A Marine Vet Brought to Tears

[OneAngryDemocrat]

After walking to, and voting at the local Baptist church, I spied an elderly couple (70s?) standing outside, at the front entrance. The polling place was in the rear of the church, and it seemed the two were unsure as to where to go.

''Folks, the voting booths are all the way in the back,'' I told them, guessing they were there to vote.

The elderly gentleman, put his hand on the lady's shoulder, and the two started walking up the slight incline, towards the rear entrance.

As she passed me, the lady said to me, in the most serious of tones, ''It's time for a change.''

"I've been opposed to the war since it began, ma'am - I couldn't agree more," I told her.

''We've been in Iraq longer than the whole time we fought the Nazis,'' the lady replied. ''And what have we accomplished? In all of that time - what have we accomplished?''

Besides the fact that the whole scene was just like having stepped onto the set of one of this week's many, many, political TV Ads, it immediately struck me:

I live in a VERY conservative rural part of the state of Illinois: This is Ronald Reagan's old stomping grounds. It is so conservative, here in northwestern Illinois, that half of the candidates running for local offices are running as unopposed Republicans.

But NOT so with the federal seats.

A democrat Marine Corps vet (Dick Auman for Congress) is running against the incumbant in my district and another democrat Marine Corps vet is running in the district just south of me (the Hastert/Laesch race).

As I walked the 1/2 block back to my house I thought to myself: The ONLY way the GOP can win this election is if they steal it. This 40-something Marine Corps vet felt a mixture of anger (at how far our nation has sunk), pride (that our nation could rise above it all), elation (at seeing the light at the end of the tunnel), and relief (for the same reason).

We've cinched this election - it is in the bag!!!

Please visit my anti-war website, www.shockedandawful.com

[Binka]

1. Good On You!

May this happen millions of times today. Onward! :kick:

[sui generis]

2. It's amazing to hear the staunch dark red republicans

on my Dad's side of the family in Kansas disavow this administration and the republican party.

Surreal. That's what happens when you get a C grade president to run a country like one of his failed corporations. I hate to say we told ya so to the republicans, but we did.

About everything. And they still forged on ahead and did it anyway.

C'est la vie, now it's time to clean up their mess, yet again.

[livetohike]

3. Whatever number of WWII vets and their spouses who are

still alive will help save America. Here's to my Dad who died four days after election day 2004 (Nov. 8). A WWII vet and Democrat to the end (he wore his Kerry/Edwards button on his hospital gown). Oh and he had his WWII vet baseball cap on his hospital stand which had several buttons on it, one which said "No more Bushit".

:toast:

[havocmom]

6. "..wore his Kerry/Edwards button on his hospital gown"

Now you've made a tough old broad in Montana cry.

That is so touching. Offering special prayer to your dad's spirit to watch over and protect this nation and its people. Sounds like the sort of soul who would be agreeable to such a plea.
A-men

[livetohike]

7. Thanks havocmom

:hug: I miss him so much and the November election cycle will always remind me of him.

He couldn't vote that election - long story, but we didn't think he would be in the hospital on election day and it was too late to get an absentee ballot. Broke his heart :cry:. First election he missed of his life.

[havocmom]

8. Someday, remind me to tell ya about my granny and election day

great story for another time.

Think we all would have liked meeting your dad.

[havocmom]

4. Bookmarked, in my special DU ELECTION DAY folder

just created on my browser so I can find it tonight when this place is busy and features like SEARCH and MY POSTS get shut off to conserve bandwidth.

Damn moving story, Marine! Damn fine.

And thank you for your service to this nation, both in the Corps and out of it.
:patriot:

[OneAngryDemocrat]

20. :)

[pberq]

5. Kick & Nominated

[Dystopian]

9. K & R Thank You. Great site. eom

:kick:


peace~

[OneAngryDemocrat]

16. Thank you very much...

I put a lot of man-hours into keeping it up-to-date.

A lot of the news articles I get right here, from the Democratic Underground!!!

[democrank]

10. Thanks so much for posting this.

Let`s hope we can "rise above it all."

[mmonk]

11. Thank you very much for that.

[Voltaire269]

12. WOW! thats a great story! Here is hoping for change!

[rman]

13. It is obvious they are trying to steal it

God forbid they succeed - not only because that would mean Dems don't win the House - but also because in all likelihood people just won't stand for it.

[NoSheep]

14. Thank you for sharing that story.

[xchrom]

15. what have we accomplished indeed.

[lebkuchen]

17. Thanks for that report

meant a lot.

[vireo]

18. I wish there had been more interest in this race

Manzullo is horrible and this was the best chance this district has had since it was re-drawn to bring it back into the D column. Best of luck to Auman!

[OneAngryDemocrat]

19. You & I, Both...

The guy was the very successful mayor of Galena, and that might be enough...

[EnviroBat]

21. Your Web Site is top notch.

Very well done.

[OneAngryDemocrat]

22. Thanx!!!

Be sure to tell others!!!