Compassion, Neocon Style

[maggiegault]

I posted in a forum for our local hometown newspaper, where my brother's funeral will be held this weekend.

It is in Indiana, which can be a bastion of red sentiment.

Now, the people in our town have been wonderful, as I expected them to be. Supportive and warm and caring. His arrival and procession to the funeral home this morning apparently had people turning out in the thousands to line the streets. (We are flying out tomorrow for the "official" funeral stuff, not the preliminary stuff.)

As I said, I posted in the forum, primarily to thank the townspeople for their support, but also to dispel this nonsense that my brother died to "keep America safe" or other such nonsense.

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070511/NEWS/70511015/1152/NEWS

For my pains, I have been told this:

Dear Sgt Weiss,

I want to thank you. I want to thank you for your self sacrifice. I want to thank you for keeping this country the Land of the Free. I want to thank you for keeping my family safe. I want to thank you for me not having to explain what a car bomb is to my 6 year old, 4 year old and 2 month old daughters. I want to thank you for not having to explain why daddy always has a fully loaded gun within reach. I want to thank you for not having to explain why a suicide bomb went off in Lafayette or Indy. I want to thank you for letting my little girls maintain some innocence for a while longer. I want to thank you for fighting terrorists 1/2 way around the world instead of our back yard. I want to thank you for doing what I should be doing. I want to thank you for proving, this is the home of the BRAVE.

Thank You

and this:

Thanks for attempting to put things back into perspective. He gave his life so that others back home can have the freedom to disagree with their government. It's amazing to me that some people are still in denial that we are even in a war. It's unfortunate that some people have lost their patriotism and patience in our "fast-food" society.

This was indeed a very sad event and let's never forget that he made the choice to risk his life to support something greater than himself. He volunteered to support this cause, something which his sister appears to vehemently disagree with. Hopefully he would rather be remembered for his wonderful act of heroism than for an odd-ball anti-war political statement.

******************
I guess even losing a sibling in their beloved "war on terrah" isn't enough for to get them to shut their hateful mouths. *shudder*

[sinkingfeeling]

1. What idiots! Maybe they don't there's a 'war' because there was only

an invasion and because these folks have bought the 'terra, terra, everywhere' sounded at them for the last 6 years!

P.S. Would you mind if I used Andy's name on a protest sign. Something like this: Why isn't Andrew Rove 'surging' in Iraq? Sgt. Andrew Weiss died there 5/3/07 on his 2nd TOD

[maggiegault]

2. Don't You Love It? "Put Things Back In Perspective" Who Would Have More "Perspective" Than I Would

The arrogance of these assholes is astounding. Simply astounding.

I will be wearing my peace symbols at the funeral. I have a beautiful silver lapel pin that I am wearing all weekend, and I have earrings, too. I will alternate with the different outfits.

[BOSSHOG]

3. "HOME OF THE BRAVE????"

No, home of the chickenhawks. Would love to know the military experiences of those letter writers. Fucking morons who blindly support a liar.

God Bless You. Your brother is now at peace patiently waiting for you to be reunited.

[blogslut]

4. Don't let it get to you

You'll find those types wherever you go. They don't know you or your pain. Waste no more time on them. Life is too important.

[Crunchy Frog]

5. I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you.

Firstly to be mourning the loss of a beloved brother, and then on top of that, to have a bunch of people trying to exploit that death to promote right wing talking points.

If I were in your situation, I think I'd just be screaming at people to stop using my dead brother as a political prop.:grr:

Best wishes for your family to find some kind of healing in all of this.

[Truthseeker013]

6. Compassion, Neocon Style

Ab initio, my deepest sympathies to you and your family at your loss. Then, my deepest regrets, that your loss had to be so tarnished by such unfeeling individuals. Finally, a rousing cry of, "Ignore them!", because it's what works best with such lifeforms, IMO. As long as you pay them heed, then they feel empowered to prattle on uselessly. Pay them no mind,a nd they go away to sulk. It's how I ahndle that stripe, and it's never failed me.