6 year old Alexis gets a surprise lunchtime visitor - pics

[Kadie]

Alexis McGregor, 6, a first-grader at Redbud Run Elementary School in Winchester, Va. reacts as her father, U.S. Army Sgt. Jon McGregor, 27, surprises her by showing up at her school at lunchtime Tuesday September 28, 2010. Alexis did not know her father was home on leave from Afganistan for the first time since April, 2010.


U.S. Army Sgt. Jon McGregor talks with his daughter Alexis McGregor during her lunch period at Redbud Run Elementary School, in Winchester, VA. after surprising her Wednesday September 28, 2010. First grade student ,Alexis,6, was showing him a charm bracelet she received recently. It was the first time they had seen each other since April 2010.

[SidDithers]

1. Heartwarming. Big K&R...nt

Sid

[SlipperySlope]

37. Made me tear up a little.

[xxqqqzme]

83. As did I.

Then I cursed the rat bastard that caused this in the first place.

[JuniperLea]

2. So precious!

Thanks for sharing this.

[HopeHoops]

3. Damn. I actually shed a tear seeing that. BRING THEM ALL HOME NOW!

Like, while they're still alive. That's the ONLY real way to "support the troops". A stupid magnet ribbon made in China or a tattered window flag (also made in China) just doesn't cut it.

[midnight armadillo]

54. Amen. Too bad you're fucking nuts by DC establishment standards

Yup, an anti-war position is truly insane in our sweet country's corridors of power.

[Patchuli]

61. Yeah and that is why it's going to be

shake-up time in DC in November. Folks are pissed royally now.

[HopeHoops]

78. I'm proud to wear that badge of honor.

:hi:

[supernova]

4. Heartwarming

Awwwww.

Thanks for posting. :-)

[yurbud]

5. great and sad. 5 months is an eternity to a kid.

[Shell Beau]

48. Yes, and also to a daddy who hasn't seen his baby girl.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Precious beyond words!

[donquijoterocket]

84. the look

On her face is enough to make anyone's day for the whole day. And it's going to be a help I, unfortunately have to attend the funeral of a longtime family friend tomorrow, but that little girl's unbridled joy will help immeasurably. We've got to get those guys home and keep them home.No more military misadventures.I have to go with Smedley Butler's prescription and his definitions.The only legitimate use of our military is to protect our borders and the constitution. War is a racket, always has been and always will be especially now with the revolving door between the military and the military-industrial-congressional complex

[dembotoz]

7. wonderful pics thanks for posting

[Nordmadr]

8. After his leave is over, may he come back safe and sound to

continue his life with his family.

[Brickbat]

9. I hate these things, honestly.

I think that kind of naked emotion is better kept inside the family. I really do feel uncomfortable when I see these setups and the media coverage that goes along with them. What's so frustrating is that six-year-old Alexis doesn't have to be going through these emotional ups and downs -- if we'd just bring her daddy home once and for all, we could focus on better things.

I also am stumped by a family that doesn't tell the kids that dad is home on leave. It just seems like a big manipulation to me.

And yeah, I'm a total buzzkill, I know.

[OnlinePoker]

11. There's a good reason

Missions change and shit happens. The leave could be cancelled or flights delayed. You don't want to build up a child's hope only to dash it. Until the boots are back home, we are told not to let the kids know we are coming.

[Brickbat]

12. Thanks for the info; I hadn't thought of that.

Still, I can't see not telling the kids what I know about a spouse coming home, even if it might change.

[Rabrrrrrr]

22. That's exactly it - until the dude is actually in the house, the orders can change.

And can change as soon as he walks through the door, as well, but at least he's technically there for a moment anyway.

[marew]

33. Agreed. n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. I hate them because these soldiers shouldn't be away from their families at all

Bring them all home.

[Brickbat]

15. That's what I'm saying.

[louis-t]

16. It's OK, Buzz Killington, not everyone can appreciate this.

This is what is called 'bittersweet', see? We hate that this girl has to be without her daddy, and rejoice when he surprises her at lunch. The more the public sees this, the more they understand what our soldiers and their families have to go through.

[HuckleB]

26. +1

[Brickbat]

28. Oh, I get it all right.

Propaganda wouldn't work if it wasn't pleasurable.

[louis-t]

36. Nah, people just have to be reminded.

The "family values, I support the troops" crowd needs to see the damage bush's wars have done to American families. And it reminds us that we have to work harder to bring them home.

[RayOfHope]

40. +1 n/t

[LanternWaste]

80. One does not necessarily follow the other.

One does not necessarily follow the other. But then again, I let my subscription to Cynics Weekly run out many years ago.

[Kadie]

95. Thanks louis-t!

I totally agree

This is what is called 'bittersweet', see? We hate that this girl has to be without her daddy, and rejoice when he surprises her at lunch. The more the public sees this, the more they understand what our soldiers and their families have to go through.


:hi:

[Bunny]

19. I don't like them much, either. I think that level of emotion is better kept inside the family, too.

It's the manipulation that makes me cringe.

There, I said it. Now, I'll join you in the Buzzkill Room. I brought the turd, did you bring the punchbowl?

[Brickbat]

31. Hee!

May I pour you some tainted punch? :toast:

[LuckyLib]

64. I have the same reaction -- it feels manipulative. Add me to the buzz-kill group.

[Rabrrrrrr]

23. I'm with you - it should be done privately, not in the middle of a huge bunch oif kids,

some of whom might also have family serving away who AREN'T coming home that day, or might have a dead relative who's never coming home.

But, it sells newspapers and TV news shows, so there it is.

[Brickbat]

27. During World War II, if a soldier was coming home, the celebrations were very restrained.

People generally put banners up inside the houses and didn't have loud parties or decorate the yard, just in case a neighbor had someone who wasn't coming home that time, or ever.

That kid at the next table in the lunchroom whose dad isn't coming home -- or who came home changed in a scary way -- should be enough for people to think of showing a little more restraint.

[Raoul]

89. AMEN AND ABOUT FREAKING TIME!

That some of you have the courage to call it what it really is. And the misguided war fans who post those clips over here are IDENTICAL in behavior as the religionist right wing neocons who post the EXACT SAME clips on their blogs along with the exact same comments about being teary eyed, etc.

It makes me vomit and more importantly causes me to wonder about the mentality of people who foam over such tripe. These videos do one thing and ONLY one thing - they romanticize war.

And from a medical standpoint - according to some psychiatric studied, irreporable mental harm to the kids in the videos might be occurring. As the studies suggest, kids go through various stages of coping when a parent goes to war. The final one is similar to the last stage one goes through when discovering he/she is going to die - ACCEPTANCE. The kid accepts the fact that the parent will be a way for a while, perhaps a long time. But then when John Daddy Wayne suddenly appears at school, in front of the adoring kids, the affected child is shocked in a negative way.

Any of you teary eyed war lovers ever think about that? Now I'll await the liberal outrage along with the moderator ban that goes with alleged free thinking..

[Rabrrrrrr]

96. Aha! That's the word I've been searching for since writing that post - romanticizes.

Yes, these phucking photo ops romanticize war.

"Look at the little white girl lovingly adoring her warrior dad!"

Perhaps they've been out there and I've not noticed, but where are the clips of the Muslim army dad coming surprising his kid at the Islamic school?

And where are the clips of the female soldiers coming home and surprising their sons in a classroom?

Every clip I've seen and story I've read has been a white dad surprising his white daughter, and they're always elementary age.

It's fucking bullshit.

And it's pretty sad some of the responses in this thread about how wonderful it is.

Try to look at the bigger fucking picture, people.

Why don't we show the troubled boy child who's just been surprised with the return of the few parts left of his father? If we're gonna applaud the surprise homecoming of the uninjured father to his lilly white daughter, then we should be just as sickly voyeuristic about making sure to capture on the film the trauma of the child terrorized by his father's bullet-riddle carcass. Why don't they drag those into the classrooms?

Where are the pictures of the abusive asshole marine dad surprising his daughter who is shocked and surprised not out of joy but out of terror that the evil piece of shit is back to hit her and do nasty things to her mother?

Because it's all about glorifying war, making us feel good about doing evil, and elevating the warrior into the status of a hero, and shitting all over the heroic endeavors of diplomats, peace corps volunteers, missionaries, peace activists, and others who put their lives and their livelihoods on the line to go help people, try to bring peace and stability, and elevate people into self-sufficiency and hope.

[HuckleB]

25. I don't.

I work with several families that are going through repeated separations of one parent or the other, and too many of us don't know the hardship they face. This is one of the only ways the general public even begins to know what we do to those in the military.

[Brickbat]

30. See, I don't buy that.

A lot of families have members who do dangerous jobs, a lot of families have separations for all sorts of issues -- economic and emotional. I also think that showing the happy kid hugging her daddy makes it easy to say, "Oh, now everything's all right. Hardship all done."

[HuckleB]

32. Most families aren't separated for a year here, then another year there.

All the while, the separation is scheduled, then unscheduled, scheduled again, and on and on, with the return going the same way. Further, it would take a fool to think that everything is all right just because of a picture of two happy people. Note: I've seen plenty of parting pictures, as well.

We "restrained" and "hid" other things in the past, too. And that wasn't always a good thing.

[Beartracks]

82. I had a similar thought, Brickbat.

While this represents a "bittersweet" moment for many of us who think of the emotional turmoil for that family or think of the other kids who may not be seeing their parent... it's really easy to present this reunion with a greater emphasis on the "sweet" part only. And if the media spins these kind of homecomings as "awwwwww" moments, then, yes, I think it serves to absolve the guilt of many viewers (who are not directly impacted by the wars) in the same way that putting yellow stickers on a car does. "See? We can fight a war, then mommy and daddy come home and reunite with their kids. Awwww. So, what's for dinner?"

[Brickbat]

85. Exactly. It's sweet because of the bitter.

Honestly, I see her face and it's totally clear to me that she thinks every night that her daddy might die. Why on earth should we accept that as a given just so we can see her sweet little face and happiness? IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.

[Raoul]

90. Actually

the general public doesn't give a crap because football season has arrived. And nice rationalization of something you really can't defend.

[HuckleB]

94. Nice red herring. Actually, two of them.

:rofl:

[MarthaM]

34. I don't like them either

But then, I hate surprise parties anyway. Especially when I'm the one getting the surprise.

[TonyMontana]

38. +100000

This is media exploitation.

[proteus_lives]

42. Wouldn't be a DU good moment/happy feeling thread without someone trying to take a piss on it.

:eyes:

[Brickbat]

44. Yes, God forbid someone comment on a comment board and raise an opinion someone doesn't like.

[proteus_lives]

45. No one's stopping you.

Just like how no one is stopping my comment on your opinion.

It's a two-way street.

[Brickbat]

47. We could do this dance all night!

[Raoul]

91. Piss on what

war? Okay, you're right - we all love war. Now go join up and fight for democracy. Then, once you're done fighting for it 'over there' come back to Amerika and fight for it here because it flew out the window decades ago.

[proteus_lives]

93. Wow.

Talk about going right over your head.

[apocalypsehow]

98. Yep - it never fails. Someone could post "it's a sunny day!" and some ass would reply "skin cancer!"

I've seen it over and over and over and over again. Thread-pissing is something of a popular sport with a small minority of folks hereabouts, and it's pathetic.

Good post. :thumbsup:

[stuart68]

75. curious - where do you stand on photos of returning casualties ?

do you feel we should be publicizing the photos of returning flag-draped caskets ?

[Raoul]

92. You bring up

an EXCELLENT point! If they actually showed the torn up bodies of war dead, maybe people would finally realize what war actually is. And then perhaps there would be a national uprising against the war mongers and money makers.

[stuart68]

100. Not my point, but still valid.

[Diane R]

87. I hate these things, too. I wonder about the parents want news camera to film their vulnerable kids

[onehandle]

10. Nice! nt

[xchrom]

13. That is lovely indeed. Nt

[pgodbold]

17. Precious. nt

[uncommon]

18. Goddamn it.

That almost made my cry. My ex-husband was in Iraq (when we were still together) for a year and it was horrible. As much as I hate the wars, I do feel for these service members and their families.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

20. And they're going to take Daddy away again. Fuck. -nt

[Scurrilous]

21. K & R

:thumbsup:

[H2O Man]

24. Beautiful!

Thanks for this.

Recommended.

[JerseygirlCT]

29. Oh that picture is priceless! nt

[lunatica]

35. Oh Crap! Now I'm crying

[BlancheSplanchnik]

39. awwwwwwwww!

Where's the tears of joy smilieface? I need that right now

[Terra Alta]

41. This brought tears to my eyes.

And shows why we need to bring these men and women home ASAP... no child should have to go through the ups and downs of having a parent fighting in an unnecessary war. Bring them home now!!!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

43. Joy to Alexis and Jon. K&R!!

:loveya:

[Shell Beau]

46. This makes me want to cry. That is a wonderful picture.

Stay safe over there!

[BrklynLiberal]

49. Priceless look on her face. Cannot help but get a bit teary.

[mikekohr]

50. That's Great! nt

[lonestarnot]

51. Excellent!

[The Hitman]

52. Redbud? Really?

My sister went to that elementary school

[hendo]

53. Here's a good, old video (related)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSMlIM9zLio

[proteus_lives]

56. This one really got me too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysKAVyXi0J4&feature=related

[hendo]

99. Aww, thats too cute! NT

[Liberal_in_LA]

55. love the pics

[cheneyschernobyl]

57. Moments like this remind me of

the huge number of single military members that don't have a family. It's wonderful to see a parent reunited with his/her child, but there's a much larger number of single GI's that are out there all alone. No spouse, no kids, no relatives involved in their lives...not such a pretty picture.

My apologies for the perception of dashing a heart-warming moment.

[obxhead]

58. Another reason both of these wars need ended now! It's long past time

for all of our military families be reunited.

K&R

[migsan]

60. Just Wonderful............

I'm speechless

[liquid diamond]

59. That second pic really gets me misty eyed. n/t

[wundermaus]

62. Bring 'em all home right now.

Stop the insanity.

[archiemo]

63. This definitely pulled my heartstrings!!!

[Swamp Rat]

65. Love it!!

:kick:

[complain jane]

66. LOL at the top pic!

How cute!! :)

[GSLevel9]

67. sweet story...but

how about all the kids who will NEVER see their dads again...

Maybe time to stop occupying a couple nations and fighting losing wars?

[Chulanowa]

72. Like all the ones we will create, just so you can win some points in election season

But those kids are all brown and live Far Far Away, so they're really more like animals to you, I guess.

Fuck 'em, a little more Taliban rule builds character in them youngsters!

[GSLevel9]

73. wtf?

Shenzen Tea Market

21 Yuan per box of 25 bags.

[Chulanowa]

88. I don't think you can be that dense

And pretending you are only reinforces my point.

If you really are that dense, well, then, I'm afraid you're beyond my help

[earcandle]

68. Wow! She looks sooo Happy! Thanks so much for the post.

[bkozumplik]

69. awesome

why the fuck are we over there again?

[KT2000]

70. Very sweet!

[Hannah Bell]

71. How long has this "war" been running now? 9 years? Longest war in US history or something like

that?

[Scurrilous]

74. Kick

:kick:

[DrDan]

76. what a GREAT picture!!!

[democrank]

77. Beautiful!

Bring them all home.

[1776Forever]

79. Bring them ALL home! Blessings to the little girl & family. n/t

[Froward69]

81. Damn IT

this got me all teary...

[Drale]

86. Awesome

that first picture is priceless, what a touching story.

[Mimosa]

97. Bring them all home safely and SOON!

Kadie, thank you for the heartwarming photos. :)