Tell this mom to "stay the course".
The woman stood waiting amid the lunch counter clatter at the Grand City Variety Store to confront Olympia J. Snowe.
"We need to get out," Stephanie Slocum told Snowe, one of Congress’s most conflicted members over the war in Iraq. It was the Maine Republican’s first week of her summer break, and Slocum was among the first of many constituents who would tell her the time to act is now.
The self-described "proud mother of an Army cavalry scout," Slocum is taking Iraq personally. She told Snowe in a matter-of-fact voice about her 27-year-old son, who is now home but shouts angrily at her, whose body trembles, who at times feels he is still in Iraq and who, if Congress does not begin to redeploy troops by September, will be sent back. She spoke of her son’s leave that never came, the goggles to protect him that she had to buy herself and the mental health treatment he has just given up. Because, he told his mom, "what’s the sense" if he has to go back.
"Outrageous," Snowe said of the problems. "I would encourage him to continue to get his care."
"I do, but you know how it is," Slocum said. "In the Army . . . if you get the therapy, it’s shame on you."
As she spoke, Slocum’s poise slipped, and her voice shook. She was frustrated, most of all, with the failure of Washington to make it end — and frustrated, too, with Snowe’s careful hedging on Iraq. "I think you’ve changed your position a little bit, and we’re very appreciative of that," she told her senator. "But it doesn’t seem like whatever we think — as the majority of people in Maine and across the country — it doesn’t seem to have any impact."
She should do more than stay the course. She should be on TV with this as often as the GEICO commercials.
I would love to get the opportunity to give Boxer and Feinstein my unfettered opinion about their Rubber Stamp Congress II capitulating to the WH on FISA revision. F voted
‘yea’ and Boxer was out of town.
Did you see Markos kick DLC apologist Harold Ford’s ass on MTP? More! More!
Everyone’s first priority seems to be ‘keep my job, fuck what’s right”.
Michelle Malkin should teach that ungrateful (rhymes with witch) a lesson, like she always does to the traitors.
That woman’s son should learn the TRUE definition of patriotism which, according to Romney, is helping Romney get elected president.
A. Soldiers fight wars. Always have.
B. War is hell.
C. He volunteered.
You finish with a logical conclusion.
His personal condition in no way reflects upon the sense or nonsense of the war. And is this to be another radical ideologue like Cindy Sheehan?
Great points Dugger. The Iraq War has been an unfettered success. We were so-totally right to invade Iraq after what They did to Us on 9-11.
Dugger, you are asking people to spend prime years of their lives under brutal conditions that will scar them forever.
What are YOU doing for THEM, other than laughing about how they “volunteered” to be screwed?
What you are saying then is that patriotism is to be punished, and the more patriotic they are, the more punishment they deserve.
The reason YOU don’t deserve this punishment is because you were not patriotic enough to serve.
Do I have that right?
Remember, they “support the troops”.
@ Dugs:
D. Civilians get to have an opinion about the wars their leaders start. Always have.
A. Soldiers fight wars. Always have.
B. War is hell.
C. He volunteered.
You finish with a logical conclusion.
E. Fuck ‘im. Right, Duggsy?
Dear Dugger:
When young Slocum volunteered he probably didn’t know he was going to be called on to pull extra tours to cover the ass of a blazingly incompetent CinC in a bullshit war.
Had that been known it could be that he and thousands like him wouldn’t have volunteered.
Of course it’s too late now. He did volunteer and he has to live with the consequences. What he, his family and all people of conscience can do is vote the idiots who started this war and all who enabled them out of office.
Repack
No. You have it totally wrong. As you have before.
Quaker
E. Other citizens get to have an opinion about other citizen’s opinions of the war.
Wilbur
Do you include all the Democrats that voted for war in that “vote ‘em out tirade’? How about the Democrats (I’m sorry - insensitive of me) Democratics that have voted to sustain the war since? How about any Democratic that funds our presence in Iraq after the next election? Be careful, there may be none left.
“If I knew I’d have to be deployed to Iraq 5 times, I’d have shot my ear off or moved to Canada or got my Daddy to find me a safe place to hide out”.
Do you include all the Democrats that voted for war in that “vote ‘em out tirade’? How about the Democrats
Damn straight I do.
But you and I both now that republicans would be the big losers if such a purge were to take place.
And of course if you’re honest with yourself (big ha) you’ll have to admit that many of those democrats who “voted for the war” realize their error and have changed their tune. I’m a Christian; I reward repentence with forgiveness.
E. Other citizens get to have an opinion about other citizen’s opinions of the war.
Sorry, I don’t follow.
The story is about a woman (whose son has been to Iraq, might have to go again, and is having emotional problems) who spoke to her elected representative about her own opposition to the war.
Your response to that story is to say her son is a) a soldier, who b) must do an unpleasant job, because c) volunteered.
This has what, exactly to do with the story? Are you suggesting that the mother, presumably a citizen, should NOT voice her opposition to the war because of a, b, and c?
“And of course if you’re honest with yourself (big ha) you’ll have to admit that many of those democrats who “voted for the war” realize their error and have changed their tune. ”
Hey, I’ll give you that - all except the ‘error’ part. They realize the money bags in the party don’t like the Iraq war. They have no idea if it was an error.
Quaker,
Did you see OWs lead in? It ties this story to criticism of the Bush Iraq policy (’stay the course’).
And I still say if you freely decide to become a soldier, and what has always happened to soldiers happens to you, you shouldn’t be surprised and nor should your mom. Does Ms Slocum really expect that the war should be ended because of her feelings about her volunteer son’s individual experience? One woman in maine.
Did you see OWs lead in? It ties this story to criticism of the Bush Iraq policy (’stay the course’).
I did. So? With the lead-in or without it, it’s pretty clear the story is about “criticism of the Bush Iraq policy.” In fact, it’s explicit.
I still say if you freely decide to become a soldier, and what has always happened to soldiers happens to you, you shouldn’t be surprised and nor should your mom.
Who on earth said otherwise?
Does Ms Slocum really expect that the war should be ended because of her feelings about her volunteer son’s individual experience?
Who on earth said that? Not Ms. Slocum. She said this:
“But it doesn’t seem like whatever we think — as the majority of people in Maine and across the country — it doesn’t seem to have any impact.”
One woman in maine.
That’s right. Talking to her elected representative. You got a problem with that or not?
“You got a problem with that or not?”
Nahh.