8/8/05: Yusufiyah Iraq Mike Stokely as he
holds an IV bag for an injured soldier / non life threatening injuries
on the ground being cared for by the unit medic. Mike's team and this
soldier's team and another team were meeting on the roadway
in the Triangle of Death when the insurgents tried to time it to get
both trucks. Mike's team had just cleared the IED, barely, and were not
injured. Mike's dear friend from high school, Georgia Military and
fellow Guardsman, Alden Williams, may very well have taken what is
believed to be the last known photo of Mike.
On August 15,
2005 at 6:20 p.m. I was visiting my friend Mike Kam and just sitting by
his Koi pond and at ease for a few moments listening to the babbling
water. Unknown to me Mike was killed by an IED at that very instant at
0220 hours August 16 local time Yusufiyah. No family can know but they
wait, watch, hope and pray when someone they love is in a war zone. You
flinch when the phone rings; you jump when a strange car pulls into
the drive and you freeze when an unexpected knock comes to the door. It
is hard to believe that eight years ago our family was about to be
forever changed and our hearts broken. You don't get over it. You just
live with it as best you can, some days better than others....
Mike Stokely is an American Soldier who was our son, brother, husband,
grandson, nephew, cousin, and friend. He was all in. He gave his best
fight, literally being born premature and struggling for life the day he
was born April 19, 1982 to the day he gave his life fighting for and
serving America on August 16, 2005.
I have written about Mike and his family a few times. If you have no idea who he is - and you really should - you can go toThey Have Names, and Mike Stokely Foundation.
On September 11, 2001, the worst attack on American soil - in history - took place.
"Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature, and we
responded with the best of America, with the daring of our rescue
workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give
blood and help in any way they could. Immediately following the first attack, I implemented our government's
emergency response plans. Our military is powerful, and it's prepared.
Our emergency teams are working in New York City and Washington, D.C.,
to help with local rescue efforts..."
[copyright Jack Delaney]
"Our first priority is to get help to those who have been injured and to
take every precaution to protect our citizens at home and around the
world from further attacks..."
President Bush on September 11:
The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts. I've
directed the full resources for our intelligence and law enforcement
communities to find those responsible and bring them to justice. We will
make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and
those who harbor them. [...] This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our
resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before,
and we will do so this time.
JUSTICE... On September 20, 2001, President Bush gave the American response to this act of war, and the quest for justice began in earnest, as many nations stood with America as part of the Coalition of the Willing.
"...They will hand over the terrorists, or they will share their fate. ..."
As history has proved, the terrorists were not handed over to face justice, even as they faced the might of the US Military and resources, alongside with the very willing Coalition partners who continued to stand shoulder to shoulder with America, in the common goal of combating terrorism.
Today, as we mark twelve long years since that terrible day, self confessed terrorists and murderers. including Khalid Sheik Mohammad, are facing an American Military Tribunal as they have their every need (and then some) met on Guantanamo Bay. Google KSM if you must, or put his name in the search engine here at top left, because I have written about him a few times. The Military Commission in GITMO, in the slow steady march towards justice, is in the stage of hearing defence motions by the murderer's lawyers... The official site for schedules and transcripts is here.
The search is underway for those who are behind these evil acts. I've
directed the full resources for our intelligence and law enforcement
communities to find those responsible and bring them to justice.
And so began the most public aspect of the hunt to "find those responsible... " and render appropriate justice.
Yes, a major coup for the good guys, as yes, one of the very public faces of our murderous enemies was sent to face the ultimate justice. (72 virgins? I doubt it!!!) Reaction was swift from those most directly affected by this most fitting end to one of the most public faces of our enemies in this Global War on Terror. I was able to share with you, at the time, the responses from 9/11 families whose loved ones perished that day, First Responders who dug through the rubble and the chaos of that day - and the months ahead - and the families of our Military, who answered the call of our nations to fight against this murderous ideology. For their words, put "ObL is dead" in the search engine at top left of this site.
The Delaney crew at Ground Zero on the news of ObL's death. Even as this success was celebrated from Ground Zero and around the world, not many of us harboured the delusion that bin Laden's death heralded the end of the hunt for those responsible for the horrific loss of life on 9/11 (and in the years since.) The Global War on Terror continued. Many lives have continued to be impacted, many lives have been lost, and still those who love them wait for justice. Some form of justice is being played out in GITMO, where the Military Tribunal continues to ensure that KSM, and conspirators, is afforded every respect. Not much of this is covered in the mainstream media, and you could (maybe) be forgiven for believing that these poor scmucks in GITMO are being terribly abused, and trampled on by the evil American Military. This Aint Hell, a Veteran-run site, has twice had observers at GITMO, documenting some of the events there, as the defendants' lawyers continue to raise absurd motions that are guaranteed to ensure that the wheels of justice grind exceedingly slowly..from complaints about the lack of olives in the murderers' food, to one of the defendant's lawyers wearing a burqa, and demanding that all other females in the courtroom do likewise - as a sign of respect to KSM and cohorts, doncha know - to AG Holder attempting to interfere with the process by having this all moved to civilian courts on US soil; despite all this, the Military Tribunal continues. This Aint Hell has archives of their observations. Go here and put "GITMO" in their search engine, and read their insights. Likewise, if you put "GITMO" in the top left of this site, you will find 9/11 family, the Fairbens, reactions and thoughts on the circus that is GITMO. As stated, the msm has apparently moved on from 9/11 and we see very few column inches or airtime devoted to what is happening in GITMO unless one of the newspapers decides to print an inmate's op/ed drivel. Yep, that really happened recently as one of them hit the newspaper to complain about the injustice his faces every day down there..titled The Gut-Wrenching Times Op-Ed a Gitmo Prisoner Dictated Over the Phone and published in April 2013 as the self imposed hunger strike continued. The casual, unconnected reader could be forgiven (maybe) for swallowing the "we are the victims here" swill. I wrote my own thoughts on the hunger strike: GITMO hunger strikers: Let them eat...or NOT!! Steven Crowder visited GITMO back in 2009 and filmed what he saw there of the terrible conditions (yes, that was Brat sarcasm!) these enemy combatants suffer on a daily basis
Justice. As we face yet another anniversary of 9/11, I asked for the thoughts of those who face the INjustice on a daily basis of the murders of innocents of that infamous terrorist act. Each of them graciously gave me permission to quote them verbatim, and that is exactly what I share with you here: Ken Fairben, father of Keith Fairben, a Paramedic who gave his life on 9/11 as he worked selflessly to save civilians at the World Trade Center:
I have been attending the Pre Trial hearings since they have begun...I
observe the proceedings from Ft. Hamilton Brooklyn, New York, via closed
circut t.v. I can say that it is extremely frustrating watching the
proceedings and the motions being filed by both sides. Some of these
motions are just down right foolish... I believe that Judge Pohl is
doing an outstanding job and has shown great patients throughout...
These FIVE accused (have to be politically correct) are being given so
much latitude that I sometimes feel they are making a mockery of our
judicial
system...
These FIVE have been allowed to decide if they will attend
court hearings each day. They can REFUSE to come to court and remain in
the detention area...My God, can you see the average AMERICAN citizen
in a jail deciding wheather or not he or she feels like going to
court!!!! I believe that our system is bending over backwards to
accommodate these FIVE... We are sooo afraid of what the world will
think of us if we just try them and sentence them...The FIVE have every
thing that they need, dietary needs, legal assistance, medical care,
etc...It just amazes me... The "FIVE" belong right where they
are.....The Military Tribunal is in place...each one of the defendants
has Learned Council (specializing in Capital Murder Cases) another
intermitter Attorney plus an intermitter... They are confined in a safe
and secure location...They have EVERYTHING that they could possibly
want...Transporting them to and from hearings is simple, no logistic
problems moving them... Now
just imagine bringing them into the United States? Where would you
house them? Just think of the problem bringing them from their holding
areas to the
court. Security for these FIVE would be momentous...and just think
of what this cost would be to the citizens. These FIVE are Military
combatants, they were the minds behind the murder of 3,000 innocent
people that morning...NO, THEY BELONG RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE... THE
PRESIDENT AND MR HOLDER SHOULD STAY OUT OF THE PROCESS AND LET JUSTICE
BE DONE...These two only have a political agenda and it is NOT FOR THE
GOOD OF AMERICA. I truly believe that there will be justice from this Tribunal if it is
allowed to move forward without the President and Mr. Holder
interfering...Yes, one day and i hope that I live long enough to see
this come to a conclusion. These FIVE will be judge fairly...I truly
believe that. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CLOSURE
and I am only speaking for
myself....I do not speak on behalf of anyone else but myself... Every
individual has THEIR right to feel and express their feelings and each
and everyone of them should be RESPECTED.... Much the same as Mousaui, Life
in prison (Super Max) No chance for parole No chance to be
transferred to a foreign nation to serve their terms...and NO POLITICAL
INTERFERENCE!
I once again state...these statements are mine and mine
alone...I respect each and every family members' feelings and wishes...
Just a few key points.... 1. These FIVE MUST
remain in Git Mo.......2. The Politicians MUST stop interfering with
our judicial process.....3. The FIVE MUST NOT BE BROUGHT INTO THE
CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES...
4. Mr. Obama and Mr. Holder MUST step away and not interfere in
any way..... These are my key points......... The Prosecution and
the Defense Attorneys are doing an outstanding job..They are all
passionate on both sides... The Judge is most fair and impartial...Let
him do what he has been trained for all his life...I have complete faith
in his judgement....
Frustrated, and disheartened ....however, as I
said before, after having been to GITMO, and meeting both prosecution
and defense teams, I am absolutely sure that the defendants are
receiving the BEST defense.
HELL NO to the trials being held in civilian courts on US soil! The trial is exactly where it should be. Much of the evidence would not be allowed in a federal court.
In
addition, the events of 9/11 were an act of war. The fact that the
Pentagon was a target, makes an even stronger case for that. These 5
men were enemy combatants, captured on the battlefield. The refusal of
this administration to call this a war is, I believe, one of the
reasons they want this and other terrorist trials in civilian court.
What I want to see as the outcome is that after they are convicted, they spend the
rest of their lives at GITMO, without all the "nice" extras they have
now, without being able to see anyone except the security forces, and
let out only 1 hour a day. A death sentence would result in endless
appeals, and would not be carried out in my lifetime for sure. Either
way, they become martyrs in their minds, and the minds of the terrorist
world.
Jack Delaney, Keith's boss at the time, answered the call on 9/11, and was one of the Emergency Medical Services 'peeps' who ran towards the madness of Ground Zero.[see also picture above]
I am truly saddened by the trial delays. I myself feel frustrated about
how these animals are making a mockery of our judicial process. I can
not imagine how frustrating it is for the families of those who were
murdered on that day. Recently my frustration grew significantly
stronger when I spoke with a family member who indicated that they hope
they would live to see the conviction. Why the hell are we dicking
around with these murderers at the expense of our families. The process
certainly seems tilted in the wrong direction when our families are
suffering through the BS and these murderers are laughing at our system.
Lets get serious and get the show on the road!!!
Holder is a loose cannon who Obama points and shoots. Holder only
wants to bring these trials back to US soil to assist Obama in
attempting to close Gitmo (which will never happen). If the trials did
come to the states the cost and disruption to the american people would
be astronomical. On the other hand if the trials came to the US perhaps
they could get a judge that would eliminate the associated BS and
commence the actual trial in an expedited fashion.
(Jack's car - "squeezed lemons" - parked in front of towers)
Once we get past the mockery of our judicial system
by the defendants, I truly believe that all defendants will be found
guilty. No matter what decision is made concerning the disposal of the
defendants (garbage) there is nothing that could be done to them that
would ever match the pain and suffering that has been experienced by so
many. The philosophy of an eye for an eye really doesn't apply in this
horrendous situation.
Obviously I would want to see
all found guilty and sentenced to life in prison without parole. I do
not want to see these men executed and made martyrs.
I
guess folks who read this will think I am angry....well....I am. I
want the process to minimize the pain and suffering for the families of
those murdered as well as the rescuers, many of whom are suffering from
significant illness daily. I only pray that this process will proceed
expeditiously so we can put this one thing behind us.
John Epsicopo was also at Ground Zero, working alongside Jack, Keith and many others as part of the Emergency First Responders.
NO, [I am not watching what's going on at GITMO]
It should be a military trial held off of US soil. It was an act of war.
If he is tried in a civilian court on Us SOIL THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO
GIVE HIM HIS RIGHTS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION F THAT.
No outcome will render Justice. The outcome needs to send a
message to his buddies that we are not playing. If you murder our
people you will LIVE thru hell for the rest of your life
No death penalty, because then they become a martyr Use their beliefs
against them . Keep them alive have them live in their definition of
sin.
John Episcopo,NREMTP NY Presbyterian EMS Special Operations Division
As we all know, since 9/11 many thousands of our young sons and daughters, men and women from around the world, have sworn the Military Oath and stepped up to serve in this ongoing Global War on Terror. Some have given the ultimate sacrifice.
HOLDER IS AN ASS.... THIS IS
MILITARY BUSINESS AND THAT IS WHO SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF THIS MATTER. IT
SHOULD BE DONE RIGHT THERE AT GITMO. AND
SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LONG TIME AGO... I FOR ONE AM TIRED OF PAYING
FOR THEIR FOOD, BED, HOUSING AND THIER IN HOUSE RECRUITING AND ALL THIER
PERSONAL AND RELIGIOUS WANTS I DON'T BELIEVE THERE CAN BE TOTAL JUSTICE UNLESS THEY GET A DEATH PENALTY AND THAT IS CARRIED OUT VERY QUICKLY.
Mickey Arnette Bryant
Proud Mom of a US Soldier
SSG Jason R Arnette
KIA 4/1/07 Baghdad now deployed to Heaven
Robert Stokely, Gold Star Dadof Mike Stokely:
I look at Justice in a
bigger light over a larger period of time. First, the Hanging of
Saddam Hussein was Justice in my view given his hand in matters that led
to my son and many others going to free a nation he brutalized even as a
mass murderer. SH was a threat to America and plotted to assassinate
our President. Although Mike didn't live long enough to see him
brought to Justice, I had the opportunity to go to Iraq with a man who
was in on his capture and interrogation and I am satisfied Justice was
served. As to KSM, I am more detached where he is concerned. 9/11 was a
day country music star from where I live in Coweta County, Alan Jackson
asked "Where were you when the world stopped turning....." While I
was with my wife at her medical appointment when 9/11 happened, my son
Mike was at AIT at FT Gordon and little did I know I was standing on the
precipice of war my son would die in less than four years later. For
me, KSM is less the person I wanted to see brought to Justice as Bin
Laden. Justice has now been served now that he lies at the bottom of
the ocean in an unknown watery tomb.
As to bringing those thugs, whether KSM or others to the U.S. for
trial and seeking Justice, that makes about as much sense as bringing
cockroaches into your house to squash them. GITMO has worked just fine
and I simply don't understand why Holder and crowd wants to bring them
in country.
As to the outcome of the KSM trial and others like him, I think
history has set the precedent. Saddam's rope or Bin Laden's bullets to
the head will work just fine for me.
Northstar96sc, Military mom, long-time tireless Troop supporter:
I believe the court process at GITMO, in my opinion to
what I read is a joke. I am pretty sure the terrorists will die of old
age before any justice will be carried out as they are not from here and
do not wish to be spared. There is no excuse. I do not hear anyone
saying they are innocent. They are costing us money and making a
mockery of of our court system.
This should be a military trial as they attacked our country and should be in a military court as a crime against the USA.
No there will not be justice as we cannot erase the day or charge our
pound of flesh. The 9 11 attack cannot be undone and since the war
started we have lost many more children of the United States in the war.
We have a value of life and the terrorists do not value life. They want
to keep the fight going and invade us from within which our current
government is allowing it to happen as the USA is still allowing these
people to come into our country and build here and live here.
I would like to see the Muslim religion extinguished. I
would love to bring our military home form A'Stan and let them kill one
another.
What about those in the Military who have 'been there, done that', served in the Global War on Terror, come home to tell the tale to any who would listen? Here's what one was willing to share on the record:
My take on things is that the tribunals were unnecessarily delayed for political reasons by Holder and Obama when they attempted to put this in a civilian court.
The hard fought gains made in the first years of the war have been thrown away, not just squandered, but thrown away by the current crop of politicians, again, for political purposes and political correctness. They have released terrorists, enemy combatants. They have forced the Karzai govt to negotiations with the Taliban. They half-stepped "the Surge" and then pulled out before victory could be achieved. After pulling defeat from the jaws of Victory in Iraq and then Afghanistan, they handed Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and now Syria to the enemy on a silver platter.
They are ignoring international law (the Geneva Conventions) which states that combatants can be held until the end of hostilities, and only war criminals are tried in a court, because they want to make this a law enforcement and criminal situation. That means they want the military to act in a law enforcement role.
What is my take? The politicians have again brought a defeat, despite the victories of our Troops.
Senior NCO/Veteran Iraq/Afghanistan
As of today, the defense motions in GITMO continue on, and are not expected to be cleared for many months. The actual trial begins after that, and will no doubt be followed by appeals. This is in no way a criticism of the Military commission, and I commend them for their professional attention to ensuring that these enemy combatants will obviously be charged and sentenced by the very system they have sought to destroy.
Once the trial does get underway, it is anybody's guess how long before a guilty verdict is rendered by the Military Tribunal. GUILTY is the only acceptable verdict, for all the Heroes we have lost, no matter how long it takes. I have heard misgivings expressed by some, that many of our 9/11 survivors will themselves be dead long before such verdict is executed. As we all watch the blatant manipulations of the Military Tribunal system by these murderers, it is absolutely reasonable to wonder - as some have also shared with me - whether justice will ever be exacted for this heinous act of war. I have long believed - and voiced often - that we certainly won't see justice during the current US administration. That opinion has, of course, been reinforced by Holder's repeated efforts to interfere with the judicial process underway in GITMO. Having said that, I do fervently believe that justice will be rained upon KSM and the other guilty murderers. The American values which KSM et al continue to abuse and manipulate - to sneer at - as they languish in luxury at GITMO, will be the very same values which will demand a price of retribution.
I don't think any of us are naive enough to believe that day of reckoning will bring back the cherished, loved ones lost on 9/11 and in the subsequent years of this Global War on Terror. Wishing will never make that so.
And the motions and the trials go on, and on, and on. However, I DO have absolute faith, and I hold fast to that faith, that justice delayed does not mean justice denied. Justice WILL be served upon the guilty. They will be called to account. I believe.
A few days ago, Hallmark stepped on a metaphorical landmine when their Maxine cartoon referred to Memorial Day as merely a day off, and made no mention of what the actual point of that most solemn day is supposed to signify. I wrote my initial thoughts on the whole disgusting aftermath here. Even after the admins of the Maxine page on FaceBook issued their non-apology apology, the rabid (with apologies to dogs...) fans/readers of Maxine continued to insult and cruelly abuse any Gold Star Family member who had the gall to try and explain why that Maxine cartoon had wounded them. We saw active duty troops, a veteran, military supporters, all add their voices to the melee, in an attempt to educate on the significance of Memorial Day. All to no avail, as the ugly - and they truly WERE ugly - insisted on confirming that they really were rude, ignorant, obscenely lacking in any kind of compassionate hearts, as they insisted that our Gold Star Families' sacrifices really warranted no respect, nor understanding, since their fallen Heroes - their loved ones - CHOSE to join the military, chose to go to war, chose to lay their lives on the line, to protect even moronic Americans' rights to such things as freedom of speech. Those filthy-mouthed 'fans' of Maxine (because, yes, there was also a proudly proclaiming 'inbred hick' of a Canadian in the lynch mob) amazed and appalled some of us, as the bile they spewed proved that even in America the beautiful, there are many with no heart at all...
Hearts. As my regular readers know, I am blessed to know and love a few Gold Star Families, and I have seen their hearts in full force, as they inspire me daily, with their dignity, their grace in the face of unimaginable loss...
During the fracas, I talked to a few of the Gold Stars, and I promised them that I would make sure (as I often try to do) that their voices were heard, and that I would use my right to freedom of speech to ensure that their loved ones would be remembered and honoured. So today, I want to share with my readers the real HEROES - unlike the computer-generated cartoon character who inspired such depraved disrespect of the sacrifices made by families in this Global War on Terror.
First up is SSG JASON R ARNETTE
That's Jason and his mom Mickey.
This is one of my favourite pictures of Jason. Mom Mickey posted her thoughts on Memorial Day as she - in vain - tried to educate the potty-mouthed, heartless 'fans' about Memorial Day:
Let me give you just a small amount of EDUCATION this AM... and this is for education only... so you may now how the truth is.
Do any of you know what a Gold Star Mom is? Or the true meaning of Memorial Day? I doubt it. 1st Memorial Day is a Somber Day of Remembrance of those who gave their lives for all this Free Speech you speak of. And yes we ALL have the Freedom to Speak freely. (as we all have {guilty}) I realize that most of you do not realize What a Gold Star Mother or and Gold Family is or what they endure every single day of their lives. 2ndly We (I am a Gold Star Mom)live with the loss of our loved one who fought for our Freedoms including speaking Freely as we all have in this thread and others. 3rdly, My Son (you know flesh and blood came from the love a man and women ) left his blood on a battle field doing what he truly believed was and is the right thing to do, so that we can almost live the way we are comfortable with. As did many many many before him. Oh by the way he is a VOLUNTEER, to ONE of the lowest paying and thankless jobs in this country for the type of work he performed daily for over 6 years. He liked it so well he re-enlisted while on the battlefield.
these theads, on this site are not about the Disrespect of a Cartoon Character they are about the ignorance of a Day to Remember those who laid their lives down for our country. The rest of those who really don't care about most things except their own little and I mean little corners of life are the DISRESPECTFUL ones.
These are the people I have and so have others tried to educate them what Memorial Day is about. I am not attacking anyone. The moderator of this site should have monitored it better and them it would not have come to all of this. Hallmark should have had a better handle this.
i do like Maxine's humor most of the time. sorry for the spelling and grammar errors I was typing to fast and am only human and not a certified teacher.... I am just a MOM who son died not just for me but you as well. [emphasis mine]
Memorial Day is a Day of Sober Remembrance of our Fallen who gave their lives for us and our Freedom. these post are no longer about the cartoon they are about What Memorial Day stand for and what a Gold Star Family really is and what disrespect the fans here and at Hallmark have given to the many of us. Not the cartoon.
"...just a MOM..." Oh, no, to me MOMS like Mickey are far more than just a MOM, and those arseholes on that page that day could learn a great deal from American heroes such as Jason and you.
Other moms shared their children's lives on FaceBook, as they attempted to put a HUMAN face to the sacrifices made, which allow the stoopid among us to run their mouths, all in the name of freedom of speech.
Spc Clay Patrick Farr
Clay's mom, Silver, wrote this on the Maxine thread:
Allow me to introduce my son ... Spc Clay Patrick Farr US ARMY. He was killed in action, one month after his 21st birthday. He loved our beautiful Country, and swore to defend the freedoms and liberties of all of her citizens. GOD Bless America!
One of the rights my son died defending, was the right to freedom of speech. Considering that, I thought it would be fitting to introduce him in light of the recent conversations here on Maxine's page.
Freedom of speech is one of our inalienable rights. Attacking grief stricken parents/families when they ask for consideration of their feelings, is cruel. If Hallmark removed defensive posts by family members of the Fallen, they should ALSO... have removed the hurtful posts, made by those who were attacking them.
Those are the facts, nothing else can be achieved by running it into the ground. I would hope, that reasonable people, with considerate hearts, could put this behind them and move forward. I honestly do not believe that this forum is made up of Soldier Haters.
Silver Farr, Proud Mother of Spc Clay Patrick Farr, US ARMY KIA, February 26, 2006 Operation Iraqi Freedom
Silver's beloved son, Clay, a HERO among men, lies here now, but he lives on in his mother's heart. He WILL be remembered and honoured by those of us who understand that freedom is not free.
Michelle J West is a Gold Star Wife who was also the target of abuse as she tried to show the difference between the cartoon character, and the real life flesh and blood - heart - of her Fallen Hero husband Laurent:
This picture of the two of us was taken in April of 2007, just two months before he deployed.
This is the fourth Memorial Day where Laurent was one of the Fallen Heroes that were honored on this day. This has been the hardest due to realizing how many Americans have no clue what the true meaning of Memorial Day is.
The Maxine cartoon was posted on a friend's FB page. I had to read it several times to actually comprehend what was in front of me. Thinking that I had not understood the "humor" I showed it to our 15 year old daughter and she said "not cool".
How can a 15 year old realize this but so many Maxine fans and Hallmark not? Yes, I believe in Freedom Of Speech but I am a firm believer that it is our duty as Americans to understand that behind every freedom or right we are blessed with, there is RESPONSIBILITY.
The hateful words of those that thought the First Amendment only applies to them went beyond a civil debate. The most Amazing Man I know died while defending a Country we love and far too many Americans can not even spend one day to honor the sacrifice of our Fallen Heroes. I pray that there are more Americans who DO understand and respect Memorial Day than those that don't. For the day I am in the minority is the day America looses.
Michelle J West The Proud Wife Of American Hero SSG Laurent J West KIA March 11, 2008
This one above is my FAVORITE of SSG Laurent J West. Taken just 3 days before he was killed.
As mentioned above, the ignorance on display on the FB Maxine page, was not restricted to Americans. A couple of Canadians felt the need to prove that morons live among us, that ignorance does, indeed, know no geographical boundaries. Just for them, here are a couple of Canadian Fallen Heroes and their Hero families.
I have written about Cpl James Arnal a few times, and believe me, not only is James a Hero, but his mum Wendy is, too:
Cpl James Arnal
Cpl Arnal's mother Wendy and brother Andrew besides James' plaque in Afghanistan.
Those pictures head a column I posted that Wendy wrote called "I was ...in the middle of Nowhere." If you missed that heart-wrenching account of her journey to KAF to smell and taste the air that her son James breathed as he gave all in service to Canada and freedom, go here. In another column about James and Wendy called "A Mother's heart" I had this:
"We were like best friends. We talked about everything. He was an ambassador for life. He embraced life with every breath," said Wendy Hayward-Miskiewicz.
"Soldiering was so befitting to him, to protect the very freedom to live life to its fullest."...
"I will be honest. I had reservations about his second tour and I actually asked him to reconsider. But James's reply was, 'Mom, it's the right thing to do,' and I couldn't argue with that," Hayward-Miskiewicz said.
"He was raised to care about the things that mattered and to make a difference. He certainly didn't have to die to make us proud."
You can read the rest here. If you put James' name, or Wendy's, in the search thingie above, you will find more stories on how this mother continues to honour her son's life. She is no ordinary woman doing extraordinary things (the mission of the non profit CarpeDiem88 set up to continue James' mission.) She is an extraordinary woman, who every day shows us all the true meaning of honour and integrity...
Then we have Mishelle Brown, now widow of WO Dennis Brown, another of Canada's flesh and blood heroes:
On March 4, 2009, I had a column about Mishelle Brown:
Canadian Hero who also serves: Mishelle Brown:
Mishelle Brown, widow of slain Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown, holds a news conference in St. Catharines, Ont., on Wednesday, March 4, 2009. (Frank Gunn / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
In that column I quoted Mishelle Brown:
“I love my husband. Not loved, LOVE! I never took Dennis for granted — not even for a second,” she said.
Brown was a reservist with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment in southern Ontario who served as a police special constable in civilian life.
“He chose to go on this tour, and he fought really hard to get time off from his job with Niagara Regional Police to do it, and I supported him every step of the way — and I still do,” his wife said.
“When I asked him why he wanted to go on this tour, Dennis said, 'If we don’t get them in their back yard, they’re sure to get us in ours.’ ...
[...]
"We talked about everything . . . some people say, 'I wish I had one more thing to say to them,' but I said everything, I don't have to say one more thing, I said it all when he was alive," she told reporters in St. Catharines, Ont. "Everyday I spoke to him I reminded him how important he was to me and how lucky I was to have him."
[...]
Mishelle Brown said she wanted "the whole world to know what an amazing man he was."
"That's what's keeping me strong, I met my dream come true. Nobody can take that away from me. No roadside bomb can take that away from me. "..
Read more of what this hero had to say here. My heart is full to overflowing with the lives and loves of our fallen heroes, no matter what flag they serve, and it could take me MY lifetime to honour each of them here.
There are the Danes, heroes like Konstabel Mikkel Keil Sørensen & 1st Lt. Steen Rønn Sørensen, Royal Life Guards Royal Danish Army, who gave selflessly of themselves so that the heartless among us could daily prove their ignorance. There are the Australians:
Lance Corporal Andrew Jones
Commando Sergeant Brett Wood, MG
Read more on these two here, if you really want to know how they lived and loved, and were/are loved.
Forever honoured by me will be the two Canadian medics who gave their lives as they went to save their comrades:
Master Cpl. Kristal Giesebrecht and Pte. Andrew Miller
Find out more about these heroes - whose smiles break my heart every time I look at them, as I do often - here.
You can find mention of a few more of my heroes here, in a year-end column in I did called MY Heroes of the Year. You can also learn more about the REAL heroes if you put "Some Gave All" in the search engine thing at top left.
I would be really remiss if I did not include Mike Stokely and his family here, as real heroes:
Sergeant Michael Stokely: Duty. Honor. Country.
I have written about Mike and his precious family more than a few times. One time I posted a video that his sister Abbey made to honour her beloved brother:
late jumping in as I have been on the move, and maybe better so. When my son and a million other sons, daughters, brother, sisters, husband, wives, dads and moms gave their lives - their forever in some cases as my son had no children - they did it for America. Unfortunately, they did it for the good of America, and those who could care less. It is easy to be thoughtless and insensitive when you have not experienced that which you are thoughtless and insensitive about. You can not know how much you love someone, especially your child, until you lose them. May those who are so insensitive and thoughtless about Memorial Day, and for that matter may all who have not suffered such a loss, never know how much you love someone. And if someone thinks it makes me feel better knowing they have a day off because my son and one million others like him died for America, then they are mistaken, seriously mistaken. They have no sense nor do I think they are capable of understanding DUTY HONOR COUNTRY.
robert stokely Proud Dad SGT MIKE STOKELY KIA 16 AUG 05 near Yusufiyah Iraq USA E 108 CAV 48th BCT GAARNG
If nothing else I read on Maxine's infuriated me, that Robert had to read the bilge here, and comment as he did, just about broke this brat's heart - again. However, there for me - in a nutshell - is the difference between the idiots and our Gold Star Families and their most beloved Fallen Heroes.
they did it for America. Unfortunately, they did it for the good of America, and those who could care less. It is easy to be thoughtless and insensitive when you have not experienced that which you are thoughtless and insensitive about. They have no sense nor do I think they are capable of understanding DUTY HONOR COUNTRY.
One of the themes (amidst all the vile abuse) that was prevalent on the Maxine wall the other day, was the misguided belief that Memorial Day is a day to remember all who have died, not only to honour those who have Fallen in service to their respective countries, on the battlefield.. I told you ignorance was on full display, and so it was as some insisted on interjecting that they remembered their Uncle Tom's dog's third cousin twice removed as their focus for Memorial Day. No matter how many of us tried to educate the masses, (and yes, even this foreigner is fully aware of what Memorial Day actually means,) it was very disheartening to witness not just the insults, but the wilful ignorance.
Each year, in the United States, approximately 40,000 people are killed on American roads. Over the last few years, approximately 40,000 people have been killed in Drug Cartel crimes in Mexico. Recent Tornado's killed approximately 140 in the American South. The final count on deaths from Tsunamis in Japan and previously Thailand will never be known for certain, but thousands and more than a 100,000 are conservative estimates. Thousands of Afghan civilians and Thousands of Iraqi civilians are killed by terrorists every year.
Yet, the MSM doesn't publish the daily body counts in the Mexican Drug War, those of Iraqi based terrorists, Palestinian based terrorists, Afghanistan based terrorists, Pakistan based terrorists, civilian suicides, or those killed on American roadways, not even those killed by drug-crazed or drunken drivers. They do give the daily body count of any American Servicemember remotely connected to Afghanistan (and used to do so on those remotely connected to Iraq). Conversely, they'll use hours of broadcast time to tell the life stories of journalists that are killed in a combat zone, even if due to their own decisions to be in places of known extreme risk, as if the journalist were a saint.
War On Terror News does not report Fallen Soldiers as mere numbers, but by name. Conversely, we also don't report on numbers or names of civilians killed by cars, or suicide. This bears the question: Is a Soldier's Death more important than a Civilian's?
Truth of the matter is that EVERY loss hurts those of us left behind. That's a fact. However, Memorial Day IS a day when the least we can - and must - do, is remember and honor our Fallen Heroes and their families who, as every picture here so clearly shows, lived their lives overflowing with joy. That fact is in stark contrast to the so obviously miserable pixel FB 'fans' of Maxine that felt the need to abuse our Fallen Heroes families, and the memories of their loved ones.
In light of the mishandling by Hallmark/Maxine as the moronfest gathered momentum the other day, I am now proudly displaying a new logo in my sidebar here at Assoluta Tranquillita:
As those nasty nasty people discovered the other day, when you attack OUR Fallen heroes, when you dare to tell our Fallen Heroes Families that their sacrifices are irrelevant, and that they need to "get a life, "lighten up, laugh", and "get over yourself," there are those among us who will take you to task every single time.
And that is my continuing mission and commitment: I will NOT "shut up," I will NOT be silent. I WILL always and forever stand WITH and FOR our Heroes and their families.
