War Whoops
As previously noted, the Oneonta Daily Star published the following letter from Joseph L. Barrett on 7/11/08.
“I see that more than 1,200 brave Americans re-enlisted in Iraq on the Fourth of July. Now I wonder what John Kerry and that silly little group of actors in the Delhi Town Square would say?
“I believe that it would go something like this: ‘Oh boo-hoo-hoo, those poor ignorant knuckle-dragging, misguided savages. Don’t they realize that if we could just beg forgiveness from bin Laden and admit that 9/11 was all our fault for flaunting our freedoms in the faces of those Allah-fearing, oppressors of women, all the badness would just go away and the mean people will leave us alone?’
“I say thank God for those brave young people in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are made of many races and religions but in those uniforms they are Americans all. World War II may have produced the finest generation, but to me today’s military is a close second. To you I say may God watch over you and I thank you for protecting my country and family (yeah and even the families of protesting wienies). Semper Fi and Hooah!”
Yesterday, the Oneonta Daily Star published a response from John C. Ryan, who with his wife Kate started the Peace Vigils in 2002, long before the invasion of Iraq. John's letter to the editor speaks for many, who have attended these vigils for nearly six years.
“When I first read the letter of Joseph Barrett on July 11, I became angry, but that feeling quickly turned into sadness at his ignorance. Those ‘actors’ and ‘wienies’ that stand at the Delhi Village Square consist of, among others, a Vietnam veteran and two Korean veterans, one a former sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps (I say this only for Mr. Barrett’s information, not because anyone needs to be a veteran to protest against folly). We started our protest in October 2002 because we saw that an Iraq war was being promoted among the American people through lies and deceit at the highest levels of government, a suspicion that is now a proven fact.
“We, too, care about our men and women in uniform and protest their being sent to Iraq to be bloodied and maimed, not to protect America but to serve the interests of money and power. Their courage and loyalty deserve much better than that.
“We protest also because we care about this country and feel that it’s our patriotic duty to do so when we see its people deceived, its wealth squandered, its armed forces abused, and its principles perverted to serve the interests of selfish and self-seeking men.
“Not all will agree with us, but we do hope that they will have the awareness and understanding to see that we are people like them who care very much about our country.
“However, I suspect that Mr. Barrett will continue to bellow his war whoops and battle cries. But should anyone be interested in joining us or in discussing the issues with us, you'll find us on the square in Delhi on the first and third Saturdays of the month between 11 a.m. and noon. We’d be glad to see you.”
I’ve asked the Oneonta Star to publish my rebuttal, to Mr. Barrett’s juvenile remarks, but because of that newspaper’s 30 day limit my letter will not be published until after Aug. 3rd. However, I posted my response on 7/12/08.
“I see that more than 1,200 brave Americans re-enlisted in Iraq on the Fourth of July. Now I wonder what John Kerry and that silly little group of actors in the Delhi Town Square would say?
“I believe that it would go something like this: ‘Oh boo-hoo-hoo, those poor ignorant knuckle-dragging, misguided savages. Don’t they realize that if we could just beg forgiveness from bin Laden and admit that 9/11 was all our fault for flaunting our freedoms in the faces of those Allah-fearing, oppressors of women, all the badness would just go away and the mean people will leave us alone?’
“I say thank God for those brave young people in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are made of many races and religions but in those uniforms they are Americans all. World War II may have produced the finest generation, but to me today’s military is a close second. To you I say may God watch over you and I thank you for protecting my country and family (yeah and even the families of protesting wienies). Semper Fi and Hooah!”
Yesterday, the Oneonta Daily Star published a response from John C. Ryan, who with his wife Kate started the Peace Vigils in 2002, long before the invasion of Iraq. John's letter to the editor speaks for many, who have attended these vigils for nearly six years.
“When I first read the letter of Joseph Barrett on July 11, I became angry, but that feeling quickly turned into sadness at his ignorance. Those ‘actors’ and ‘wienies’ that stand at the Delhi Village Square consist of, among others, a Vietnam veteran and two Korean veterans, one a former sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps (I say this only for Mr. Barrett’s information, not because anyone needs to be a veteran to protest against folly). We started our protest in October 2002 because we saw that an Iraq war was being promoted among the American people through lies and deceit at the highest levels of government, a suspicion that is now a proven fact.
“We, too, care about our men and women in uniform and protest their being sent to Iraq to be bloodied and maimed, not to protect America but to serve the interests of money and power. Their courage and loyalty deserve much better than that.
“We protest also because we care about this country and feel that it’s our patriotic duty to do so when we see its people deceived, its wealth squandered, its armed forces abused, and its principles perverted to serve the interests of selfish and self-seeking men.
“Not all will agree with us, but we do hope that they will have the awareness and understanding to see that we are people like them who care very much about our country.
“However, I suspect that Mr. Barrett will continue to bellow his war whoops and battle cries. But should anyone be interested in joining us or in discussing the issues with us, you'll find us on the square in Delhi on the first and third Saturdays of the month between 11 a.m. and noon. We’d be glad to see you.”
I’ve asked the Oneonta Star to publish my rebuttal, to Mr. Barrett’s juvenile remarks, but because of that newspaper’s 30 day limit my letter will not be published until after Aug. 3rd. However, I posted my response on 7/12/08.
posted by Jim O'Leary | 12:00 AM
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