Don't be deceived by game of war; Protest is patriotic
by Carol Korreck,
St. Petersburg Times
April 3rd, 2007
This story exposes the bias rampant in this country due to the propaganda
efforts of the war profiteers. It's patriotic to be prowar. It's patriotic to
drive by a peaceful war protest and flip off people or scream obscenities out
the car window. It's not patriotic to peacefully assemble and protest.
This past weekend I, along with a few veterans and others who support the
soldiers but not the quagmire their commander in chief has gotten them into,
stood with signs and banners not far from the gates of MacDill Air Force Base.
My banner displayed a peace sign with a yellow ribbon on it, and said, "Bring
our troops home now" and "Military Families Speak Out," which is an organization
of more than 3,000 families nationwide who totally support their loved ones, but
don't support the war/occupation.
I consider myself a patriotic American. My son is a 24-year-old Iraq combat
vet. I am baffled by the fact that the life or death experiences my son had in
Baghdad have been reduced to a video game/theme park ride used as a recruiting
tool aimed at giving "civilians a taste of street-level combat in Iraq."
For those who got worked up enough while playing the video game over the
weekend that they signed up to fill the empty boots of one of the more than
3,200 soldiers killed: When they do their third or fourth tour of duty and
realize they were deceived, and they end up at Walter Reed, wounded and not
feeling like a war hero, I hope they realize I was out there to do my part as an
American patriot to honor our soldiers and their commitment to serve their
country and get them home where they can get back to the duty they sign on for
in the first place - defending our country.
MFSO Member Carol Korreck, St. Petersburg
