnings of this movement I urge you to pull out the barfbag and watch this spectacle arranged by John Conyers and Maxine Waters

This really makes me sick. They do not speak for most of the families. My sons would hit the ceiling if I were to even think about standing with the traders. I'm "AFRED" Maxine Waters that I have to call you and your pals...Unpatriotic.

[Outraged]

Just know that you and your younguns are much much appreciated...The libs truly are the enemy within.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[armymarinemom]

Just know that you and your younguns are much much appreciated...The libs truly are the enemy within.
Thanks, I was so ticked off that I spewed about traders instead of traitors. LOL. Look what I learned in college.

[M0sby]

BUMP TO YOU armymarinemom!
When my hubby was getting ready for the first Gulf War he musta told me a million times that if anything happened to him, he didn't care WHAT I was being told, it WOULD NOT honor him to trot my grief onstage and bad mouth the CINC or the Military~
No matter WHAT~
Taking advantage of these families is DISGUSTING~ truly DISGUSTING~
People should be able to have ANY opinion that they like...but they should also keep in mind what their fallen loved one would have wanted. I can't imagine serving one's country for the better part of your adult life BY CHOICE and then having your OWN FAMILY cast doubts apon that choice.

People should ask the tough questions, yes. But they should do so in a manner which leaves intact the honor of the loved one they mourn.

Just my two cents...

[fightu4it]

Every wartime president has had to deal with this. Knowing the cause is just is the only comfort. I happen to believe that not only is the cause just but that we had no alternative.

[OWK]

Mommy Mommy.. he said something ideologically impure.

Ban him.

You people are a joke any more.

[Miss Marple]

Buzz off. I'm in no mood to put up with you, either. I don't give two hoots what you think.

[OWK]

Oooohh... "Buzz off".

You really cut me deep with that one.

It's like watching a Sitcom... only the actors don't know why people are laughing.