Call to Action DUers! Support our Troops

[BeHereNow]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x906709
This link is from the LBN forum and tells the story of 17 soldiers
who refused to carry out an order that would have most certainly
put their lives in danger.
My question is this:
Does anyone know how we can find the contact information
for these brave patriots?
WE need to contact them and offer our support.
As in NOW.
BHN

[Kanary]

1. I hope you have more luck than I had.

I will *NEVER* attempt this sort of thing again.

Now, I hope they will lock my thread.

:(

Kanary

[BeHereNow]

2. WHAT????

What are you talking about Kanary?
You know I love you, so please tell me what is going on?
BHN

[southlandshari]

13. Here is a link to Kanary's thread

Which was a great attempt to draw attention to the plight of this unit of reservists very early on.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2496749#2496842

Kanary got a very mixed bag of responses, including some pretty pointed posts of disagreement.

I understand Kanary's frustration. No one is arguing that soldiers should be able to disobey any (or all) orders without consequence. These reservists were asked to drive to their own deaths in outdated and insufficient equipment, without any cover...and for what? To deliver contaminated fuel that another unit had already rejected!

[BeHereNow]

15. Ah-Ha!

Thanks SLS!
I just found the thread- going there now to
read.
BHN

[Kanary]

25. Just confirmed why I'm so upset with all this...... all these pleas I and

you put out for getting support to oour troops, and it goes very slowly, and mine not at all.

Yet, a thread is put out to send thanks and *FRICKIN' FLOWERS* to Jon Stewart, for cryin' in a bucket, and that gets replies right away.

So, I was just dumb..... I should KNOW by now that celebrities are ever so much more important than plain, everyday people. People who DON'T get public recognition, and are needing it now more than ever.

I'm just tooooooooooo pissed to go on with this..... it's just all too much.

Shit.

Kanary

[Ladyhawk]

44. Off Topic: Hey Kanary :)

I think I recognize in you a kindred spirit: you are a highly sensitive individual. Unfortunately, people who are sensitive are not valued as much as they should be in this society. Yet the society needs people like you to be the conscience for all of us.

Can I give you a cyber-hug? :hug:

Several months ago, I initiated a thread to help someone and the thread was killed. It hurt me very deeply, too. All I wanted to do was reach out and help someone and I was shut down. All you wanted to do was reach out and help these soldiers and some know-it-alls had to second-guess your compassion and the actions of these soldiers. I'm sorry about that.

Maybe something can be organized. Maybe something can be done.

Here's a big smile for you, OK: :D

[Kanary]

45. Aw, Ladyhawk! What a spirit-lifter you are!

Yup, I'm sensitive, and damned proud of it, too. :)

Have you ever seen the book, "The Highly Sensitive Person"? Some good information in it, and helpful to those who aren't sensitive to understand a bit. This country is all the poorer for denigrating sensitive people.

However, compared to some groups of people, I'm far from sensitive. I remember learning about the Bush people, and how they could find their way around by sensing the ley lines in the earth. No *way* would I ever be *that* sensitive! There are so many examples from other cultures of how much this culture misses out by squashing their sensitive citizens.

And, yes, the burden gets too heavy a lot of the time! I think we need the support to carry on..........

Hugs back to ya :loveya:, and feel free to PM me...... let's keep in touch, eh?

Thanks so much......... means more than you know!

Kanary

[Kanary]

20. Thanks! I'm sooo upset, I doubt that I can even talk about it.

I'm really angry and just plain HURT.

I asked for the same thing........ getting together to offer support TO THE TROOPS.

There were already many threads, giving info about the situation, and the usual griping about *. I've been here long enough to know that just posting to one of those existing threads gets *nothing and nowhere*, so I started a seperate thread, asking for just what you asked for.

Got mostly the same thing........ gripes about the misadministration, and I kept clarifying that there were other threads about that, and I wanted to GATHER SUPPORT FOR THE TROOPS INVOLVED, AND THEIR FAMILIES. Isn't that what we're about?

Then someone posted a note, supposed to be addressed to the troops, and it included a suggestion that if all else failed, there was always "fraggin'" GODDAMN IT!!!! I don't know whether it's that Friday night DUers are drunk, or what but, this is really just plain crappy! As I said in my thread, they can spend time writing TONS of email for Whoopi Goldberg, but they can't take seriously a request for support for our troops???? What the hell is this???

That last post really ripped it for me, and I said so, and that talking about "fragging" was crap. I said I was going to tell the mods to lock the whole damn thread, and did exactly that.

So, guess what........ that obnoxious post was erased...... AS WAS MINE. I'M BAD FOR REACTING TO SHIT LIKE THAT?! I DIDN'T PERSONALLY ATTACK...... I SAID IT WAS VERBOTTEN, AND CRAP FOR TROOPS!

That, on top of getting nowhere trying to talk about poverty issues, and I've really had it. I'm up to here. All the sexism, the attacks on each other, and the lack of willingness to take action, and I realize the Dem party is going NOWHERE.

Except, of course, to keep deleting what *I* say.

To hell with it...... that's why I said what I said to you. Not to you personally, but that it's practically useless trying to ask for help with taking action on DU. They're simply too busy thinking up snappy putdowns for other DUers.

Shit.

Kanary, hurt and disgusted........who had to finally hide her OWN THREAD!

[anarchy1999]

36. Hey Kanary, we all love you. Don't let the worst get to you, it's easy,,

we all know. Hang in there. I'm standing by and waiting for what we all need to do. There are those of us here for you. Thanks for taking the first hits on this. Sorry you had to.

We've all got your back now and we are here for one reason, right? Supporting our troops. Now let's go, shall we?

[southlandshari]

3. Kick, kick, kick

Kanary, where is your thread?

I heard this story on the tail end of (of all things) the NBC nightly news, but couldn't get on line to learn more until family chores were done, kids to bed, etc...

This is HUGE story, and even if it was tacked on at the end of network news, it is rather amazing that it was reported at all.

Any more information anyone can provide on the story and how best to respond and support this unit of reservists would be much appreciated.

And I'll kick it again and again if I must to try to attract more attention to this important event.

[BeHereNow]

5. Thanks southnlandshari!

I don't know quite what Kanary is talking about-
but I agree with you- this is a VERY important turn
of events. The one I have personally been praying for.
WE must support the troops who are saying "no" to
the illegal commands they are being given.
Remember the game "Dominos?"
It is our only hope: that others will follow.
But we must let them know that we support
them in doing so.
Perhaps then, this corporate empire of evil will fall.
BHN

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

6. Kicking in support as well !

:kick:

[southlandshari]

8. Thanks! If there is another longer thread on this

somewhere on DU, I hope someone will point us to it. If not, I hope others will jump in here and help us mobilize on this.

These reservists need our vocal, visible support!! I would feel that way no matter where they were from; this is especially visceral for me because it seems they are from my neck of the woods, the Deep South.

PLEASE, DU friends...how can we highlight the plight of this brave (and understandably scared) group of soldiers? How can we support their dangerous decision to stand up for themselves in an unjust war zone?

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

9. Write a letter to every US Senator and Congressman ...

from where these troops are from . Times like these call for desperate measures . If you really support your troops the time to do it is now . I don't care about the O'Reilly story , I care about this one !

[BeHereNow]

12. A small problem with that proposition-

I want to say firstly- I am not attacking you.
but in case you have not noticed...the Congress critters
and Sin-ators no longer represent the people of the United States!
Therefore, we must represent ourselves in this matter and
secondly, work like hell to clean the houses of legislation
of the corporate owned heretics!
That's why I am asking everyone here at DU-
How do we lend our support to these brave people
directly? The Congess critters and Sin-ators no longer represent us.
We must go directly to the soldiers that do.
BHN

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

22. You are entitled to your opinion .

But I would say that there are some Congress and some in the US Senate that are still true at heart ...

Anyways - any access to your local media could help . :shrug:

[Kanary]

26. *SOME* of us have an opinion that WE would like heard!

What the request was for, is support for the troops PERSONALLY.

They are people, people going through a really hard time, showing LOTS of courage, and having NO IDEA that there are people here stateside who CARE about them.

Write letters to congresscritters all you want...... do you REALLY think those are going to be forwarded to the troops and their families??

Can *anyone* grok the difference between complaining about what is happening to the troops, and writing support to the troops themselves?

Kanary, who wonders if there is a language difference on DU now......

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

30. Ok pardon me for wanting to try something anything .

Excuse me for throwing an idea out there . Excuse me for still being naive and thinking that . Its not worth it to jump down someone's back when they give a suggestion . Even you don't like it , it was only a suggestion .

You wonder if language is a difference on DU now , I wonder if suggestions are even worth giving these days . I don't know what to do . Personally I am scared . I have a friend who will be heading to Iraq in February and I am scared out of my mind - so this is why I was interested in this topic . I am young , naive and I don't know all the ways of the world - but I do think that getting overboard when someone throws a suggestion into a bowl is just wrong . Do what you want ... Write the soldiers letters . Do you think the letters will even get to those soldiers in particular now that they are in such trouble . Get their address if you can write them letters . Try it - Good luck . Write them , yes they should know that some of us support them .

Like I said , get the local media to help you . Its only a call away . Letters to the editor , remember that .

Good luck .

[Kanary]

32. You're excused.

It helps to read what is actually being asked for.

I've been around a heck of a lot longer, and I do know a little bit, and will NOT be lectured to by someone who's not been involved before. I remember a hell of a lot..... remember that.

Stick around. You might learn something.

Kanary

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

35. Whatever , no time to put someone off the team ...

Not been involved before ! Does it count that I am involved now ?Excuse me for not being born with a permanent black marker in my hand . I will say Good luck to what you are doing . I am sure you are proud for being around a heck of a lot longer and I was not lecturing you . I was just giving an opinion . People are allowed to give those . Since you have been around a lot longer , I thought you would have known that . Again I say good luck .

BTW I will still say that whatever you are doing is still a good deed . No need to get mad at me , I am not Dubya . I will call it a truce and a good night .

[southlandshari]

4. Good piece from Salon.com on this

Exerpt:

Revolt in the ranks in Iraq
The inside story of the Army platoon that refused to carry out a "death sentence" mission.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
By Mary Jacoby
Oct. 16, 2004 | The e-mail arrived Tuesday evening. But Kathy Harris didn't see the urgent plea from her son, Spc. Aaron Gordon, 20, until she arrived at work Wednesday morning. By then, Gordon and 16 other members of his Army Reserve platoon were corralled in a tent in Tallil, Iraq, under armed guard, for refusing to drive a fuel supply convoy in what another of the detained soldiers would later describe as a "death sentence."

Snip

Spc. Amber McClenny, 21, managed to sneak away Wednesday as the detained soldiers were being taken to the mess hall. She phoned her mother in Dothan, Ala. Her daughter's steady but urgent voice on the answering machine jolted Teresa Hill from sleep. Hill saved the message and played it for me Friday afternoon over the telephone.

"Hey, Mom. This is Amber. Real, real big emergency," McClenny said in the recorded message. "I need you to contact someone. I mean, raise pure hell. We had broken down trucks. No armored vehicles. Get somebody on this. I need you now, Mom. I need you so bad. Just please, please help me. It's urgent. They are holding us against our will. We are now prisoners."

According to family members, the convoy was being asked to go much farther than usual from its southern base -- on a more than 200-mile trip through and around the extremely hostile Baghdad area. The tankers lacked bullet-resistant armor and, lumbering along at 40 miles an hour, would have made an easy target for insurgents lobbing bombs or grenades. The supply trucks are in disrepair and prone to breakdown. Many of the soldiers hadn't had enough sleep. And – astonishingly -- no armed escort or air protection was to be provided, the family members said.


More here:

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/10/16/soldiers/index.html

Get the day pass if you must, it is worth watching a 45 second ad to get to this story (and other excellent news coverage).

[BeHereNow]

7. DAMN the people responsible for this.

DAMN them to HELL!
BHN

[anarchy1999]

17. Where are Kerry and Edwards on this. Good God! Where is the DNC?

Where is everyone supporting BushInc that are so courageously supporting our troops? GD them all to HELL and back. No I'm sorry, leave them all in HELL!

[Mr_Spock]

11. Wow, commit our troops to a suicide mission and imprison them

for not complying? I thought they had some lattitude in whether to comply with orders that are clearly suicidal. I know it's all a matter of personal judgement. Well, at least they are alive now.

[southlandshari]

10. Ok, found another thread myself

Here is a discussion on this story with at least 150 replies from Late Breaking News forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x906709

Unless someone else has found another more active thread, I suggest we jump over there...

[anarchy1999]

14. I'm here, What now? If BHN says Action that means ACTION!

This is big, and yes, there have been other threads. What the hell are we all to do. We need body armor along with tin foil, we can't keep up with all that is incoming on an hour by hour basis.

Anyone else see how it is all heating up exponentially?

Just today on CNN, some talking head was saying there were going to be many more Florida's. WTF? We are so being set up.

[BeHereNow]

16. HUG, HUG, HUG to you you S!

I knew we would bump into eachother on this one!
SO very important. The turning point is now visible, Eh?
We do not need to suffer the 57,000 dead of Vietnam if
this turn of events is supported and pushed into the mainstream
attention span of the brain dead 'murikkka!
Yes
Yes
YES!
:hug:
BHN

[anarchy1999]

19. I think this calls for a media blast from us all! All night long, I can

do it, who else can? Let's go. Let's show the media how we support our troops! While we are at it, let's ask Wolfie and all the rest how much they support the troops!

[FlemingsGhost]

18. Be very careful as to how you express your support.

As I understand it, their inaction was not so much a political statement than that of self-preservation in the face of illogical circumstances.

[anarchy1999]

21. It was not a political statement, the troops refused a suicide mission.

Good God. What does politics have to do with it except that there should be a congress critter or two that gives a good god damn.

[FlemingsGhost]

24. I'm simply asking that folks leave their soap boxes behind

There's talk of contacting families, etc. This is not an opportunity to make a personal political statements.

It should go without saying, but emotions are running high ...

[Kanary]

29. Then, for gawd's sake, go write your LTTE's!!!

The gawddamn RW is already writing hate mail to these troops and their families, yet you are trying to thow a wet blanket on our efforts?????

I'm really tired of every bit of effort to do action getting crapped on here at DU. IF this isn't your cuppa, that's fine..... go to one of the other threads and express your ideas about what you think of the situation.

Just please don't keep putting down those who try to do something decent. IT"S FUCKING SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF ALL OF US.

Thanks.

Kanary

[FlemingsGhost]

42. LOL ...

So much anger. So much fear

Slow down, or you're gonna crash ...

[Kanary]

43. Thanks ever so much for your concern.

I'm sure it's sincere.

:P

As the old saying goes, "Lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way." Obstructionism is NOT what our party, or the country, as far as that goes, is in need of right now.

Clearly you don't like this whole idea, so why not avoid the stress and find another thread much more to your liking.

Seems reasonable to me.

:hi:

Now then, that's really the state of the situation here, as you can see from other responses you've received, so if you feel the need to get in the last word, have at it, and we'll go on about our project.

See ya on the flip side.......

Kanary

[southlandshari]

33. If you think that contacting families is a political move

I have to disagree. Of course there are ways of doing so that are appropriate, and even more that are inappropriate. It is definitely a balancing act.

That said, could anyone argue that a parent, or sibling, or spouse, of any of these reservists would be offended by opening a mailbox and finding it stuffed full of letters and cards expressing gratitude and encouragement during such a difficult and confusing time?

The problem here is that most of us can't think outside the political strategy box long enough to remember what being human is all about.

[BeHereNow]

23. And the difference is???

I hold firmly to the belief that our very survival, collectively,
is about self-preservation at this point.
Is that a political statment?
NO- it is the basic human instinct to survive.
Has it crossed into the realm of politics?
Without a doubt.
Can we then discuss one without implying the other? NO!
To do so is suicide.
BHN

[southlandshari]

27. WE NEED PERSPECTIVE!!

There are now more threads going on about this story on DU than I can count.

Earlier tonight, I suggested we move our discussion over to the thread on LBN.

I think I was wrong. I think there should be a BIG discussion thread in each relevant forum on this, and we should all be focused on how to support these reservists RIGHT NOW.

Screw political motivations. I don't care if supporting these poor kids (it does sound like most in this unit are pretty young) helps the Republicans or the Democrats. I don't care how the Bush administration or the Kerry camp might/could/should/would "spin" this.

These are living, breathing, scared-as-hell, fellow citizens (of this country and of this world). We need to focus on them and on their families and we need to do it NOW.

I don't need talking points from a campaign or political candidate to know how to express compassion.

What I need is names, addresses and phone numbers. If someone has this information, please PM me on DU. These folks are from my neck of the woods. I have absolutely no problem calling - or driving to visit - families involved in this tragedy. And I could care less who they vote for in November.

[Kanary]

28. Bless you, SLS!!!

I recorded the news on CBS, so I can get the names, if that would help. Maybe vetwife could give suggestons for how to figure out a way to contact them directly.

You are so right that this needs it's own thread. It's hard enough on DU to try to get some action going, without trying to do it in the midst of the political talk, which is going on in the other threads about this!

You can be absolutely sure that RWers will be hitting these troops and families with tons of hatemail!! Surely we can at least try to neturalize that effect, even just a little bit?

Or, is it so much more important to send flowers to J0n Stewart? :thumbsdown:

Bless your heart for being willing to contact these people personally! You are one in a million!!

:pals:

Kanary, trying hard to get over that hurt....... that really pulled me down.......

[southlandshari]

31. No, thank you!

You started all this before most of us had heard anything about the 343rd, and you took some unfair jabs by people unwilling to get the whole story before passing judgment.

I appreciate the fact you are still willing to jump back into the fray and work towards some meaningful ACTION on this.

Please PM me everything you can find on those in this unit (I have a couple of names from news stories on their deployment back in December of 2003). I must have been a PI in a former life, because I am very good at finding people.

That said, I want to try to balance the need to disseminate information to those who want to support the reserve unit with the need for privacy of their families.

If anyone has suggestions on the most appropriate way to collect and pass along our individual and collective gestures of support, please post!

[Kanary]

34. I'll get the names --thanks for carrying it from there.

Did you read the replies I posted up above?

thanks for understanding that I took more than was bearable!

If they're being held prisoners, we should be able to send them packages. Certainly as important as flowers for Steard. :shrug:

Gawddess, I can just feel the pain of that mother who got the message on the phone machine!!

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

I'm really worried that some RWers will send her hate mesages, that could send her right over the edge.

:nuke: :cry: :nuke: :cry: :nuke: :cry:

:hug: for southlandshari!

Kanary

[anarchy1999]

37. Kanary, see post # 36

Love you lots.

Smiles, hugs and kisses and lots of good wishes coming your way. Now lets take care of biz like we all now how to, shall we? We'll get VetWife and Guy James on this first thing in the morning.

[TacticalPeek]

38. I talked with one of the spouses this afternoon.

They have been 'released from detention' while the investigation is going on. And all the vehicles are in a stand down for safety check and maintenance. The spouse was a vet too, so we all knew what was up with this.

Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) is trying to shake some info and accountability out of the Army, and the Clarion Ledger reporter, Jeremy Hudson may be a good contact for more info, [e-mail].

The lights are on, so things will probably go about as well as they can.

[southlandshari]

39. Thanks, TP!

I was about to PM you to alert you to this story, but saw you had already posted to the thread in LBN. I knew you would be interested beyond the headlines, as am I.

If there is anything I can do to help those in the Jackson area you may have chance to meet in the coming days, please let me know.

[Disturbed]

40. Thanks for the update.

This is an important situation. I hope Kerry gets involved and says something publicly.

[Kanary]

41. Thanks soooo much for checking in on this, Tactical!

It sounds like you know them personally.

I'm sending a PM your way...... please check your inbox.

Thanks!

:hi:

Kanary

[anarchy1999]

46. Kick to the top.

n/t

[ezekiel333]

47. KICK! RAISE PURE HELL!!! eom

[ezekiel333]

48. Their concerns may be 'valid,' Army spokesman says...

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=906709&mesg_id=909878>

[BeHereNow]

49. Paging TacticalPeak

Any news?
How can we help the families?
I am thinking Henry Waxman may have
research on the contaminated fuel issue
and Halliburton connection and abuse of our
troops and tax dollars.
BHN