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I am a Democrat,
and a volunteer who works to coordinate the efforts to provide assistance
for the soldiers of the National Guard’s 1451st Transportation
Company and their families. I find these two positions to be perfectly
compatible.
I spend several
hours each week working to fund-raise and friend-raise for these
soldiers and their families. People are often surprised to hear
that I am a Democrat. A Democrat? Working to support our troops?
How can that be? Am I an "unusual Democrat"? No! Is my
position unique? No!
When we went
to war in Afghanistan, I supported that war because I believed we
were on the right road to finding Bin Laden and the terrorists who
were responsible for the attack on the World Trade Center, the USS
Cole, and other atrocities against us. I was appalled at the decision
to leave our business in Afghanistan unfinished and begin the war
in Iraq, and I remain convinced that this was wrong for America
and for our people. I had so many questions. How could we leave
Afghanistan? How could we support another war? Where would we find
the troops to fight another war? Why were we even going to Iraq?
Other countries were more of a threat to us than Iraq. Other countries
had as many reported human rights abuses as Iraq. Other countries
had verified weapons of mass destruction when Iraq did not. My mind,
my heart and my soul were on an emotional roller coaster, my feelings
ranging from sadness to anger and back again.
I’m still
on that roller coaster as I see, read, research, and hear what is
happening in Iraq and in America. I see that Americans are so divided
and have become so caustic with each other. I will cite only one
example - the daughter of a woman I know, attending college in a
"very southern state", called her mother in tears because
several of her fellow classmates had told her that, because she
is a Democrat, she cannot be a Christian and will not go to heaven.
What is happening to our country?
We Democrats
are called unpatriotic and even un-American by many - this is totally
wrong and needs to be challenged. I am tired of being branded with
slanderous labels and unfounded allegations. I am a patriotic American.
I simply do not support this pre-emptive war on Iraq that was started
for dubious reasons by the Bush Administration.We went to war in
Iraq.
We spent our
goodwill capital with the rest of the world on Iraq. We continue
to spend our financial resources in Iraq. We lose soldiers, civilians,
reporters, and other innocent people every day in Iraq. We cannot
adequately provide needed services to people in our own country
because we are spending so much money in Iraq. We even hear and
see that our own troops are not provided with the protective gear
and equipment that they need to be safe. Families have actually
provided gear for their soldiers to make them safer. We have had
to deploy our Reserves and our National Guard units to active duty
in Iraq because we do not have the troop strength to fight without
them.
Forty percent
of the troops serving in Iraq today are National Guard or Reserve
troops. These are people who are all part of our own communities.
These are people who are police officers, teachers, doctors, elected
officials, electricians. They are from all walks of life. Many of
them are students who joined the National Guard because they wanted
to serve their country in this country and also have money for a
college education. Perhaps they would be deployed to help with a
national disaster such as a hurricane, or help with other kinds
of humanitarian assistance in this country. Most of all, they are
members of families who must now find ways to support themselves
and function without a member who is a vital part of that family.
These families must look to other members of their family, their
church, and their community to help them while their soldiers are
fighting in Iraq.
That is why
I work to support our local National Guard soldiers and their families.
These soldiers are called "citizen soldiers" and I think
that is a good way to see them. They are citizens of our community,
and now they are soldiers, and we must assist them. I am proud to
say that Watauga County Democrats do support these soldiers and
donated more than $1500 to the North Carolina National Guard Family
Readiness Program at our county convention last Saturday (April
1st).
Yes, I support
our troops and their families as I hope and pray that this war will
soon end. I do not believe that America can continue on this present
path of spend, spend, spend on this war in Iraq. I think of my grandchildren,
and the legacy we are leaving all our grandchildren.
I encourage
every person who has young people they love to think about what
legacy we are leaving them. Every one of us and them already has
acquired over $30,000 each as our part of the current national debt.
What will their lives be like 5, 10, or 20 years from now? I am
a grandmother and I care. We all need to care. And we need to lay
aside the name-calling, and look beyond party affiliation, to what
really matters. How much thought and support do we give to these
soldiers and their families, who sacrifice so much, when we sacrifice
nothing?
Yes, I am a
Democrat, and I’m speaking in support of our troops. I ask
that you let our soldiers and their families know that you care
for and about them. This is not about politics. This is about families
in our own community.
Barbara Daye
is the retired Dean of Students of Appalachian State University
and helps coordinate the Family Readiness Program for the 1451st
Transportation Company of the North Carolina National Guard.
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