Blue Star Mothers group back in Maine

Portland Press Herald ^ | Monday, December 22, 2003 | By JOSHUA L. WEINSTEIN, Portland Press Herald Writer

[armymarinemom]

All Rebecca Davis was looking for was a flag.

She found a calling.

Davis, who lives in Bangor, has a 24-year-old son serving in the Army in Iraq, a 19-year-old in the Army in Afghanistan and a 25-year-old in the Marines - with orders to head for Iraq.

So about a year ago, Davis started looking for a Blue Star flag. The banner goes back to World War I, when families of service members displayed white flags with red trim at their homes. A blue star on the flag represented a child serving. More than one star meant more than one child.

Davis needed a flag with three stars. W

hen she searched the Internet for the flag, though, she found an organization called Blue Star Mothers, a combination patriotic organization and family support group.

She tracked down the national president and formed the first chapter in Maine since World War II. Another is forming in Portland now.

"It makes you feel better," said Davis - whose home is now marked with a white flag with three blue stars. "It gives you something to do. You get a lot of support from other moms."

She said about 15 people are involved in her chapter, and that the organization promotes patriotism.

"There's a fine line between freedom of speech and irresponsibility of speech," she said.

In fact, Blue Star Mothers of America Inc. recently released a statement condemning organizers of a visit to Iraq by parents of American service members.

"Operation Iraq Watch and Global Exchange are anti-American leftist groups that are cynically exploiting the fears and concerns of families in order to achieve their goal of undermining morale and bringing about the defeat of America in the War on Terror," the statement says. It continues that the best way to ensure the troops' "swift and safe return home is to give our full support to their mission. Anything less plays into the hands of our enemies and gives aid and comfort to those who are targeting our troops for maiming and death with IEDs, RPGs, car bombs, etc."

It's all very personal for Synawadza Belanger, who lives in Portland.

Her son, Yeshua, is stationed in Baghdad with the Army's 82nd Airborne Division.

"I was really feeling pretty desperate to do something," she said, "and kind of going a little mad in my head with concern and worry and just fear itself, and I just kept talking to a lot of people and finding out what they thought about what was going on, and also what we could do here to help besides yellow ribbons."

Then she found Blue Star Mothers.

She was at an event at Cathedral School, where two of her children are enrolled, when she met Army Capt. Steve Kavanaugh.

"I went up to him and said, 'I know you're going to think I'm a little aggressive and very assertive, but I'm going mad. My son's over in Baghdad and I want to do something here to help.' "

Kavanaugh put her in touch with Davis, and Maine's second chapter of Blue Star Mothers began.

Belanger is the sole member, but she has plans to change that. She set up a telephone line in her house just for Blue Star Mothers and totes Blue Star Mothers literature around with her.

When she meets other people who have family members serving abroad, "it's an instant connection," she said. "An instant concern, love, care, however you want to put it. You're just tied to that person immediately."

She figures a Portland chapter of Blue Star Mothers will help even more.

Kavanaugh, company commander for Army recruiting in Portland, says he's delighted that a chapter is in the works in the city.

"I think it's a show of patriotism, and a public recognition that the troops are important and the public is supporting them," he said. "I'm excited to have a group like this around, and have something for families, and recognition of them."

He is so impressed with Belanger, in fact, that he invited her to a deployment function this month. Having parents take an active role, he explains, is helpful.

"I'm excited to have a group like this around, and have something for families, and recognition of them," he said.

Staff Writer Justin Ellis and Susan Butler, staff researcher, contributed to this story.

[armymarinemom]

I was pleased that the negative comment about Global Exchange and Iraq Watch was published in the home turf of Common Dreams.

[jwalsh07]

Nice post.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

the best way to ensure the troops' "swift and safe return home is to give our full support to their mission. Anything less plays into the hands of our enemies and gives aid and comfort to those who are targeting our troops for maiming and death with IEDs, RPGs, car bombs, etc."

There was an occasion when the NY Times went to press with a specific report of American casualties which they had to recind.

The New York Times Is Still Dead
The Conning Tower | August 15, 2003 | Trentino

It clearly reveals that the Times wants to report bad news from Iraq--news which will give aid and comfort to the murderers who are trying to kill our boys.

[sistergoldenhair]

The banner goes back to World War I

I have some of these flags.
Some show that stars have been "picked off"; some show blue stars replaced with gold.
They always make me appreciate those that serve.

[auboy]

Thank goodness Rebecca Davis is pro-active. And that she is such a caring and loving mother. She is helping other families during a difficult time as she supports her sons.

My prayers are humbly sent for all our sons and daughters who are in harm's way.