Received this from a relative tonight....

[Steely_Dan]

This has been going around the Internet and forwarded in countless emails. Tonight I received my third copy from a relative. Here is what she sent, then my response, then her response...

Subject: John Kerry


{This was written by my husband, Aaron, who is currently deployed to Iraq, in defense of a recent comment made by Senator John Kerry. Pass it along, it might inspire someone else to speak up! ~ Michelle}

Yesterday John Kerry said, "You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well, and if you dont, you get stuck in Iraq

So I wrote him a letter:

I am a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. I am currently on my second tour in Iraq, a tour in which I volunteered for. I speak Arabic and Spanish and I plan to tackle Persian Farsi soon. I have a Bachelors and an Associates Degree and between deployments I am
pursuing an M.B.A. In college I was a member of several academic honor societies, including the Golden Key Honor Society. I am not unique among the enlisted troops. Many of my enlisted colleagues include lawyers, teachers, mechanics, engineers, musicians and artists just to name a few. You say that your comments were directed towards the President and not us. If we were stupid Senator Kerry, we might have believed you.

I am not a victim of President Bush. I proudly serve him because he is my Commander and Chief. If it was you who was President, I would serve you just as faithfully. I serve America Senator Kerry, and I am also providing a service to the good people of Iraq. I have not terrorized them in the middle of the night, raped them or murdered them as you have accused me of before. I am doing my part to help them rebuild. My role is a simple one, but important. You see Senator Kerry, like it or not, we came here and removed a tyrant (who terrorized Iraqis in the middle of the night, and raped them and murdered them). And we have a responsibility to see to it that another one doesn't take his place. The people of Iraq are recovering from an abusive relationship with a terrible government and it's going to take some time to help them recover from that. We can't treat this conflict like a microwave dinner and throw a temper tantrum because we feel like it's taking too long.

Senator Kerry, you don't have to agree with this war. You don't have to say nice things about those of us who choose to make sacrifices for the rights of every American rather than sit back and simply feel entitled to it. But please Senator Kerry, if you're going to call me a stupid murdering rapist, stick by what you say. Don't tell me that I misunderstood or that you would never insult a veteran because you're one too. Having been there and done that does not give you a free pass to insult me.

My suggestion for you, Senator Kerry, is to remember that your speeches are recorded, and broadcast to us simpletons over here. You may want to write down what you want to say before you say it, maybe have somebody look at it before you say it and tell you what others might hear. Remember that we can't read your mind, if there are any misinterpretations in what you say, it's because you didn't
communicate clearly.

Good luck to you Senator Kerry, if nothing else it's always entertaining to watch you try and climb out of the holes that you constantly dig for yourself.

Sincerely,


Somebody who is watching his daughter grow up in photographs so that you can have the right to say whatever you want about him.

-----

My Response...

This infamous quote from Kerry is taken completely out of context. Senator Kerry was not speaking of the troops in Iraq. He was talking about President Bush. But as usual, the Right Wing takes the words of a man who misspoke and turned it into a major issue. This is all they have...and now, after the mid-term elections, they have even less. The people no longer believe the Right Wing and that is why they got pummeled in the election.

If you read the whole quote from Kerry, he was talking about Bush just prior to his misstatement. He apparently left the word "us" out of his statement. He was referring to the fact the Mr. Bush didn't do well in school, failed at every business opportunity given to him, and was lazy in learning about the world around him.

The statement should read:

"You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well, and if you don't, you get us stuck in Iraq

Sorry...I love my country and I hate seeing people smeared by the likes of politicians that have no idea what it is like to be in war and who love power over the people they are supposed to govern.

-P

------------

Her response back...

Well P****, if that's what Kerry meant, then why wouldn't he apologize to the troops in Iraq as soon he realized what he said? Why then did he the very next day say that he didn't owe anyone an apology because his statement came out wrong? He didn't make an apology until the 3rd day. If it were me, I would of apologized immediately, and I sure as hell wouldn't of said "No" when I was asked for one. And I don't care if Kerry meant to say "us". He obviously didn't and even after he realized what he said, he wasn't sorry for what he did. Anyone that smug should not be making such important speeches.
I'm sorry I love my country as much as you if not more and I love my fellow Airman, Soldiers, Seamen, and Marines too. So if anyone, I mean anyone makes a crack at any one of us, I would never be on their side! It disappoints me to see people who would back up such insincere statements.

M****

--------


You know fellow DUers...I'm pretty much at the end of my rope. You try to speak truth to power and this is what you get. Just try and set the record straight and you get thrashed. Fuck 'em. I'm so tired of all the BS. If the Right Wing ant this country and I'm the real enemy...then let 'em have it. I'm tired of fighting.

-P

[Kiouni]

1. he may know 3 languages

but you don't speak stupid, so you have no common ground.

I recommend watching FOX news for about 2 weeks and then having the conversation, that should do it.

[AIJ Alom]

2. Maybe you should send the video of Dubya looking for WMD.

Someone ran a commercial during 2004 about how her son died looking for WMD and here is the president joking about it.

[SouthernBelle82]

30. That's what I would do

I would do that and say "So what do you have to say now?"

[lander]

3. Don't fight.

There's nothing quite so trite as "agreeing to disagree," but under the circumstances? I don't think it's worth the effort. When someone like that comes around to see reality, it's usually the result of a slow trickle of introspection, not someone talking to them.

That's my experience, at least, FWIW.

Keep your head up!

[virgdem]

4. I think you need a permanent vacation from...

some of your relatives. As you have discovered, you just cannot argue with these types of people (since they are your relatives, I will be nice). When I run into these types, I just remember an old album cover from the 70's (Joe Walsh, I believe) - You can't argue with a sick mind. And it is so true. They use circuitous logic - it just goes round and round and makes absolutely no sense. Good luck in dealing with this relative.

[SharonAnn]

7. Never Try to Teach a Pig to Sing - It Waster Your Time and Annoys the Pig

Or,

Don't wrestle with a pig. You both get muddy and the pig enjoys it.

[Erika]

5. Kerry fought in Vietnam

W's visiting it decades later for corporate purposes but the soldier identifies with W rather than Kerry. Ah, I don't think so. I smell set up.

[Vickers]

6. Oh wonderful, another anonymous letter from someone proudly serving

in Iraq. :eyes:

[Kerrytravelers]

10. Isn't funny how the guy's always named Aaron?

I think AAron is sitting in mom's basement making stuff up... or getting paid handsomely from the White House.

[Lasher]

11. Close. I think the guy's name is Michael Connelly

Snopes investigated a 2004 swiftboating letter that was created by this lifelong Republican who has worked in at least 8 political campaigns. Connelly admited to doing it, and the letter got passed around as though it were real. Liars.

The so-called 'letter' in question here is included in an update to the Snopes article. They seem to infer that Connelly was also the author of this one, but they don't spell that out. Here's the link:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/kerry/connelly.asp

[Kerrytravelers]

8. My response at this point:

If this is all you have, the typical smear and jeer campaign, don't bother emailing me. Really, it's silly and a waste of time. By claiming that you love this country more and continuing to argue over such an insignificant thing as dropping one word, it shows me that we clearly have very different focuses for this country.

Continued emails will simply be deleted. I have no interest in wasting my time with foolishness that is not backed up by actual unbiased fact.





And I would mean it, too. To get such a stupid response indicated that continued dialog like this will only result in more anger. Let them be idiots. Relative or not, you only have to put up with so much harassment until enough is enough. If this relative knows you don't agree politically, yet continues to send such BS, then that is harassment. We told a family to stop and they chose to throw a typical wingnut tantrum. You know what? Deleting and eventually blocking their email felt great- and causes less headaches.

[Lasher]

9. You can't pour tea into a full cup.

I wonder if this fictional hero knows what the objective in Iraq is. Nobody seems to know and it would be a big help to the rest of us if we did. Maybe we could help pass that along to his Commander in Chief, who sure doesn't have a clue about that.

[Senator]

12. McCain is to blame -- and must be blamed -- and blamed again

Whenever his name is mentioned. (wash, rinse, repeat)

He stabbed a fellow combat veteran in the back. He has has no honor. He is unfit for high office.

McCain is to blame. He is the botched joke.

-----
Folks, this is how we need to respond to this type of fascist propaganda. We need need to up the ante -- to exact a price. When they get their temporary "base bounce" with their Anti-American Antics, we need to hang it on their necks like an albatross. If they want 2 weeks of chain letters to get them dishonestly to the next electoral finish line, we need to give them 2 years of blowback against their next standard bearer.

We need to make "Backstabber McCain" part of the unofficial lexicon. All we need is repetition. Everytime we mention him for any reason. In forums, emails to news shows, letters to the editor, discussion with friends and family.

--

[wicket]

24. Time to remind people of the 2000 South Carolina primary

Where Karl Rove's smear machine did a racist push poll about John McCain's family. McCain turned around and endorsed them in 2004, the same people who smeared his wife & daughter. He has no honor, he'll be President OVER MY DEAD BODY!!!!!

[karynnj]

29. He also responded so poorly that his campaign imploded almost at once

Ted Sampley (sp?) the jerk who preyed on the families of the MIA was used in that attack. McCain was defended by Kerry and others, but McCain failed to go after this guy. He was one of the many who went after Kerry.

He will likely be there in 2008 - and it may be Kerry's allies that go sfter him.

Strange that no one blames McCain for getting smeared or demands he prevent it again.

[silverojo]

13. If soldiers are this f***ing stupid

Then maybe Kerry SHOULD have been directing his comment toward them. "We took down Saddam, hyuk-hyuk!"

Yeah, good going, Freeper. Meanwhile, Osama's still on the loose.

[Hav]

14. .

Like others have said, I have my doubts that it was even written by a soldier in Iraq. Just because there was so much of the same shit and often enough it was fake.

Also, this one is used pretty much always in these stupid emails:
"Somebody who is watching his daughter grow up in photographs so that you can have the right to say whatever you want about him."


They always stress that the war in Iraq is about the freedom of speech of ordinary Americans while being annoyed and trying to shut someone up for exercising this right :eyes:.
So I just assume that this is fake as well..

[Mythsaje]

15. I had this forwarded to me as a bulletin on myspace

a couple of weeks ago.

It's pure nonsense. Astroturf.

[flobee1]

16. If the sender of the letter

Is truly broken up over the misspeaking of a joke, What do they have to say about the purple heart band aids at the repub convention?
Anyone who was ever injured in combat should have fealt insulted that day

[China_cat]

17. If this guy had the educational credentials he touts

he would be an officer, not a sergeant.

[BrotherBuzz]

31. Don't sell NCO's short

I worked for a Master Sergeant that had earned a college degree piecemeal on his own time, and was a whopping 34 years old. He had no desire to become a mustang and lose status. He, and other fine NCO's RUN the military and keep it all together, and officers know it.

[China_cat]

33. My son was a Master Sergeant

so I'm not selling them short. But the guy in the supposed 'letter' cites credentials held BEFORE he joined the military. They would not have put him in in enlisted ranks, they'd have recruited him straight into brass.

[justgamma]

18. Was she upset when the Pukes

were all making fun of the Purple Heart awards? I'm still furious about that one. Kerry misspoke, but that was deliberately denigrating the wounded soldiers.

[Nimrod2005]

19. Just tell it, WE WON!!!

[Norquist Nemesis]

20. My response: It's sad that we were misled into war and now

misleading the troops with propaganda and spin. Kerry's not perfect, but if you honestly believe that a decorated combat veteran would go out and publicly trash troops then you've fallen for the propaganda also.

[Kerrytravelers]

21. There have been a lot of great posts in response.

If it were me, I'd incorporate them into one final "enough" email.

Best of luck to you.

kt

[ieoeja]

22. Every person I know who heard that quote...

... originally knew it was aimed at Bush. Every one. That includes all my rightwing friends. It wasn't until the next day after the Limbaughs, etc got through spinning it that any of them went from laughing to offended.

And all of those pretending to be offended now are either liars or complete idiots. And that is exactly how I reply to them straight to their faces:

"You either knew it was a joke about Bush and are just lying about it being a joke about the troops, or you are a complete idiot."

THAT is the response you should send your friend.

[wicket]

23. Ask her if she knows Bush went AWOL

On second thought - nevermind, trying to talk sense into people like this is like talking to a brick wall.

[CBHagman]

25. Note how Bush reiterated his LACK of desire to serve.

A number of media outlets reported on this particular remark from Bush at the opening of the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Notice that Bush has the nerve to joke about his lack of desire to go through Marine training -- this from someone who was safely Stateside in the Air National Guard while the Vietnam War was going on. Notice, too, that there was no general uproar in the press -- because the media and the GOP didn't seize on the quote.

"In this museum, you will experience life from a Marine's perspective. In this museum, you'll feel what it's like to go through boot camp -- no, thanks! -- make an amphibious landing under fire, or deploy from a helicopter in Vietnam."

There. Note that direct reference to Vietnam, plus Bush's rubbing our faces in the fact that he's not interested in going through that.

Ask your friends and family why Bush gets to strut around playing dress-up, crowing about being commander in chief, but vehemently didn't want to serve, and makes no bones about it today.



http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/11/ap/politics/mainD8LAIIRG1.shtml


Bush said visitors will experience life from a Marine's perspective - what it's like to make an amphibious landing under fire, deploy from a helicopter in Vietnam or endure a grueling boot camp.

"No thanks," Bush joked.


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1151AP_Bush_Marine_Museum.html?source=mypi

It's like the parable in the Gospels of the two sons asked by their father to work in the field. The one said yes and then didn't go, and the other said no and then went. Jesus asks which man followed the will of his father, and of course it's one who went.

The same is true here. If Kerry is such a foe of the troops, why was he there with them by choice and, by the Navy's own reckoning, with valor?

[wicket]

26. Bush is AWOL from courage

To steal a line from Max Cleland :D

[CBHagman]

27. And Max would know from how he was treated.

I hope someday he gets justice.

[wicket]

28. I certainly hope so too

Max is good, good man, it was a travesty what they did to him :grr: I'd love to see him have a rematch in 2008, or hell, run for President. :woohoo:

[karynnj]

32. To your reletive you might want to send:

The announcement in this post of the funding Kerry fought for (link below). Kerry wanted $100 million which he estimated is needed. Senator Kerry has advocated for Veteran's assistance since he returned from Vietnam - even before he was out of the service. When Admiral Zumwald's son who was dying of agent orange cancer was to ill to speak before the Senate, Senator Kerry volunteered to be sworn in to describe how those chemicals were used in the areas he and the son were in. He also helped the VVA get the official designation they have.

I would also send the link in the first comment to a PTSD event that was premiering the NECN movie "Hidden Wounds". Both Max Cleland and Kerry speak, as do several National Guard people.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=273x113099

You could also send the link to a story of how Senator Kerry quietly and privately reached out to the family of ne of the soldiers who died.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/31/175122/71

You could mention that Kerry routinely praised the soldiers and spoke of the need for a policy as good as they are.

Kerry's comment on the search and destroy missions is likely something most soldiers would agree with - it was based on Kerry's experience. He was saying that they put the troops at a high risk and they add to anti-American feelings. No matter how well intentioned the soldiers, imagine how you would react if someone who didn't understand your culture or language knocked on you door in the middle of the night. The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) reached the same conclusion Kerry did.

All the above assumes that the person isn't just intentionally spreading RW slime.