"Support Our Troops: Bring Them Home Now" is a popular bumper sticker in Seattle, plus one of the phoniest things I've ever heard.
They're in Iraq and they're not coming home because queasy isolationist liberals want to turn tail. In the meantime, "supporting our troops" means, at the very least, doing more than piously mouthing the phrase while continuing to bash the U.S.'s role in helping Iraq establish freedom and democracy.
In other words, support means getting off your duff. To that end, I and my eight-year-old son were happy to take a little trip away from our lovely neighborhood in the People's Socialist Republic of Seattle (where pro-Bush, pro-Iraq War families such as ours are the cultural insurgents), to join hundreds of others in south suburban Seattle at Anderson's Barn. There, Operation Support Our Troops was packing, addresssing and loading onto trucks oodles of Christmas care packages for our men and women in Iraq.
We packed non-perishable food, sporting equipment, books, CDs (yes Peter Jennings, more of that damned country music, and get over it, please), books, cigars, Christmas trees, long pipecleaners for cleaning guns, athletic socks, towels, toiletries and more.
It was a great, great scene, and I was interested to notice that the crowd was far from Lily White. I saw Blacks, Asians, Hispanics and Native Americans, along with all the pale folk you'd expect to find at such a gathering. Spirits were high, and several Seattle TV stations were there to film stories, presumably for broadcast on the early and/or late news tonight. UPDATE, SUN. 11/14/04: There was also this story in today's Seattle Times.
Congratulations and thanks to all the great volunteers, and a big tip of the hat to the lead organizer Sheryl Sheaffer of Sammamish, and her mom Nadine Gulit of Issaquah, who are among the founders of O.S.O.T.
The next O.S.O.T. package drive will be in advance of Easter.
To be notified of volunteer opportunities, e-mail Operation Support Our Troops at sheaffers@comcast.net.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at November 13, 2004 05:17 PM
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Hi Matt!
We just got a good chuckle form your post. In fact we are sending it along to family. Thanks for saying it like it is.
Yes, it is great to be of service to our soldiers.
Last night we watched the news and saw those anti-war protestors and wondered which planet they had come from. Why in the world does the media even give them the time of day? The young woman soldier who was interviewed seemd near tears. She had just returned home from Iraq. Bless her heart and family.
Thanks again for not only your comments but the help you and your son gave to this most worthy orgainzation. God Bless America, our troops and God bless you and yours.
Best to you and we will see you just prior to Easter.
Blaine and Diane
Posted by: Diane and Blaine Anderson at November 14, 2004 08:33 AM