Well, as a member of the forum who is left-wing, I am definately anti-Bush and opposed to the war. However, I totally support the troops. I have family in Iraq. I have friends in the National Guard that have been called to active duty. I have a coworker that has just returned. I suspect that there are very few of us who have not been touched personally in this way, by the war. You can disagree with the president and be against the war and still be a good American.
If you can contribute monetarily, I'm sure it will go to good use. But, even if you are of limited means, there are so many other things you can do.
-Show your support with yellow ribbons. Cheesy? Maybe. But let me share my aunt's comments on them. Her son was sent to Iraq a few months ago. She has a giant yellow ribbon on her front porch. She says that every time she sees a yellow ribbon on someone's home, car, clothing, it's like a small prayer for her son's (or someone elses son or daughter's) safety.
-A local radio station recently ran a DVD Drive for members of one of the local National Guard units. Apparently, they don't have much to do over there when they are off-duty. Watching movies is a big way to pass the time. Plus, I'm sure that for a few moments, it's nice to get caught up in a movie and forget where they are. The local station collected upwards of 1000 DVDs.
-Get involved with whatever polical group you feel closest matches your views. Be it Democrats, Republicans, Greens, Whoever... Work to elect the candidates you think will do the best job for our country. All of our soldier, no matter where they are, are there to protect us and our freedoms.
-Operation DearAbby.net: Below is a press release from DearAbby.net. While it provides a simple way to send a message to the soldiers in the Middle East and around the world, it means a great deal to our men and women in harm's way.
More than 2 Million Messages Sent to Troops Via OperationDearAbby.net Washington, D.C. (Jan. 5, 2004)?More than 2 million messages! That's how many messages www.OperationDearAbby.net has posted from well-wishing individuals to servicemen and women in the Middle East and around the world. OperationDearAbby.net is an official Department of Defense program and secure Web site
The original mail campaign, Operation Dear Abby, was created in 1967 by Dear Abby, the most widely syndicated columnist in the world. The Internet version was launched Dec. 20, 2001, after anthrax attacks made it impossible for letters and packages to be mailed to generically-addressed military units or no-named addresses.
Today, OperationDearAbby.net is the White House's and Pentagon's preferred method for the public to send individually-written electronic messages of support to U.S. troops. Because it serves all branches of the military, individuals sending messages can be assured that their sentiments are directed to the military branch of their choice.
"Despite well-meaning individual's wishes to mail cards, letters or packages to servicemen and women with only a troop number or unit address, it is in the best interests of our young men and women who are overseas to use OperationDearAbby.net to send messages," says CDR Rudy Brewington.
"It's also not advisable for different pieces of mail to be sent in one package and addressed by name to one serviceperson with a note that asks that serviceperson to distribute the contents of the package to other soldiers. All-in all, sending an electronic message is faster, easier and safer for loved ones than sending unsolicited mail," says Brewington.
Messages are delivered by the military electronically to any service member's computer. For service members without a computer, the military prints out and delivers messages at mail calls or posts to bulletin boards.
The messages have been supportive, touching and funny, and from people of all ages and walks of life, says Dear Abby, aka Jeanne Phillips, whose personal thank-you note to the troops is the first item seen on OperationDearAbby.net. "A typical letter may read, 'We're thinking about you and want you to know how proud we are.'"
OperationDearAbby.net's technology is provided by the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR) and its Web site management is provided by the Navy's Lifelines Services Network.
OperationDearAbby.net is proud to have links from participants like AARP, Hallmark Cards, Inc., Sodexho USA, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and the White House Commission on Remembrance.
Most importantly, let others know how they can help support our troops.
CountryGuy
