Tally of War Deaths Shows Up Next Door to Recruiting Station [ pic }

Star Tribune ^ | 12.09.05 | Larry Oakes

[wallcrawlr]

DULUTH - A large sign went up Monday in the storefront next to the U.S. Army recruiting station in downtown Duluth.

What it says and how its message was received by the "Be-All-You-Can-Be" folks next door may well make it a sign of the times.

"Iraq," it says. "Remember the Fallen Heroes." Below, in black numbers changed daily, is a tally of the dead and wounded U.S. soldiers and the number of days the conflict has gone on.

It took only one day for Staff Sgt. Gary Capan from the recruiting office to walk over and politely ask Scott Cameron to take the sign down.

Cameron is a volunteer on the Steve-Kelley-for-governor campaign, which opened its northern Minnesota office next to the recruiting station last week.

Although the sign was Cameron's idea, Kelley, a DFL state senator from Hopkins, approved of displaying it in the window.

< snip >

Cameron decided to keep the tally going in the window. In explaining why, he talked about Vietnam, which he said was another mistake. There a bullet tore through his spine and shredded his left lung. Forty-six surgeries later, he spends much of his time advocating for better benefits for veterans.

Way too many Americans are insulated from the horror of war, and even the numbers, he said, adding that his sign will help them remember.

He said he was carrying a plate of cookies when he walked into the recruiting office Wednesday to give Capan his decision.

"He was cordial but said that 'until you take your sign down, I can't accept them,' " Cameron said. "I'm not going to do that."

[freema]

I can't HEAR you!
! )

[StarCMC]

LOL -- ya know, if they'd deliver I'd order it for him!!

[armymarinemom]

What?

[Coyoterex]

As an Army vet, I gratefully thank you for your service, on my behalf, and my daughters. Not every Minnesotan is a nutjob (though some days it does seem like it). In fact, my 10 year old daughter has decided she wants to enlist when she is old enough.

[armymarinemom]

I edited the blog to have all three reports in one linkable area. Iraq Statistics for Dummies. . There is a lot of good information in there about definite progress.

[Old Sarge]

That was beautiful.

[freema]

YOU are beautiful.

[freema]

SAY IT LOUDER! ! )

[Old Sarge]

I was referring to the poster who was goading you. Not you. He/she/it writes no more like a troop in service than my pooch.

I'm assuming you were referring to me.

Yours is the opinion of the majority of FReepers: if you're not Delta Force, you're not a real soldier. National Guardsmen like me and my kids are accustomed to that treatment by many veterans on this forum.

[armymarinemom]

LOL, Sorry it has been a looooong week. We have had a lot of troops moving....We do need to get word out on the progress being made. I see troops coming home with moral that varies along with location. Our men and women on the ground get virtually no news about reports on progress over there.

Reports Show We are Winning!!

Hehehe. there.

[AppyPappy]

Place a sign over the word "Iraq" that says "Killed by radical Muslims". I bet the sign comes down.

[StarCMC]

He/she/it writes no more like a troop in service than my pooch.

WTH?? Boy, you know, you should really look at profile pages before you post BS like that.

[StarCMC]

LOL!! No kidding!!

And yes, I am continuing to Bump this thread!

[StarCMC]

Huh?? Not sure I understood that. We're winning?? Someone needs to let the MSM know, cause they're waaaaaay behind! LOL

[Uri’el-2012]

The democrats kill more american before noon

each day for the last 30 years

than we have lost in Iraq.

b'shem Y'shua

[armymarinemom]

Yes they are. If you go over DoD reports on progress we are winning in spite of what the MSM has you think.

[wallcrawlr]

yeah, no kidding.

and add....

encouraged by the MSM and the democrat party

[StarCMC]

Well I'll be darned!!

(You know I'm joking, right??) As the Marine on Laura Ingraham said today when asked how he felt about Howard Dean's remarks that we can't win this war, "When the Marine's boots are on the ground, we're winning."

LOL

[wallcrawlr]

well then wallcrawlr is in the minority.


I pray you stay safe, encouraged and resolute...

[StarCMC]

Yep, You and me and Coop for sure. :o)