It's a scene few, if any, parents want to imagine: Your son or daughter, clad in fatigues, hugging you goodbye at the airport security gate before heading off to war. While your young soldier's room at home may be crammed with the trappings of youth — high school letter jacket, journals, posters of bands, stuffed animals — all he or she has now is stuffed into a single backpack. San Jose Mercury News editorial page editor Stephen E. Wright and his wife just endured this very scenario, and he joins us to tell us about that sendoff, and how it's affected the way he thinks and talks about the war in Iraq... and those who read his first column, which he's followed-up on. Have you sent a loved one off to war? Tell us your stories here.
Blog Of The Nation
I have 2 boys, 15 and 12 years old. I keep having this nagging looming dread the draft will be re-instated. Especially since the occupation in Irag keeps dragging on and on. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
I think we as a nation DO understand what families are going through. That is why we are so angry that our leaders have caused our troops to go into harms way for such a questionable war. Troops dont get to decide where to go... so our leaders must be very careful with where they send these precious sons and daughters!
Please remember the wives and children of the soldiers who are also affected.
There are chilren out there who have only had mom or dad home for a couple of months and now their parent(s)are going over again.
Talk of the Nation manages to entirely reverse the nation's electorate on it's coverage of the war.
This guest got just a few minutes on the air and all questions were directed at the "patriotism" of his son who chose to go to war. Then the producers allowed a caller on who was a pro war supporter.
The pro-war supporters get 3/4 of the time on air and those against the war get 1/4.
When will you ever get a guest that is unabashadly AGAINST the war as 2/3's of the american people are? That guest should get at least as much time to explain his/her position as General Keane did.
There is no freedom of the press when the press is compromised by government and corporate interests.
I can't help but wonder how the death of these outstanding citizens changes our future. They are without question; brave, strong, conscientious and honorable. The kind of people we need to be our leaders, fathers and mothers. The people we need to lead our country into the future. Now many of them are dead and more will die. What will it cost us? I suppose we will never know.
I could not reach you on the radio program, but you have my sympathy and support-and prayers for your son. I too have been op0posed to this war, knew it was wrong and with great fear and sadness sent my wonderful and stoic 30 year old National Guard son off to war in March 04, six weeks later he was dead. He leaves a wife and son and a family who loved him so much and who will never reconcile with having lost him as he searched for non existant weapons of mass destruction. I believe this Administraiton betrayed my son, the Military and the Democracy and that they continue to do so everyday with their false claims and terrible planning. I guess one of the things that hurts the most is to see the families we have come to know now sending their young ones off for the fourth, and fifth time- and we all know their odds of returning safely get smaller each time. I think the families of the decision makers, like Bush and Chaney should be ther first to offer their young ones up for this war instead of watching exhausted guardsmen leave their weakening families and go back to the disasterous civil war of Iraq. But we know they won't, so they can continue to talk about sacrifice in the abstract, they will never open to their front door to the Uniformed man who will tell them the worst news of their lives. May you never become my family Mr Wright, may your son come back whole and without the torment that follows so many back in their dreams, may the leaders of our beloved Country come to gripes with this horror and figure out how to get our brave ones home NOW!
Celeste Zappala
Mother of Sgt Sherwood Baker, KIA 4/26/04
Gold Star Families Speak Out
gsfso.org
Nothing in life has ever been so frustrating, anxiety producing, and infuriating as sending my son off to the mideast. He believes in honor, duty, service and protecting our freedom. He is strong, brilliant and irreplacable and in harms way. I think it is wrong, purposeless, and a Lose/Lose situation except for Venture Capitolist's Bush and Cheney.
My nephew came home from Iraq a year ago, now he has re-enlisted and is returning on Monday. He has had a hard time finding a job since he returned home. The training and education he was promised in the military did not pan out as he expected or was promised. He feels he has no choice, but he does not support this war. After his deployment to Iraq the first time, he wrote to me that the honor of fighting this war ended as soon as it started. Before he joined the Army, he had such high hopes for a college education, he loved the environment and wanted to study ocean conservancy. He wanted to change the world for the better. That's why he joined the military; he thought he was going to make a positive difference. He left with such positive hopes. I supported him completely, although I did not support this war. Over the course of time, I watched this talented, intelligent, caring and brave young man change into someone who is confused, angry and depressed. I never question the bravey or heroism of our young men and women who serve, but I have come to question my own expectations of young people in America. Why was I so willing to let the best of what our nation has to offer go off to war? They not only risk their physical lives, but they most often return scarred and changed. These are the best our nation has to offer; this is our own future that we risk.
if you people want to whine about sending your kids over there DON'T DO IT but remember this IT IS A VOLUNTEER ARMY....
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.