George Pope wrote in a message to all:

 GP>       The Daughter Of A Soldier

 GP>   Last week I was in Atlanta, Georgia attending a conference. 
 GP> While I was in t e airport returning home, I heard several people
 GP> behind me begin to clap and ch er.  I immediately turned around and
 GP> witnessed one of the greatest acts of patr otism I have ever seen.

 GP>   Moving through the terminal was a group of soldiers in their
 GP> camo's.  As they began heading to their gate, everyone (well,
 GP> almost everyone) was abruptly to t eir feet with their hands waving
 GP> and cheering.

 GP>   When I saw the soldiers, probably 30-40 of them being applauded
 GP> and cheered f r, it hit me.  I'm not alone.  I'm not the only
 GP> red-blooded American who still oves this country and supports our
 GP> troops and their families. 

 GP>   Of course, I immediately stopped and began clapping for these
 GP> young unsung he oes who are putting their lives on the line
 GP> everyday for us so we can go to sch ol, work and home without fear
 GP> or reprisal.

 GP>   Just when I thought I could not be more proud of my country or of
 GP> our service men and women, a young girl, not more than 6 or 7 years
 GP> old ran up to one of th  male soldiers.  He kneeled down and said,
 GP> "Hi."

 GP>   The little girl then asked him if he would give something to her
 GP> Daddy for he .

 GP>   The young soldier (he didn't look any older than 22) said he
 GP> would try, and a ked what she wanted to give her Daddy.

 GP>   Then suddenly the little girl grabbed the neck of this soldier,
 GP> gave him the iggest hug she could muster and then kissed him on the
 GP> cheek. 

 GP>   The mother of the little girl, who said her daughter's name was
 GP> Courtney, tol  the young soldier that her husband was a Marine and
 GP> had been in Iraq for 11 mo ths now.

 GP>   As the Mom was explaining how much Courtney missed her father,
 GP> the young sold er began to tear up.  When this temporarily single
 GP> Mom was done explaining her ituation, all of the soldiers huddled
 GP> together for a brief second. 

 GP>   Then one of the other servicemen pulled out a military looking
 GP> walkie-talkie.  They started playing with the device and talking
 GP> back and forth on it. 

 GP>   After about 10-15 seconds of this, the young soldier walked back
 GP> over to Cour ney, bent down and said this to her, "I spoke to your
 GP> Daddy and he told me to g ve this to you."  He then hugged this
 GP> little girl that he had just met and gave her a kiss on the cheek. 
 GP> He finished by saying, "Your Daddy told me to tell yo  that he
 GP> loves you more than anything and he was coming home very soon." 

 GP>   The Mom at this point was crying almost uncontrollably and as the
 GP> young soldi r stood to his feet, he saluted Courtney and her Mom.

 GP>   As the soldiers began to leave, heading towards their gate,
 GP> people resumed th ir applause.  As I stood there applauding and
 GP> looked around, there were very fe  dry eyes, including my own.

 GP>   That young soldier, in one last act of selflessness, turned
 GP> around and blew a kiss to Courtney with a tear rolling down his
 GP> cheek.

 GP>   We need to remember everyday all of our soldiers and their
 GP> families and thank God for them and their sacrifices.


 GP> ----

 GP> Now there are some of you out there who would follow the example of
 GP> Jane Fonda and condemn even the above soldiers, JUST because
 GP> they're soldiers.

 GP> If you do, you're a sick evil SOB deserving to be dressed up in a
 GP> brown shirt & speak only German!

 GP> Yes, there are arseholes in the military -- hate THEM!!!

 GP> Most of those you really hate are the administration, not the poor
 GP> victims in the ranks. . .

 GP> Most in the military are there because they want to protect YOU,
 GP> not because they want to kill women & children!  Or torture ALLEGED
 GP> suspects! (under orders, BTW!)

 GP> You're not throwing away your idealism of a war-free world by
 GP> praising the noble goals of the enlisted folks. . .

 GP> Praise them for their willingness to take risks on YOUR behalf, and
 GP> save your anger for those who actually earn it!

 GP> I, too, long for a world without war, but I know we won't get the
 GP> world we want by merely giving in to bullies!

 GP> (Did giving up your lunch money without question or fight ever lead
 GP> to a better school experience for you?)

 GP> Didn't you admire the one person who had the cojones to stand up to
 GP> the bully, ending his reign of terror?

 GP> Whatever you think of Bush, Cheney, & friends, that's not related
 GP> to the average man/woman in the troops!

Well said!


Regards,

Roger 
--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+