|
| Author | Thread |
|
|
09/12/2004 12:28:00 PM · #1 |
I've withheld the DPC member's handle so that she's not put in the difficult position of having to "defend" herself.
.......................................
Dear [handle withheld],
Thank you, your son and your family, for the sacrifices you're all making, while he's in Afghanistan, with the Marines. As I've mentioned, I served in the Marines, as well, in peace time, and I was never at risk of seeing combat; however, I remember periods where just being away from family, and friends, seemed difficult enough. So I appreciate the much more difficult situation you're all enduring.
You know what I abhor? It's the way that many people that support the current administration peg all opponents of it as the "Looney-Left". Here we are, you and I, two people that don't fit the mold that supporters of the administration have created for those on the left, or those that simply oppose the Bush administration. Your son is currently serving and, yes, like Kerry did in yesteryears, you've earned your right to critique this administration. You've earned that right by birth, and you've earned that right by the sacrifices your family has to endure on a daily basis. I, in the other hand, served in the Marines, my brother served in the Marines, my immediate family immigrated to this country when I was 12, and we love and appreciate this country. (If you belive many of the administration's supporters, immigrants just come to this country to live off welfare, etc.) I studied political sciences in college, and absolutely admire our two founding documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; and yet, supporters of the administration, simply dismiss us as Loonies, America Haters, etc. Incredible!
But we cannot let them dishearten us. Those of us that share similar ideals, must draw strength from each other and talk up our side, and our strengths... we must present ourselves as the average Jane and Joe that we are, who just happen to oppose the current administration. But I'm sure you know all this.
Yeah, can you tell, I'm a "believer" and an idealist.
I'll end this briefly, but I just want to share with you what I'll be doing in the next week:
1. I'll be attending a local Kerry rally (and will bring my camera).
2. Sept. 17-19 I'll be in Arizona, registering voters, etc., in that swing state. The local Kerry office is organizing Kerry-vans to nearby swing states to get out the vote.
I only mention this because it's the sort of thing that I draw inspiration and focus from. This election will hinge on how effectively both parties get their core supporters out, while "undecided voters" will be relatively negligible.
Again, thank you for the sacrifices your family is enduring.
Very Sincerely,
[bdobe] |
|
|
|
09/12/2004 02:23:16 PM · #2 |
This was originally posted in the General Discussion forum, but its now been moved to the Rant forum. Would the person that moved the post please explain how the decision was made to move the post.
Thank you. |
|
|
|
09/12/2004 02:25:40 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by bdobe:
This was originally posted in the General Discussion forum, but its now been moved to the Rant forum. Would the person that moved the post please explain how the decision was made to move the post.
Thank you. |
Don't know who moved it but I felt that it was somewhat of a rant.
Sorry dude, I just don't know where you are going with this. This post bothers me in that you are lobbying at the expense of a Marine and his/her mother. Are you sure the Marine holds the same values as you?
Had you just posted "Hey guys want to meet me at a Kerri Rally" this topic would have had a whole different meaning.
I applaud the "Mothers of Marines" who try to understand and support what their siblings have done by becoming a Marine; however it may have come about. My head is bowed to the mothers and spouses that have made the ultimate sacrifice, as in their loss I have lost a brother or sister.
My mother was once a “Mother of a Marine” as I served fifteen years in the Corps. She had no choice in my decision to join, but she did support what I had done. I do not know what went through her mind as I served, nor does she know what went through mine. All I asked for was her support in what I was doing. Her political affiliation was not a concern of mine. I served to preserve her right to vote for whomever she chose.
I did not join because someone forced me nor did I join for the "education". I chose the Marines because I wanted to make a difference and making a difference has its risks. I believe in what this country stands for.
Semper Fi
|
|
|
|
09/12/2004 02:55:34 PM · #4 |
| I moved it to rant because your post is of a political nature and a)many people are not interested in reading politics on this site and rant is an area that they can turn off b)I've yet to see any sort of political post that hasn't turned into a heated discussion/debate, especially when phrases like "You know what I abhor?" are included. Pretty much all political posts are moved to rant, it's nothing personal. |
|
|
|
09/12/2004 02:58:29 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by bdobe:
This was originally posted in the General Discussion forum, but its now been moved to the Rant forum. Would the person that moved the post please explain how the decision was made to move the post.
Thank you. |
While I was not the one to move this, it has become convention on this site that all political threads belong in the Rant folder. This does not in any way imply that the post itself was a rant.
-Terry
|
|
|
|
09/12/2004 03:43:35 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by awpollard:
Sorry dude, I just don't know where you are going with this. |
I don't know whether the Marine's mother that I addressed in the letter would say that she needed uplifting; however, from an email exchange that she and I had, it was apparent that she's growing weary of the criticism leveled against those that disagree with the current administration. Therefore, in my email response to her, which I also posted here as an open letter, I aimed to offer her: A) Gratitude for the sacrifices her family is enduring, and B) Avenues (i.e., activities supporting the candidate she supports) to re-affirm her conviction and enthusiasm for her candidate.
Originally posted by awpollard:
This post bothers me in that you are lobbying at the expense of a Marine and his/her mother. Are you sure the Marine holds the same values as you? |
While I do explicitly mention two activities that I'll be participating in, note that I only intended to offer the activities as examples to illustrate what I'd written a couple of sentences above:
Originally posted by bdobe:
Those of us that share similar ideals, must draw strength from each other[.] |
And, again, referring to the activities:
Originally posted by bdobe:
I only mention this because it's the sort of thing that I draw inspiration and focus from. |
Originally posted by awpollard:
Had you just posted "Hey guys want to meet me at a Kerri Rally" this topic would have had a whole different meaning. |
If my meaning was not clear to you, I'm sorry, I clearly did not convey it as clearly as I could have.
Originally posted by awpollard:
I applaud the "Mothers of Marines" who try to understand and support what their siblings have done by becoming a Marine; however it may have come about. My head is bowed to the mothers and spouses that have made the ultimate sacrifice, as in their loss I have lost a brother or sister. |
We all agree. As I mentioned in the letter, I and my brother served in the Marines as well. I was seventeen when I stepped on those yellow footprints at MCRD, San Diego. Because I was a minor, my mom had to agree and co-sign the infamous dotted line. I remember the long conversation she and I had, and how strenuously she opposed my going; however, I prevailed, and she signed. I remember she was teary as the recruiter laid the contract before her at our kitchen table. Make no mistake, though, as I mentioned in my Open Letter, I was never in combat, and my family never had to endure what the Mother that I addressed in the letter has to put up with. Again, I thank her for the sacrifice her entire family is making.
Originally posted by awpollard:
My mother was once a "Mother of a Marine" as I served fifteen years in the Corps. She had no choice in my decision to join, but she did support what I had done. I do not know what went through her mind as I served, nor does she know what went through mine. All I asked for was her support in what I was doing. Her political affiliation was not a concern of mine. I served to preserve her right to vote for whomever she chose.
I did not join because someone forced me nor did I join for the "education". I chose the Marines because I wanted to make a difference and making a difference has its risks. I believe in what this country stands for. |
Again, like you, I too wanted to join. As I mentioned above, I had to convince my own mom to sign the dotted line. And, again, we concur: We all belive in what this country stands for.
Originally posted by awpollard:
Semper Fi |
Indeed, Semper Fidelis |
|
|
|
Current Server Time: 08/29/2025 01:29:13 PM  |
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 08/29/2025 01:29:13 PM EDT.
|
