General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forumsmylye2222
(2,992 posts)riverwalker
(8,694 posts)Three beautiful words.
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts)!!
DesertDiamond
(1,616 posts)Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)And I'm sorry these asswipe reich-wing talking heads are tearing you apart WITHOUT HEARING YOUR SIDE.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)mylye2222
(2,992 posts)Anf F..... REICH FAUXUNEWS AND CO
mbperrin
(7,672 posts)My sentiments exactly.
csziggy
(34,137 posts)WillyT
(72,631 posts)sarge43
(28,945 posts)Thank you
Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)Welcome back. Stay safe, enjoy your reunion with family and friends.
klook
(12,165 posts)Best wishes to Sgt. Bergdahl, his family and friends, and his hometown supporters who've stood behind him the whole time.
Note: "Soldier, We Love You" is the title of a Vietnam-era song by Rita Martinson, now censored on YouTube but featured on the soundtrack of the documentary Sir! No Sir!
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)raging moderate
(4,308 posts)Don't worry about the crazy rantings of the Fox News crowd. This is just what they have been doing, more and more, since we elected an African-American President. While you have been gone, they have become crazier and crazier, looking for excuses to vent their rage. Don't worry, soon they will seize on some other crazy obsession.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)is hell.
AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Bettie
(16,125 posts)Sorry some people are such assholes.
Hoping you can enjoy time with your family and heal from this.
IrishAyes
(6,151 posts)Due to other pressing life matters, I've been zipping in and out of DU for awhile. So glad I caught your post.
This poor guy has suffered enough, and I'm outraged by the holier-than-thou offal spewed by 'the usual suspects'. One thing I've learned through extensive reading on the subject is that Beau had actually been in another branch of the military - Navy, I think - and was discharged due to emotional issues. But this brave and conscientious young man was determined to serve, and against all decent consideration the Army actually took him because they were so damned determined to supply bodies for the infamous surge. The fact that Bowe buckled under the pressure and left his post is more the fault of the military than his own. I don't mean it in any degrading way, but due to stress he was clearly 'unfit for duty'.
While I've never actually served in the military myself - how many 5' old ladies do you know who have? - I spent the vast majority of my life in and among military folks and their families as an Army brat and later career Army man's wife. So I have at least some understanding of what really goes on. Anyone who thinks of PTSD as a fairly recent phenomenon needs a good history lesson, and also should watch John Huston's documentary 'Let There Be Light' a few dozen times until the lesson sinks in.
Let me tell you something else I know as fact from numerous first hand accounts: A lot of the much-ballyhoo'd 'greatest generation' committed war atrocities with impunity. If a grunt cut loose and mowed down a few prisoners of war, it was winked at. Now I'm not preaching pacifism (noble as the thought is) and I don't think for one second Hitler would've played nice if people had just treated him better. But sweeping the worst of our own behavior under the rug won't do any good either.
So I can feel for Bowe even while acknowledging that his judgment failed him that night. Or maybe it didn't entirely either. Walking off base at night straight into the hands of the enemy was a regrettable way of addressing a matter of consience. He would've been better off simply reporting to his officers that he could no longer fill his post. But then it's easier for me sitting here in old age, comfort and safety to see that; as a matter of course, someone in great prolonged mental anguish is by definition less capable of their better judgment. Nobody has any right to crucify this young man at all.
libodem
(19,288 posts)Welcome home.
calimary
(81,466 posts)Whatever they might try to say about you, one thing is clear. YOU WENT - where the chickenhawks feared to tread, even though they sure talked like a bunch o' tuff stuff.
Hell Hath No Fury
(16,327 posts)I hope both you and your family find peace.
randys1
(16,286 posts)johnny156
(21 posts)Its been a long five years, welcome home!!
Gothmog
(145,554 posts)Thank you for your service
ChazInAz
(2,572 posts)riqster
(13,986 posts)liberal from boston
(856 posts)Welcome Home Sgt. Bergdahl!!! You and your wonderful family are in our prayers
N_E_1 for Tennis
(9,778 posts)I hope for some kinda peace for you and your family.
nolabear
(41,991 posts)Zambero
(8,968 posts)Wishing you happier times ahead with your family and the many, many friends and supporters in your community of Hailey.
Tree-Hugger
(3,370 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)alsame
(7,784 posts)healing to you and your family.
FairWinds
(1,717 posts)People don't seem to "get" that in war emotional injuries are just as common as physical ones.
In VFP we have a lot of experience dealing with the heavy psychological costs of war.
Many of us, in fact, joined VFP as part of our therapy.
Here is part of the Veterans for Peace statement on Sgt. Bergdahl,
delivered by Gerry Condon at the National Press Club, June 10, 2014
"We love you, Sgt. Bergdahl. We have great respect for you and your wonderful family. We are happy that you will be reunited soon!
Veterans For Peace also has a message for President Obama:
Mr. President, I am speaking for thousands of veterans from too many wars. We want you to bring ALL the troops home from Afghanistan! Bring them home now, and take good care of them when they get here.
And Mr. President, it is time to release all the prisoners of war from Guantanamo. End the torture, Shut Down Guantanamo now!
The American people are tired of war. We are ready to live in peace."
- See more at: http://www.veteransforpeace.org/our-work/position-statements/veterans-peace-statement-welcoming-home-sgt-bowe-bergdahl/#sthash.TceOVTuN.dpuf
Hekate
(90,793 posts)They are wonderful people -- I knew that if anyone would understand, they would.
LoisB
(7,231 posts)iamthebandfanman
(8,127 posts)him something from DU to let im know not everyone in this country is bat shit crazy and full of hate..
I was always so moved by the outpour of folks back when we used to send flowers to Helen Thomas for doing her job..
I think someone like mr bergdahl could seriously use some group love after all the nastiness people are putting out
SunSeeker
(51,698 posts)sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)place to HELP the people of Afghanistan, not to abuse or exploit them. For having the compassion to care about one dead Afghan child. And for for having the intelligence to question why you were lied to and to live by your conscience.
If we had more like him, this would be a very different world.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)I think it very interesting that those posters that post in every hate Snowden and/or Greenwald thread, avoid threads like this like the plague. They also avoid all threads on the TPP, fracking, the Patriot Act, etc. You must admit that is a strong ideology where they all seem to agree 100% with each other. Some here have hinted that it's coordinated but I dont agree. That's too conspiratorial and we know they hate conspiracy theories.
To be clear I dont have a problem with this. To each his own and all that liberal schtuff. Just very curious.
MsLeopard
(1,265 posts)And,yes, thank you for your service.
tavalon
(27,985 posts)May your scars from war fade eventually.
Iwillnevergiveup
(9,298 posts)sent your way, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. We're glad you're back. Welcome home, soldier.
hue
(4,949 posts)Raine
(30,540 posts)BootinUp
(47,187 posts)Hekate
(90,793 posts)sheshe2
(83,898 posts)madokie
(51,076 posts)just hang in there, in time it will get better, I promise
B Calm
(28,762 posts)nilesobek
(1,423 posts)for thy haven and hearth. Welcome dear old friend.
LLD
(136 posts)Glad not to see a media circus.
AAO
(3,300 posts)You served above and beyond in my opinion.
stopwastingmymoney
(2,042 posts)Don't let the assholes get you down
tomm2thumbs
(13,297 posts)You can bet if Reagan were in the Oval Office when this happened, you wouldn't be hearing a SOLITARY PEEP from the Far Right, the freaky fundies or the FoxNeusers of the world.
spanone
(135,874 posts)yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)Should be months from now but I will wait. It should be interesting to say the least. He would have been better off staying out of the military after he left the Coast Guard after a month. He probably thinks so as well.
greatlaurel
(2,004 posts)Good luck and best wishes for your swift recovery from your ordeal. Please have a very long and very happy life, young man.
meti57b
(3,584 posts)antiGOPin294
(53 posts)You've served your country well, unlike the chickenhawks who send young men to die in their pointless wars (i.e. Bush).
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)watch your back
The Wizard
(12,547 posts)Pox News viewers.....................
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)before getting shot would be pissed that this stuff is happening. You get everyone home.
DirkGently
(12,151 posts)Agschmid
(28,749 posts)the image.
mountain grammy
(26,648 posts)Blue Owl
(50,498 posts)So take your issue and cram it.
hopemountain
(3,919 posts)one day at a time.
thank you. my heart to your heart.
littlemissmartypants
(22,804 posts)blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts)Uncle Joe
(58,417 posts)We're happy to have you back.
Thanks for the thread, warrior.
emsimon33
(3,128 posts)And thank you for starting this thread.
Hulk
(6,699 posts)I was a grunt, 11bravo in Vietnam. Damned few know what we went through. You have nothing to be ashamed of. War is hell, and that's not just a cliche. You came home alive, in one piece. I did too; but we'll never be the same. We have lived through something many didn't survive. Be proud of that. Heal, and go on with life. You survived for a reason. Live, and learn what that was.
You have my support and respect. There is a lot of hate out there in our country today. Ignore it, and live your life without need of their blessing. You won't need it. I certainly don't. Good luck and good fortune to you.
MrMickeysMom
(20,453 posts)It is going to prove to assure survival in many more lives than could be counted on the battle field.
Unca Adverse
(29 posts)This brave young American Hero has seen through the lies and propaganda
of the war criminal Dubya and his vile cohorts.
Their greedy capitalist attempts to steal Middle Eastern oil and illegally intervene
in 'The War in Afghanistan' must cease . . . Now and Forever!
"No War but Class War!" - Frank H. Little (1879 - 1917)