Log in to become a member of Roschelle Nelson's Fan Club!
While we spent most of Tuesday evening and all day Wednesday trying to villafy, theorize, speculate, dispute, and/or explain the lipstick on a pig issue....Marine 1st Lt. Nicholas A. Madrazo, 25 and Marine Capt. Jesse Melton III, 29 were too busy dying in Operation Enduring Freedom to give a damn.
As of September 9th, 4,155 U.S. servicemen have died in Iraq since 2003. 517 have lost their lives in Afghanistan. I know. That's sad...right? I'm sure your hearts go out to the family, friends, and loved ones of these men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. But we're all full of crap. So much so that Senator McCain's daughter announced on television that her family is the ONLY family that has any insight on war. I wonder if the mother's of Madrazo and Melton know anything about war.
Today marks the 7th anniversary of the attack on America. I remember as clear as day what I was doing that morning - lying in bed with my new 5 month old son...enjoying not having to report to work until 11am instead of 7am...it was a beautiful September morning. Then all hell broke loose. I got a call to turn on the TV and there it was....utter chaos. AMERICA WAS UNDER ATTACK...We (Americans) stayed glued to our televisions for days.
We cried in silence surrounded by friends and loved ones as we watched people walk aimlessly through the streets holding pictures of their missing loved ones, signs with names of those who would never be found. We listened to recordings of victims calling their loved ones for the last time...just a sweet call from a wife...(you could hear the fear and terror in her voice) as she told her husband (via answering machine) not to worry...she'd be home as soon as she was rescued from the 100th floor of Tower #1 - a reunion that would never occur.
Today we've watched a few ceremonies honoring the dead (not nearly the way we used to the first 2 or 3 years after it happened). Some of us wore tshirts with the twin towers and an American flag waving in the background with the words "We will never forget"...emblazoned across it. But, we have forgotten. The government forgot and the American people forgot.
Lipstick on pigs is more important. Speculating whether white middle aged women will vote for Obama is more important. Listening to the lies spewing out of Senator McCain's mouth about his promises to be the maverick he's always been while assuring us that we will continue to lose more Americans to war for the next 100 years (if it takes that long) is more important. Cheering while being told victory in Iraq and Afghanistan is in sight is more important - when we KNOW there is no victory to be had. You can't fight an ideology so viscerally engrained in a group of people whose hatred for us grows each time another innocent civilian (including thousands of children) are being killed by us on a daily basis.
We've killed more civilians than all the terrorist acts combined since the "war on terror" began. We've even managed to kill some terrorist leaders who are quickly replaced by another fanatic usually worse than the dead one.
What have we really accomplished. Nothing! We've been in Afghanistan for 7 years, ousted the Taliban regime and attempted to establish "our democracy" on a group of people who can't even fathom the concept. And now the Taliban is regrouping; planning; preparing; waiting to strike again - and still no Bin Laden.
The violence, once again, is increasing. President Bush gave us good news on yesterday stating at least 8,000 servicemen would be coming home soon. He failed to mention that about 4,500 additional troops would be sent to Afghanistan by the end of the year this year.
And all we can think about is a pig with lipstick or a pitbull with lipstick or how much of a hottie Governor Palin is.
I don't know what to think. I'm a staunch Democrat and because of that Obama is my choice. But when it comes down to it all politicians make promises they know people want to hear. Some hold up their end of the bargain once elected. Some don't. But if for no other reason than to stop this endless killing instead of the alternative which is what McCain offers - a perpetuation of the same. Obama has my vote.
Roschelle Nelson is a Registered Nurse by profession and mother, wife, freelance writer, mentor, friend and genuine lover of life by choice. Roschelle has achieved success with several business ventures. She enjoys writing, meeting new people and considers life a precious gift. View her blogs Admissible Banter and Sagacious Rambling. Her views on life, current news, work and family are never dull and often sprinkled with humor and wit.
Eloquently stated. Someone tell me, how is it that anyone can vote for a presidential candidate who is still looking for victory in Iraq? As our service personnel and Iraq civilians have died in this mess, the Bush/McCain team are still assessing what benchmarks equal success in the Middle East. Are you kidding me? These people had nothing to do with 9/11. Enough!!! Obama will step up his attacks on this nonsense, including the smears, and we can withdraw our troops from this awful quagmire. Thanks. I will always remember this day and our loved ones who died innocently.
» left by robert melaccio sr. (81 days 4 hours ago.)
Roschelle, the issues America is facing today goes much deeper. It seems to be beyond the grasp of most Americans capability. They are stuck in the meaningless. The fact was that while we went in the first Gulf war, we stopped short. In every War since the 2nd we have done the same. We did not go in to win and regardless of who is president we don't and won't. Yet one could argue that until they drop and of no use. Now how sad it is always the poor and average families that fight the wars and it is the poor and average families and middle class who elect those politicians time after time that get us into this war. You who vote for them do the sending. Hard to take but fact. You empower thyen to act and each time they do the opposite of what you wanted and expected of them. I will admit Obama was against the war but that does not make him a leader by any way shape or form. No, by deed he is one of the same batch in many ways and while he says he will get out I remind you to listen to the qualifiers and also where he will "send them" once he pulls them from Iraq. If he was the so called uniter, leader, he claims to be, why, just why, hasn't he done that back two years ago when the Democrats swept in on that pledge, did we all forget? No, sinply put the truth hurts and many do not want to admit it. They would rather take the package and forget the facts. Like I said he could be one for the ages or another bust. I lean toward the latter. Best wishes.
hi robert thanks for commenting...no obama being against the war doesn't make him a leader; mccain being a war hero doesn't make him a leader. It is a toss up and like a said empty promises are often made. But in a democracy ...voting is one of the most paramount ways that are voices can be heard. We all will have to use the wait and see approach
» left by Anonymous (80 days 18 hours ago.)
I hate to admit it, but I think Robert is right on this one. As much as I'd like to think that Obama will end the war in Iraq, deep down I wonder if he's just another pawn of the Pentagon.
thanks for commenting anon. you said "as much as I'd like to think that Obama will end the war in Iraq, deep down I wonder if he's just another pawn....
Do you even think McCain is remotely interested in ending the war in Iraq? Just food for thought.
Good article, Roschelle! I can't believe Chris Matthews devoted a whole a show to this lipstick-on-a-pig psuedo-controversy the other day! Obviously, Obama did not mean to imply that Sarah Palin was a pig. If he did then, McCain implied that Hillary was a pig. They can't have it both ways.
I don't know if we can pull out at this point. We need to help in the restructuring, as promised, or risk creating even more enemies then before. If we pull out of Iraq, who knows what kind of hotbed for terrorism Iraq will become?
I think that would be the case 100 years from now. When do we pull out. The thing is we should have never gone in. We never finished what was started in Afghanistan. The Pakistani (our supposed allies) are launching strikes against U.S. forces who are unofficially making cross border attacks in their country looking for Al-Quaeda...and let's not forget about Iran. It's a recipe for disaster and several thousand more lives lost.
As a member of Lt. Madrazo's family, I can say without a DOUBT, Nic would be LIVID that his name is being used in an article promoting Obama. He supported McCain all the way. Nic believed in what he was doing and what WE are doing. You need to be more careful in using people names who have sacrificed their LIVES so we all can continue to enjoy our freedom. I am disgusted with the way you are using his name.
Robin, I do not take lightly the sacrifices that the men and women of our armed forces have made on the behalf of our country. This article was written to make the point that while we were so busy bickering over the "little" things....people on the other side of the world were and are faced with real life and death situations.
I apologize sincerely if my mention of Obama and the fact that I support him is viewed in anyway as me showing a lack of support for our troops. I support them wholeheartedly. It is the war I do not support.
But again, this response is not about that. Thoughts and prayers to you and your family in your time of grief.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
