This speaks for itself.

"I was sitting alone in one of those loud, casual steak houses that you find all over the country. You know the type--a bucket of peanuts on every table, shells littering the floor, and a bunch of perky college kids racing around with longneck beers and sizzling platters.

Taking a sip of my iced tea, I studied the crowd over the rim of my glass. My gaze lingered on a group enjoying their meal. They wore no uniform to identify their branch of service, but they were definitely "military:" clean shaven, cropped haircut, and that "squared away" look that comes with pride.

Smiling sadly, I glanced across my table to the empty seat where my husband usually sat. It had only been a few months ! since we sat in this very booth, talking about his upcoming deployment to the Middle East. That was when he made me promise to get a sitter for the kids, come back to this restaurant once a month and treat myself to a nice steak. In turn he would treasure the thought of me being here, thinking about him until he returned home to me.

I fingered the little flag pin I constantly wear and wondered where he was at this very moment. Wa s he safe and warm? Was his cold any better? Were my letters getting through to him? As I pondered these thoughts, high pitched female voices from the next booth broke into my thoughts.

"I don't know what Bush is thinking about. Invading Iraq. You'd think that man would learn from his! old man's mistakes. Good lord. What an idiot! I can't believe he is even in office. You do know, he stole the election."

I cut into my steak and tried to ignore them, as they began an endless tirade running down our president. I thought about the last night I spent with my husband, as he prepared to deploy. He had just returned from getting his smallpox and anthrax shots. The image of him standing in our kitchen packing his gas mask still gives me chills.

Once again t he women's voices invaded my thoughts. "It is all about oil, you know. Our soldiers will go in and rape and steal all the oil they can in the name of 'freedom'. Hmph! I wonder how many innocent people they'll kill without giving it a thought! ? It's pure greed, you know."

My chest tightened as I stared at my wedding ring. I could still see how handsome my husband looked in his "mess dress" the day he slipped it on my finger. I wondered what he was wearing now. Probably his desert uniform, affectionately dubbed "coffee stains" with a heavy bulletproof vest over it.

"You know, we should just leave Iraq alone. I don't think they are hiding any weapons. In fac t, I bet it's all a big act just to increase the president's popularity. That's all it is, padding the military budget at the expense of our social security and education. And, you know what else? We're just asking for another 9-ll. I can't say when it happens again that we
didn't deserve it."

Their words brought to mind the war protesters I had watched gathering outside our base. Did no one appreciate the sacrifice of brave men and women, who leave their homes and family to ensure our freedom? Do they even know what "freedom" is?

I glanced at the table where the young men were sitting, and saw their courageous faces change. They had stopped eating and looked at each other dejectedly, listening to the women talking.

"Well, I, for one, think it's just deplorable to invade Iraq, and I am
certainly sick of our tax dollars going to train professional baby killers we call a military."

Professional baby killers? I thought about what! a wonderful father my husband is, and of how long it would be before he would see our children again.

That's it! Indignation rose up inside me. Normally reserved, pride in my husband gave me a brassy boldness I never realized I had. Tonight one voice will answer on behalf of our military, and let her pride in our troops be known.

Sliding out of my booth, I walked around to the adjoining booth and placed my hands flat on their table. Lowering myself to eye level with them, I smilingly said, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation.

You see, I'm sitting here trying to enjoy my dinner alone. And, do you know why? Because my husband, whom I love with all my hea! rt, is halfway around the world defending your right to say rotten things about him."

"Yes, you have the right to your opinion, and what you think is none of my business. However, what you say in public is something else, and I will not sit by and listen to you ridicule MY country, MY president, MY husband, and all the other fine American men and women who put their lives on the line,
just so you can have the "freedom" to complain. Freedom is an expensive commodity, ladies. Don't let your actions cheapen it."

I must have been louder than I meant to be, because the manager came over to inquire if everything was all right. "Yes, thank you," I replied. Then turning back to the women, I said, "Enjoy the rest of ! your meal."

As I returned to my booth applause broke out. I was embarrassed for making a scene, and went back to my half eaten steak. The women picked up their check and scurried away.

After finishing my meal, and while waiting for my check, the manager returned with a huge apple cobbler ala mode. "Compliments of those soldiers," he said . He also smiled and said the ladies tried to pay for my dinner, but that another couple had beaten them to it. When I asked who, the manager said they had already left, but that the gentleman was a veteran,
and wanted to take care of the wife of "one of our boys."

With a lump in my throat, I gratefully turned to the soldiers and thanked them for the cobbler. Grinning from ear to ear, they came over and surrounded the booth. "We just wanted to thank you, ma'am. You know we can't get into confrontations with civilians, so we appreciate what you did."

As I drove home, for the first time since my husband's deployment, I didn't feel quite so alone. My heart was filled with the warmth of the other diners who stopped by my table, to relate how they, too, were proud of my husband, and would keep him in their prayers. I knew their flags would fly a little higher the next day.

Perhaps they would look for more tangible ways to show their pride in our country, and the mil itary who protect her. And maybe, just maybe, the two women who were railing against our country, would pause for a minute to appreciate all the freedom America offers, and the price it pays to maintain it's freedom.

As for me, I have learned that one voice CAN make a difference. Maybe the next time protesters gather outside the gates of the base where I live, I will proudly stand on the opposite side with a sign of my own. It will simply say, "Thank You!"

(*Lori Kimble is a 31 year old teacher and proud military wife. A
California native, Mrs. Kimble currently lives in Alabama)"

 

WOW! What a story, that was awesome and something I really needed to read about now…

Thank you so much…

 

I got it from another truck board. A guy who is overseas now posted it up. Gotta keep the positive stuff going for our boys & girls protecting us.

 

That is true and there is NOTHING that makes me prouder to be an American then to see those who serve in the United States Armed Forces…

I don’t get the opportunity to see many back here but every time I see one I always thank them for their service and tell them I am very proud of them…

 

Check it out:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/speakup.asp

 

That was a great read. I have a retired Navy Cheif who sits
behind me and has forwarded me some articles of service men
and there experiences. I will ask him if I can post one of the stories that I was able to read. You will not find these articles on the TV or in the newspaper as they are quite in depth with there feelings and what they are doing over there.

Thanks to everyone who is or has served

 

serotta thanks for the link, I always check stuff like that with snopes but I willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Just last week I had to lecture some ignorant, spoiled, unrealistic pampered brat graduate students in my lab about the difference between the administration making policy and the military that has DUTY to carry out that policy and that they were scum of the worst kind if they ever took out their arguments with the administration on the brave men and women of our military, there was enough of that crap after Vietnam, it still boggles my mind how anyone could spit on a kid returning home from doing his duty and think that the war was his fault and that he was overseas having fun robbing, looting and murdering civilians like it was a big game. Calling American soldiers babykillers makes me want to puke. I don't find t so hard to believe that things like this story happen. My brother will grauate from the Naval Academy in a month, whenever he and his friends go out in uniform, people are always buying them drinks and thanking them. They feel guilty sometimes b/c they have to explain that they havn't actually been out of the academy yet (except the prior enlisted) but no one seems to care even after its explained. Thanks to everyone in uniform out there, you guys are all heroes and to the rest of us here at home, don't bedrudge anyone their views on the war but never let ignorant ****** take it out on the soldiers!

 

I'm sure something similar to that has happened all over the country, even though snopes discounts that certain instance.

 

fatman66:

The reason that many of the soldiers from Vietnam got so much crap and spit on was because of socialist liberals like John F’N Kerry. Remember Kerry was one of the people telling everybody about BS that was going on in Vietnam and the man had NO CLUE what he was talking about since he did NOT see anything himself.

No wonder so many vet’s can NOT stand the site of John F’N Kerry, he will defiantly not carry hardly any military vote for 2004. I am willing to bet he gets less then 10% of the military vote. The military don’t like voting for those that stab them in the back and try to insure they have LITTLE to NOTHING to defend themselves while in war….

 

I dunno 01, I'm an ex-vietnam vet, and the verdict is still out on my vote along with several other vets I know. I can promise you this, Kerry's military service will play no part in my vote for or against him. His current stance, or lack of it, on issues will be much, much, MUCH more important to me.

Remember, bottom line, He did serve! He didn't avoid his duty like other candidates.

BTW, I agree with you about the liberals making it rough on us returning from Vietnam. I was one of the one's spat upon in '70 during my arrival in Ca. BUT, the truth is they all had a right to their opinions. I believe they were wrong, but then again I have a right to an opinion also.

 

"The military don’t like voting for those that stab them in the back" Neither do the American people. A lot of people feel the other candidate has done just that. 01, you're obviously a huge Bush fan, which is great, but your views are always tainted. Surely Bush can't be all good and everyone that opposes him all evil. Why is it that a story about a woman defending her husbands honor, has to be skewed to represent whether you like Bush and/or the war? Hasn't any single conservative heard of people that honor the military 100% but are against a war or dislike the current president?

 

serotta:

With all due respect and a big THANK YOU and salute to you for your service, but Kerry, in my opinion, don’t get to have it both ways.

Yes he did indeed serve and in combat at that and I have the highest respect for anyone that serves even if not in combat. However Kerry needs to decide which side he is on and stop using this ”I served my country, and my fellow soldiers were a bunch of murdering raping basturds”.

That is where Kerry is, he wants to use the “I served in Vietnam” and then “I detest anyone that served in Vietnam”. Yes I agree he has the right to say anything he wants to say at any time. He has the right to tell people it is ok to spit on those who served honorable in Vietnam however I have NO respect for anyone, regardless if they served in a combat zone, when they come back and try to put those that fought beside then away for doing something he has no facts about. Nor do I have any respect for someone that puts his fellow service members in harms way.

Some and most likely many may have been spit on but who is to say some didn’t get beat or even killed over it and Kerry would have made someone that did that feel ok with it because “those people” are horrible people who fought in Vietnam.

Kerry is over I wonder if he will actually be the democrat nominee since things continue to go down hill for him. He is all over the place on most issues. I would normally say that something that happens over 20 years ago is off topic but in Kerry’s case he continues to prove that his actions from 20 years ago continue today and make it relevant. His own character for over 20 years has been the same, say one thing to this crowd and say the opposite to this crowd, he is for and against the same thing at the same time…

I guess Kerry really pisses me off because he loves to go around wearing his military jacket but yet has voted to gut as much of the military as he possible could and now does NOT support our troops overseas but talks the talk wearing a jacket I personally do not think he deserves…

 

Well I wouldn’t say I was a huge Bush fan. Let me put it like this:

I am a HUGE fan of a free America, I am a HUGE fan of “personal responsibility”, I am a HUGE fan of letting those who bust their butt to keep their money, I am a HUGE fan of those that are lazy NOT getting to eat and starving until they learn how to perform some kind of work that is worthy of food.

I am a HUGE fan of FREEDOM and the United States Armed Forces. I know for a FACT that the ONLY reason we can argue today back and forth is because of the United States Armed Forces, and the FACT we have the strongest military in the world, second to NONE.

Now perhaps that makes me a big Bush fan in your eyes, but not mine. It just happens that NOT one liberal, not Clinton, Hillary, Kerry or many others are a huge fan of the same things I am. Liberals in general just HATE the military and that fact we have such a strong military, they also hate the thought of personal responsibility…

Now President Bush has made some mistakes in my book that I am in NO way fond of which the biggest one being one of the biggest socialist give-a-ways in history and that is the free drug benefit that was NOT needed, it was for votes only and to make nice with liberals BIG MISTAKE!!!!

Anyway my views are not slanted because they are MY views that have come forth from my own thoughts and logic something many liberals do not exhibit. Liberals in general have to rely on sound bites and taking notes and HATE. That is why it is so easy to **** a liberal off because after a few post they run out of sound bites and talking points and since they can’t think for themselves they revert to name calling.

You are not a general liberal, and don’t really seem much of a liberal anyway, maybe more of a moderate. Anyway I enjoy debating with you because so far you do well which means you actually think for yourself as I do for myself.

I am not a Bush cheerleader, but I will speak as loudly as possible to support the person that represents MOST of the things I am a HUGE fan of. At the moment President Bush is that person…

 

I suppose neither one of us will live to see the day when any candidate gives us that warm, fuzzy feeling all over. And I agree with you, lack of personal responsability is one of the largest issues facing our great country. And I swing a little more towards conservative than moderate, but it depends on the issue. I don't mind having a welfare program, but the state it's in now is a damned sin. Anyone taking advantage of a program designed to help people out, that really need it temporarily should be shot, and those that allow it should be right behind them. It's too bad we spend more money on people too lazy to work than on handicapped people and children. Are you familiar with the story of ELISA IZQUIERDO (1995)? If you are, her mother should have been shot on sight. I've tried looking her up, but I'm sure she's back on the street getting more money for being a drug addict that's too lazy to work. If you're not, I'll be more than happy to post it. Stories of people not taking personal responsability go on and on...Makes me more conservative every day. Once saw a great saying, "I'm not cynical, just experienced"

 

Hey serotta,

Fact or fiction as the thread started, the woman could have been/is standing up for what and who you were/are.

rdy2rac was trying to acknowledge your, mine and others contributions to to our great country... but it seems you still want to make a passive agressive political statement. What gives? It was only intended to give all who served and sre still serving a big thank you. And the point of it is, as I see it, is just stuff your ideals in your pocket and support our brave young men and women in uniform for doing a great job no matter the motivations for them being sent into battle.

Right or wrong they are our brothers AND sisters in arms. They need all of the homefront support they can get. As you well know.

Enough sniping the political agenda, we all have a duty to support our country all whom fight for it.

I do care who wins the election but that is not what this thread is about. '01, are you listening?

Here's to all who have served...