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Soldier's widow voices opinion on war
WMTV, News 8 ^
| May 6, 04
| Anya Huneke
Posted on 05/06/2004 11:32:19 PM PDT by churchillbuff
BURLINGTON, VT. -- "Infinitely honest," "selfless," "full of life" -- just a few of the words Lavinia Onitiu-Gelineau uses to describe her late husband, Chris.
"I knew my husband was one in a million. I knew that," she says.
Lavinia has had two weeks to digest the news of Sgt. Gelineau's death. What started out as immeasurable grief has turned to anger.
Lavnia says, "I'm very proud of my husband, but I'm not proud of the reason he was there, and neither was he. A lot of people are not proud, but they have no choice. They can't say otherwise."
Gelineau was a Starksboro, Vt., native and a specialist with the 133rd Engineer Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard.
In March -- in his last semester at the University of Southern Maine -- he was sent to Iraq to do clerical work.
His family thought he would be out of harm's way. But on April 20, he was killed when his convoy was ambushed.
Chris' father, John, admits, "This has just blown all of us away. We never expected this to happen."
Lavinia continues, "I wish I was there to watch over him and tell them that it's not right to send him as part of a protective escort when he could barely shoot."
Once hesitant to reveal her opposition to the war, Lavinia now holds little back.
She moved to the United States from Romania four years ago. She says freedom of speech was a novelty for her, but now finds many people don't exercise this right when it's most important.
She states, "Unless people raise their voices, a lot more people are going to die."
Lavinia doubts her anger -- and pain -- will subside. She wonders how she'll cope with her loss.
"I don't know what to do now. I feel meaningless. I feel off-balance. I feel half," she confesses.
Sgt. Gelineau was buried in Maine over the weekend, and is being memorialized in Burlington, Vt. His family will say their good-byes but vow they have just begun to speak out.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government
KEYWORDS: canadiantroll; georgemcclellanbuff; iraq
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
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To: CyberAnt
People who join the National Guard thinking they get all the benefits and have no responsibilities to the contract they signed are fooling themselves. Obviously, this wife had no idea what committment her husband had made to the NG. Obviously, she thought because he was doing paperwork, he would not be in harm's way. EVERY SOLDIER WHO IS CALLED TO "ACTIVE" DUTY IS PUT IN HARM'S WAY, WHATEVER THEIR JOB OR THEIR LOCATION. It's sad to me that the husband never bothered to explain to his wife and his family what his REAL committment was. Surely he knew .. surely he trained .. surely he didn't sign up not knowing what the chances were he would be called.Bingo - we have a winner!!
To: churchillbuff
She should be sent back to Romania.
62
posted on
05/07/2004 12:13:36 AM PDT
by
Robert_Paulson2
(the madridification of our election is now officially underway.)
To: kcvl
Somehow I think poor Winston would not be a buff of theirs.
To: kcvl
Get over yourself. You aren't that important.
Now there's a powerful analytical argument - - for a fourth-grade playground argument.
To: churchillbuff
My "mantra" of no WMDs is also the "mantra" of David Kay and everybody else who has tried to find them. As Jack said in the movie, guess "you can't handle the truth" I sorry for you, but not sorry enough to join you in closing my eyes to reality Yeah like the reality that during the circus UN hearings before the war, saddam couldn't have moved them to Syria.
Fact is saddam had WMD's. He used WMD's against the Kurds and even the UN and Clinton administration said he had WMD's.
65
posted on
05/07/2004 12:14:55 AM PDT
by
Dane
To: churchillbuff; Travis McGee
Wow.......really cool that you know everybody who has relatives in the service. I'm with you ! If they have no family getting shot at they have no right to say anything about this womans opinion that her husband wasted his life for his country that she lives in now.
Glad I'm retired and have a brother in his 22nd year of service so I can tell you that I think your an idiot and making some of the dumbest remarks I have ever seen on FR.
That is the guidelines you have set down right ? If I have family in this fight I can post my opinion of your opinion ?
Stay Safe ............
66
posted on
05/07/2004 12:16:05 AM PDT
by
Squantos
(Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
To: kcvl
To: churchillbuff
Get over yourself. You aren't that important.
Dittos! To what you said about her self referential posts.
67
posted on
05/07/2004 12:18:22 AM PDT
by
dennisw
(Exposing John Kerry--> Swift Boat Veterans for Truth---> http://www.swiftvets.com)
To: Allegra
LMAO.......Whoooo Hoooo !! Get Some Girl !!
Stay Safe Allegra......THANKS for being there !
68
posted on
05/07/2004 12:19:13 AM PDT
by
Squantos
(Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
To: churchillbuff
Her husband was in the military, and she expected that he would always draw a paycheck for a safe clerical job.
Surprise! There's a war on!
Now honey, go on back to Rumania, if America sucks so bad. You WON'T be missed.
69
posted on
05/07/2004 12:20:20 AM PDT
by
Travis McGee
(----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
To: Dane
seems to me the Iranians got a taste of WMD's from sadaams hussein too, did they not?
Where did the sarin in Jordan two weeks ago come from?
Sadaam's stockpiles in Syria?
the "no wmd's" crap is getting old.
soddy had em.
used em.
on his own peeps.
and his fellow slammies in iran.
shared em with mommar, or at least some of the precursors.
and he also worked with his buddies al queda and hezbollah and hamas who are now trying desperately to acquire and distribute them as we speak.
every body knows it.
that's how Jordan stopped it a couple of weeks back.
wmds?
Iraq was the source. and still is, indirectly via syria...
70
posted on
05/07/2004 12:21:01 AM PDT
by
Robert_Paulson2
(the madridification of our election is now officially underway.)
To: Texasforever
I think we should start calling people who are "anti-war" anti-freedom instead. For we would live as slaves under militant extremists bending to their wills at every threat if we didnt take the fight to them. I dont know how the spaniards can live with themselves now. Geez who isnt "anti-war"? We didnt start this. Were gonna finish it.
To: Names Ash Housewares
Well I have other names for them but it would get me banned.
72
posted on
05/07/2004 12:22:50 AM PDT
by
Texasforever
(The French love John Kerry. He is their new Jerry Lewis)
To: churchillbuff
Sorry, but in a free country like this, you're going to find there are people who disagree with you. You're going to have to get use to that, I know it's difficult. If you'd rather not hear any disagreeing viewpoints, you might try moving to Cuba or Sudan. Yeah, and I'm disagreeing right back. What's the matter...you can dish it out but can't take it?
Don't tell me about having to get "use" (sic!) to things that are difficult. You have no idea. None whatsoever.
73
posted on
05/07/2004 12:23:17 AM PDT
by
Allegra
(Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, MUSHROOM!)
To: churchillbuff
Hey, get a clue: It's an all
VOLUNTEER military.
NOBODY is being dragged off to serve by press gangs.
Guess what? There's a WAR on! It's been in all the papers. Anyone in the military pre-911 could be long gone by now, if they were afraid of the risk of war.
74
posted on
05/07/2004 12:23:22 AM PDT
by
Travis McGee
(----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
To: kcvl
Our country recognizes the right of self determination....irrespective of gender...and we are an aberation when cast against the Islamic world, and the faux proponents of Europe.
For now, and into the forseable future, its still about breaking things, and killing other people, not by our choice.
Its our ability to adapt within that recognition, while not turning into a bunch of wussies that makes us different.
I hate blatant chauvinism...almost as much as I hate the kumbaya crowd.
Women have a much better take on things...but for now...I am happy kickin ass and taking names.
To: Texasforever
Yes but I have the "freedom of speech" to point out your agenda. Ain't FOS grand? Yeah, I've noticed it's OK for him to use his "freedom of speech," but it's quite NOT OK for us to use ours if it disagrees with his.
:-)
76
posted on
05/07/2004 12:26:22 AM PDT
by
Allegra
(Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, MUSHROOM!)
To: Robert_Paulson2
the "no wmd's" crap is getting old.
unfortunately, it's also true - nobody's found WMDs in Iraq.
To: Travis McGee; Allegra
Amazing.......ain't s/he !
Ya'll Stay Safe !
78
posted on
05/07/2004 12:27:05 AM PDT
by
Squantos
(Be polite. Be professional. But, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
To: Allegra
"Yeah, I've noticed it's OK for him to use his "freedom of speech..."
Actually, I believe he's using "her" freedom of speech, and her husbands unfortunate death, for his political agenda.
To: churchillbuff
Seditionists and general A-holes were free to stand up in any bar in America in 1942 and yell HEIL HITLER! F*** AMERICA!
Just like you and Michael Moore and Ted Rall are today.
But if you get called an A-hole on the internet, or beaten to a pulp in a bar, well don't come a-boohoooing. We don't want to hear it. Why? There's a war on, dip$#!+! And that changes things, in case you haven't noticed.
80
posted on
05/07/2004 12:27:57 AM PDT
by
Travis McGee
(----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
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