A Day of Letters

This post has been edited (11/21/05) to remove broken links.

CivilWarrior of Way Down in Kosovo sent me a great email today in response to the anti-war CodePinko weekly vigils at Walter Reed. Before posting about it, I went to his blog to see if he'd already done so. What I found were emails (here and here) from a stateside supporter named Leta that blew me away. Here's one tiny excerpt:

There are many many heartwarming stories. The people of Texas and particularly Houston, TX are amazing!!!! They are volunteering in historic numbers to help out at the Astrodome and in other shelters around Texas, to get the kids in school, to provide health care, etc. The other states as far away as California and Massachusetts that are doing the same thing but with smaller numbers. Universities are opening up dormitories to house people in other states. The health care workers who were "stuck" in the middle of the storm in hospitals, nursing homes, etc. for days attempting to save the lives of their patients with little or no modern conveniences like power, water, etc. performed heroic feats. The private individuals who drove for hours, with their boats, to help rescue people. The American public is stepping up to the plate in so many ways other than simply with donations. It does make one PROUD to be an American. And to see all of MY soldiers on their way there and then on the TV doing what they are doing. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I just can't figure out how to make enough home made cookies for them and how to deliver them. Darn it!

Leta herself loaded up a carfull of supplies and drove from Memphis, TN down to Hattiesville, MS to help out. She's written a "boots on the ground" report of what she saw of all the efforts being made to help, along with some very witty commentary about those who are not exactly helping.

General Honore (Commander of the LA National Guard) was asked, as have been all of the officials, why more military/rescue people were not in place BEFORE the hurricane hit. All of them said they do NOT mobilize TO an expected storm area BEFORE it hits because then they, too, could become victims and their equipment destroyed. General Honore, as many others have said, reminded the reporter that the military actually moves people and equipment AWAY from the storm so they will be available AFTER to assist. Former President Clinton even said that now is not the time to be visiting these issues. What kinds of drugs are these reporters on for pete's sake?

It's pretty obvious why CivilWarrior has dubbed her "Leta the Great". CW himself isn't exactly a slouch, although he's quick to criticize himself. He's shouldering an incredible workload but still gets a kick out of some simple improvements like "shades and boots".

His email to me was really inspiring. As I confessed in my first post about Walter Reed, I'm new to this whole "protest rally" thing, and at times feel uncomfortable and even pointless. Letters like this provide the incentive and reason to continue effort.

Thanks again for what you are doing...the whole Walter Reed protest thing was so disheartening to see. All of us were so incredibly insulted by these buffoons. They really do seem to believe that this is somehow helping us, that they can support the troops without supporting the war. I've got news for these folks, the "war" is not just the one in Iraq, the world is in a constant, neve rending state of conflict. Our job WHEREVER we are is to represent the interests of our nation.

We in the military are the physical manifestation of a portion of the Great Seal of the United States. You know what I'm talking about...look on the reverse side of a quarter, or on a dollar bill...it's the bird we all ignore because most of us don't know the symbolism of it. Like the eagle, we are bold, determined and honorable. The shield on the eagles chest carries the field of blue and the stripes from our nation's flag, representing the blessings of heaven and the states of the union. In the eagles right talon is clutched the olive branch of peace, in it's left talon are held the arrows of war, symbolizing our willingness to give either. The eagles head is turned to the right, toward the olive branch, signifying the preference for peace over war. The eagle holds in it's beak our nation's motto "E Pluribus Unum": Out of many, One.

Like the eagle of The great Seal, the soldiers, sailors airmen, and marines of the U.S. armed forces will always prefer peace over war. Our competitors and adversaries in the world can have either one...it is their choice. We are the representatives of our nation, for we are a truly diverse, multi-ethnic, multi-religious force in many ways unique amongst the worlds armed forces. We serve no king, or president, or dictator; we serve no single living person. We serve a yellowing piece of parchment called the constitution, the nation it created, and the people of that nation whose God given rights are guaranteed by that ancient piece of paper, and guarded by us, as well as our brothers and sisters in law enforcement.

That being said, I think I am well within my right to state that I don't need some leftist NUTBAG to speak for me out of love, or whatever it is. I want these people to stop loving me right now, stop insulting me right now, and stop protesting what they don't even understand...RIGHT NOW! I know it's their right to do so, but they are really pissing me off !

Thanks again for bringing our spirits up...YOU ROCK!

CW and his colleagues are still fighting that "forgotten war" in Yugoslavia. These men and women who've left hearth and home to represent all of us in a foreign land are the ones who really rock! They could just as easily be sitting home in their jammies, playing with the kids, and enjoying the kind of life too many of us take for granted. The least I can do is stand outside Walter Reed for a few hours every Friday night and say "Thank you! You guys ROCK!"