“The mission of the Silver Star Families of America is to remember, honor and assist the wounded, ill and injured of our Armed Forces from all wars. Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi suffers from seen and unseen wounds of war and thus he falls under our mission. We do not leave a man behind, Steve Newton stated.”
“This is not our first rodeo,” Newton continued. We were actively involved when Jon Hammer was imprisoned in 2012. We have to be very careful not to interfere in any official or unofficial efforts being made to free Tahmooressi. We are simply asking the Honorable President of Mexico to intervene in this situation. And a swap for an old sergeant like me for a young man with his whole life ahead of him seems like the thing to do.”
The Silver Star Families of America is a 501 c 3 nonprofit who provides for recognition, remembrance and assistance to our wounded, ill and injured. They can be contacted at www.silverstarfamilies.org
acsmexicocity@state.gov
6-10-14 Presidente de la República Enrique Peña Nieto Residencia Oficial de los Pinos Casa Miguel Alemán Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, C.P. 11850, Distrito Federal, México
Dear President Nieto:
My name is Steve Newton and I am the founder and CEO of the Silver Star Families of America. (SFOA) We have one mission: To remember, honor and assist the wounded, ill, injured and dying of our Armed Forces from all wars. We are a nongovernmental organization dedicated to those who have sacrificed for freedom.
I am writing concerning a Marine Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi. He has fought well for his country and for the cause of freedom. As he is now suffering from post-traumatic stress we consider him wounded and thus he falls under our mission. We do not wish to interfere in any nation to nation negotiations or in the judicial process of the Republic of Mexico. But we do wish to stand with him.
Sergeant Tahmooressi accidentally crossed into the Republic of Mexico with firearms that are legal in the United States. He is now incarcerated at El Hongo Penal Tecate, BC and is suffering greatly from his war wounds, both physical and mental. I do not know if you have ever been to war for your country. But I have and I can tell you the experience lingers in your mind and body. I make no excuses because he violated the letter of the Mexican Republics law. But I don’t believe he violated the spirit of the law. Whatever foul he committed was not intentional and holding him would be cruel for he has suffered much already. The good heart of the Mexican people has always been without question. I appeal now to that good heart. I ask that Sergeant Tahmooressi be released at the earliest opportunity. President Nieto: It lays within your power to help an individual that has given up so much already. I ask that you do so. That you do the right thing. If there is a penalty to pay, let it fall to me. I am no longer young. Sergeant Tahmooressi has his whole life ahead of him. If you so wish I will gladly trade places with him and pay out whatever price that is required. A Republic is known by its patriotism—but it is also known by its compassion. Let us meet and discuss this. But let us do so as friends. I look forward to our conversations and to a mutual agreement in justice and honor.
You’re Friend
Steve Newton Presidente de la República
Enrique Peña Nieto
Residencia Oficial de los Pinos Casa Miguel Alemán
Col. San Miguel Chapultepec, C.P. 11850, Distrito Federal, México
Estimado Sr. Presidente Peña Nieto:
Mi nombre es Steve Newton y soy el fundador y Director the Silver Star Families of Am....... Tenemos una mision: Recordar, honrar y asistir a los heridos, enfermos, lastimados y proximos a morir de nuestras fuerzas armadas de todas las guerras. Somos una organizacion no gubernamental dedicada a aquellos que se han sacrificado por la libertad
Le escribo con respecto al marino S......El ha peleado bien por su pais y por la causa de la libertad. Ya que en este momento el esta sufriendo de stress postraumatico, lo consideramos herido y entra dentro de nuestra mision. No deseamos interferir con ninguna negociacion de nacion a nacion o en el proceso judicial de la Republica de Mexico, pero si deseamos hablar por el.
El Sargento T.....accidentalmente cruzo a la Republica de Mexico con armas de fuego que son legales en los Estados Unidos de America. El esta actualmente preso en El Hongo P.........., Baja California, y esta sufriendo mucho por sus heridas de guerra tanto mental como fisicamente.
No se si alguna vez usted ha peleado por su pais. Yo si lo he hecho y puedo decirle que la experiencia se queda permanentemente en la mente y en el cuerpo. No estoy inventando excusas porque el violo la carta de la ley de la Republica Mexicana, pero creo que el no violo el espiritu de la ley. Cualquier falta que el haya cometido no fue intencional y el detenerlo seria cruel ya que el ha sufrido mucho.
El buen corazon de la gente de Mexico siempre ha sido bien conocido. Yo apelo a ese buen corazon.
Le pido que el Sargento T...sea liberado a la brevedad posible.
Sr. Presidente Peña Nieto queda en sus manos ayudar a un individuo que ya ha dado tanto y yo atentamente se lo pido. Le ruego que haga lo correcto. Si hay alguna penalizacion que pagar, yo la pagare. Ya no soy joven y el Sargento T.......tiene toda la vida por delante. Si usted asi lo desea yo tomare su lugar y pagare el precio que sea necesario.
Una Republica se conoce por su patriotismo--pero tambien por su compasion. Por favor reunamonos para discutir lo anterior, pero permitanos hacerlo como amigos.
En espera de nuestra conversacion y de un mutuo acuerdo en justicia y honor, quedo de usted su atento, seguro servidor y amigo,
Atentamente.
I hope I did the right thing. No one else seems to be doing anything. And what good is an old sergeant like me?
Well, Obama and Kerry and Clinton are NOT doing “official actions” to try to get our sgt out of the Mexican prison, so ....
I think this is an excellent idea but it could be greatly improved if OBAMA offered to trade himself for the Marine held in Mexico. Hopefully, Mexico would accept the trade; the U.S. would be better on both counts - #get our Marine back and #Lose our traitorous President.
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