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July 14, 2006
The Lifeblood Of America
Let me speak proudly.
Tell the Constable
We are but warriors for the working day.
Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirched
With rainy marching in the painful field,
There's not a piece of feather in our host --
Good argument, I hope, we will not fly --
And time hath worn us into slovenry.
But, by the Mass, our hearts are in the trim
And my poor soldiers tell me, yet ere night
They'll be in fresher robes, or they will pluck
The gay new coats o'er the French soldiers' heads
And turn them out of service.
Herald, save thou thy labor.
Come thou no more for ransom, gentle herald.
They shall have none, I swear, but these my joints,
Which if they have as I will leave 'em them,
Shall yield them... little
Of all the passages in Henry V, the St. Crispin's Day speech is perhaps most widely quoted. Yet I prefer this little gem. Perhaps because Henry is tired and irritated and caught off guard. He rather reminds me of my husband. He is not geared up to make a big speech, yet his faith in his men buoys him at a low ebb, and he returns the favor by boasting of their prowess to the French herald, showing his utter confidence that they will not let him down. His life is, literally, in their hands. That is the spirit that won at Agincourt, not some overblown flight of rhetoric.
Yesterday, like so many days in this overlong war, had a surreal feeling to it; punctuated by alternating moments of hope, despair, and a renewed sense of resolution. Before the first rays of light touched the Pennsylvania hills to the north of my little house in the woods, an email from a Power Line reader filled me with hope. Before the day ended, another from a dear friend whose son has survived three combat tours sent all too familiar tears coursing down my face.
Another day in the global war on terror.
This post perhaps requires a bit of explanation. I've sat on it (not literally, mind you - that would be uncomfortable) most of the week. This is not typical for me. I never plan anything I write. I just sit down and pound out whatever happens to be on my mind. But I wasn't ready yet. I told RB, the Power Line reader who mailed me midweek wondering if I'd changed my mind, that writing about the WOT is difficult for me. Often I end up in tears for the rest of the day.
That's obviously not good from a professional standpoint. I can't afford to be emotional with clients and I detest crying women. And my husband deals with this kind of thing all day at work. He's on call 24/7, carrying a Blackberry and a cell phone everywhere he goes, getting phone calls at 3 am with updates from the war. He doesn't need more angst from me when he gets home at 8 or 9 pm after a 15 hour work day - he needs calm.
For the longest time I wondered why I get so upset about the war. This post will perhaps explain. The war became quite personal for me as a Marine wife when we began to lose men and women we knew, when I began to hear people we came up with had been wounded, killed. The first time my husband and I had to enter a friend's home at 2 am to tell her her husband would never come back again. I will never forget her anguished cries. Never. I will never forget the frozen looks on the faces of his children. They looked like deer, caught in the crosshairs. Anyone who thinks President Bush doesn't understand the grief of military families does not comprehend how many times he has seen the faces of wives, mothers, children of our fallen soldiers, sailors and marines as they struggle to contain their loss.
You don't forget a thing like that. Ever.
I have two stories to tell you. They may, at first, seem unrelated, but they both popped up in my Inbox that day. To me they represent all that is right with America. This is going to be a long post because I have a lot to say, all of which is dear to my heart. I hope you will bear with me and try to read it anyway.
WARFORDSBURG, PA.Jamie Bryner never had a conversation with Lance Cpl. Steven W. Szwydek before an improvised explosive device killed the 20-year-old Marine last October.
The pair was separated by eight years and half the world at the time.
Yet Bryner's actions not only brought him closer to Szwydek's spirit, they united 600 people given the opportunity Sunday to memorialize their friend, neighbor, classmate and fellow Marine.
"Jamie, I hope you know the impact you've had on us and all the people in this auditorium and how important it is that we never forget," Nancy Szwydek said to the 13-year-old Needmore, Pa., resident who made her son his "fallen hero."
In two months, Jamie solicited more than $5,000 needed to give Southern Fulton High School a statue honoring the 2003 graduate who served with Weapons Co., 2nd Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division, also known as 2/2 Weapons Co.
Jamie, an eighth-grader in the Southern Fulton School District, only met Szwydek twice before his final deployment to Iraq last summer. The only thing the boy knew they had in common was a lifelong desire to be a Marine.
"That, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly what's right with our younger generation," said Maj. Curtis Hill, a Fulton County, Pa., native who served as master of ceremonies.
The afternoon's ceremony culminated with the statue's unveiling, after haunting selections performed by the St. Patrick's Chorale and a Marine Corps brass quintet, remarks from commanding officers and the 2/2 Weapons Co. chaplain, and gratitude expressed by the Szwydeks and Bryners.
People representing several branches of the military and several generations thanked Jamie, frequently calling him a Marine. Jamie plans to attend Young Marines boot camp next summer and is preparing care packages to send overseas.
"Jamie, since the age of 3, has had a passion for this," said his father, Curtis.
The statue, displaying combat boots and a helmet, is not only dedicated to Szwydek, but everyone killed while serving the United States.
Steven Szwydek "was a kind, caring soldier. He was willing to lay down his life for his freedom," Jamie said.
"Freedom is not free. We do vow to make sure no one forgets that," Nancy Szwydek said.
Her youngest son, Corey Szwydek, is preparing to train with the U.S. Navy.
Watching servicemen from the 2/2 Weapons Co. gathered around the statue, she called them "my Marines."
My friend, the one whose son survived three combat tours as an infantry Marine, sends me death notices each time we lose one of our own.
I try, most of the time, to write about them.
A few times he has said to me, "I need to stop. This is upsetting you." I've always told him yes - it does. But don't stop. Regular readers know my nephew died recently after a long battle with cancer. I wasn't going to tell anyone. I didn't see the point. But everyone's life has meaning. We were all put on this earth for a reason and I began, after two months, to realize that Tommy's life had a lesson to teach us about grace and dignity under extreme hardship and it really was rather patronizing of me to think I should shield people from that lesson, hard though it may seem. I have to thank Cat, and a very long and wonderful telephone conversation last weekend, for confirming the wisdom of that decision.
I often feel presumptuous writing about the deaths of young Marines I never knew. I wonder: what if their parents or wives didn't support the war, as I do? But I reflect, it was their decision to go, and I honor that. I do try not to politicize their deaths. And I can only believe their families, no matter their feelings, would want their courage to be remembered and their sacrifice honored.
I looked up Steven W. Szwydek. He was a handsome devil. Do not forget him, America. His spirit lives on, as Power Line reader RD discovered at a recent barbecue, in two high school graduates who also happen to be sweethearts. They share something else in common: they both plan to enter the Marines. RD, who is retired Navy, interviewed the couple over Fourth of July weekend:
RD - What are your names and ages?Christine- Christine, 17
Joshua - Joshua , 18
RD - When did you decide you wanted to join the Marines?Christine- I wanted to join ever since 9th grade. I was in the JROTC at Allen High School (Allentown, PA) which was a Navy/Marine JROTC. I loved everything that we were doing, the drilling, the marching, the whole environment and I knew then that I wanted to become a Marine.
Joshua - My grandfather and uncle were both career Marines, both joined when they were 17 and 18. And my cousins are in the Marines now (Twins brothers John and David age 24, and their younger brother Mike, age 21). I joined because I wanted to do something different, I didn't want to just go out and work.
RD - When did you actually enlist?Christine- I enlisted right after my 17th birthday which was last Sept.
Joshua - Since I was 16, I've been fighting with myself if I was going to join or not. Half my family is opposed to it. But halfway thru my senior year I finally decided to join and I went to Harrisburg and enlisted on Feb 15th. I wanted to go to boot camp as soon as possible, but the earliest available date was Sep 5th, I wish I could go sooner.
RD - What do you want to do in the Marines?Christine - I want to be EOD, Explosive Ordinance Disposal. I don't want a desk job or a job where I'm just sitting, that would be boring. I want to do something "hands-on" where I have to use my head and hands.
Joshua - I want to be a sniper.
RD - I have to ask, how are you feeling, are you afraid?Christine - No, not afraid. I'm feeling tired. Tired of waiting. I've waited a long time (to become a Marine), I've been waiting since 9th grade and then again, since last Sept. I've waited a long time. I'm ready.
RD - How do you feel about the war, about joining the service while war is going on?Christine - I kinda always thought - "why not make a difference", Someone has to do it, why not me? Why shouldn't I do it for others.
Joshua - I was against it at first, because they didn't find WMD's and maybe they were lying, but now I think it's a good cause, freeing the Iraq people. Plus I feel if I go, then they won't need to draft others. By me joining, it keeps other people from having to go in.
RD - How do your friends feel about this?Christine - They think its great that we're both doing this together, we'll understand what the other is really going thru.
RD - How did you two meet and how long have you been dating?Christine - We met through friends, July 11 will be 4 months. I knew who Josh was and friends told me he was thinking about joining the Marines, so I went up to him and said if he was interested he could talk to my Recruiter, so he did.
Joshua - I talked to her and her Recruiter and that helped me make up my mind. And that's how we met.
RD - Do you want to make a career of the Marines and what do you want to do after the Marines?Christine - Yes, I definitely want to make it a career and when I get out I want to work for a Bomb Squad with the Police or FBI or something like that.
Joshua - Yes, I want to stay 20 years, retire at 38, and be on a SWAT Team.
We've heard a lot about how our troops are nothing more than poor, misguided automatons who somehow forgot their tinfoil hats and were brainwashed into signing those recruiting papers by Karl Rove's DOD mind-control rays. But as Josh's earlier remarks indicate, our soldiers, sailors and Marines are politically savvy younsters who follow the news. They often display a far more critical, nuanced understanding of politics than the DNC would have you think.
The hell of it is that despite the spin, they believe what they believe. I'm not sure they fall for the political cant of either the far right or the far left. They are ineluctably their own men and women, and I can't help but think that's a good thing for the Republic. And they understand that there's no such thing as a free lunch.
A long time ago, I asked Clarence Page when will the media shut up and let the military talk about the war on terror? It's a good question, and one that remains to be answered. The press have control of the mic. I'd sure like to see them surrender a bit of airtime to the folks on the frontlines.
There is someone else the media should perhaps consult in their episodic broadsides against this war: a man whose poetic words could not fail to stir the heart of any man or woman whose heart was not dead within his breast. A lion of the desert. The Mayor of Tal Afar. Why don't they ask him what he thinks of George Bush's illegal and immoral war, and of our men and women in uniform:
In the Name of God the Compassionate and MercifulTo the Courageous Men and Women of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who have changed the city of Tall’ Afar from a ghost town, in which terrorists spread death and destruction, to a secure city flourishing with life.
To the lion-hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of terrorists who were beheading men, women and children in the streets for many months.
To those who spread smiles on the faces of our children, and gave us restored hope, through their personal sacrifice and brave fighting, and gave new life to the city after hopelessness darkened our days, and stole our confidence in our ability to reestablish our city.
Our city was the main base of operations for Abu Mousab Al Zarqawi. The city was completely held hostage in the hands of his henchmen. Our schools, governmental services, businesses and offices were closed. Our streets were silent, and no one dared to walk them. Our people were barricaded in their homes out of fear; death awaited them around every corner. Terrorists occupied and controlled the only hospital in the city. Their savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpses of children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young...
Or perhaps they could ask the stones at Thermopylae:
Go tell the Spartans
Stranger passing by
That here, obedient to their laws,
we lie
There have always been those who will stop at nothing to prevent the free exercise of democracy. Ironically, amid all the chaos in Iraq, one observer recently remarked that Iraq has "the freest press on the planet". What we're still working on is security, but that will come. In an increasingly borderless world, it is simply that the lines that used to separate nation from nation and combatant from innocent civilian are swiftly dissolving. But some things are still crystal clear to those in the line of fire.
Or at least the Mayor of Tal Afar seems to think so.
Update: Here is a nice tribute to military wives from Major Mike: They Also Served. It is particularly touching as his first wife Marilynn succumbed to breast cancer in 1988. He has our deepest condolences. A few years back when my husband was in Fallujah for a brief hop, I had a bit of a brush with that ailment myself. Luckily it turned out to be a false alarm. Get yourself checked, ladies.
Posted by Cassandra at July 14, 2006 08:54 AM
Comments
God bless you for this column, Cassandra. It put into words what I've been trying to articulate to my young friends for some time.
I'm retired Navy, and I have a son who was a sniper with the 82nd Airborne in the first Gulf War. He would like to go back into service, but has had heart problems off and on since he left service. I suspect he breathed some of those non-existent chemical weapons they destroyed after taking Khalil airfield from the Iraqis back then.
Posted by: R. Goodson at July 14, 2006 11:17 AM
test
Posted by: word warrior at July 14, 2006 11:27 AM
Don't.
Posted by: Cassandra at July 14, 2006 11:30 AM
Cass,
I am looking for a forum to post a report of my experience trolling at protein wisdom. [Ed. Note: this part of Deb's comment has temporarily been placed in abeyance due to a concern a reader expressed that it might further inflame the controversy. I am not sure I agree with this concern, but I am not all-wise and all-knowing. As much as I HATE censoring anything, in the interests of generating less heat and more light, I'm taking it out until I've had a chance to reflect. My site, my call, don't like it, but sometimes we have to make command decisions. Cass ]
This was a learning opportunity for the rough n tumble blogosphere.
In this case, I was publicly humiliated by having the story on the front page of the Arizona Daily Star, the local Tucson paper. My boss was called by 300 people. My picture was posted on websites. My home address was also.
This is not fair fighting. It wasn't Protein Wisdom that escalated the battle - it was BlackFive that did it. S/he posted my boss' contact info. Not to mention my home address for a while. BlackFive's an a-hole.
My deed was dishonorable - joking about the demise of a toddler. My ephing bad. But the dishonorable behavior of Jeff Goldstein, his anklebiters, BlackFive and even the Ace of Spades needs to be acknowledged.
I am wondering if you would consider hostessing a discussion about the incident here at Villanous Company.
Peace.
Deb
[Another Ed Note: It has come to my attention through another venue that it may not have been Blackfive, but one of his co-bloggers, who posted the things Deb is objecting to. I did not have time to check on her allegations yesterday. I do not intend to get drawn into this. I have a demanding FT job and a life, and I can't afford to visit the many sites involved and Google everyone's posts and comments to see who is right and who is wrong. I am not a judge. I am just me. And Matt (Blackfive) is a friend. The only reason I didn't reflexively jump to his defense yesterday is that I won't even defend a friend until I have the facts. That may be harsh, but it's the way I am.]
Posted by: word warrior at July 14, 2006 11:39 AM
Don't what? Sorry - didn't see your message until I posted.
Posted by: word warrior at July 14, 2006 11:40 AM
Cassie meant don't "test" her Deb. Not on this post of all posts. There is a limit unto which our souls will tolerate dissent and trolling. Calling folks like Matt at B5 an a**hole is not a good start. Considering he is a friend. This post is not the place for that anyway. You can contact Cassie directly through her e-mail link if you care to discuss your woes.
Did you even read this post?
Just curious!
OK Sugar Britches, you've made me blubber again. That is not supposed to be a retro-Neanderthal thing to do! Not much time right now but I've opened a Word file. And we all know how scary that can be. I'll try to find some time to write out what I am feeling this evening. It is so hard to write about and you know how that goes.
You're one hellova' woman Cassie! Damn fine post!
Posted by: JarheadDad at July 14, 2006 12:05 PM
Ms. Frisch, please - just let it drop.
Cassandra has a beautiful, poignant, and moving post here, and it deserves our respectful commentary. Cass knows how much I love our troops: their honor, their valor, their common decency amazes and humbles me regularly. I struggle to find the words and paint the picture of these glorious men and women, and Cass speaks for me.
Let us love and honor these brave men and women as THEY wish us to, and not according to how WE think it ought to be done. Let us remember the fallen with the grave reverence and respect they earned at such a terrible price. Let us share the grief of their families and friends, and do all we can to cherish and comfort them.
Let us put aside our petty bickering, and focus on true heroes. As Philippians 4:8 says,
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."
Thank you, Cassandra. Thanks for finding the words, and for letting us read them.
-- Kat
www.CatHouseChat.com
Posted by: Kat at July 14, 2006 12:24 PM
Ahem!
Posted by: Propriety at July 14, 2006 12:27 PM
Any one who can not be roused to a noble cause after hearing King Henry V give the St. Crispin's Day speech, from the Shakespeare play of the same name, is dead in his soul.
Posted by: Jeff Crump at July 14, 2006 12:50 PM
Beautiful post. Once again, you made me cry before I'd had my coffee. There ae so many young men and women like Christine and Joshua, just 17 and 18, who step up to take on the responsibility of protecting and defending those who often don't deserve it, who seek to make a positive difference, who look out at a waiting world rather than inward . . . this is America at her finest. I am so proud of them and every teen who step onto yellow footprints as the first step in giving back to their country. It isn't blind patriotism or jingoism or escaping poverty - it's knowing that this country is worth defending, that they can make a difference and being willing to do so so that others can follow their different dreams. And they so deserve to be honored for that choice. Thank you for writing this.
Posted by: Deb at July 14, 2006 01:01 PM
DebF:
You and I know each other's hearts, I think :)
I meant, don't test me. Not here.
Posted by: Cassandra at July 14, 2006 01:02 PM
Anytime, sweetie.
You give Shane a big hug (though he'll probably try to escape it!) from me. There is so little we can do to pay these men back.
Posted by: Cassandra at July 14, 2006 01:05 PM
Beautiful Post Cass
Posted by: Jane at July 14, 2006 01:07 PM
I tell you what Deb.
Email me privately, OK?
I don't want to have that issue conflated with this one.
Let's talk privately. My address is in the sidebar.
Posted by: Cassandra at July 14, 2006 01:13 PM
Cassandra,
Your post was beautiful and touching. Allow me to pass on some wisdom from another Marine wife, my mother.
My father I recently put to rest in Arlington. My bedridden mother could not attend, but during his 30 years in the Corps,she had many unhappy occasions to make the walk with the Chaplain to the door of a new widow,unknowing she was but knowing the protocol,knowing. This occured through three wars WWII,Korea, and Vietnam. In each my father had a command position so the job fell to her. Many times it was a best friend, the hardest test. She hated each one but she was a Marine wife and knew her duty.
As I grew to manhood and joined the Corps I asked her how she managed to handle it without breaking down. Her answer wasn't poetic or profound but so real world as to be shocking.
"Son, you just have to suck it up. What I do is nothing to what they do. Thank God for their bravery. I can do no less"
Cass, it is hard and God bless you for your courage.
Semper Fi
Posted by: Habu_1 at July 14, 2006 02:18 PM
Hey, I am the biggest wimp in the world. I used to feel hard and cold because I didn't cry in public, but I cry like a baby in private. But that's one of the reasons I don't go to church - I can't. For some reason, it makes me cry.
There are other reasons that I am a loyal patron of St. Mattress-upon-Springs each Sunday. I also have issues with authority, for instance :)
Your Mom sounds like a wonderful lady.
Posted by: Cassandra at July 14, 2006 02:39 PM
And I agree with what your Mom said about the bravery of others. That has gotten me through many a tough moment.
Posted by: Cassandra at July 14, 2006 02:40 PM
Cassandra,
In 1984 I retired from the Air Force with over 21 years of service. I was in support - Russian language radio intercept, budget and accounting officer, auditor - even my additional duty job as a Nuclear/Biological/Chemical Warfare Defense Officer was not frontline service. My oldest son is about to complete 20 years in the Army, with time in Haiti, and almost a year in Iraq.
We both served this wonderful country, and we're proud we could serve. I would do it all over again, and give thanks for the opportunity.
But I would also like to pay homage to the ones who also serve, our wives, families, and children, and for that I am using my late first wife Marilynn as a symbol for them all.
Another way of serving your country. Her story: They Also Served
Posted by: Major Mike at July 14, 2006 02:44 PM
Moving post, Cass. Good call on the Ed. hold on a comment above.
Posted by: Mark at July 14, 2006 08:03 PM
I'm the reader that interviewed Christine and Joshua. I met them at my Cousin's high school graduation party in Bethlehem, PA. When they showed up, they walked in holding hands and looked like any other high school couple. He's about 5'6" and built like a lightweight wrestler and she's about 5'3" with a slim athletic build. Neither appeared behemouth-like or gregarious in manner. In fact there was a quiet strength about them and they looked everybit like a serene caring couple.
My cousin introduced them to me and said, "This is Josh and Chrissy, they're both going into the Marines". That sentence made my head snap... I went from casual greeting, to suddenly feeling like I was in the presense of two extremely special people.
Tou should have seen Chrissy's face, her eyes, they BEAMED with pride. She wears glasses and has long wavy dark hair, and her face was just glowing with pride for what she is about to become.
We talked for a while and I told them how great is was that they were going into the Marines and how rare is was that BOTH of them were going in. I must have said, "We're so proud of you about 10 times". Anyway, as I drove home I couldn't get them out of my mind and decided I would try to interview them and see if I could get someone to blog it because I think it's a story that others might like to hear.
I called my cousin the next day and she gave me their phone numbers and I called Chrissy and she agreed to the interview and I did it right then because Josh just happened to be visiting her. I told them their story was amazing and that it might inspire others and Josh said it was "okay".
I have to tell you, both of them are quiet soft-spoken mature young people. Josh is very polite, almost shy. Chrissy is a tad more comfortable talking, definitely the more outgoing of the two.
As I write this, she has been in Paris Island for about 5 days nows. Her long "wait" is over and her dream is becomming a reality. I emailed Josh to see how he was doing and he told me she missed her original flight (last Sunday) but she has arrived at boot camp. He said, "I am sad but it’s a new chapter in both our lives and hey, time apart only makes the heart fonder."
Even though I'm retired Navy, I've always had an affinity for Marines and I've had a few beers with many, most recently at Fleet Week in NYC about 6 weeks ago. I can tell you that they are without a doubt, the FINEST PATRIOTS we have.
I go to bed every night thinking of how truly blessed our country is to have such volunteers step forward and do this unimaginable task FOR US, their fellow citizens.
We are so indebted to them. Many that I speak to just got home from Iraq and all I can say is how amazing they all are. The sacrifices they so willingly make. They are the very best. And not just the Marines, but all our Troops, our Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen, Guardsmen, Coast Guard. Thank You Troops and Thank You Military Families - you make us all proud.
I am so grateful to Cassandra for the beautiful way she shared their story. Thanks so much.
Posted by: Richard Davis at July 14, 2006 09:50 PM
Thanks for sharing the additional details :)
I am always a bit overzealous about guarding the privacy of anyone who sends me stories. I prefer to let them share such details, if they want to, and it's wonderful if they don't mind! I admit to being a privacy freak, but you can't take things back.
Maybe some day I will write about graduations at Parris Island. They are something special. I have three years worth of memories :)
Posted by: Cass at July 14, 2006 09:56 PM
Great post, Cassandra.
Deb, your 15 minutes are up.
Posted by: Enough at July 15, 2006 10:14 AM
> That is the spirit that won at Agincourt, not some overblown flight of rhetoric.
Ah, yes, Cass, but sometimes that rhetoric can inspire the spirit of which you speak, can bring it to full flame that can cast shadows in the brightest day...
Posted by: OhBloodyHell at July 15, 2006 01:38 PM
> Anyone who thinks President Bush doesn't understand the grief of military families does not comprehend how many times he has seen the faces of wives, mothers, children of our fallen soldiers, sailors and marines as they struggle to contain their loss.
But he hasn't yet known the horror of seeing Cindy's fugly mug yet AGAIN.
I mean, if that wouldn't turn him to stone, what would?
Posted by: OhBloodyHell at July 15, 2006 01:41 PM
- To "that person". Anything short of true remorse for those you have wronged, not the least of these, an innocent 2 year old child, will cause you to "own" your mistakes that much more. The only workable path is to accept, atone, and mistake no more.
"...No...tis no...For our troubles reside not with our stars dear Anthony....but thus, in harsher truth, clearly within ourselves..." - the soliloquies of Ceasar
- Cass. Trouble yourself not. Your posts show a beauty, and truth, that can come only from the heart. Wonderful writing, as expressed, and awash in lessons, that those that will listen should never forget.
Posted by: Big Bang Hunter at July 15, 2006 02:24 PM
"another from a dear friend whose son has survived three combat tours sent all too familiar tears coursing down my face."
I do not know anyone with family members fighting in the war on terror, but your message resonates with me. I was stalked for four days in a metaphorical war in the blogosphere. The fear and stress and the ripple effects to family and friends in my case was short-lived and mostly white-collar threats. I really cannot wrap my mind around being 24 and in a real war zone.
These people will never be the same. Children of soldiers will never experience their parents 100% whole. This is cruel punishment to the children of the men and women brave and honorable enough to volunteer to defend our country.
War is hell. 4 day virtual war is hell. I really cannot absorb what it would be like to be sent to a war zone three times. Leave your wife and children three times. See the grief and fear and sadness and resolve on their faces three times.
This is crazy.
My agenda is not to inflame. I am not a troll here at VC, I am a fellow word warrior on the other moonbat side of the aisle. I honor and respect Cass as a word warrior, the most honorable and eloquent on the right that I have yet to meet.
Peace,
Deb
Posted by: word warrior at July 15, 2006 02:37 PM
You were not stalked, you were exposed. Faux victimhood will not gain you approbation. Using someone else's forum for your perfidy, I will not assist in.
Liberty
Bang
Posted by: Big Bang Hunter at July 15, 2006 02:49 PM
Deb:
Thanks. As I've said before, I may not always understand you, but I'm not judge and jury.
Please, please, please let's not go there, OK guys?
Since setting up VC, I have tried to make this a place where we can discuss ideas without getting into it. That is all I have ever been interested in.
Trolling makes that extraordinarily difficult. And fighting does too, although I understand there has been provocation. And this thread is about the war, not about the PW/Frisch controversy.
For that reason, and for that reason only, I will delete any further off topic comments. I hope that is crystal clear. I have limits.
Posted by: Cass at July 15, 2006 03:05 PM
[Ed. note: deleted. Off topic comment. I really do not like doing this. There was really nothing objectionable about this, except that I had just finished saying I would delete off-topic comments and I am a woman of my word.
Cass]
Posted by: Dana at July 15, 2006 03:14 PM
Cassandra,
Clever insight into Agincourt.
This war has been brought into sharp relief by recent events, and I do not lose hope precisely because of a Marine--my ex-next-door neighbor.
I'd only ever had a chance to wave to him in his mom's backyard before he departed for Iraq. After two weeks there, an IED flipped his Humvee and sent him home in a coma with all four limbs damaged. The doctors in Rammstein and Bethesda chose to keep him in a coma, so his mother told us.
Once he arrived in San Antonio, he faced a surgery every other week on average, forty in all, for more than a year. His mom keep us informed on her infrequent trips home. He had many setbacks with skin grafts failing and skin and bone infections.
After a year-and-a-half ordeal, I saw him again in his mom's yard. I went over to shake his hand. The man I met was keen and confident, without regrets, hopeful that, despite his prosthetic leg, he'd be allowed to continue on his mission, but otherwise prepared to meet life head-on if denied.
Unbowed. Unconquered. Unwavering in his willingness to sacrifice to bring a better life to a people so downtrodden and oppressed that most may never be able to view his efforts with appreciation.
I wasn't all that impressed with our military in the 70s and 80s. The one we have now is awesome. This fall, my boys will be 18, 20 and 24. They are pursuing visions that don't include military service, but they know that if this gets bigger, they may be needed.
PS: HVES??
Posted by: Charlie at July 15, 2006 04:43 PM
Sorry :) Half vast editorial staff - a phrase brazenly ripped off from our blog father, Scott Ott.
Posted by: Cass at July 15, 2006 04:56 PM
Half Vast Editorial Staff Charlie. That would of course be a staff of one woman of semi-sound mind but well figured body! heh!
Sorry, since spd declared jihad on the Oink Cadre to save the honor, and chastity, of his four female household someone had to step into the breach! ;-)
OK, deletion time! The one thing that is proven time and again from people with Deb's mindset can be summed up in this statement: " I really cannot absorb what it would be like to be sent to a war zone three times." Of course troops are "sent" to wherever the military needs them but the part that some cannot seem to grasp is that these young men and women SIGNED UP for this duty. They knew full well what they were getting into but sacrifice anyway. Yes, they do so for God, Country, Mom, and Apple Pie but when the s**t hits the fan they are there for each other and each other only. Politics be damned when the bullets start flying. There is nothing in this life that is more noble than the sacrifice these folks make for each other and on behalf their Country.
I wonder why some just can't seem to understand this motivation. This desire to serve something bigger than themselves. I wonder just what it is some folks will be willing to lay down their lives for if not for the good of the American Way or for a brother/sister in arms. This lack of understanding is foreign to some of us and just something we do not comprehend. Is it from geographics? Parental teachings? Family history? Whatever it is Thank God for those that do understand what sacrifice means!
The trials and tribulations these heroes go through is nightmarish yet they face it with a courage that is true to the American race since our founding. There is an undeniable rightness to their service for something so grand as an idea of freedom. The innate ability to suffer for something that is so basic a human right is nothing short of amazing. To do so while being derided, lied about, with critical intel being given to their very enemies, and a MSM that would prefer those enemies is just borderline fantastic. Without complaint. Without recognition as in wars past. There are no national heroes born on the battlefields of today's wars because it is a politically incorrect concept. Nay, they don't do what they do for that bulls**t anyway. They do it for themselves, each other, and to preserve something their forefathers believed in enough to do the same.
If we ever get back to teaching history again in this country these young men and women will finally be celebrated for what is they were, are, and will be. The face of today's hero does not run around on a sports field somewhere but instead is a face looking back at you from war and so young it makes you humble. That young face is dealing with it all in lands so far from anything they've ever known or experienced. With honor, compassion, dignity. Those young faces that look at you with eyes old from death but still clear. Still looking at life through hope and determination. No, you won't make these young folks bend to any form of derision. They will look you in the eye and tell you with all due respect to go pound sand!
These are my heroes. These are my American Idols. These are the young men and women I love. God Bless 'Em!
Posted by: JarheadDad at July 15, 2006 05:15 PM
Yes its very sad to hear about the fallen but its also very angering to read that Bush lied and lied and lies again and throws away their lives with his lies and arrogance. We have found no WMDS, no connection to international terrorism on the part of Iraq and contrary to what Bush says the US and IAEC were actively inspecting Iraq before he launched this unwinnable war. Bush father knew better but Bush talks to god!!!.. the god that tells him to lie and kill and keep spinning the truth. This ignorant photo op man ought to really be impeached for the death and destruction he has caused and all his empty platitudes and photo ops cant hide his arrogant disregard for our fighting men and women. I have seen all this before and that is why I and millions like me are so angry.
Vietnam Era Vet. who knows that true patriots who REALLY care about our military and our country want Bush removed the sooner the better. WAKE UP AMERICA!!
Posted by: Charlie at July 16, 2006 10:28 AM
...true patriots who REALLY care about our military and our country want Bush removed the sooner the better.
25 years as an Army aviator, including Viet Nam, now retired, but still wide awake. Guess I don't qualify as one of your "true patriots" Charlie because I couldn't disagree more with virtually all of your unsubstantiated, exagerated nonsense. It also seems to me you're characteristically off topic.
This thread isn't about your deep hatred of GWB. It's about the brave young men and women of whom we have every reason to be very proud. May God bless and protect them all even as they "stand on the wall" in far away places for us.
Posted by: Harry Arthur at July 16, 2006 12:04 PM
JarheadDad, your comments are absolutely right on the mark. Well said! I couldn't agree more.
Posted by: Harry Arthur at July 16, 2006 12:09 PM
Cure BDS in our lifetime.
Dig deep folks. The time is now.
Posted by: March of Dimes at July 16, 2006 12:21 PM
Cass said:
"Hey, I am the biggest wimp in the world. I used to feel hard and cold because I didn't cry in public, but I cry like a baby in private. But that's one of the reasons I don't go to church - I can't. For some reason, it makes me cry.
There are other reasons that I am a loyal patron of St. Mattress-upon-Springs each Sunday. I also have issues with authority, for instance :)"
Cass, you are a character. I claim hyperbole by the author in re "wimp". Thanks for a light moment in an otherwise emotion filled post. For the record, there wasn't a dry eye among those with a soul who read the post.
The Henry IV, V plays are my favorite in all Shakespeare. The bard is immortal, if sometimes flamboyant. A link to the Saint Crispens Day speach is provided below.
http://www.chronique.com/Library/Knights/crispen.htm
A link to "The Phoenix and Turtle", long used to torment students of English literature, is perhaps the finest poem in the English language. I think it is appropriate remembrance of love and death. Ye Gads, I'm getting morbid! BTW turtle = turtle dove. Compare it to the terse epitaph of the Spartans at Thermopylae.
http://www.online-literature.com/shakespeare/334/
Look for my upcoming book, "The Ultimate HTML Incompetent", by Mark. You forced me to figure out how to make paragraphs, or post a mess!
I am in need of an explanation of spd's jihad against the Oink Cadre. Thanks.
Posted by: Mark at July 16, 2006 03:14 PM
If you ever can come up with anything that explains mr rdr, you will have my lifelong gratitude...
And likely, his :)
*running away*
Posted by: Cassandra at July 16, 2006 03:22 PM
FWIW, mr rdr is well aware that he can get away with just about anything around here.
Which is, itself, I suppose an explanation.
*sigh*
Posted by: Cassandra at July 16, 2006 03:24 PM
Good Morning,
My name is Nancy Szwydek, and I am the PROUD Marine Mom of LcPL Steven Szwydek that you put on your web site. Thank you. My son truly believed in his mission in Iraq, and knew the risks of being there. He believed in freedom and died for the freedom of others. We too, have the same belief that Steven had, and support the efforts to defeat terrorism. Any American should recognize that these efforts are necessary to protect the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States. If the terrorists are not defeated, it's only a matter of time before we are attacked AGAIN. We honor our son and all fallen heroes by continuing this fight. We live with pride in knowing that our son died for a great cause. Thank you for caring.
Posted by: Nancy Szwydek at July 19, 2006 11:59 AM
Ma'am:
I am so honored, and very much humbled, to have you comment here.
We are not worthy.
Posted by: Cassandra at July 19, 2006 12:27 PM
You may also want to read the series of posts and the dozens of comments I received about Amanda Pinson, an American girl next-door, who became a hero in Iraq.
http://northshorejournal.org/index.php/category/military/amanda-pinson/
I was moved to tears by the comments of her friends and the soldier she served with in Iraq.
Posted by: Chuck Simmins at July 19, 2006 04:26 PM
Dear Mrs Nancy Szwydek,
Your beloved Marine Son, Steven, is a hero. Words cannot express my heartfelt sorrow and appreciation of the sacrifice he made for our country.
Steven must have been such a terrific guy to make such an impression on young Jamie. Thank God Steven stepped forward and volunteered to fight against the terrorists for the rest of us. We can't "wish" the terrorists away, they have to be searched for, found and destroyed. And only the best men and women in America understand this and are willing to take on this mission.
Your son did the job he was asked to do, he was a proud Marine and he fought hard to keep us free.
Thank you and the rest of your family for raising such a patriotic young man. Guys like Steven are our greatest patriots and we will never forget him.
Posted by: Richard Davis at July 19, 2006 05:55 PM