People with No Value

I usually don’t write about the happenings in Iraq. I used to, but I stopped. Why? Because I believe that what has happened in Iraq, and what is happening in Iraq, is self evident. We all know what is going on. We all know (at least if we are honest about it) that this was a fabricated war, all in the name of “fighting the war on terror”. History will decide how well the United States will fare in this war - both from the point of view of winning the war and our global reputation. This is the legacy of George W. Bush...

I do not support this war. I do not agree with the reasons we put our troops in harms way because one moron in the White House decided for political reasons that Iraq was a threat to our national security. What has endangered our national security is allowing Osama bin Laden to escape when we had a good chance at stopping him. Instead, we stayed behind in Iraq.

Having said that, I do support our troops. I support them and what they must put up with in every way I can. I have helped many of them who cannot afford a call home by providing a means for them to make that call home. I can not think of a better way to reach out to them by allowing them to talk to the ones they love. I do not say this to show what a caring and decent person I am. I say this to show that I am more than just words - words are easy. Deeds are tough.

So last week, when I read of what happened to Private First Class Thomas Tucker and Private First Class Kristian Menchaca, who were tortured and killed in Iraq, I was left with a sense of outrage and sadness. I want to be able to say that they died to preserve our freedom rather than just the tool of some political maneuver.

And now that they are dead, I am further outraged at the news that members of the Westboro Baptist Church will be picketing the funerals of both of these two soldiers. They are the same people who host the website, godhatesfags.com (I refuse to link to the bastards and I notice with a sense of satisfaction that their website seems to be down at this time). I find it hard to say this and still keep a sense of decency in me, but they are more deserving of the fate that happened to those two soldiers. They are despicable and hateful people.

Of course, this is democracy, and democracy isn’t easy. Democracy means that they have the freedom to spew their hatred and contempt for gays and lesbians - and now, apparently, for the whole nation because the nation lets us live. That’s right. They would not be content until the United States put a death sentence on every gay and lesbian citizen. I would imagine that they would want us stoned to death in the public square or hanged and left strung up for days for all to see. Only then, would they say that we are deserving of God’s grace.

It’s scary that we live in a country that has such people in it. But I am grateful that the same democracy that allows these animals to spew such hatred, also allows me to live as an openly gay man and a proud American.

I honor the memory of these two soldiers.

A controversial, much-scorned Kansas church that believes America is doomed and suffering because it tolerates homosexuality has been picketing the funerals of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq - and so, members plan to travel to Central Oregon and Texas to protest at the services for Pfcs. Thomas Tucker and Kristian Menchaca.

What’s more, on their Website, godhatesfags.com - which is hard to view, because of the no-doubt constant tech attacks on its existence - the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., hails the killing of the two men by their Iraqi insurgent captors. It called the killings retribution for the attacks on their graveside protests, including a new federal law that bans protesters from being too close to military funerals at national cemeteries.

“Thank God for the grisly deaths of Privates Thomas Tucker and Kristian Menchaca,” the Website message states. “They died at the hands of an angry God in His retaliatory wrath in punishing America for her violent persecution of Westboro Baptist Church for preaching the truth to America about her abominations. WBC will picket their funerals.” (source)