Memorial Day Open Thread

Hello again, and Happy Memorial Day! How’s the barbeque coming along? Have any of the kids jumped into the pool yet? Or wait, is that YOU in the pool with the white t-shirt? ; )

OK, and seriously, have you remembered the troops today? Are you grateful for their service to our country? Are you angry at Bush and the Republicans for dishonoring them by keeping them in the midst of all this chaos that all the experts knew would happen? Yes, I know it sucks. : (

Well, here’s some Arnold news for you. The Governator is in Anaheim today for the Stanley Cup (ice hockey) Championship Game today between the Anaheim Ducks and the Ottawa Senators. Now I may disagree with Arnold on a whole lot of things, but I can tell you that I agree with him on this:
GO DUCKS, GO DUCKS, WOO HOO, GO DUCKS!!!! : )

So what are you up to today? What would you like to chat with me about? What’s happening in your town today? Go ahead. Make my day. Fire away! : )

One Nation, One Moment, One Action

(Go Congressman!- blogswarm;
Now cross-posted at MyDD! Go over and rec it! : ) – promoted by atdleft
)


NOTE: The initial inspiration for Jerry McNerney to advocate this action was a Daily Kos diary titled “Will he still love me?” by testvet6778; this is also cross-posted on Jerry’s Blog… – Eden w/ McNerney for Congress


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Today is Memorial Day, a time to recognize and honor the men and women who have given their lives in service to our nation for over two centuries, from the American Revolution to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

While this day is always a solemn national event, I know many Americans are feeling a profound sense of pain on this particular Memorial Day. The thoughts and feelings you have expressed to me about how to support our troops in this time of war — in-person at my “Congress At Your Corner” events, by phone, through email, or in the hundreds of comments on my blog — is a reflection of that deep sentiment.

More below the fold, including a very important action you can take to support our veterans living with Traumatic Brain Injury and an update on our effort to save the Livermore VA hospital from being closed…

While our country may be divided about how best to support our troops in these conflicts abroad, this day is about uniting to remember those who have given their all to our nation.

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Today, you can join millions of your fellow Americans in reconciliation and respect by observing the “National Moment of Remembrance,” a national minute of silence at 3 p.m. local time. As Moment of Remembrance founder Carmella LaSpada says, this is “a way we can all help put the `memorial’ back in Memorial Day.”

We have a duty as Americans to remember the people who have sacrificed for our country. And, we also have a duty to take care of returning veterans whose body, mind or spirit may be wounded in the conflicts they fight abroad. That’s why I’ve recently led the effort to pass legislation that will significantly increase funding and research into Traumatic Brain Injury (or “TBI”), often caused by roadside bomb explosions.

Last year, I asked you on Memorial Day to financially support a grassroots organization called “Operation Helmet,” which provided special blast-protective headgear to troops in combat to prevent TBI. Your generosity — and the response by thousands of other Americans — was so profound that Operation Helmet recently announced that it no longer needed to solicit donations.

This year, no matter your feelings about the war, I want to ask you to join together again in collective action to heal our soldiers and our nation. Bob Woodruff, the former ABC News anchor who suffered a serious brain injury after a roadside bomb explosion last year, has founded the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury to help soldiers suffering from TBI to receive cognitive rehabilitation.

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http://www.bobwoodru…

On behalf of all the veterans who continue to suffer the ill effects of these horrific injuries, today I would like you to seriously consider making a contribution of whatever amount you can afford to the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain Injury.

Rest assured that contributions to the Woodruff Family Fund will actually go to the cause of caring for our veterans. When you click the “Donations” link at the web site above, you will be redirected to the Brain Injury Association of America. Under the section “Program Area," please click the scroll bar to select “Bob Woodruff Family Fund for TBI” as the recipient of your donation.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this important request on this solemn day.

Sincerely,

Jerry

P.S. Many of you have recently asked me how we can save the veterans hospital facility in Livermore from closing due to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs federal budget cutbacks. Rest assured that I will continue to focus my energy on keeping the Livermore VA hospital open and potentially expand its services to help veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

With growing support for my PTSD proposal for Livermore from major newspapers across our region, there is a growing consensus that keeping the Livermore VA open and reshaping its mission would be in the best interests of our veterans. You can read those newspapers editorials and other posts on my efforts to keep the Livermore VA open by clicking here to read the “Veterans Affairs” section of my campaign blog.

Another Memorial Day and Insiders Still Don’t Get Iraq

The insiders are gratuitously behind the curve in understanding Iraq:

Congressman Jerry McNerney, who took a lot of heat from progressives for his last vote on Iraq, this time defied Democratic leadership and voted no on the bill to pass the federal budget.

In reality, last time McNerney voted against Speaker Pelosi and voted with the minority (59) of Democratic members who want to stay in Iraq. Thursday, he defied the President and joined the Speaker in voting with the majority (140) of Democrats against capitulating.

The other day, the San Francisco Chronicle ran a great acticle on Facebook activism. So take advantage of the potential. Sign up an account and join the group: Proud of Jerry McNerney. And be friends with Jerry McNerney. This is a great use of 5 minutes for some Memorial Day activism.

And, of course, join the group: Calitics. It is critical for those of us who do “get it” to become better networked.

Updated to add the kick-ass pic of our friend who crashed the gate.

Is This Why We Fight?

When will American Jews wake up to the absolute wickedness of the Islamic religion. Every single follower of Islam: man, woman, and child, is taught nothing but such anti-semitism from the second they are born. The death cult of Mohammed is the biggest threat to American Jewry.

It would be a great service if Amir Abdul-Malik Ali would tell us how to recognize a Zionist Jew when wrapped from head to foot like a Muslim terrorist. If someone looking like that emerged out of the restroom on an airplane, it would be comforting to know that it is only some Jewish guy trying to make Muslims look bad. Then I can go back to reading my magazine.

These are just a couple of the many hate-filled comments that can be found on the recent Red County/OC Blog, which have now been “reprinted” at The Liberal OC. Now these folks were accusing the Muslim Student Union at UCI of inciting hatred by inviting a Muslim cleric to speak about the Israeli-Palestinean conflict. However, look at this video and try to find any “hate speech”. Maybe they’re just looking in the wrong direction.

But look at this. The Orange County Human Relations Commission reported in its 2006 annual report on hate crimes that attacks targeting Arab/Middle-Eastern/Muslim Americans have DOUBLED in the past year. And worse yet, the OC Human Relations Commission suggests that this may be due to the Iraq War.

Wait! Hold on here! Is this why we fight? Follow me after the flip for more…

Now on this Memorial Day today, we remember our fallen soldiers. We honor their fight to preserve our freedom. We honor their commitment to this land of liberty and justice for all.

So why must House Minority Leader John Boehner defile the US House of Representatives with such a bizarre and downright psychotic cry?

“After 3,000 of our fellow citizens died at the hands of these terrorists, when are we going to stand up and take them on? When are we going to defeat `em?” demanded Boehner. “Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you, if we don’t do it now, and if we don’t have the courage to defeat this enemy, we will long, long regret it. So thank you for the commitment to get the job done today.”

But wait, I thought we were fighting in Iraq for freedom. Didn’t Bush even say that as he admitted that there was no connection between Iraq and al-Qaeda before the war? OK, so we know that this isn’t why we’re in Iraq, either. Whatever reason Bush gives as to why we’re in Iraq, we can count on it being wrong. That’s why Bush should have never started this war in the first place.

But anyways, back to the point of the matter. Are we really fighting to “take on” the Muslims? Are we fighting to just kill them all? Are we fighting to conquer the Muslim World for the sake of the Christian faith? I don’t think that’s why our soldiers want to serve this nation. I think they want to serve because they believe in the innately American value of freedom of religion. I think they want to serve to defend our Constitution.

Why can’t John Boehner and the OC Blog critters just pay attention to Chris Prevatt at The Liberal OC?

There are radicals on all sides of all issues in this world. It is wrong, simply wrong, to paint people of a particular faith, or people of a particular race as terrorists and promoters of hate. The actions of a few, do not speak as the actions of all.

Mr. Boehner, Shawn Steel, Barry, coach, Debbie, and El Liberdator, just because a person is Muslim; just because a person is Arab; just because a person does not look or believe as you do; does not mean that he, or she, or their countrymen and women, are terrorists who must be destroyed.

Mr. Boehner, you are preaching hate on the floor of the United States Congress. I am ashamed that you have a position of power in our country. The rest of you are just simply a disgrace.

So is this why we fight? Are we fighting to defend America from those evil terrorists who want to turn us all into tree-hugging homosexual peaceniks? Check out this story from the AP Wire:

The Alabama Department of Homeland Security has taken down a Web site it operated that included gay rights and anti-war organizations in a list of groups that could include terrorists.

The Web site identified different types of terrorists, and included a list of groups it believed could spawn terrorists. The list also included environmentalists, animal rights advocates and abortion opponents. […]

Howard Bayliss, chairman of the gay and lesbian advocacy group Equality Alabama, said he doesn’t understand why gay rights advocates would be on the list.

“Our group has only had peaceful demonstrations. I’m deeply concerned we’ve been profiled in this discriminatory matter,” Bayliss said.

The site included the groups under a description of what it called “single-issue” terrorists. That group includes people who feel they are trying to create a better world, the Web site said. It said that in some communities, law enforcement officers consider certain single issue groups to be a threat.

Is this why we fight? Are we fighting so that our government can define our freedom of speech as “terrorism”? When did environmental advocacy and speaking up for equal rights for all suddenly become acts of terror? When “single-issue” advocacy become “single-issue” terrorism?

I don’t get it. As I’m sitting here on Memorial Day, I’m remembering those Revolutionary soldiers who fought for independence from the British Empire. I’m remembering those Civil War soldiers who fought to end slavery. I’m remembering those World War II soldiers who fought the Nazi occupation of Europe and the Japanese occupation of East Asia. Didn’t they all fight for freedom? Didn’t they fight for liberty and justice for all?

I don’t think our brave soldiers are fighting so that a few hateful individuals can strike fear in the hearts of American Muslims. I don’t think they are fighting so that gay rights activists and environmentalists can be classified as “terrorists”. And no, I don’t think that they are fighting so that George W. Bush and his good friends can evade the fact that they made a grave mistake.

This shouldn’t be why we fight.

A BERRY Special Sunday Open Thread

OK, I’m on my way back to Garden Grove for the Strawberry Festival. I can hardly get enough of that delectable strawberry shortcake! Oh yes, and I will also on duty tonight at the OC Democratic Party booth!

Last night, we registered SEVEN NEW DEMOCRATS! And yes, four of them switched from Republican. I’m sure that even more people have registered at our booth today. I think the lovely Loretta Sanchez sign and the beautifully colored “Proud to be a Democrat” donkey pictures (for the little ones to color) make our booth so inviting!

So what are you planning to do tonight? How do you plan to honor our brave soldiers tomorrow? Would you like some strawberry shortcake? What’s your Democratic club up to in your neighborhood? Oh yes, and would you like a strawberry milkshake to go with your shortcake?

Go ahead. Make my day. Fire away! : )