'Every veteran is my brother' (bet you didn't know this about Monkeyman)

[TomInTib]

Monkeyman was the best and I cherish the friendship, bond and camaraderie that only Brothers-in-Arms really know.

"Veterans March 2006 will be April 24, 25 and 26. Wilkowski said about 10,000 will march.

Dale Peters, Republican head of the Veterans of Progress in Illinois, also will participate in the march.

"We have served and we are treated like second class citizens," said Peters, Darien, Ill., resident. "Every veteran is my brother."

Peters said he will march with thousands of other veterans to support those who have served and experienced what conflict is like firsthand.

"(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a real disease. American children are taught not to kill and then they see this stuff," Peters said. "Our health care has dropped. Our wounded troops are not being taken care of.""

http://nwitimes.com/articles/2006/04/19/news/illiana/1e6d2b3b034f65fb862571540082fb3b.txt


Monkeyman was a Republican and I would have jumped in front of a train to help him.

He was the best and I already miss him terribly.

Tom

[bigtree]

1. It's amazing how Bush's neglect of the military he relies on to lord his power over us

has drawn together so many folks from diverse backgrounds and circumstances in opposition. I've been encouraged by that all along. Mr. Peters was one fine example of that coming together across party lines. I'm certain he'll be missed all across the board.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. I am the son of veterans.

Dad was Navy. Missed jumping off with Operation Olympic by a day, pre-first wave, going in on rubber boats to capture radar installations, armed only with a knife and a hatchet. Really. A real hairy op, that would have been. Mom was WAAF, recruiting and nursing. WWII.

Both got screwed by the VA, starting with Reagan. I saw the beginnings with my own eyes.

Monkeyman was on the side of the angels. Republican, Democrat, doesn't matter with this. He was fighting to restore the covenant between this country and its veterans.

He was a damn good man, of the kind that is a rarity anymore. Damn courageous, too. His passing will leave a hole around here that will not soon be filled.

[MuseRider]

9. It could not have been said better

than you just did.

[TomInTib]

10. That hole will never be filled.

They don't make 'em like Monkeyman anymore.

I am just ill with grief. We went back way further than DU.

I just cannot bring myself to admit that he is truly and irretrievably gone.

Then I think he hasn't really "gone" anywhere. He will be with us every day if we have any humanity left to us at all.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

13. Thomas, my friend.

I know that with time and reflection, the grief you feel you will deal with in a constructive and positive manner. Right now, the wound is open, raw and running. It will heal over, scar up, but you will not forget it. But that is the appropriate and natural state for that wound right now and in the future.

Take what you feel and use it well. There are lessons beyond lessons in what he has left you. Be wise with them.

You are one of the old guys. The goats. You got some tadpoles, FNG's out there, coming your way, facing things they should never have had to face, stuff far beyond and far different from the lessons they learned with boots on the ground. It may be time to take some under your wing. Maybe help them to reclaim some of their youth.

In truth, nothing has really changed. Capisce? In a way, maybe Monkeyman left you one more mission. Or maybe not.

[TomInTib]

20. Thank you

I always appreciate your insight.

Monkeyman and I had some wonderful exchanges over the past years and yesterday was exceptionally tough for me. I was alone, all by myself with only my thoughts, music and art all day yesterday. Just bouncing off the walls and around my brain and soul.

Back at home last evening, I proceeded to get terrifically wasted... Beth knew something was up and pretty much let me spin. She knows when to loosen the reins.

A fiend of ours who has a rough life was over just spilling her troubles out on the floor when I just opened my mouth and said, "Monkeyman died this week", and I went off into some stream-of-consciousness ramble about all things unfair.

Today is a better day but I am still gone to ground.

Thank you for your kind words.

Tom

[Redstone]

3. Monkeyman was one of the good ones. One of the best ones, actually.

Redstone

[TomInTib]

4. You got that right.

I haven't been around DU very regularly. I got so fucking pissed off watching Gonzales lie to the Senate that I frisbeed my laptop off the veranda.

I was trying to toss it into the Bay but I am not as strong as I used to be and only succeeded in sailing it about 50 feet down the hill onto my neighbor's back patio. Fucked it up real good.

So a couple of times a week I walk down to the gallery and check emails and DU and such. I only found out about Monkeyman this morning and I am terribly saddened. They don't make 'em like him anymore.

At least you are still around, Redstone. I can count on that.

Tom

[Redstone]

5. I'll be here.

Redstone

[fed-up]

6. there are no party lines when it comes to caring for our vets-RIP monkeyman nt

[Kurovski]

7. K&R. (nt)

[shadowknows69]

8. Obviously he was a soldier, and a human being first.

I have nothing against rebublicans. Just the evil ones.

[BikeWriter]

11. ...or Sister!

[Rosemary2205]

12. Does anyone know what happened to his funeral?????

I was in Chicago when the news hit around that Dale Peters passed on and I called Modell Funeral home in Darien intending to go pay my respects and they said they never heard of Dale Peters. Obviously the info posted was mistaken but I wasn't able to find out where he actually was.

I hope someone from DU was able to go pay their respects in person at the right place.

[bonito]

14. Nothing suprises me anymore

:shrug: :eyes:

[Sapphire Blue]

17. If you DID call the Modell Funeral Home, they would have told you that he passed away May 27...

... that his services were held June 2, and that his remains have been cremated.

To those of you who doubt this information, you needn't take my word for it; you may verify it yourself by contacting:

Modell Funeral Home
7710 South Cass Avenue
Darien, IL 60559
[phone]

I really hope this ends the smears against Monkeyman/Dale Peters.

[Rosemary2205]

18. What a shame.

I called them on June 1 after seeing the post on DU. All I can figure is that I was given wrong information. What a shame. Hopefully a few people in DU from the Chicago area and those DUers who know him in person were able to pay their respects.

[Sapphire Blue]

19. Can you post a link to the thread you saw? I can't find it.

I can only find posts of people worried about him & looking for him around June 1.

I posted my thread (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1065355) on June 7.

[TomInTib]

21. I hope you didn't take me wrong..

As I said, I would have jumped in front of a train for him.

I knew him better than most here. I would love to post our PMs but I certainly cannot without his blessings.

I saved them all.

[Sapphire Blue]

22. Did you mean to reply to me?

My post wasn't in reply to you, but to the other poster who claimed that the funeral home had never heard of Monkeyman/Dale.

I don't think I took you wrong; you expressed your feelings of friendship exquisitely. Thank you for your OP. :hug:

[TomInTib]

23. Thank you for clearing that up.

I suppose I am suffering from a case of over-sensitivity on this right now. I was just stunned to turn on my computer yesterday morning and the first thing I saw was about his passing.

I drank (as well as other not-so-healthy activities) myself bullet-proof last night. Almost invisible.

Pretty soon we will be like the WWII vets and we will be dropping off the page with some degree of regularity. Or maybe it is already happening.

[Sapphire Blue]

25. You're welcome; I'm glad we've got it cleared up!

:hug: You might drop off the page, but never from the hearts of those who care!

[frogcycle]

15. Hi Tom

We will all miss him. I aim to start pitching in however I can at the Midwest Veterans Shelter he helped start. They said they keep a "wish list" of what the guys need (or want). So yes, as someone said, Monkeyman is not really irrevocably gone - he will continue through every one of us who got something from him. And he himself can stand down.

Hang in there.
frogcycle


ps: I added a tribute to him to my faces website. link below.

[Me.]

16. ! n/t

[midnight]

24. Hi Tom. The lack of health care is such a big problem for our

Vet's. I don't want to go on about that because I suspect you are already to familiar with all those knots. What I was thinking about after reading your post now and another post last night. It stated that California Nurses lending support to Michael Moore's documentary Sicko. I have not seen it, and have only heard others comment on it, but I was struck about the timing of Monkeyman's passing, and wondering if he would of thought about this message. It seems like there is a real high price in this country to speak out. Sad that we lost another voice who was willing to risk his comfort so that he could make things better for others. I guess that would be my definition of a real hero.