Angry Soldier

[mia]

I just came across this soldier's post on Craigslist. I nominated it for "best of" rants and raves there. This soldier deserves to be read far and wide.


http://miami.craigslist.org/rnr/309620659.html


I'm having the worst damn week of my whole damn life so I'm going to write this while I'm pissed off enough to do it right.

I am SICK of all this bullshit people are writing about the Iraq war. I am abso-fucking-lutely sick to death of it. What the fuck do most of you know about it? You watch it on TV and read the commentaries in the newspaper or Newsweek or whatever god damn yuppie news rag you subscribe to and think you're all such fucking experts that you can scream at each other like five year old about whether you're right or not. Let me tell you something: unless you've been there, you don't know a god damn thing about it. It you haven't been shot at in that fucking hell hole, SHUT THE FUCK UP!

How do I dare say this to you moronic war supporters who are "Supporting our Troops" and waving the flag and all that happy horse shit? I'll tell you why. I'm a Marine and I served my tour in Iraq. My husband, also a Marine, served several. I left the service six months ago because I got pregnant while he was home on leave and three days ago I get a visit from two men in uniform who hand me a letter and tell me my husband died in that fucking festering sand-pit. He should have been home a month ago but they extended his tour and now he's coming home in a box.

You fuckers and that god-damn lying sack of shit they call a president are the reason my husband will never see his baby and my kid will never meet his dad.

And you know what the most fucked up thing about this Iraq shit is? They don't want us there. They're not happy we came and they want us out NOW. We fucked up their lives even worse than they already were and they're pissed off. We didn't help them and we're not helping them now. That's what our soldiers are dying for.

Oh while I'm good and worked up, the government doesn't even have the decency to help out the soldiers whos lives they ruined. If you really believe the military and the government had no idea the veterans' hospitals were so fucked up, you are a god-damn retard. They don't care about us. We're disposable. We're numbers on a page and they'd rather forget we exist so they don't have to be reminded about the families and lives they ruined while they're sipping their cocktails at another fund raiser dinner. If they were really concerned about supporting the troops, they'd bring them home so their families wouldn't have to cry at a graveside and explain to their children why mommy or daddy isn't coming home. Because you can't explain it. We're not fighting for our country, we're not fighting for the good of Iraq's people, we're fighting for Bush's personal agenda. Patriotism my ass. You know what? My dad served in Vietnam and NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

So I'm pissed. I'm beyond pissed. And I'm going to go to my husband funeral and recieve that flag and hang it up on the wall for my baby to see when he's older. But I'm not going to tell him that his father died for the stupidty of the American government. I'm going to tell him that his father was a hero and the best man I ever met and that he loved his country enough to die for it, because that's all true and nothing will be solved by telling my son that his father was sent to die by people who didn't care about him at all.

Fuck you, war supporters, George W. Bush, and all the god damn mother fuckers who made the war possible. I hope you burn in hell.

http://miami.craigslist.org/rnr/309620659.html

[Big Pappa]

1. That

last paragraph was moving.

[don954]

2. click on the "best of" button to get it on the BOC list.

[Hissyspit]

4. Done. n/t

[mia]

6. Yes. There is little else we can do to help end this nightmare.

:kick:

[vanboggie]

3. K&R'd here, Best of'd there

Damned Bushco!!

[Cabcere]

47. Likewise.

:cry: :grr:

[annabanana]

5. I hit the "best of" button...

My heart goes out to that poor gal.

[Nite Owl]

7. I went to the page and

got this:



This posting has been flagged for removal
(The title on the listings page will be removed in just a few minutes.)

[mia]

8. I was afraid that would happen. Serious rants get flagged often.

That's why I posted it all here. Something tells me that the soldier's post may show up there again.

[frogcycle]

9. please, everyone,

copy this and send it to every news outlet you can think of

send it to your senator/congressman - PARTICULARLY if its a republican

damn damn damn

I probably just got through adding his picture to my website five minutes ago.

Or he's one of the smiling Daddies I posted a couple of days ago holding their newborns.

this is what I imagine going through the minds of MOST of the families. I just finished watching a video of a mother in Florida saying her son's death was senseless, etc.

And that lying scum-sucking sack of shit who calls himself the president has the unmitigated nerve to accuse ANYONE else of not "supporting the troops and the families" - threatening to keep them there longer, make "the families have to wait longer for their loved ones to come home" because the democrats are trying to even SUGGEST a FAR TOO FAR OFF "target" to get them the hell out of there.

[mia]

13. Please post a link to your website.

I missed your post about the "smiling Daddies". Thank you for keeping track of what is going on with our soldiers.

[frogcycle]

15. here you go

US Fatalities - Iraq/Afghanistan

The "daddies" I referred to are all army; one is on the April page, two in March. I just got through searching most of the marines from March and April - did not find a match on this story's details, but damn, the number of similar stories!

I did a google search on "marine killed wife son" and hit several headlines from the past few years like "marine dies in Iraq same day wife gives birth..."

[mia]

16. Thank you frogcycle. Lots of info there.

I'm looking forward to checking on your website again. "Amazing Grace" is still playing in the background.

I too would like to find some news that matches the soldier's message. Her husband's death must have happened recently.

[frogcycle]

22. isn't Judy Collins incredible?

I first heard that on my scratchy '54 Ford radio when I was in college during VN. Had to pull over and just listen. Here we are about 40 years later and sadly it is equally fitting in another insane war.

[SheilaT]

10. This should be sent off to

every idiot Republican who supports Bush and his idiotic war.

[Afghan_Vet]

11. Thanks. . .

For posting this, Mia. I posted the link on Myspace and sent it out on my mailing list too. I even tried to reply to the Marine but the address wasn't deliverable. That's a shame because I know she'd get much support from other vets, the peace movement, and progressives across the country if it were.

[mia]

14. Try posting a message to her on the Craigslist board.

It would probably mean a lot to her to hear from other vets.


https://post.craigslist.org/mia/P/rnr/none/x

It will show up here:
http://miami.craigslist.org/rnr/

[Lex]

20. Welcome to DU, Afghan_Vet.

:hi:

[The Witch]

29. Welcome to DU!

:hi: Thanks for your service

[mia]

12. Re: Angry Soldier - Craigslist Posts

http://miami.craigslist.org/rnr/

http://miami.craigslist.org/rnr/309731085.html

Please post a message there in reference to the soldier's flagged post.

[TahitiNut]

17. That's real. Some of the stuff I read just doesn't ring quite right. That one does.

As a Viet Nam vet, I buy that one. Ubetcha.

[magellan]

18. Flaged for removal!!

Got this when I clicked to read the letter and vote it up: This posting has been flagged for removal

Fucking freepers.

[mia]

19. Freepers keep busy covering up the truth. Look here.

http://miami.craigslist.org/rnr/309731085.html

[magellan]

21. Thank you!

Voted it up. Damn shame that it has to be a copy rather than the original, but at least someone thought ahead and was able to save and re-post it.

Goddamn repulsive Bush**-ass-sucking freeps!!

[frogcycle]

24. why do you assume freeper?

I don't know craigslist from first base, but mightn't it just be they disapproved of the language?

[Scriptor Ignotus]

34. very doubtful

craigslist is raw. you can post whatever you want (obscenity wise) on there and it stays. the F-word is certainly accepted.

[frogcycle]

43. yeah, I read some of CL guidelines etc

evidently if enough users object it gets removed
so you are probably right


the re-post is still there, though, and I flagged it for "best of"

[tbyg52]

83. I didn't read the whole "terms of service,"

but I searched for "language," "profanity," and "obscenity," and got that whuf-whuf sound Firefox makes after just the first few letters of each.

This poor woman is *entitled* to that language. I'm sending it to my representative and senators, and they can make what they want of the language!

[tkmorris]

26. Flagged that for best of

Thanks for posting it.

[1monster]

67. Try clicking it again. I just did and it came up, so perhaps Craig's List

got plenty of flack for flagging it for removal?

[tbyg52]

76. As of 6:49 PM Central

The original is flagged for removal. Thanks for the link to the repost. This should be reposted as often as necessary to keep it there.

[libnnc]

23. I posted this with the links to my Myspace blog

every little bit helps, I guess.

[mia]

25. Thanks for your blog - with each of our small acts of hope perhaps

others will come to know about what is happening.

[maggiegault]

35. I'm Going To Put It On My Blog, Too

Freepers cannot destroy the truth.

[maggiegault]

37. Done.

I have a pretty large international readership, in Australia especially. We'll get the word out.

http://lauralinger.blogspot.com/

[SammyWinstonJack]

38. ..

:thumbsup:

[Breeze54]

27. Thanks for posting this!

I Hit the Best Of button for this one!
(The saved version)http://miami.craigslist.org/rnr/309731085.html

:kick: & Recommended!

[mahina]

28. Another awesome CL post, please vote best of if you appreciate.

http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/rnr/306161553.html

This Soldier's opinion
Reply to: [e-mail]
Date: 2007-04-04, 11:31AM HST


I've been on active duty for the past 16 years in the Army. I've been all over the world. A tour in Iraq and Afghanistan. Luckily, not even a scratch on my body. I have to be honest. I wanted to take down Sadaam, and initially supported the war politically. However, after seeing the way the war was planned and mismanaged, my commander in chief and his vice-president and Rumsfeld need to be removed from office. Rumsfeld got fired and should face trial. We are going to lose on both war fronts because of this president. I don't hate him, but he's not a capable leader. Look how many retired generals speak out against him.

As a Soldier, I know that most people are against the war, and that does not dimish my morale. Most Soldiers are against the war, but we follow orders and do our jobs because that is what we get paid to do. We are professional Soldiers - we do it for the money and benefits. And if anyone tells you that we don't get paid well, that's a lie. Go to any military housing area and you'll see nice houses, nice cars and lots of expensive toys.

We know you support the troops even if you oppose the war. We thank you for that support. We feel your support. Now get us the hell out of Iraq as soon as possible! That shit is killing us!

[malaise]

30. Great rant

I feel her pain and anger.

[frogcycle]

31. k&r and

recommendation also to Olbermann: Read this - bleep where necessary - as a "Special Commentary"

no embellishment necessary.

[cyberpj]

32. I'm deeply sorry for ALL of the losses in this fake war based on lies, BUT-

I disagree with this intention:

"But I'm not going to tell him that his father died for the stupidty of the American government. I'm going to tell him that his father was a hero and the best man I ever met and that he loved his country enough to die for it, because that's all true and nothing will be solved by telling my son that his father was sent to die by people who didn't care about him at all."

It is in this way that soldiers (in my family included) continue the rah-rah nationalism that gets us into these Imperial wars. Telling your child his father died heroically is good and true, but not telling the truth about this war itself will be to continue the lies and allow it all to happen again and again with useless flag-waving support. I personally know Vietnam vets who feel this way and wish they had been more truthful with their own children but they thought it could never happen again.

[Kurovski]

33. I wish this could be verified as legitimate.

She certainly SOUNDS like a Marine.

[lumberjack_jeff]

36. Agreed.

The problem with reposting a deleted message is that the original source is not verifiable.

Remember what it is, it's a well-written, articulate, passionate, anonymous craigslist post. Soon enough, it'll be the subject of a Snopes article.

[Ganja Ninja]

39. K & R & I second the "Fuck you war supporters". n/t

[tomp]

40. while i agree with his overall point...

...i can never accept the statement: if you haven't been there, shut up. i know the context, i know the audience. it's just not ever a valid point. people should be told to shut up if they're spouting nonsense or pure hate, but it's not about being there or not being there.

[frogcycle]

45. i believe that was addressed to those claiming

that this or that "undermines morale"

there are a lot of claims being made supposedly on behalf of the troops which are really just ways of using them, their lives, and their families to pursue personal agendas

[tomp]

73. "if you're not here--shut the fuck up" is a bad argument...

...in just about any case, and it can be thrown back at us. what if some right wing angry soldier wants to dismiss our argument. all he has to do is say, "you're not here, so shut the fuck up."

[maveric]

41. K & R. Very moving.

[orleans]

42. "this posting has been flagged for removal"

is what the link says.

guess it's not there anymore

but it was great to read it here. thanks for putting up the text.

[colorado_ufo]

44. Incredible piece of heart-rending truth.

But unless she changes her mind and tells her child the truth, that child will not understand what really transpired (after all, HER father was in Viet Nam, and "NOTHING HAS CHANGED"), and fearfully she may someday be mourning her child coming home in a box, too - a child who wanted to honor his or her father's heroism by signing up for another senseless war.

[frogcycle]

48. please

the child needs to know the father's good intentions, bravery, and sense of duty

the truth of the war will be apparent

there were plenty of heroes in VN, and they should continue to be honored as such

[renate]

50. I think so too

What could possibly be gained by intentionally bringing a little child up to think his father died for no good reason? How could that do anything but damage him?

It's much better for the kid to be proud of his father's bravery and service, as he should be. He'll probably figure the truth out later, but I hope not until he's emotionally equipped--as much as anyone could ever be--to deal with the fact that he was deprived of his father, and his father was deprived of his own life, because of lies.

I thought the mother/wife was very wise and selfless to make that decision.

[colorado_ufo]

89. Please don't misunderstand!

I in no way would wish for this parent to minimize the father's loyalty, bravery, devotion to country and honor. He should be held up in a place of great honor in this child's life, with an emphasis on his love for his family.

What disturbs me is how many accounts I have read of young soldiers who specifically had signed up because of a parent's past service, without regard to what was being asked of them, and often in spite of his or her parents' wishes (or "parent," if only one remained). Tragically, where I read these accounts were in obituraries of soldiers serving in Iraq.

What I would hope is that this mother would achieve a balance of honor and respect for the father and what he was in this child's life with also teaching the child to educate himself or herself in current affairs and history and to read with a critical eye. It is too easy for a young person to get swept up in emotions deliberately created by others, to further their purposes, without counting the cost.

[Breeze54]

49. Children grow up and learn to read. n/t

[Joe Chi Minh]

46. And all for the fathomless greed of war profiteers. Psychopaths incorporated.

[never cry wolf]

51. The original was posted at craigslist San Francisco, it is still there.

I read some of the comments on the Miami site and someone said that they had copied and pasted the original from the San Fran site.

Here's the link: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/rnr/309485032.html

[Breeze54]

53. Thanks for the info. - Just clicked Best Of there too!

Tell it!

"Fuck you, war supporters, George W. Bush, and all the god damn
mother fuckers who made the war possible. I hope you burn in hell."

[truedelphi]

52. It's great that she saw the light

But why oh why does every generation have to learn anew that
1) War is hell
2) modern America goes to war for the corporate good, for the corporate greed and so that People like George Simpleton Simon can think that they have impacted the world in a decent way that he can be proud of

<sigh>

[MasonJar]

54. Please someone who knows how send this to Bush.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

56. Impossible. His people will not let him read this

They keep him in his bubble of ignorance, opening the door only to pass in another bottle of booze.

He's a happy prez.

[Uncle Joe]

55. Semper Fi mom to be, I'm so sorry you lost your husband,

and you're right, your husband was faithful to his nation, it's truly tragic the Bush maladministration could not be.

Bless you and I wish the very best for you and your unborn child.

[sbyte]

57. Rap that one. Sloop Dog, new national heartbeat anthem

[proud2BlibKansan]

58. "This posting has been flagged for removal"

So what's the deal? Is it the cuss words?

[never cry wolf]

59. Check my post #51 above for link to the original.

It may have been flagged for removal because whoever posted on the Miami site was not the original author but had cut and pasted it from the San Fran site.

[Breeze54]

60. It's not flagged in SF.

[proud2BlibKansan]

64. Thanks!

[datadiva]

61. When I went to the link

it said the article had been flagged for removal as offensive and that the title would soon go also. Some dip shit right wingers couldn't stand the truth I guess.

[eppur_se_muova]

62. K&R. Can someone post this at Free Republic? Please? nt

[Aviation Pro]

63. One day....

...Bush and Cheney are going to be civilians again. They will never be able to walk in public. They will have to surround themselves with a battalion of Secret Service agents to protect them. They will cease to live with the human race and will pass into obscurity alone and confused.

And then the great Humorist, God, will have the last laugh.

[jgraz]

69. Belief in god should not excuse any of us from doing what's right

I don't find any comfort in the belief that W will suffer in some alleged afterlife. He will die in absolute comfort, surrounded by opulence he neither earned nor deserves. There will be no punishment for these ghouls unless WE MAKE IT HAPPEN.

[malmapus]

65. Not to take away from the message

But when did Marines refer to themselves as soldiers? Every Marine I've known called themself a "Marine", I myself being in the Army called myself a soldier (among other things).

Powerful message posted, but I just dunno about that little detail that bugs :(

[Orsino]

74. That said "hoax" to me, too, as much as I appreciated the message.

One way to anger a Marine is to call him/her a soldier.

And vice-versa. ;-)

[frogcycle]

81. i think maybe she changed a few details for anonymity

maybe both were army

[Orsino]

88. And I'm not sure of the original context, either.

Specifically: did the writer pick the subject line, or could that have been done by an editor? The use of the word "soldier" in the body of the message is less obviously self-referential.

[tbyg52]

84. I thought that was odd too,

but even if the post itself is a hoax (I hope not), I agree with it 100%.

[mistertrickster]

66. Dumb question--Do the Marines accept women now? Because they

used to not accept them . . .

[Uncle Joe]

71. Yes, they had them in the 70s when I was in,

they were not allowed to be in combat situations, of course in Iraq there are no front lines. I don't recall when they first allowed them in.

[frogcycle]

77. well, my sister was a Marine

some 35 years ago - and she was far from the first
I remember Woman Marines when I was a kid in the 50s
my dad told of them in WWII

also there have been a few woman marines killed in iraq

[frogcycle]

80. woman marines killed in Iraq this year

http://www.townonline.com/swampscott/homepage/8998946985578856446


http://somd.com/news/headlines/2007/5376.shtml

[Vinca]

68. Wow - powerful rant. nt

[Imagevision]

70. And we troop supporters haven't a clue how many more times this has happened

[frogcycle]

79. I posted earlier that I tried to figure out who she is

and was unsuccessful - but got plenty of hits on news articles about "killed the day his son was born" or "killed 2 weeks before getting to see his new baby"

There are lots of stories noting that the person had been extended, was already due to be home

also stories about killed the first day there

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

72. Her anger and outrage,...for some reason,...moved me to tears.

Why does any sane person continue to support a war for politics and profit?

What does it take for the American people to stop denying what this war has/is really about?

Why is ANYONE enabling this grossly corrupt and criminal administration?

Why?

Why.

[Uncle Joe]

75. Why? Because those in power, lacked the courage of their own convictions.

They were afraid to use a measured response against the people who attacked us.

They were afraid to use diplomacy, because some in their camp were too emotional to support it and only wanted to strike out in hatred or greed at anyone they didn't like or who disagreed with us. You're either with us or against us mentality. I'm just surprised the dumb bastards didn't attack France.

They were afraid to tell the American People the truth, because they knew we wouldn't support a war based on non-existent evidence and lies.

They were afraid to trust the law in judging those they captured, because they knew, the evidence with many was flimsy, this is why they trashed Habeas Corpus.

They were afraid to trust justice and only wanted blind revenge, this is why they trashed the FISA Court, in getting a warrant to wiretap Americans, even though they could have wiretapped first and then let a judge approve it up 72 hours later in an emergency. They were too afraid to change the law regarding wiretapping and decided to just go around it, until too many people found out.

They are afraid of the American People, they hate us for our freedom, this is why they're
intent on destroying our Bill of Rights so we can be more easily monitored and controlled.

On a different subject the same holds true for Global Warming, they're afraid, should the American People learn the truth, this could lead to changes in which their benefactors in the Oil industry, etc. won't approve of, this is why they shut down information from our very own scientists, unless the scientist is one of the very few who disagree on the threat of climate change.

I believe the bottom line is, they're just afraid


P.S. Welcome to D.U. sicksicksick_N_tired:hi:

[Cha]

78. Far And Wide it does need

to be read..I will send it on. Thank you.

RIP~to her husband. I hate those Fuckers, too.

[ThatsMyBarack]

82. "Personal Agenda" So *that's* why we're fighting!

So Little Lord Pissant * can get his jollies! :mad:

[lonestarnot]

85. I'm with you baby! Burn in hell Bastards!

[midnight]

86. Bring them home-NOW..........

Let's spare the other family's what this women will have to go through.

[lonestarnot]

87. kick!