Wounded Kansas City Iraq veteran Tomas Young chooses to end his struggle

[proud2BlibKansan]

It's about time our KC media gave Tomas any coverage at all. Their failure to tell his home community his story has been absolutely appalling.

The Kansas City Star

Tomas Young has been fighting for the last nine years, fighting his government, fighting the Veterans Administration and fighting his own war.

But soon the struggle will be over. The Kansas City man who was paralyzed from the chest down by a sniper’s bullet during the Iraq war is now in hospice care and preparing to die.

Sometime in the next few weeks, after he has said all his goodbyes, he intends to refuse nourishment, water and life-extending medication. He expects his 33-year life to be over a few days after that.

“Because I’m tired,” Young explained this week from his bed. “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.”


Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/03/20/4132153/wounded-kansas-city-iraq-veteran.html#storylink=cpy

[evlbstrd]

1. I'm so sad to see this.

What a senseless loss.

[AndyA]

2. Support the troops!

This is one of the things about "conservative" Republicans I wish everyone would throw back in their faces. They want to protect unborn fetuses, but they don't want to do anything for them later.

They'll make sure they can't be aborted, but when it comes to education, health care, being loved, etc., they couldn't care less. If they make it to the age where they can go off to fight a war based on lies, that's great, but if they come home injured, jobless, homeless, or all of the above, too bad.

Sending good thoughts to Tomas, it's a national disgrace that we haven't taken better care of him. He did what he was supposed to do, and the powers that be in the country that he fought for have turned their back on him.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Check out the comments following that story

Last edited Wed Mar 20, 2013, 02:02 PM - Edit history (1)

Some are downright sickening.

[AndyA]

4. Yeah, I read some of them. They are sickening.

These right wingers are truly ignorant, incapable of learning the facts, or so full of hate and bigotry that they don't care what the facts are, or so greedy that they have no empathy or compassion for others.

They probably go to church on Sunday and pray for forgiveness, then do it all over again the following week, thinking their souls are safe.

Love how they want to blame it on Hillary Clinton. As a Senator, she had access to the same classified info as the President? Really? Where do they come up with this bull crap? (Likely Faux News, the hate jocks, etc.)

I wish someone could convince Tomas that he needs to live and serve as an example of what Bushco's war has done to this country. I know he's in pain and I can't imagine what his life must really be like, but I wish he'd hang in there and live to see justice served to those who lied to get us into war. That seems like an impossibility now, but if enough people change their attitudes, you never know.

Very disturbing story, and he's a very brave man. An American hero who should be honored and respected for his service to his country.

[AtheistCrusader]

10. That MikeBeer guy has to be some sort of paid shill.

All he can say is

Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it JOHN KERRY did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it JOHN KERRY did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it Hillary did it

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. He also calls Hillary a cow

Let's hope his ass gets tossed out for that sexist crap.

[John2]

12. Why does the story

of this injustice have to end with his Death? Why not as a martyr. I think his last letter should be sent also to President Obama and all those in Congress by his supporters. Anybody who was for that illegal War is culpable. It should be used as a lesson because this will happen again if the Congress continues on the present course with its Foreign Policy. Out of all those complaints, no one mentions in influence of our Foreign Policy decisions by Foreign countries and organizations. No one mentions the influence of the Israeli prime minister and Chalabi's influence to the U.S. Congress. I sincerely believe that many on the Democratic side was influenced by Domestic Politics and not being seen weak on Israel's security. Netanyahu idolizes Hillary Clinton in the U.S. media. I wonder why. Tomas is a true American, that was dedicated to his country. Our Government failed him, just like they are failing us today. We should be their primary concern and not any other country. The Debate over these so called Entitlements and a huge Defense budget to secure other countries illustrates what they think is more important. It is not the American people, but maintaining their empire. President Obama and Congress has no Constitutional right to tie a Foreign country's security to ours. They do not speak for me and I will not die, giving up my life for that purpose. It is exactly what happened or about to happen to this 33 year old man.

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Tomas has always supported the war in Afganistan.

He didn't support the invasion of Iraq, where he was injured.

I feel fairly certain that's why he's never connected President Obama to his stance against the war on Iraq.

[defacto7]

6. Yeah. Sometimes the Internet community just sucks.

The Internet comment boards create their own wars not so much different than the real ones only they are anonymous and use psychological guerilla tactics. It's trolls vs. the vigilantism. The few in the middle either don't survive by elimination or blow to one side or the other.

When someone comes along with a truly human and important message like Tomas Young it isn't long before the worst of humanity sticks in its claw.

[liberal_at_heart]

5. yet another example of how conservatives are not pro-life

[Initech]

7. Nope, they are not. In any way shape or form.

They worship the fetus but when injured soldiers like Mr. Young return home they look the other way and say it was "the lord's doing. Right." George Carlin was right - conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers.

[AtheistCrusader]

9. Support the Troops! - Indict Bush/Cheney.

[Initech]

8. I really hope Young gets to see justice served.

It's not right that he's suffering while the BFEE gets to roam free and George Bush gets to paint puppies in his retirement. They should be serving time for the Profit Wars, they should be serving time for unchecked torture and aggression. But nope. This country and the right wing, one day all of these criminals will get caught.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

11. At least asshole got a photo op out of the deal.

[Jim__]

13. I wish there were a less painful way for him to die.

Refusing nourishment, water and medication sounds like it will be painful.

[libodem]

22. Hi Jim

I have provided quite a bit of hospice care to dying patients, and we let them eat and drink until they couldn't safely swallow any more. Then we did oral care with moistened swabs, about every two hours, when we would turn, reposition, change them, lotion them, rub their backs, and medicate for pain and anxiety. We often had them on oxygen to make breathing easier, not to extend artificially the moment of their death.

At some point they don't wake up fully, for the turning and bathing, and swabbing. They kind of sleep through it.

It is not as painful as it seems. The body shuts down and doesn't want to digest anything. The dehydration is part of the shut down. It is actually cruel to give someone a liter or two of fluid, IV because it could extend the dying process by weeks.

I think the meds he is refusing are the ones like vitamins and zantac, and his regular prescriptions, not the morphine and ativan. Hope his passage is peaceful and sends the message he wants to express.

[Helen Reddy]

23. You are an angel.

No way could I ever be emotionally able to do this. I laud your compassion and humility.

[libodem]

24. It is training like anything else

You just do your best to keep people comfortable while nature takes its course.

Thank you for your kind words.

[Jim__]

30. Thanks. At least that's better than I was thinking it would be. - n/t

[libodem]

31. I didn't want you to worry

Thinking there would be needless suffering. Hospice care does everything possible to keep the client comfortable with as much alertness and awareness for as long as possible. After that it is a twilight sleep, until they pass.

[jeffrey_pdx]

14. He should move to Oregon

We at least allow people the right to die painlessly when they're in a situation like him. Still, he never should have been in this situation in the first place.

[dawnie51]

15. This is the man who was the subject...

of the Phil Donahue documentary Body of War a few years ago. I was blown away by that movie, and it won several awards. His mother was his main caretaker at that time. but she was getting older, and Tomas was sure to become more debilitated. This is so very sad, and in light of all the revisionist history we are being subjected to this week, it makes me so angry I just want to cry. I hate these sons of bitches.

[malaise]

16. Do you think they care

They don't even care about 20 dead children under eight years old - you think they care about the children of the working class and peasantry?

No they defraud the troops with bogus charities and fund their ReTHUG party and buy fast cars and big houses.

Even a mass suicide by the troops won't affect the scumbags - only profit matters.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Of course they don't care.

They're convinced they did the right thing and are too arrogant to admit they made a huge mistake.

[Turbineguy]

19. My Son is 32.

[Marrah_G]

20. We need to start caring for our wounded soldiers

He should not have had to fight the VA or his own government for ANYTHING.

Alll that bullshit "grateful nation" crap we hear from politicians is just that.... bullshit. They don't care about these guys beyond the photo op.

[Laf.La.Dem.]

21. I just sent my RW brother a copy of this man's letter to Bush and Dick.

I know he will tell me he is too busy watching FOX "NEWS" and does not have time to read -
"an open letter to former President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney"

[themaguffin]

26. It took all of 2 or so comments on the kc page for wingnuts to make asses of themselves

fucking pieces of shit

[proud2BlibKansan]

28. They are pretty bad at that site.

Very nasty and hateful.

[KamaAina]

27. And of course he won't be counted as a war casualty

How many more?

[KoKo]

29. Didn't get Enough Coverage!

K&R

[Glimmer of Hope]

32. Heartbreaking. Damn war.