A Lesson in Patriotism

Salt Lake City mayor Rocky Anderson and notorious Bush-basher Cindy Sheehan could learn a great deal about Iraq and the soldiers who serve there by visiting with the soldiers who serve and have served there, as well as their families.

Bravo for Collette Gourley, the surviving spouse of Staff Sgt. Greg Gourley, who was killed in Iraq in February of this year. Bravo as well for the family of Corporal Adam Galvez, who was killed in Iraq in the past few days. They are proud of their husband and son who gave the last full measure of their devotion toward the attainment of liberty for the people of Iraq and the Middle East. Collette had this to say recently about the putrifying abcess that could no longer be elected mayor of Salt Lake City:

My husband and I were born and raised in Salt Lake City, and I moved back here with my four children after the death of my husband. I am ashamed to have Rocky Anderson representing this great city. He is a waste of space and energy. To think that he is protesting my husband's commander in chief makes me extremely irritated. I wholeheartedly agree with Cpl. Adam Galvez's parents when they said that he is partly responsible for the deaths of our soldiers. As far as I'm concerned, it's either black or white — there is no gray area here. You are either in support of our military troops, or you are on the terrorists' side. I think Rocky has made it clear what side he is on.

Becoming a continually greater embarrassment to the people of Salt Lake City, not to mention everyone else in Utah, Mayor Rocket J. Squirrel (Rocky) Anderson has not been invited to the American Legion Convention in Salt Lake this week. Nor has been invited the lady who has forgotten to purchase a grave stone for her son fallen in Iraq, Cindy Squirrel Sheehan. But they will both make themselves very conspicuous, greater causes of embarrassment, and bigger "waste[s] of space and energy" in Salt Lake during the convention. Mr. Squirrel protested the last time President Bush was in town, and he made a fool of himself doing it. He said that if invited, he wouldn't come to the American Legion convention anyway.

There will be not one, not two, but three separate anti-Bush rallies during Convention Week. Along with that, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sympathizers have planned a "Death to Israel" rally. I hope all four assemblies are very small.

I've noticed recently that if you want to find a soldier with a positive outlook about the conflict in Iraq, you must usually search the weblogs and letters to the editor. But when reporters find a soldier who hates his job, it's nearly front page news. Maybe this is why Mayor and Ms. Squirrel think we should get the US out of Iraq, because they let the Associated Press and Reuters do their thinking for them. The reality is that a gargantuan percentage of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who are serving--as well as their families--understands why they are there, are glad they are there, and can see the positive service they are providing and the progress that is occurring, albeit more gradually than any of us would like.

Mayor Squirrel has never been to Iraq, yet he claims that he can support the troops in Iraq at the same time he stirs up support for the terrorism which causes their deaths on a near-daily basis. Ms. Squirrel desecrates her son's grave by not only not purchasing his headstone, but also using his death for self-aggrandizement--counter to her son's (who served in Iraq) sympathies.

Neither Mr. Squirrel nor Ms. Squirrel are worth paying attention to. The only problem is that far too many news outlets give them far more attention than they ever deserve. It would be nice if this were simply a mature disagreement. Representative Jim Matheson, a Utah Democrat, who plans to greet President Bush when he arrives, cannot understand the actions of Mayor Squirrel. Rocket J and the Ms. refuse to be civil, preferring instead to resort to antics unbecoming even a child.

The last time President Bush was in town, Mayor Squirrel thrilled other protesters when he raised his birdy finger in salute to the President as the Presidential motorcade went by.

How he ever became mayor of Salt Lake I'll never know. Let's just hope that quite a few voters have wisened up to his unprofessional antics and send him packing if he tries to run again.

Bravo to those who serve, and to those who understand the great service we provide to the people of Iraq. Bravo to those who send their wives, husbands, sons, daughters, sisters and brothers into harm's way, because they understand the cause of liberty. Bravo to those in various communities across this great land who pray for their safety and success. The greatest of God's blessings go to those who give their lives, as well as to those who graciously accept the dedication of the passing of their loved ones in this war between liberty and despotism.

BOO, however, to the whiners like Mayor and Ms. Squirrel, who prefer to place themselves on a soapbox in the public eye rather than try to understand not only how such chicanery reflects on their country, but how it endangers our troops as they serve in harm's way. Rocky and Cindy, I agree with Collette Gourley. You may not be terrorists per se, but you support terrorism. Please apologize to all the fighting men and women of America for your despicable behavior, and to their families as well.