Thank you.

To all the veterans who have served our country, thank you.  It takes a very special person to wear the uniform, and I would like to express my appreciation to all of you, Democrats and Republicans, rich and poor, living and dead.  From the most decorated General to the enlisted men and women who serve barely noticed by most, I thank you. Combat vets and those who keep us secure here at home and across the globe. Those who came back to us whole, and those who never will.

Your courage is inspiring and your service is honored, and today is just a reminder that we should thank you every day for your selflessness and dedication.
 
And thanks to those in Congress who support our veterans through legislation that honors their service by giving back to those who have given so much. 

http://iava.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2089&Itemid=221

On this day, I urge each of you to give back to those who have given so much by donating what you can to a local veterans’ organization. There are so many in need, and it’s time to give back.  Show your support.  Write a check, and put it in the mailbox when you go out this morning to put out your flag or head to the parade. And when you see a veteran today, thank him.  It matters.

Special thanks to a veteran who is near and dear to all of us here.  A decorated combat vet who continues to serve our country with honor by supporting his brothers and sisters in arms, who is willing to continue to fight for our right to dissent, and who stands on principle against those who would silence his voice and ours.

Lt. Kerry, thank you.

Thank you to every active member of our troops and every Veteran as well.

GV,

I’m in tears! Thank you for this special tribute!

Thank you to all our heroes. Thank you Senator Kerry.

I thought this news item should be posted here as well.

More National Guard units may get second tours in Iraq

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/11/iraq.national.guard.ap/index.html

We haven’t heard much from Senator Kerry ever since the smear attack in the last election (out of sight out of mind, comes to thought), and I think a public statement - not just an e-mail from his media relations team - would be something that he should do. Americans are outraged by this war. This Veterans Day is the time for Kerry to start fighting back and begin proving to the Americans who were influenced by the Republican slime machine that John Kerry cares. Staying quiet when this issue is out there does not help anybody. America has spoken and asked for change and now they will listen.

More National Guard units may get second tours in Iraq

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/11/iraq.national.guard.ap/index.html

I found this gem on MichiganLiberal.com.
I think it speaks for all of us. We were talking about this issue at work yesterday.
I cross-posted it in several places so if you already saw it, kindly scroll over it. 
————————————

I always get a lump in my throat when I stand up to sing the Star Spangled Banner, but it often seems as if I’m the only one. The daughter and granddaughter of several of America’s heroes, I believe that to have given all or a part of your life to our country and what it stands for is truly one of the most selfless acts, ever.

My dad is a Vietnam Veteran, and I will never know exactly what he suffered, or how wet a monsoon really is, or how terrifying the jungles appear at night. I couldn’t tell you what it’s like to spend months and years knowing that it could all be over in a flash, sometimes only because you fly a different flag than the guy at the other end of the gun. I don’t know what it’s like to return to a country only a year or two older than when you left but be aged beyond words. But our heroes can - and those who serve even now, will return with their own age spots, both emotional and physical.

On this Veterans Day, I am sad to see how little respect our veterans have been given by the press, by our government, and by the people in general. Just with those who have lost their lives in the last 6 years, it seems as if we’ve swept our heroes under the rug of our daily lives. Now grown men and women have to be told to take their hat off while our anthem plays, and too many still don’t know all the words to the Pledge of Allegiance. I’m tired of patriotism being played as a campaign card when it’s fashionable, and forgotten when it matters most. Our vets are our heroes, those who stand among us with scars that will always linger, and too often, those who are left behind us as we go forward. These men and women deserve so much more than the societal breadcrumbs we throw them when the media spotlight needs a new poster boy or girl.

So how do we honor our veterans and fallen heroes? I think of my dad, and my grandfathers, and I know that the greatest form of respect we can give them is to never, ever forget - what they’ve given, what they endure to this day, and the battle that they face even now, on our own soil, through finances, education, and healthcare. Perhaps we all need to stand as a state and a country, remove our hats, and swallow the collective lump that should form in all of our throats. Wipe the tear that forms in the corner of our eye, and turn to salute our veterans, our heroes. Contrary to what many may think, they are what keeps us great, not the other way around.

I can understand why Senator Kerry might not want to come out swinging at this point. The Democratic Party went along with the swiftboating as did the media. It is my belief that in the end ithe attack on Kerry only further infuriated voters with Bush and his party.

We should all back off.  When I got back from Vietnam in 1970, my father, an eastern liberal, attacked me for serving, as did my order sister and co-workers.

Just last winter my adult son publicly threw in my face that I was a Vietnam Vet, implying that I should be on medication.

Some things just never go away.

This is beautiful, globalvillage: thank you.
For those who might be interested, song was written by John Gorka (he’s not singing it here, though), based on words from an anonymous poem written during WW II. Gorka recorded the song on his CD, “The Company you keep”.

I’ll add my thanks to the veterans, and to Sen. Kerry.

I, too, believe that the spotlight on the subject of Iraq cut through all the petty politicking by Bush, to laser focus on the reasons to give Democrats a chance to stop the madness.

With the voting funny business we know about, and all that we’ll never know, I think we did really well. Due to the focus.

The public still doesn’t know what was really said and meant in the smear, but the Democrats were either nervous over the election or welcomed the opportunity to maneuver for 2008.

This was a smear, which somehow was supposed to nullify this years great speeches the public doesn’t know about, all because Kerry was tired from all the non-stop campaigning, where he omitted the word “us.”

Like commentary from comics and the media machine, generally, saying the Democrats don’t have a plan on Iraq. Dismissing us as a species.

I hope the great Senator from Massachusetts puts himself out there as soon as possible on this issue, when the conversation will surely offer opportunity to rebut the smear.

No one has done more for the troops.

My guess it’s the 2008 question he’s not ready to answer, and not wanting to seem he’s not a team player.

He’s the ultimate team player, in my opinion.

This is a summary of 08 potential candidates.  Looks about right.  Notice that it doesn’t show JK as OUT…just simply down.  Not even down and going out.

Sure it’s a little uphill.  But frankly, it’s now up to John Kerry to get out there and control the message.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/10/AR2006111001344_2.html

I wonder how many times Sen Kerry has called for Rumsfeld to go?  I stopped counting in April, but I know there were these -

9/03,5/6/04,5/13/04,8/04,1/05,10/05,12/05, 4/06

2003!  So, for three years, Sen Kerry has been calling for Rummy to go.  And for three years, bush has allowed Rumsfeld to oversee the needs of our troops, even though he knew he was failing.

Sickening.

I SO agree with you, Tela.

The video so reminds me of the days when my husband was in Vietnam. It’s sad that this is happening all over again, and for a policy that was wrong.

My huband STGCS (retired Navy)would like to say to Senator Kerry : Thank you for your service, and please continue speaking out for all of us active and retired, we need your leadership.

I certainly opened a can of worms upthread, but the stench that is overwhelming to me is the one of big money people who are sweating about supporting Senator Kerry. We (and that includes big money) all know that Senator Kerry was treated unfairly by the media, but hey, that’s politics. I for one however have more respect for Senator Kerry and believe that political ambitions aside, he knows what is right and is not afraid to follow his convictions. Strength of character will lead. Others will follow.

Some people think Senator Kerry is too radioactive and his “negatives” are too high. The Newsweek poll suggested that many people would never consider voting for Senator Kerry. Many of us know better. After the 2004 election, there was an enormous professed disgust of Senator Kerry by the “Deaniancs”. Over time, most of those embittered individuals came to realize that Senator Kerry was doing more to elect Democrats than any other established Democratic politician.

As things stand today, there is an equally large rift forming within the party. Some “liberals” rightly or wrongly believe they were the ones instrumental in getting out the message and the vote, and that their agenda should be made the priority. What is that agenda? For many it is impeachment. I will not make a judgement if they are correct. That is an issue for others to resolve. So how does John Kerry fit into that equation? By taking a principled stand on issues such as health care, Iraq, taxes, energy and civil rights, people will learn he is not using the situation to further his own political goals (no matter what those may be). He thereby gains the respect and admiration of the general populace and the “big money”. By gaining that respect, his support as a Presidential candidate (if that is what he really wants) becomes more assured.

This country needs a leader with conviction of principles. It is starving for that person to become the beacon we can all look to as the guiding force for us. Most in this country know that Senator Kerry was treated unfairly. All he has to do is stand up for what he believes (he has never done any less than that), and America will be grateful that the person who was treated so unfairly is not so embittered to walk away from the country we all love.

If Senator Kerry still has Presidential ambitions, now is the time to let America know. I humbly say that because if he conducts his comments in the way I discussed above, Americans will not view him as political opportunist, but as a man who cares deeply about this country.

After what happened in the last election, we can be assured that no matter what Senator Kerry says in the future, it will be reported. Doubtless there will be those who cynically will accuse him of taking a position only to further his aspirations. Doubtless there will those who will distort his comments. Doubtless there will be those who will make false accusations. But have no doubt about it, there will be many who will respect a man who has the courage of his convictions to step up and offer solutions when he knew the odds were against him.

Politics is fickle, just ask Arnold Schwarzenegger

Pardon me, Kerry is radioactive because the GOP smeared him. Like no one will ever be smeared, but him?

Do we go with whoever the media leaves standing. We have no say?

I think he gets tougher and more driven, to public service, and to undo what was taken from him.

I’d be plenty miffed, too.

Oncall, can you say which money person?

“This country needs a leader with conviction of principles. It is starving for that person to become the beacon we can all look to as the guiding force for us. Most in this country know that Senator Kerry was treated unfairly. All he has to do is stand up for what he believes (he has never done any less than that), and America will be grateful that the person who was treated so unfairly is not so embittered to walk away from the country we all love.”
~~Posted by oncall | November 11, 2006 11:28 PM

As they say, “from your mouth to…”

Oops, my block quote did not come out the way it showed up in the preview.

On another note, Russ Fiengold announced he will not be running for President. He made it clear his affinities do not lay with Hillary Clinton.

oncall,

I wouldn’t put too much stock in those polls since the results also indicated that Al Gore (53%) and Hillary Clinton (45%) had no chance.

A special THANK YOU to Glenn Simpson (aka Klimmer), what you wrote about Senator Kerry is truly on target, we must all keep writting to OUR Senator (President) urging him to keep the pressure on this Bush chaos….we must let Senator Kerry know how strongly we are behind him.  We have to all stand together for change, only Senator Kerry can lead the way, he has been there for US for more years then I care to say and our support is what he needs now….Our troops know his hard work and I only wish they would speak to Senator Kerry for support….Lets’ all remember this day and all those who now serve or have served and pray we can end this chaos soon….Many Thanks…BlueRose….....

Amen to that, BlueRose.

After all, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are still the canonical sine qua non of open-source political operating systems…

but beware of geeks bearing .gif’s,
Otter

Here is some interesting news on this Veterans Day weekend.

Pelosi backs Murtha

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/11/12/pelosi-backs-murtha/

To Swanknight:

I agree with you on the need to apologize for the Americans, such as George Bush, John McCain and Hillary Clinton who missinterpreted Senator Kerry’s joke. The apology though is not for ignorance, but for far baser motives. There is no way anyone who deserved to pass eighth grade English could interpret the remark as the RW did.

As it was, Senator Kerry has been honest and has said it was a botched joke. The joke, as intended, was in the prepared remarks given to the media at the appearance. It was a joke he had successfully told before to college students. He started, in terms that sound like school - you study, prepare, are smart etc and do well- then shifts to Bush - referring to the consequences of not having prepared on Iraq. A sophisticated joke.

But as you point out, the literal interpretation of what he did say (unintentionally) is also true. Without education there are few options. Joke aside, this IS an issue that Senator Kerry has spoken about often in the past.

As long ago as 1993, Senator Kerry explained in a 1993 Senate speech:
“Increasingly freer trade amongst nations means that competition comes from low-wage workers in developing countries, or from high-skilled, highly productive workers in the industrialized countries. The choice is a stark one: either a nation must secure more technology and become more productive or it must underbid all others for labor and other costs. Most countries understand that this is a choice they have to make.

“I submit to you, Mr. President, that this is a choice which we are not making, and the consequence is that the choice is being made for us—toward low costs, leading to the unprecedented wave of downsizing underway in our economy.”

In 2004, Senator Kerry linked the need for alternative fuel, the environment, with creating new technology jobs by putting money into research to create the new energy technology.

On August 2, 2006, Senator Kerry introduced legislation that, if passed would change the corporate tax code to favor producing things in this country - it has been referred to as “export products, not jobs.”

Senator John Kerry is a patriotic American, a distinguished Veteran, and a leader who understands that advancement of his issues and the people who he believes in is more important than his own political future. 

When faced with the chaos that challenging the 2004 election would result, he chose, much to the displeasure of many of his supporters, to accept the results and look to the future.

In 2006, when smeared and convinced that the attention of the press to this contrived attack would reduce the chance of the people he supported getting elected, he chose to throw himself on the political grenade and get it off the evening news. 

However, the time has come to recognize that the job that Senator Kerry set out to accomplish needs his leadership at the helm.  Democrats continue to look for the individual who can capture America’s hopes, understand America’s fears, and look to America’s future.  That person is Senator John Kerry!

Senator Kerry is now the dark horse of the race.  As a reputation as “come from behind” Kerry, this is nothing new and not anything that should discourage the Massachusetts Senator. 

No Senator Kerry this is not about you alone.  This is about the country that still finds itself in a war of choice that we entered on “fixed facts”.  We find ourself with a President who is prepared to start other wars to keep attention off his own failures.  We find ourselves struggling under massive deficits and still ignoring the threat of global warming.

And yes, we now find ourselves with Democrats controlling both houses of Congress; and your efforts during this off-year election should not be forgotten.  Especially your efforts to support Veterans in elections. 

So when people talk about ‘supporting our troops’, they should think of the work that Senator Kerry has accomplished throughout his career.  He was instrumental in helping end the Vietnam engagement, and there is nothing more important in supporting soldiers than working to end the unnecessary death and injury to thousands of brave young men and women.

He is working to get us out of Iraq today.  Our involvement makes terrorism worse and there is no reason for us to be in the middle of a civil war where no side truly represents the values that we hold in America, no matter how the Republicans would like to spin the facts. 

Thank you Senator Kerry!  And let us all be thankful for your work on behalf of all of the men and women in uniform, and all of the veterans who have returned from conflicts.

Robert Freedland
John Kerry for President 2008

I love Mark Barrett and I don’t care who knows it. And I also love GV’s video.

Good work.