Anti-war Protest in Manassas

[gwladgarwr]

WHY do I have to get these emails the first thing in the morning? I haven't even had my first cup of coffee.

Look, most of the folks on this site are very aware that I am a Democrat, and always have been (doesn't mean I'm a left-wing, socialist, pacifist, yogurt-eating tree-hugger - well, I'm OK with the yogurt, but only black cherry and blueberry). So, I get these emails from the Manassas Democratic Party. My own party has truly become more left-wing and more pacifist than the Greens! Anyway, here's an email I got from the local Democratic Party office for an anti-war vigil at a local K-Mart for next Monday, March 19, and my response to this email.

From: EJScottVA@aol.com
Wednesday, March 14, 2007 11:46 pm
Subject: Iraq War Anniversary Vigil on Monday, March 19th at 7pm in Manassas

Hello Everyone,

Please join our allies for a candlelight vigil to commemorate the forth anniversary of the Iraq War. We will honor the sacrifices of our troops, and voice our stronger-than-ever call to bring them home soon and safe.
The Iraq War Anniversary Vigil will be on Monday, March 19th in Manassas at 7 PM. We will gather on the sidewalk in front of the Manassas K-Mart on Sudley Road.

There are over 500 vigils planned across the country. You can add to this national gathering by joining this vigil in Manassas. Vigils are a powerful way to bring together people from across your community. It offer opportunity to reflect on the tragedy of this war and communicate both our support and appreciation for our brave troops. It will express the depth of our desire to end this terrible war.

It's also an important time to get together, because Congress is debating the first substantive steps to ending the war. We need to show that the country wants a swift, responsible end to the conflict.

Please bring at least one candle to light at dusk. Also bring signs to show your feelings about this costly war.

After more than four years of failed policies, bringing our troops home and ending the war in Iraq is truly becoming a possibility. Let's gather for what is hopefully our final Iraq war vigil together.

Thanks for your assistance,
EJ Scot
Chair, Manassas City Democratic Committee
703.368.4541

Please forward this to anyone you think may be interested.

...and here's my response:

To: EJScottVA@aol.com
Subject: Re: Iraq War Anniversary Vigil on Monday, March 19th at 7pm in Manassas

If you wanted to truly honor the sacrifices that our military personnel have made and continue to make (as if you knew what true sacrifice is), you would be serving in our military yourself. If you want to honor the memory of those patriots who themselves (and not you) have made the ultimate sacrifice on your behalf and for your benefit, you would take your pathetic little self down to a recruiting center and sign up to stand alongside another brave and honorable patriot to fight not only for the country for whom the dead have made that ultimate sacrifice but to fulfill the promise America has made to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

You are a weak, cowardly, self-serving individualist who wouldn't have the honor nor the wherewithal to serve, protect, or fight for this country.

Do not have the unmitigated gall to speak on my behalf, for, as a veteran of Iraqi Freedom and a continuing member of the Marine Corps, it is I and all others who serve and have served who have protected and guaranteed your foolish right to parade in front of a K-Mart and speak as if you and your ilk have made contributions to the defense of our country, if not to some other country.

You remain willfully ignorant of the concept of doing for others or for your own country while expecting others to go and fight in your stead while you arrogantly claim the right to dissent that you yourself have never fought to ensure.

You willfully continue to undermine the morale and the very safety of those troops in the thick of battle by claiming that your dissent is intended to bring the troops home.

Where were YOU when I helped distribute food and water to starving Iraqi children and their poor parents in Basra and Al Kut?

Where were YOU when I worked with the Seabees on the construction of water pumps for field irrigation to cash-strapped farmers in Tallil?

Where were YOU when I was handing out Costco-sized boxes of Starburst candy, second-hand clothing, my own rations, and even my own cash, to little Iraqi children who didn't even have shoes?

Where were YOU when my fire team and I were ordered to recon a building whose grounds potentially hid mines, IEDs and armed insurgents?

Where were YOU when I made it back home (injured, but alive)? Where was the welcome-back reception?

Where were YOU when I needed a ride home from the Greyhound Station with three seabags covered in Iraqi sand and dust that I couldn't carry because my strong hand was in a cast?

Were YOU there to cover my back or those of my brother Marines? Would you cover my back as I have covered yours? Somehow, I get the feeling that I couldn't count on you if and when the proverbial fan takes a hit. America and her troops could not count on the likes of you to stand up for and with them if it came down to it.

You and the Democratic Party have managed to turn a proud, strong, patriotic party into a Haven of the Left and Home for Weaklings and Takers. You have taken MY Democratic Party and turned it into a sniveling, pacifist, America-hater club simply for the purpose of opposing the Bush administration and the Republicans. I, in spite of being a proud and true Democrat, actually and truly care for my country and will stand up and take concrete action to defend it and fight for it.

You care NOTHING about the troops in this fight (or in any other fight), and you most certainly do not care for America. How DARE you invoke their names and exploit their memory by assuaging your fear of your own mortality - a mortality that is a very possible result of standing up to fight for a country that his given you more than you could ever dream of? You don't want to risk your own life in the way that our patriots injured and/or killed in battle have suffered. You cloak the fear of the potential loss of your self-preservation that the dead had themselves forsworn with a seemingly public act of contrition and piety by suddenly "caring for the troops".

You are NOBODY to condescend to me and to patronize me by snivelling that you "support the troops" but oppose the war by demonstrating against it while prancing in front of a glorified dollar store selling third-rate junk manufactured in third-rate countries working to bring America down. How ironic.

You, the Democratic Party, and all those who shirk their obligation to fight and protect this country while sucking on the tit of freedom exist only to thwart America's every move and to embolden an enemy to continue its fight to see America and its allies dead. It is truly sad to consider that the Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters may have more honor and backbone than you do.

My advice to you: please send me another email when you decide you want to stop being a taker and want to become a giver to America. And when you face your own fear of standing up for yourself and dragging other timid and fear-driven Americans into your circle - as "misery loves company" - please let me know.

Remove me from your idiotic email list and do not EVER send me another one like it again.

Semper Fidelis,

F.A. Race, Sergeant
United States Marine Corps

Feel free to call E.J. Scot, Chair, Manassas City Democratic Committee
at 703-368-4541 to voice your disapproval, or email him at EJScottVA@aol.com.

Sgt gw

[DWG]

I believe a copy of that should be sent to the DNC and to every Congressman and Senator in Washington (both parties).
Great letter and post Sgt. Thank you!

[gwladgarwr]

I believe a copy of that should be sent to the DNC and to every Congressman and Senator in Washington (both parties).
Great letter and post Sgt. Thank you!

You know, I think that's a great idea. Why didn't I think of that?

I have a few more words to add to it, too. Maybe Sen. Webb (D-VA), for whom I voted, should see this letter.

Thanks for the kudos!

Sgt gw

[Mike McIntyre]

That was outstanding. If you send it, there are a few Republicans who also need to read it.

I wish they would consider that it is not about Republican or Democrat; it is about doing the right thing.

They forget who put them there and fail to realize that it’s the Military who keeps them there (Safe & Free).

[gwladgarwr]

That was outstanding. If you send it, there are a few Republicans who also need to read it.

I wish they would consider that it is not about Republican or Democrat; it is about doing the right thing.

They forget who put them there and fail to realize that it’s the Military who keeps them there (Safe & Free).

Thank you, devil dog.

I don't care what party anyone is - a fool is a fool no matter how you dress it up.

I've resent the letter to this Scott fool and reposted the amended version. Added a few more choice bits. See what you think.

S/F,
Sgt gw

[gwladgarwr]

Amended email to E.J. Scott of the Manassas Democratic Committee:

Dear Mr. Scott:

If you wanted to truly honor the sacrifices that our military personnel have made and continue to make (as if you knew what true sacrifice is), you would be serving in our military yourself. If you want to honor the memory of those patriots who themselves (and not you) have made the ultimate sacrifice on your behalf and for your benefit, you would take your pathetic little self down to a recruiting center and sign up to stand alongside another brave and honorable patriot to fight not only for the country for whom the dead have made that ultimate sacrifice but to fulfill the promise America has made to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

You are a weak, cowardly, self-serving individualist who has neither the honor nor the wherewithal nor the courage to serve, protect, or fight for this country, much less commit to rebuilding Iraq.

Do not have the unmitigated gall to speak on my behalf, for, as a veteran of Iraqi Freedom and a continuing member of the United States Marine Corps, it is I and all others who serve and have served who have protected and guaranteed your foolish right to parade in front of a K-Mart and speak as if you and your ilk have made contributions to the defense of our country, if not to some other country.

You remain willfully ignorant of the concept of doing for others or for your own country while expecting others to go fight in your stead while you arrogantly claim the right to dissent that you yourself have never fought to ensure.

You willfully continue to undermine the morale and the very safety of those troops in the thick of battle by claiming that your dissent is designed to bring the troops home safe from harm. Please. Has it ever occurred to you that your patronizing and condescending reversal of sympathy is very much misdirected? YOU are in no position to be protecting and supporting the troops; indeed, it is the very much the reverse: it is I and all those military men and women who protect and support YOU and protect your right to spew forth treasonous jibber-jabber in front of a discount retail store. Real classy.

Where were YOU when I helped distribute food and water to starving Iraqi children and their poor parents in Basra and Al Kut?

Where were YOU when I helped conduct security at a police station in Al-Kut for a weapons buy-back program in hopes of disarming insurgents who often went packing better than I did?

Where were YOU when I was handing out Costco-sized boxes of Starburst candy, second-hand clothing, bottled water, toiletries, my own rations, and even my own cash, to little Iraqi children who didn't even have shoes?

Where were YOU when my fire team and I received orders to recon a building whose grounds potentially hid mines, IEDs and armed insurgents?

Where were YOU when our proud and brave Navy Corpsmen and physicians and Army medics provided medical aid and supplies to entire villages (when they weren’t busy treating Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, and Sailors horribly injured by snipers, IEDs, and other assorted explosives) that hadn’t seen a doctor since Asclepius?

Where were YOU when my unit and all the other units could have used letters, postcards, and care packages with essential and/or comfort items? When was the last time YOU sent a note simply thanking a Soldier or a hometown veteran?

When was the last time YOU had the high and distinct honor of being a pallbearer for a fallen comrade-in-arms? Forgive me, I forgot that you have never asked for the honor and privilege of serving our country in uniform, so evidently you have no way to relate.

Where were YOU when I made it back home (lightly injured, but alive)? Where was the welcome-back reception?

Where were YOU when I needed a ride home from the Greyhound Station with three seabags covered in Iraqi sand and dust that I couldn't carry because my strong hand was in a cast?

Where were YOU when SP4 Jay Briseño, Jr., USA, of Manassas Park, Virginia returned home with a Purple Heart as a permanent quadriplegic when he was shot through the neck by a sniper in Iraq? Neither you nor any of your fellow protestors are even worthy enough to change this hero’s bedpan, an act of love his parents and brothers and sisters have committed themselves to for the rest of Jay’s life.

Were YOU there to cover my back or those of my brother Marines? Would you cover my back as I have covered yours?

Somehow, I get the feeling that I couldn't count on you if and when the proverbial fan takes a hit. America and her troops could not count on the likes of you to stand up for and with them if it came down to it. And guess what? It has already come down to it – and you have not only turned your back on them, you spit in their faces as you turn away. By analogy, you have also spit in mine.

You and the Democratic Party have managed to turn a proud, strong, patriotic party into a Haven for the Left and Home for Weaklings and Takers. You have taken MY Democratic Party and turned it into a sniveling, pacifist, America-hater club simply for the purpose of opposing the Bush administration and the Republicans. I, in spite of being a proud, true, and staunch Democrat, actually truly care for my country and will stand up and take concrete action to defend it and fight for it. How about YOU ?

You care NOTHING about the troops in this fight (or in any other fight), and you most certainly do not care for America. How DARE you invoke the names of the dead and exploit their memory by assuaging your fear of laying down your own life – a life very much threatened when standing up to fight for a country that his given you more than you could ever dream of? You don't want to risk your own life in the same manner that our patriots injured and/or killed in battle have suffered. You cloak your fear of the potential loss of your own self-preservation that the dead had themselves forsworn in a seemingly public act of piety and self-righteousness by suddenly "caring for the troops". Spare me.

If you cared so much about our troops, why do you not lobby to have these troops equipped with sufficient and effective equipment, such as body armor, ammunition, clothing, food, water, and health care? If you truly cared about our troops (I hesitate to include YOU in the collective since it escapes me to think that these troops would actually consider fighting on your behalf), why do you not demand to have our troops adequately armed and better equipped so that they can quickly and effectively accomplish their mission (to stabilize Iraq and aid her people) and return home sooner - and in one piece? Why do YOU not demand more funding so that these troops can accomplish their mission instead of advocating the cutting off of funding and literally abandoning those troops to fight off with one hand tied behind their backs a crafty, ruthless, determined enemy?

Why do YOU continue to kneecap our warriors to keep them from fighting for what is right? Your continued program of kneecapping our warriors is nothing more than a grand example of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy – you hogtie our troops or hobble them enough in order to justify generating enough pity for them that would bring them home. This is an extremely disturbing thought.

Why do YOU continue to abandon not only our own troops but the people of Iraq and Afghanistan? You could not be so unsophisticated to admit that once America’s forces and those of her allies abandon Iraq, the Tigris and Euphrates will run crimson red. And it will happen overnight. Will YOU be there to conduct rebuilding efforts and refugee assistance? No? I didn’t think so. Come to think of it, you weren’t in Rwanda, Kosovo, Somalia, Beirut, Haiti, or post-Katrina New Orleans, either.

You continue to fan the flames of fear and hysteria of many Americans which will result in their fearful refusal to step forward at a time when America may need them the most. You advocate a culture of fear and submissiveness when America (and now Iraq) need a culture of strength and self-reliance.

You are NOBODY to condescend to me and to patronize me by sniveling that you "support the troops" but oppose the war by demonstrating against it by prancing in front of a glorified dollar store selling third-rate junk manufactured in third-rate countries whose governments and dictators and petty tyrants scheme every day to bring about America’s downfall. How ironic.

You, the Democratic Party, and all those who shirk their obligation to fight and protect this country while leeching off of America’s rights and freedoms exist only to thwart America's every move and to further embolden an enemy to continue its fight to see America and its allies dead. It is truly sad to consider that the Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters may have more honor and backbone than you do.

Your candlelight vigil in Manassas and elsewhere will succeed in nothing more than further enriching the candle-making industry and burning a few fingers of children too unaware of just how weak, selfish, and self-serving their parents at this so-called ‘vigil’ really are. A great demonstration of “leadership by example” for those unwitting children.

My advice to you: please send me another email when you decide you want to stop being a taker and want to become a giver to America. And when you face your own fear of standing up for yourself and your own country and stop dragging other timid and fear-driven Americans into your circle - as "misery loves company" - please give me a call.

Remove me from your idiotic email list and do not EVER send me another one like it again.

A true Democrat,


Semper Fidelis,

F.A. Race, Sergeant
United States Marine Corps

Feel free to call E.J. Scott, Chair, Manassas City Democratic Committee
at 703-368-4541 to voice your disapproval, or email him at EJScottVA@aol.com

[DWG]

You Go, Boy!!!

[velocity500]

I could not have said it better myself, Sergeant.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Well said, Sgt Race!!!!! Damn fine words, sir.

BTW, and I can't help this...but you are aware, I hope, of the term used to identify people from Manassas nowadays?

"Manassoholians"

It would seem to be appropriate in this situation.

Stay low, brother.

[Ironrider]

Right the **** on.....

[JinxJr]

Sgt Race, you Sir are a disgrace to the Manassas City Democratic Committee! Congratulations. I don't know they'll come around to your way of thinking but you certainly gave them something to think about. Well said.

[rktect3j]

Semper Fi Marine.

Excellent post.

I got no problems with democrats. You try to take back your party and I will try and take back mine. Then we all can meet and fix this train wreck.

[gwladgarwr]

Sgt Race, you Sir are a disgrace to the Manassas City Democratic Committee! Congratulations. I don't know they'll come around to your way of thinking but you certainly gave them something to think about. Well said.

Sorry, SSgt. I go thrash myself now behind tree line [thwap thwap].

Sgt gw