Report from a group meeting with our Enemies

02/25/2004 | armymarinemom

[armymarinemom]

Report from a group meeting with our Enemies

 My husband and I did something that I never imagined we would do, we along with other military parents attended a Military Families Speak Out meeting. No, we haven't turned left wing but just took an opportunity that will probably never occur again.

 An ad ran in our local paper that a Chapter for Military Families Speak Out was forming in our area. They invited all parents with concerns over the war to attend. We considered this an opportunity because we do have concerns over the war with children deployed even though we don't disagree with what our children are doing. We have concerns with what these families are doing to our troop moral and just what groups these families have aligned themselves with. This was the perfect opportunity to share our concerns face to face with those whose beliefs are far from our own.

Entering a building occupied by a Peace and Justice center is a surreal experience all in itself. You feel like you have just stepped into another world that doesn't quite fit. The bookshelves were lined with publications that on the surface look fine until you notice just what issues they are supporting. There was a table towards the back of the room prepared for the meeting. Along the wall behind the table were photographs displaying a photo journal of the local area anti-war protests. I brought photos of my own which were 8 X 10's of my three sons and a print out of a 3 star service banner all placed on a large poster. I placed the poster in the middle of the table for all to see and sat down with the rest of the families that came with me.

Everyone introduced themselves. The Peace group had family members that were either distant, related by marriage to a child, in ROTC, or non-deployed. Only one member had an active duty child in the service. Our group had one couple with three active duty sons two of which are deployed, a spouse of a deployed Marine, a Veteran with two sons deployed, a Veteran who just supports local families, and a politician that works with Veterans groups. I had been asked by several families with active duty children many of whom are deployed and could not attend to speak for them also. We had them outnumbered.

After introductions we outlined what our concerns were with their group starting a Chapter in our area. We listed as our reasons:

• The organizations that they associated with.
  • We gave specific examples to extreme left wing groups that they are openly accepting help from in a coalition such as the CPUSA, Answer, International Action Center, and United for Peace and Justice.
  • One of the above mentioned groups has publicly stated in print that they fully support the insurgency in Iraq.
  • Supporting the insurgency would include the maiming and death of our beloved family members. Aligning themselves with such groups is in essence agreeing to have your own flesh and blood killed.
  • Family members of Military Families Speak Out have been witnessed posting on Jihad friendly web sites denouncing our troops. This gives aid and comfort to our enemies.

• They are using parents with real fear for political gain in a misleading manner.
• Most of our troops believe in what they are doing.
• Who are we to tell grown people that they need to stop doing their job and come home?
• The Iraqi people are better off now than before the War.
• Armymarinedad stated very well how most of our troops believe in what they are doing. He has spoken with thousand of them while greeting flights that come home from the Middle East and has openly discussed with them how they feel about the war.

Our statements were followed by a discussion about both the Iraqi War and the Afghanistan War that lasted well over an hour. The discussion did not change anyone's mind. We did get the most vocal out of their group to admit that bringing our troops home now was impossible and would cause the senseless death of thousands of innocent people. After our long discussion it was up in the air exactly what the long term goals of their group would be. They never did get around to discussing long term goals and objectives for the beginning of a chapter.

Our group left after shaking hands with smiles on our faces yet rather flabbergasted that we never got into a shouting match or get kicked out.

[Krodg]

Thank you... and God bless your family.

[Mr. Silverback]

One thing I have noticed about these groups while they go to and from local protests is that they have to talk themselves into believing they are right.

Oops, forgot to include something: I've noticed this tendency in my dealings with local America-bashers. They are so busy convincing themselves that they're right that they are obsessed with getting me to come in and listen to a few speeches. They know that listening to some idiot run down our country takes away all their doubts, so they figure that if I just sit and listen to it for a while I'll have an epiphany and become an America-hating idiot, too. Yes, once I hear someone praise the UN for twenty minutes, I'll just forget that they kill babies in China and stood around picking their noses while 800,000 people were hacked to death in Rwanda! It even extends to their written stuff: The local appeasenik newsletter had a feature article this past summer about how you could get "the real news" from places like Mother Jones, the Human Rights Watch website, The Nation, etc. These are people whose worldview is so fragile and so unconnected to reality that they get conservative vibes from CNN!

Need a laugh? Here's a quote from an editorial letter written by a local appeasenik idiot that appeared in the Journal-Standard today, emphasis is mine:

Some would argue that television is the most dangerous weapon of "mass instruction" ever acquired and used by our rulers against its citizens. With a few exceptions, such as "Frontline" or Bill Moyers' unbiased documentaries, television beams on average 18 hours a day to just about every home in our country, a barrage of propaganda and hysteria-laden messages. Someone once said that if you repeat a big enough lie often enough, it will be believed.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! That's like calling Barry Goldwater "a right of center moderate!" "Please, people of Freeport, every news outlet except actual communists gives me a case of cognitive dissonance, and therefore they are lying to you! And even though I'm telling you that a vast government conspiracy controls everything you see on your TV so they can make you send your sons to die for nothing, believe me, it's Fox, CNN and ABC that are the true hysterical wackos!!" Man, what a bunch of idiots.

[MEG33]

A way to combat the anti American peace group.

[Copernicus]

Thank you for your service to our country.

Best regards,

[Fenris6]

This former Marine says "Bravo Zulu" to you both - job well done!

[Leisler]

Way to go! I attended a Howard Dean "Meet-In". I can't recommend enough attending lefty get togethers. If only for the laughs. These are some seriously warped oxygen thieves.

[metesky]

Excellent response.

[Issaquahking]

Just when I think the Northwet has lost it, posts 31, and 32, prove America is doing far better than the "lib noise" from the lamestream media. Thanks for posting these letters!

Hats off to armymarinemom for standing up to the left with the perfect ammo - truth and logic, through in a bit of patience, and we win one for the good guys!

Armymarinemom - Thanks for a great "first person report" and re-enforcement of why the people of FR are simply the best. Prayers to your family that your sons can doing their mission!

[Libertina]

BTTT Rocky, here is a letter I received from an officer's wife as she drove past our flag flying group that supports the troops every weekend:

Thank you
You have no idea
how much this means
to our family to
see you out here.
Military life can be
so difficult especially
in the current climate.
It helps to know there
are people who support us

It brings tears to my eyes. I am amazed these troops and families are thanking us, for I feel it is we who are nourished and gladdened because of them.

[cricket]

["An ad ran in our local paper that a Chapter for Military Families Speak Out was forming in our area" . . .

One of the above mentioned groups has publicly stated in print that they fully support the insurgency in Iraq. . .

Family members of Military Families Speak Out have been witnessed posting on Jihad friendly web sites denouncing our troops. ]

Wouldn't these activities/goals be considered 'subversive'? Treasonous?

Why aren't those who finance these endeavors held accountable. . .publicly held accountable?

[cricket]

"Where is this bringing the troops home being impossible or damaging coming from?"

armymarinedad gives an excellent answer; I would just like to add a response; or two to your question.

We do not come home now; because the terrorists would declare 'victory'. They would be empowered; embolded and renewed by our 'weakness'; our lack of resolve.

We cannot, in any way, serve the goals of Islamic terrorism.

We stay; and stabilize. . .and we fight like hell to do it, because it is the right thing to do.

. . .and yes, the 'oil thing' is important; important to us, as it is important to our enemies.

In short, we stay, because that is precisely what our terrorist enemies do not want us to do.

[Issaquahking]

Thanks for a great ping! For all those that are not aware of the Puget Sound Freepers activites...They do great works! When I see the news from any lame stream press, my eyes just kind of gloss over as I listen to their babbling...They never report any real news of what goes on at home. 10% of the fascist pigs get 90% of the coverage, while real Americans are busy with things that really matter - and never get covered. Fortunately, the 90% of America that do matter, compiment each other wonderfully!

[Libertina]

The unthinkable happened the other day. A very young woman in uniform drove by and gave the troops supporters the finger as she drove onto the base. We suspect she is part of a small minority of malcontents in the reserves who are pissed that they actually ahve to do the thing for which they were trained and paid. If I have gotten her license plate # very interesting things would be happening to her right now...

[Little Bill]

This guy, Stan Goff, supposedly SF, who is behind this Org, got the boot in 1994 as a MSGT. What is his story? Enlisted in 1970, booted in 1994, gave up a guaranteed 27 years?

He smells, the Org smells, the only other MSGT I ever saw get the boot was an exfriend who descided that he wanted to be a girl at 52, Reserve, retired with 34 years. His kid is my Godson all f*ck up.

[cricket]

"If I have gotten her license plate # very interesting things would be happening to her right now..."

That is incredible and pathetic.

She probably just wanted her school loans paid off; more free education; guaranteed career program and room and board as well as the chance to see the world without ever making a reservation. . .

Wish you could have id'd her for sure.

[Madame Dufarge]

I've had the pleasure of meeting armymarinemom, and I have enormous respect for her (and you).

We're all in your debt for your efforts.

Thanks.

[Libertina]

Flag in one hand, picking up dropped jaw in another.. I wasn't prepared for it. Too bad. I have lots of contacts on the base.

[BufordP]

KUDOS AND THANKS! At first it may not seem apparent but you (and your group) DID make a difference.

[CaptIsaacDavis]

Right on compatriot!

My only questions are:

1. On what basis does any person who has any knowledge at all of the people who live there provide an estimate that any government that is formed will actually LAST. The 1950s are a clue into what will happen once we phase out our presence -- Communists (just about the ONLY locals who welcomed us in fervently -- did you see the NBC footage of a mob of Communists waving the party flag?), Baathist factions (Saddam held together a party structure that was deeply divided before he consolidated power), Shiite factions (and there are many), Kurdish factions, etc. are always going to be at each other's throats. Hundreds of thousands died in the 1950s and early 1960s civil war and chaos that helped the Baath come to power. Any semblence of stability and stabilization is only because we are going to be keeping 100,000 ground troops in the country through 2006 at least (the latest operational plan according to Washington papers). Are we really going to be there at that scale for 58 years -- like Germany?

2. Courtesy of the defense "buildown" of the Clinton years, we now do not have the effective force capable of keeping that level of commitment and confronting a far more serious danger -- North Korea. President Bush declared war on 3 countries in Jan. 2002 (it is irrelevant whether his advisors understood that they were -- "Axis" means one thing). "Resolve" is a function of achieving global war aims and enhancing the long-term security of our nation. How on earth can anyone argue that occupying Iraq instead of launching a full-scale moves into Pakistan (to sweep for OBL and cadres) and Iran, or preventive strikes on Iran and North Korea is a reflection of firmer resolve? IMPOSSIBLE!

[mhx]

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! That's like calling Barry Goldwater "a right of center moderate!"

But... but... Barry Goldwater was a moderate!

At least from my point of view.