J received the e-mail below from a friend of ours. This is someone we genuinely like and respect, so we would never want to hurt her feelings by telling her what we think of it. But, like many good conservatives (sigh), she seems to assume all of her friends and associates feel the same way she does. After all, we're all good people, so we must agree with her politics, right? Um, yeah.
Anyway, my responses are in bold...
Your alarm goes off, you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes.
He stays up for days on end.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
"Don't support the troops" shirt? I've never seen one of those. If I did, I would find it offensive. Why do you assume I don't support the troops, just because I disagree with the decision to invade Iraq?
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
Cross? So we're only sending Christians to the war zone now? How convenient for our Jewish, Muslim, and Athiest troops. Kind of like a get-out-jail-free card. Or is it that we only care about the Christian soldiers, and the others can go to hell? No pun intended.
You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He doesn't get to eat today.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
My maid? Did you mean to send this to the White House? I don't have a maid. Or even a wife.
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.
Yeah. Sucks that the government did that to him.
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet
Actually, I don't roll my eyes at crying babies. But even if I did... only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.
He, and millions before him, fought and died for my right to criticize the government. They should be offended that you wish to take that right away from me. And when he remembers why he is fighting, he probably wonders how attacking Iraq helps to solve the fact that terrorists who were not from Iraq attacked us. Many of us wonder the same thing.
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.
I hear (and laugh at) lots of jokes making fun of W and Cheney. I haven't heard any jokes being passed around that make fun of soldiers. Examples?
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.
What does the media want me to see?
Apparently, they don't want me to see thousands of bodies coming back from Iraq. Oh no, wait - it's the government that doesn't want me to see that, and has forbidden the media to show it.
The media wanted me to see Bush standing in front of a banner that said "Mission Accomplished." That was about two thousand American deaths ago, wasn't it?
The media wants me to know that our soliders are digging through landfills to armor their insufficient vehicles, and that certain branches of the military refuse to provide Kevlar liners for their helmets because it costs too much.
The media wants me to know that oil companies are making record-breaking profits this year.
The media wants me to know that contractors, including subsidiaries of those oil companies, are striking gold by working in Iraq on cost-plus contracts (meaning they have absolutely no financial risk at all, since they charge the government their own costs plus a guaranteed percentage for profits) while our soldiers are underpaid, underequipped, underfed, and overwhelmed.
You think the media only wants to tell me what's bad about the war? The media, Newsweek in particular, wants to tell the rest of the world in next week's cover story that we're losing the war in Afghanistan. But they don't want to tell Americans that. Americans get a fluff piece about a celebrity photographer instead. Why doesn't Newsweek want me to read about losing the war? Isn't that a prime war-bashing opportunity?
The media wants me to know there was no connection between 9/11 and Iraq. Why doesn't the President want me to know that?
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does exactly what he is told.
Even when he's told to illegally torture prisoners. And if he's caught, his superiors will claim "We never told him to do that." Abu Ghirab ring a bell? Either those soldiers were told to torture their prisoners, or they did it on their own. And if they did it on their own, you condemn us for judging them for that. Because torture is great! Just ask John McCain! Or Maher Arar!
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gunfire.
And only Democrats do this? Or is it that Democrats are the only ones who are supposed to feel guilty about it?
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him.
If only there were more men like him!
Bullshit. Yes, there are some bad apples, and as a law-abiding society, we can (and must) judge them. But to claim that those who are anti-war are anti-troops is to blindly follow the worst kind of pseudo-patriotic, hate-filled propaganda. The writers of our Constitution are surely rolling in their graves.
If you support your troops, re-send this to everyone you know,
If it gets to another veteran who hasn't received it yet, it will bring back memories.
I wonder what it will bring back to all of the active duty and retired soldiers who are opposed to this war, and to the retired generals who oppose the war and the President's push to make torture legal. Or are we ignoring veteran's opinions when they don't agree with our agenda?
Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American G. I. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom
And the French. Or are we trying to forget the Revolutionary War since it no longer suits our purposes, with its pesky Constitution and all that? Freedom fries, anyone?
(And once again, I notice that our attitude is, if you're not a Christian, we're not addressing you. Nice.)
How dare you say I am not supporting the troops just because I choose to use the freedoms that they, and those before them, risked their lives to defend. Shame on you.
