We get plenty of hate mail at VCS.  Some from the far-out right, because we oppose torture.  Some from the far-out left, because we have not endorsed a call for immediate withdrawal from Iraq. That's the way it is -- when you stake out a position, many will disagree.  It's what makes democracy so interesting.

However, some people should not be getting hate mail, and at the top of that list are the young men and women recovering from horrific wounds at Walter Reed.  For those who aren't aware of it, there's actually a weekly anti-war protest held in front of the hospital.  I love antiwar protestors, and believe that the right to get out there and fight for your political beliefs and for our country is a fundamental resonsibility of citizenship.

But I also have the right to question both the taste and judgement of folks who would protest in front of Walter Reed, because those kids have enough problems without having to deal with that.  The pro-war counterprotestors should also vacate the premises.  Again -- if you're in a hospital bed for a month or a year recovering from an injury in war, you don't need a bunch of political asses outside yelling and screaming. 

In any event, what brought this little screed to mind was an email I received this afternoon. Frankly (especially since the source of the story was Fox News) I'd find it difficult to believe. Unfortunately, here at VCS we've received mail in the last few months, some of it suggesting that anyone who gets called up and serves in Iraq is a war criminal.  One particularly offensive message suggested that we should stop supporting the troops and calling for adequate medical care. The writer went on to say, "they're all war criminals.  They should all come home in a box."

To be honest, that just pissed me off.  I'll be the first to say I'm generally a liberal, I'm generally opposed to military intervention, and I get the willies when I think about how the Bush administration is tearing our country to pieces.  But you know what?  I've got a couple of close friends who've served at least one tour in Iraq, some even more.  I'll fight for them any day. So to those on the left and the right (all the way up to the XXX in the White House), who would use the troops as props for their political or ideological advantage, you need to find some other way.

I'll post it for your thoughts and reflections (and even your hate mail, which I'll be delighted to read).

Hi you all,
A story on Fox News TV this morning got my attention this morning
BIG TIME.
Brian and a crew from Fox were visiting wounded soldiers at Walter
Reed recently. One severely wounded soldier had received just one card.
It looked great on the outside, but on the inside it was a hate card. Go
to war get killed, or just die. etc. It looked like it was drawn by a 5
or 6 year old. I bet an adult did it. In any case this soldier is down in
the dumps. He has had buddies killed in action in Iraq and could use
some good cards or letters. Get well, we support you etc.
If you can help send it to:

Joshua Sparling
Walter Reed Medical Center
6900 Georgia Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

Thanks,
al white
--
ALBERT J WHITE JR
Brigadier General MeNG Retired
ajwhite@gwi.net