LETTER TO MOM

[Longhunter]

I just wanted to share this with everyone ...

A California mother whose son is now in Kuwait wrote
her son asking how he would feel if she joined other
relatives of service members in an anti-war
demonstration in Hollywood last month. After
reading her son's response, she elected not to
participate.

LETTER TO MOM

Dear Mom, It's really your decision to march if you want to or
not. You are the one who has to decide if what we
are doing out here is right or not. My opinion is
not yours.

I do, however, have things I would like for you and
Grandma and everyone else at home to know.

I am a United States soldier. I was sworn to defend
my country against all enemies, foreign and
domestic. People may not agree with the things we
are ordered to do. I would like to address those
people by telling them that terrorism is not only a
threat to us as Americans, but to many other
innocent people in the world.

What type of country would we be if we didn't defend
the rights and freedoms of others, not because
they're Americans, but how about just because
they're human?

We live in a country where people feel secure with
their daily lives. They do business like usual and
don't worry about the thought of terrorism actually
happening to them.

The people of 9-11 thought the same thing. We now
know that it can happen to anyone at any time.

Yet as Americans we're afraid of losing our soldiers
to defend our security. I can only speak for myself
when I say that my life is an easy expense to ensure
that my family and friends can live in peace.

I strongly believe in what we are doing and wish you
were here to see for yourselves the honor and
privilege that American soldiers aboard this ship
are feeling, knowing that we are going to be a part
of something so strong and so meaningful to the
safety of our loved ones. Then you would know what
this potential war is about.

We will stand tall in front of terrorism and defeat
it. We as soldiers are not afraid of what may
happen. We are only afraid of Americans not being
able to understand why we are here.

I ask for your courage as Americans to be strong for
us; I ask for your understanding in what we believe
is right. I ask for your support in what we are
sworn to do: defend our country and the life of all.


We will succeed in our task and will end the threat
of terrorism in our back yard. We will also end the
threat of terrorism in our neighbors'.

We have to remind ourselves of what this country
stands for: life, liberty and justice for all. In
order to maintain those rights we have to stop the
threat of terrorism.

I am proud to be here. I will be coming home, but
not until I know that it's going to be safe for all
Americans and for everyone I love.

My family is first. My country is where they live. I
will defend it.

Lonnie J. Lewis Navy corpsman C Co. 1/4 WPN PLT UIC 39726 FPO AP 966139726

P.S. Mom, please send this to everyone who has a
hard time understanding why we are here. Ask the
paper to put what I've said in a column so that
others will know why we are here and what we are
here for.

I love you all and will be home soon. I left my
address so that if anyone feels like writing to let
me know how they feel, they can

[SLEDDER]

Thanks for posting!! I am ex-military myself. The letter sums up our feelings back during the Gulf War. I just don't understand these protesters. Someone has been feeding them a line of bull and they can't seem to think for themselves. Like lemmings jumping off the cliff, stupid. Thanks again.

[Big TULE]

Very good letter. Sorry to say but somebody on this board will figure out a way to flame it... I think that letter should be sent to everybody in the nation because i think 95% of the United States combat team feels that way, not speaking for them but, i know i speak for myself when i say i will fight for your freedom because i swore to god and country that i would do so...

[ZACKYDAD]

What an outstanding letter.This is a guy who hit the nail on the head.What happened to all the unity of american flags on all the cars after 9/11? How soon people forget.I'm going to write this guy to thank him for his pledge,for it is enlisted men and women like himself that make this country so great. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[crabbait]

Sledder - Yes, someone has been feeding them a line....and they are not buying it! They are thinking for themselves unlike some others that you so eloquently described.

Please do not assume that people who do not want our sons and daughters at risk to "liberate Iraq" do not support those sons and daughters. In fact, their actions are an attempt to save thousands of innocent lives on both sides of the border.

[lost_sailor]

I do have to wonder who REALLY wrote that. I've spent enough years on the Internet to doubt that it is a letter home from an actual soldier.

Can you admit that the whole situation has been handled poorly? Almost everyone agrees that Saddam needs to go, and in hindsight it George the First should have wrapped that up in 1991 - when Iraq had DONE SOMETHING to justify a war.

But Shrub has milked this for so long he has lost the support of many neighbors and lost the support of many Americans.

Attacking Iraq because of something Saddam MIGHT DO is unprecedented in our history.

Anyway, we're going to do it. Let's do it well. The troops have my full support. The president never has and never will. Our children will die on the far side of the world to protect the profits of Bush's supporters. God Bless America.

[fishingfirst]

Here is something along the same lines, I was going to start a thread just for this, but it ties in here.
When I signed it was almost 7 million, please keep it up, this really does help the morale of those who are away from home.

Scott (USN 1986-1990)


A Military Thank You

If you are so inclined, visit the Department of Defense web page

below and sign a brief message thanking the men and women of the

U.S. military services for defending our freedom.

The compiled list of names will be sent out to our soldiers at the end of the month.

So far, there are only about 5,800,000 people have signed to date.

What a shame. There should be hundreds of millions of thank you's. Pass the

word that we can honor and support the defenders of freedom during National

Military Appreciation Month

http://www.defendamerica.mil/nmam.html

[Hoosier Daddy]

Excellent letter!! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

This is what I don't understand about the whole thing too.

I don't want a single American dying over there or anywhere else, BUT I will not feel sorry for our military personnel because they are in harms way. That is what they signed up for. I mean this in the most respectful way possible. Folks don't sign up for the military because it's a high paying job, or to gain valuable work experience, and not expect to have to deal with the potential of going to war. If they do, they are being naive and possibly misled.
Our military's primary purpose is to fight, bottom line. Pray for their survival and accomplishing the goal, but do not feel sorry for them because they are in harms way. They are doing it so the rest of us can stay here and gripe about it. Thank you all for being there for us!!