Not an election or candidate diary. Really.
Tue Dec 11, 2007 at 09:22:52 PM PDT
AOL has posted an AP story that is unbelievable. But then, in this republiganda bizzaro country we now inhabit, where truth is despised and lies are proclaimed, I must believe the story is true. Here is the start, but you should follow the link and read the whole thing if you want to feel your blood boil:
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Dec. 11) - Hundreds of thousands of holiday cards and letters thanking wounded American troops for their sacrifice and wishing them well never reach their destination. They are returned to sender or thrown away unopened.
Since the Sept. 11 attacks and the anthrax scare, the Pentagon and the Postal Service have refused to deliver mail addressed simply to "Any Wounded Soldier" for fear terrorists or opponents of the war might send toxic substances or demoralizing messages.
Is this why our troops fight? Is this why they and their families sacrifice? Is this the freedom they are protecting? The freedom for some goon in an office somewhere to destroy the sentiment of a well-wishing fellow citizen? Do we expect our troops to have the bravery to risk life and limb and then be unable to take a mean-spirited Christmas card?
From an AOL commenter to this story who goes by Robert1736:
Imagine you are laying in a military hospital bed, both of your legs are amputated from an IED explosion. You get a card sent to "Any Wounded Soldier." The wounded soldier read the card and it says, Ha, see what you get! Maybe there is a drawing or pictures of dead or wounded American soldiers with the caption. Is this what we want for our wounded?
Okay Robert1736. I'll bite. What I want for our wounded soldiers is a country that doesn't pretend to care about our soldiers with bullshit yellow ribbon magnets and phony expressions of concern over the feelings of an American whose life has been permanently altered. I want a Republican base that stops pretending to care about the troops and supports them for real by demanding that their elected representatives quit their partisan games and help the Democrats reign in the madmen and madwomen who sit in the White House so that our troops can be pulled out of the nightmare that is Iraq.
Here's a thought experiment for you, Robert1736 -- Imagine that you are a soldier in Iraq (highly unlikely, I know, since it is probably much better for you personally to support the troops over here, but play along) and that you have followed the unraveling story of how the Bush Cheney liars lied you into Iraq. You have been discussing the lying liars who are Bush, Cheney, etc., etc., with your fellow soldiers as you head out on patrol. Suddenly you hear a very loud sound. When you next reach consciousness, you are in a bed and missing both of your legs. I'll ask my question: Why did this brave soldier lose his legs?
But don't worry kossacks. If you had the thought that you would like to write a Christmas card to a wounded soldier or marine to thank them for their sacrifice and to wish them well in this season of reflection and caring, there is still a way. Our red-hearted friend Jeff Sessions of Alabama has volunteered to get your Christmas card screened for anthrax and maybe have a looksee at your sentiments, too. I'm not making this up:
Aides to Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., are offering to accept letters, screen them through the U.S. Capitol mail operation, and get them to members of the armed forces.
How dare the USPS and Walter Reed take it upon themselves to withold and destroy mail that is meant (in the vast majority of cases I am sure) to give a little encouragement and gratitude to wounded Americans. How dare they. And how dare Sessions enable this chickenshit policy by pretending to lend a hand.
I weep for my country.
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