By: Coronado
06MAY08

While attending the Oklahoma GOP convention this past weekend, numerous things disgusted me. Although I am politically active, politics usually makes me sick to my stomach. However, I am still active (like most of you) because it is my duty. What's ironic: it's the same way I would view my combat missions.

Numerous politicians stood up throughout the day and 'waved the flag' of patriotism in support of a neo-conservative platform; however, not one of these vocal politicians were combat veterans. I did hear multiple times that if you were a person wanting to bring our troops home from the Iraqi police action, you were considered 'cut-and-runners'. So here in this letter, I would like to respond.

To cut and run would be to send your soldiers into harm's way to get shot, stabbed, and mamed, only to return to substandard medical facilities.

To cut and run would be denying combat veterans psychological counseling that would deter a suicide epidemic and of course denying that it even exists.

To cut and run would be denying our soldiers 'dragon skin' and other modern body armor that would have saved my soldier, 2LT Luke James' life.

To cut and run would be paying private security officers three times that of an enlisted soldier.

To cut and run would be sending our soldiers to war without first declaring it!

I did hear one person who had "been in the Army" detail the anacronym L.D.R.S.H.I.P (listed below) in support of the current Neo-Con Oklahoma GOP. But it seems to be a catch phrase for him and others that would rather have our nation go bankrupt than do the right thing by our soldiers. I appreciate all of you that truly understand Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. I leave you, my fellow 'revolutionaries', with the words of the great American Poet, Robert Frost.

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 10

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back. 15

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 20

Warm regards,

Coronado