A story about a Solder's wife

[iwanttofish]

>
> WIFE'S REQUEST
>
> I was sitting alone in one of those loud, casual
> steak houses that you find all over the country. You know
> the type--a bucket of peanuts on every table, shells
> littering the floor, and a bunch of perky college kids
> racing around with long neck beers and sizzling platters.
>
> Taking a sip of my iced tea, I studied the crowd
> over the rim of my glass. My gaze lingered on a group
> enjoying their meal. They wore no uniform to identify their
> branch of service, but they were definitely
> 'military:' clean shaven, cropped haircut, and that
> 'squared away' look that comes with pride.
>
> Smiling sadly, I glanced across my table to the
> empty seat where my husband usually sat. It had only been a
> few months since we sat in this very booth, talking about
> his upcoming deployment to the Middle East . That was when
> he made me promise to get a sitter for the kids, come back
> to this restaurant once a month and treat myself to a nice
> steak. In turn he would treasure the thought of me being
> here, thinking about him until he returned home.
>
> I fingered the little flag pin I constantly wear
> and wondered where he was at this very moment. Was he safe
> and warm? Was his cold any better? Were my letters getting
> through to him?
>
> As I pondered these thoughts, high pitched female
> voices from the next booth broke into my thoughts. 'I
> don't know what Bush is thinking about. Invading Iraq .
> You'd think that man would learn from his old man's
> mistakes. Good Lord. What an idiot! I can't believe he
> is even in office. You do know, he stole the election.'
>
>
> I cut into my steak and tried to ignore them as
> they began an endless tirade running down our president.
>
> I thought about the last night I spent with my
> husband, as he prepared to deploy. He had just returned
> from getting his smallpox and anthrax shots. The image of
> him standing in our kitchen packing his gas mask still
> gives me chills.
>
> Once again the women's voices invaded my
> thoughts.
>
> 'It's all about oil, you know. Our soldiers
> will go in and **** and steal all the oil they can in the
> name of 'freedom'. Hmmm! I wonder how many innocent
> people they'll kill without giving it a thought.
> It's pure greed, you know.'
>
> My chest tightened as I stared at my wedding ring.
> I could still see how handsome my husband looked in his
> 'mess dress' the day he slipped it on my finger I
> wondered what he was wearing now. Probably his desert
> uniform, affectionately dubbed 'coffee stains' with
> a heavy bulletproof vest over it.
>
> 'You know, we should just leave Iraq alone. I
> don't think they are hiding any weapons. In fact, I bet
> it's all a big act just to increase the president's
> popularity. That's all it is, padding the military
> budget at the expense of our social security and education.
> And, you know what else? We're just asking for another
> 9-11. I can't say when it happens again that we
> didn't deserve it.'
>
> Their words brought to mind the war protesters I
> had watched gathering outside our base. Did no one even
> appreciate the sacrifice of brave men and women, who leave
> their homes and family to ensure our freedom? Do they even
> know what 'freedom' is?
> I glanced at the table where the young men were
> sitting, and saw their courageous faces change. They had
> stopped eating and looked at each other dejectedly,
> listening to the women talking.
>
> 'Well, I, for one, think it's just
> deplorable to invade Iraq , and I am certainly sick of our
> tax dollars going to train professional baby-killers we
> call a military.'
>
> Professional baby-killers. I thought about what a
> wonderful father my husband is, and of how long it would be
> before he would see our children again.
> That's it! Indignation rose up inside me.
> Normally reserved, pride in my husband gave me a brassy
> boldness I never realized I had. Tonight one voice will
> answer on behalf of our military, and let her pride in our
> troops be known.
>
> Sliding out of my booth, I walked around to the
> adjoining booth and placed my hands flat on their table.
> Lowering myself to eye level with them, smiling I said,
> 'I couldn't help over hearing your conversation.
> You see, I'm sitting here trying to enjoy my dinner
> alone. And, do you know why? Because my husband, whom I
> love with all my heart, is halfway around the world
> defending your right to say rotten things about him.'
>
> 'Yes, you have the right to your opinion, and
> what you think is none of my business. However, what you
> say in public is something else, and I will not sit by and
> listen to you ridicule MY country, MY president, MY
> husband, and all the other fine American men and women who
> put their lives on the line, just so you can have the
> 'freedom' to complain. Freedom is an expensive
> commodity, ladies. Don't let your actions cheapen
> it.'
>
> I must have been louder than I meant to be, because
> the manager came over to inquire if everything was all right
>
>
> 'Yes, thank you,' I replied.
>
> Then, turning back to the women, I said, 'Enjoy
> the rest of your meal.'
>
> As I returned to my booth applause broke out. I was
> embarrassed for making a scene, and went back to my half
> eaten steak. The women picked up their check and scurried
> away.
>
> After finishing my meal, and while waiting for my
> check, the manager returned with a huge apple cobbler ala
> mode. 'Compliments of those soldiers,' he said. He
> also smiled and said the ladies tried to pay for my dinner,
> but that another couple had beaten them to it.
>
> When I asked who, the manager said they had already
> left, but that the gentleman was a veteran, and wanted to
> take care of the wife of 'one of our boys.'
>
> With a lump in my throat, I gratefully turned to
> the soldiers and thanked them for the cobbler. Grinning
> from ear to ear, they came over and surrounded the booth.
>
> 'We just wanted to thank you, ma'am. You
> know we can't get into confrontations with civilians,
> so we appreciate what you did.'
>
> As I drove home, for the first time since my
> husband's deployment, I didn't feel quite so alone.
> My heart was filled with the warmth of the other diners who
> stopped by my table, to relate how they, too, were proud of
> my husband, and would keep him in their prayers.
>
> I knew their flags would fly a little higher the
> next day. Perhaps they would look for more tangible ways to
> show their pride in our country, and the military that
> protects her. And maybe, just maybe, the two women who were
> railing against our country would pause for a minute to
> appreciate all the freedom America offers, and the price it
> pays to maintain its freedom.
>
> As for me, I have learned that one voice CAN make a
> difference.
>
> Maybe the next time protesters gather outside the
> gates of the base where I live, I will proudly stand on the
> opposite side with a sign of my own. It will simply say,
> 'Thank You!'
>
> To those who fought for our nation, freedom has a
> flavor the protected will never know.
>
> GOD BLESS AMERICA
>
> Please pray for God's protection of our troops
> and HIS wisdom for their commanders. Pass this on to as
> many as you think will respond.
>
> 'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.
> Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their
> families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our
> time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and
> Savior.'
>
> When you receive this, please stop for a moment and
> say a prayer for our ground, air and navy personnel in every
> area of the middle east.

[Mr.Kitch'nPass]

Well said Mike!

[Don Becker]

Don

[R Jackson]

Here's another side of it.....

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/speakup.asp

[Joe Schwab]

Originally Posted by R Jackson

Here's another side of it.....

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/speakup.asp

And you point is?

[R Jackson]

Originally Posted by Capt. Hook

And you point is?

My point is that at best some serious creative license was used to write it. At worst, it's flat out made up. Kind of like the circumstances that got us were we are now.

[Jester]

Originally Posted by R Jackson

My point is that at best some serious creative license was used to write it. At worst, it's flat out made up. Kind of like the circumstances that got us were we are now.

Yup!
http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/wmdquotes.asp

[Smoked Salmon]

In any event, it is always nicer to support the men and women that were ordered overseas. You don't have to agree with the politics, but that isn't license to be rude or insulting. You may have private suspicions of motive, but that is not permission to ruin someone else's day because you were using your "outside voice" and they overheard.

That said, I've had just about enough of the fakery and sentimental junk that is churning around the interwebs. All it does is divide, and it seems we already have enough divisions as it is. Why post it at all? If you support the troops, write something yourself explaining your feelings about the situation, and list people you know that are currently deployed overseas. I would actually care about reading that. Seeing something copied and pasted into yet another "general" thread with nary a word of personal motive is pure boredom for me. I gave up reading it.

[happybrew]

The Snopes article verifies that it was from a real person who verified that she wrote it. It also stated that they couldn't independently verify her story. Of course they couldn't. It was an incident in a restaurant. I could relate plenty of those without anyone being able to "verify" them.

At any rate, based on my experiences, it is believable. I heard plenty of the "baby-killer" stuff when I enlisted.

I had the privilege a couple of weeks ago of having my friend Ed over for dinner. He was a Marine, sent to Iraq and came back on VA disability from wounds he sustained. Not for or against it, or taking any political position whatsoever, but he says the media coverage is completely wrong, skewed to make the U.S. and the troops look bad. This is also documented in The Devil's Sandbox, about the Oregon National Guard's deployment to Iraq, where they describe finding an American journalist with the insurgents, filming the ambush of American troops with prior knowledge, and winning awards for her work. It also reports that insurgent tactics included targeting journalists so that information flow to the media relied upon those favorable to the insurgents.

But you won't find that in Snopes. I don't think we should have invaded Iraq, but we have a responsibility to finish the job, and we should respect those who are doing just that. We are sending our best Americans over there, and they are showing Iraq that we are a caring and compassionate people who have their best interests at heart, unlike the malevolent people who want to bomb innocent women and children and destroy the infrastructure that provides for their needs and lift them out of the pit they are in. It is an absolute shame that there are Americans who will slander our soldiers and media that will capitalize on our losses and sacrifices. My friends have gone, my brother will be deployed, and possibly my sons may end up going there eventually. My regret is that I didn't go and do my part to undo some damage and make it a better place. God Bless our troops!

happybrew

[Just_learning]

Originally Posted by Smoked Salmon

In any event, it is always nicer to support the men and women that were ordered overseas. You don't have to agree with the politics, but that isn't license to be rude or insulting. You may have private suspicions of motive, but that is not permission to ruin someone else's day because you were using your "outside voice" and they overheard.

I support them by wanting them to be home, nothing else. I would much rather have them die in a bed at 75 than die occupying a foreign land for some old men. People can rant and rave about supporting the soldiers, but what are we supporting? The last time I checked Iraq had nothing to do with our freedoms....and its being found out that it had nothing to do with our national security.

What are we supporting when we say "support the troops"? Are we supporting what is best for them? Or are we still supporting the liars and thieves who sent them to die for something they themselves will not answer for.

Its a well written piece. Thats all. Why cant we see a piece about the lack of support the troops get when they get home from this debacle? Lack of medical, psychological and financial aide for schooling. Instead we thank them for their service and tell them to go to the back of line and deny them what we promised. Instead we reappropriate it for more death and destruction.

[boatman]

I used to read about bloods and cripes and think what a joke. A bunch of wantabe bad people in l.a. guess who is in oregon. people who pick on the weak must be stoped. Thanks for reading

[STGRule]

I think this one has come to an end. Just like the others. Sorry.