Once in a while a chain e-mail deserves public notice
By haystack Posted in Miscellanea — Comments (42) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
I'm not one to well up over most things, but just sit quietly there for a second and 'absorb' what you see here...then, read below what came with it in a chain email asking to pray for our Soldiers:
As I reflect on this photograph, I see once again that not all the brave leave the "home of the brave" to enter battle; some are required now to be the brave of the home.
It is said a picture is worth a thousand words but it leaves me speechless and tears in my eyes.
It gives me cold chills-of sadness and hope all at once.
If you are interested, here is the remaining text:
More below the fold...
We have a long list of good friends whose husbands are deploying to Iraq next month. One of the wives sent me this. We feel compelled to send it on. Your prayers are deeply appreciated. These guys deserve our love, our hugs and most powerfully, our prayers.
Prayer Request:
I understand that life in Iraq is very difficult to bear right now. Our troops need our prayers for strength, endurance and safety.
Send this on after a short prayer; please don't break it:
"Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need... Amen."
When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world.
There's nothing attached; just send this to all in your address book. Do not let it stop with you, please -- of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best!!!
I've forwarded it and I've prayed...that picture is forever burned in my mind's eye.
I'm warning of an eradication of the American memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit. Let's start with some basics: more attention to American history and a greater emphasis on civic ritual. And let me offer lesson No. 1 about America: All great change in America begins at the dinner table. So, tomorrow night in the kitchen I hope the talking begins. And children, if your parents haven't been teaching you what it means to be an American, let 'em know and nail 'em on it. That would be a very American thing to do.
--President Ronald Reagan
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Considering where the good doctor's head was, when practicing medicine, is it any wonder that the man has issues?
haystack's 12th:
Conservatives (and Presidential Candidates especially) shall offer no aid and comfort to the opposition in times of legislative conflict (and ensuing political campaigns).
Are you saying that Reid, Murtha and Pelosi are spreading the propaganda "We are losing the war, we are killing innocent women and children in cold blood..."
or is this your add-on opinion?
I think you are attributing the 'cold blood' statement to Reid, et al (which would be correct), but it sounds like your own statement the way it is written.
his dad, Staff Sgt. Marcus A. Golczynski, 3rd Battalion, 24th
Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, Lewisberg, TN. Died of wounds received while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, Iraq, on March 27th, 2007.
His son was 8 at the time this picture was made and there is another one of him with President Bush on Memorial Day in D.C.
Marcus was a fine young man by all accounts. My son knew him and was looking forward to his return home to Tennessee. Marcus only had two more weeks of deployment when he was KIA.
Thanks for posting this one, Haystack.
I genuinely got this in a chain email, and had no idea of the history of the pic-thanks for giving me that background.
haystack's 12th:
Conservatives (and Presidential Candidates especially) shall offer no aid and comfort to the opposition in times of legislative conflict (and ensuing political campaigns).
For the families of our heroes who have gone down in battle, their biggest fear is that the sacrifice of their loved one will be forgotten--may that never be so as long as patriots draw breath and those who love freedom continue to honor those who fight for it.
It is obvious from the photo that his son is quite a young man himself. I am appreciative for the background, for the father's and family's sacrifice, and wish them all well.
The sacrifices of wives, husbands, children and parents are often every bit as real as those of our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen. These days, the best that a military family member can hope for is a year or more of separation before reunion. The worst is embodied in this photograph. If you know any military families with a loved one currently deployed, reach out to them and help in any way you can. That is one of the best things you can do for our servicemembers.
God bless them all, as well as their families.
Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice. ~Thomas Paine
I've been deployed myself, and I lost a couple of buddies as well. Losing his dad had to be rough enough, let alone losing him a few weeks before his scheduled return. "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." Sir Winston Churchill
Thank you for posting this. It is a great reminder to pray and the sacrifice our families often bear for freedom.
Very bittersweet picture.
~ Randy
www.randythomas.org
And choked up. How can you not be?
"No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong." - Winston Churchill
This one is a few years old, but this seems an appropriate time to share it again...
Watch this.
Watch especially for "My Daddy. My Hero." I choke up every time.
haystack's 12th:
Conservatives (and Presidential Candidates especially) shall offer no aid and comfort to the opposition in times of legislative conflict (and ensuing political campaigns).
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
John Paul Jones (letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont,16 Nov.1778)
and for the additional info. It was a very moving picture and message. I said a silent prayer just now for all of our troops and my sister who is overseas as I write this on her second tour of duty. Seeing stuff like this makes me miss her even more.
They really do.
I have a million thoughts flying through my head right now regarding this image, but I lack the wit to convey them.
If anyone needed a reminder about the sacrifice these soldiers make, that we do in fact have more than one life to lay down for this country, that the commitment and dedication of the troops and of their families is beyond compare with the capitulationist element that seems so pervasive these days, then let this be it.
"of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best!!!"
I'm sure they would prefer a one way ticket back to their friends and family.
and it's obvious.
Aside from a prayer, I'm sure the next thing would be to have people like you STFU, respect what their are doing, allow them to win this war, and stop trying to speak for them.......
Sorry, don't mean to be rude.
" Got to love the Lord for making things like that."
Morally Compromised
You see, most military servicemen have this thing called "honor" and a lot of something else called "pride".
This may confuse liberals such as yourself who have no idea what those two afflictions mean, but because of them, most Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines would much prefer to come back after something called "victory" has been achieved.
Hope this helps.
They preferred the round trip ticket they volunteered for. They WANT our prayers while they do their jobs awaiting their return departure date.
haystack's 12th:
Conservatives (and Presidential Candidates especially) shall offer no aid and comfort to the opposition in times of legislative conflict (and ensuing political campaigns).
"I'm sure they would prefer a one way ticket back to their friends and family."
Your surety is the perfect example of what the quitters, retreaters, cowards, liberals, and a majority of democrats: Just. Don't. Get.
As a former Marine, I know what my fellow Marines in Iraq want more than anything. They want to do their jobs, and do them honorably, bravely, impressively, and completely.
You insult and degrade their service with the suggestion that they want run home and hide.
You see, some people are willing to endure for what they believe in. Some people are willing to suffer for what is right.
And then there are some people who really aren't willing to sacrifice anything of theirs or of themselves for anything at all. I call those people lefties.
absentee
Ours is a Marine Corps family and we've been through multiple deployments to the Sunni Triangle (our sons are the reason Anbar is a relatively peaceful place today), as well as to places where our sons weren't allowed to tell us where they were other than they would be "out of touch for a while".
Some of us have disconnected the door bell in the hope that would keep the Casualty Notification Team from coming to "our" house. We've hugged and wept with other parents and children at the funerals of their sons and fathers and husbands and felt somehow guilty that our son was safe stateside.
We've been utterly amazed when talking to our Marine and "his" Marines after deployments to learn that they want to go back to finish their mission and to help the "new guys" so everybody comes home. We've been amazed to talk to seriously wounded Marines who want only to recover in time to go back to Anbar so they can be with "their guys". We've been humbled by the thanks we've received from Marines we've never met simply because took a couple of minutes to send a card or pack up a care package. We are truely honored to know these men who are simply the best, the very best, this great country has ever offered.
And then there's you. Your comment says it all, you self-serving son of a bitch. I'm not really mature enough to appropriately express how disgusted I am that this country's finest would put their lives on the line for you. It's not fair, but that's what they do. And unlike me, they do it willingly with no hint of unwillingness and they are proud to be able to serve. They are better men than me.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
I just didn't want to turn the somber and respectful intent of this post into a pissing contest with a eunuch-yours and absentee's responses are what I respect and honor-I ignore ones like the dim bulb to whom the two of you replied.
My prayers and respect and humble gratitude remains with you and yours and absentee's and all the others who serve as well...as I believe you already know.
haystack's 12th:
Conservatives (and Presidential Candidates especially) shall offer no aid and comfort to the opposition in times of legislative conflict (and ensuing political campaigns).
"I'm sure they would prefer a one way ticket back to their friends and family."
Only - I repeat ONLY - if that ticket is provided because there is nothing left to do there - in other words only if we have won. So many sacrifices, WILLINGLY made, by young men and women who are the epitome of professionalism and competence.
I knew people that had "opportunities" to come home early because of illness or injury. I do not know of a single one that didn't fight to stay. I know many that volunteered to stay past the end of their tour. I did so myself. As it turned out, I wasn't able to stay, which is why I'll be going back soon, looks like March if I can get medically cleared.
We are on the right side of history in Iraq. Those of us who have given of ourselves for it have no regrets, and we know to honor the sacrifices of our fallen brethren requires victory. "We win - they lose"
Hooah!
I stay with my children and they leave thiers to fight for mine. Damn I love my country.
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
John Paul Jones (letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont,16 Nov.1778)
great pic. Thanks for posting it.
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
John Paul Jones (letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont,16 Nov.1778)
This is why we must not quit.
There is an image of a young girl screaming for her father to come home on 9/11 that is forever burned into my mind. My daughter and son watched in horror as she cried out in horror.
I think this one is an answer for that one.
I will not forget it either. We still have not taken care of the ones who did that. God help us.
Jim Tomasik
I can not tell you how moved I am by this picture. Does anyone know if there is a fund set up for this family? I would very much like to send them something, including a card with my personal condolences. If anyone can provide info, I would be grateful.
I don't know of a fund for this particular family, but check out mc-lef.com. Their mission is helping families exactly like this one.
Don't let the name fool you, they help out family members of all services with losses in OIF.
[So despicable we can't even leave it up] -- rah
traveling better elsewhere.
On second thought, maybe we could have him waterboarded.
____
CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
This and a short story on Fox News yesterday makes me wonder what the kids and other family members of those that have made the ultimate sacrifice feel when the MSM, Reid, Murtha, and Pelosi start with their propaganda. We are losing the war, we are killing innocent women and children in cold blood...
President Reagan had only one warning in his farewell speech... Wow, was he right!!! I hope these families understand that their loved ones were true patriots!