SFC Cory Remsburg -- are some missing the obvious?

[justiceischeap]

I suspect Remsburg knew he was going to be invited to the SOTU address. I suspect Remsburg was informed he'd be highlighted in the speech. I suspect his permission was even asked. His presence at the SOTU tells me that he agreed to be there, voluntarily, and probably gave permission to be used as the "ploy" everyone is proclaiming he is. I suspect he hoped someone got something other than him being a tool or a ploy from his presence and his gumption. I suspect Obama isn't the monster that everyone is making him out to be because he "used" Remsburg to highlight the horrors of war and the heroism it takes to survive the ravages of war.

[JaneyVee]

1. I suspect he was honored and proud to be there being honored.

[JDPriestly]

2. I don't understand why people are upset at the fact that Obama honored Remsburg.

Remsburg is a reminder to Obama, to the Republicans and to all Americans including me of the sacrifices that our soldiers make when they go to war. War should not be initiated. War should not be fought without every effort to avoid it having been made.

I respect Sgt. Remsburg, thank him for his service and his sacrifice and do not understand how anyone can feel otherwise.

[TheMathieu]

3. No decent person is upset about it.

I feel sorry for them for being so full of hate.

[Whisp]

4. The ones treating Remsburg like a child who cannot make his own decisions

I suspect have other, very familiar motives.

[magical thyme]

5. I think the problem began with Reagan...

wasn't he the one who started sticking "ordinary" people and their anecdotes into the SOTUs? And then it became a game of one-upmanship, and it was strictly about scoring political points.

Now, when you try to do it to honor somebody, it just is seen as scoring political points because it always has been.

Personally, I think it's a bit tacky, but as written above, he agreed to it and I don't think it was intended to score political points but it was intended to illustrate the incredible sacrifices that have been *forced* onto our volunteer army through the backdoor draft. I remember being outraged by 5 deployments, but 10? EFFING 10?!?!

And in watching the video, he clearly felt honored to be there. As long as he felt happy and proud, then ymv, but personally I'm fine with it.

[lolly]

6. Right wingers think the military "belongs" to them

They have twisted their love of war into an insistence and belief that they are on the side of the servicemembers, and liberals all hate and revile soldiers and will spit on them whenever possible.

So they can't bring themselves to believe that a member of the military would willingly be friendly with a Democratic politician, even the CiC.

Remember the outrage over a Marine holding an umbrella for Obama as he and another head of state spoke outside in the rain? Wingers were all sure that the Marine was humiliated and outraged that he was supposedly forced to disregard a marine corps rule against holding umbrellas.

Never mind that the Presidential service detail is an honor, that it is voluntary and competitive, and that they know the scope of duties before they undergo the selection process.

Even worse--they turn on and attack any soldier or veteran who contradicts their views. They see them as traitors.

And--I wouldn't be completely shocked to see some of the worst of them start circulating some dirt about SFC Remsburg. Remember how they attacked a senator who had lost 2 legs and an arm in Viet Nam?

[mommymarine2003]

7. I understood and appreciate what President Obama did

I rarely post on this website, although I read the posts daily. My son is a disabled Marine vet from the war. He was deployed twice to Iraq and got out of the Corps in October of 2005. His two deployments took an incredible toll on him. He had nothing like what happened to this young man, but it has taken my son all these years to get back to an almost normal life. Taking him to the VA was almost a full-time job for me. My son was getting worse with his treatment when he first got out of the Marines when we lived in the Puget Sound region. However, VA health care has greatly improved since Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden got involved.

We moved to Oregon a couple years ago. My son has had excellent treatment at the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA VA system since then. He finally finished his AA this winter and will start on completing his Bachelor's this spring. You cannot imagine how my husband and I feel about getting our son back. My son basically didn't leave his room for two years. He gave up driving. He became so deconditioned that he could not walk more than a block. Now he can run up the hill behind our house with a full pack on his back! I could feel what Cory's father was feeling at that moment last night. People need to know what sacrifices these soldiers and Marines have made for all of us and what sacrifices their families have made. Ten deployments is insane. It has been way too easy to commit our troops to endless war. I felt President Obama emphasized this greatly last night. Before we went to Iraq I had a long conversation with my congressman up in Washington State. I told him that what we were being told by Bush, Cheney, and Powell had better be truthful because you don't send our loved ones off to war to die without there being a just cause. He voted to go to war. I have always wondered if he has ever thought about our conversation and what ever happened to my son.

I am sad to see so many on this site be so angry at our President about Cory being recognized last night. People need to know what the cost of war is.

[justiceischeap]

8. Thanks for your post

and thank your son for his service (and thank you for yours).

As I posted in another thread, 10 deployments sound an awful lot someone continuing their military service voluntarily. Do I know this for a fact? No but I'm pretty sure President Obama put a stop to the stop-loss policy once he was elected so it only makes sense that Remsburg volunteered for many of those deployments.

[mommymarine2003]

9. Thanks for your thanks

;I was pretty upset at the venom that seemed to be spewing on this website last night. I almost wrote something; but I so infrequently write posts, that I feel a little uncomfortable doing it. Not for one moment did I think President Obama was exploiting him. It is amazing how differently people can see and hear the same thing and come out with such opposite opinions. I learned this when I was on a jury last year. I know that people want the President to do more. I think it is not so easy when you become the President and have to represent all of us or are privy to information on national security, etc. We have no idea what he might know. It took me a long time not to be angry that Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld were not tried for war crimes. We seemed to have expected miracles with this President. Hopefully, President Obama will proceed this year with his agenda and finally realize that the Republicans will never cooperate. I think he knows that.

[Number23]

10. Very nice post. Welcome to DU

[flamingdem]

12. Thanks for reminding us about the parents, Cory's dad looked like

he'd been through a lot and we need to appreciate him and moms like you too!

[Skittles]

14. I very much understand the cost of war

what I want to know is WHY ARE WE STILL THERE after OVER A DECADE .....*THAT* is the issue that needs to be addressed

[Auntie Bush]

17. +100,000

I feel the same. I'm not at all upset with Cory being recognized. I fail to understand all the wrath against Obama and I wish more people would speak up.
Bless you and your son.

[JI7]

11. him and Obama have known each other since about the time Obama became President

i think there was a vet last year who declined to be there because it was his anniversary and he had plans with his wife. so people can easily decline and it wouldn't be seen as anything negative.

this guy could have done the same. anyone who thinks he was used are the ones who are disrespecting him.

also the SOTU is always used to name certain people who will get recognition and applause . this one was just longer than usual and i don't see what the problem with that is when you consider why.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. I will make a couple points here that come from my experience with the military

no, Sergeant Ramsburg likely was not asked, but given a legal lawful order, not necessarily from the President as Commander in Chief, but likely an order came down to the Sergeant. An invitation from the CiC to attend the SOTU is actually an order by the way, if what came down the pike was an order.

That does not mean he was not rightfully honored, and that his sacrifice is an example of what every day the military does. He has become in my mind one more face to the sacrifice.

As to how you will see this, well it depends where you stand. To me, while emotional, that was just the nice thank you, see normal regular citizen here moment. SOTU's have them. For me the thing that matters far more is not even the SOTU itself but the circus around it, including a certain Kansas congressman having that very interesting exchange with RM. They do not see the POTUS as legitimate, so seeing this as legitimate, you shitting me?

[Cha]

15. Fortunately it's not "everybody" who is proclaiming that..

just those who knee jerked a "fuck" thread. So many on this board saw the reality of what went on in the SOTU. Their hearts went out to Sgt Remsburg and saw the horrors of war that he endured.

fucking bush didn't allow wounded soldiers anywhere near him.



Bless Sgt Cory Remsburg's heart.. so glad he was President Obama's guest last night. The looks on his and Michelle's face say it all..

[GeorgeGist]

16. Im confused ...

are you promoting more or fewer war heroes?

[Auntie Bush]

18. ??????