Posted on 02/23/2003 9:02:29 AM PST by bogeybob
WABI TV reported Friday that the Maine National Guard Family Assistance Center has received about 30 complaints from children of deployed soldiers concerning Principals, Teachers and Guidance Counselors reportedly demeaning the role of their deployed parent. Some children involved are 7 to 9 years of age.
Here is a letter written to a friend of mine from the Maine Army National Guard:
"Thank you for your interest on this most troubling matter. Our Family Assistance Centers have reported cases from Aroostook County to Southern Maine. We are reluctant to give out specific schools and the individuals involved in the interest of giving the education community a chance to address the problem itself. Also, parents wanted the opportunity to pursue the issue through their local school boards first.
In all, we have over thirty complaints that name schools and individual principals, teachers and guidance counselors. If one considers that these complaints come from just the parents who attended our briefings and only from children who told their parents, we are concerned that the problem may be more widespread than we know.
We are recording the complaints, and I will personally visit these educators to express our concern as a professional organization and ask for their cooperation.
Ultimately, our main concern and first responsibility is the safety of our children during these uncertain times. Maine has a core of dedicated and professional educators, but we will challenge any individual who places our children at risk due to their own political ideologies."
http://www.portland.com/photos/030226guard1.jpg
Underneath this "official" memo from Komrade Kommisionar, may well have been a somewhat less publicized suggestion to if not knock this tactic off completely and immediately (the one and only intelligent directive, wouldn't you say?), then (rather more likely) to excersize considerably more discretion and subtlty in the course of their indoctrinational missions. They done got caught; don't let it ever happen again!
(At least not the "caught" part.)
By the way, has anyone here dropped in over at Camp Keyes lately to check up on Corporal Mosher and Private/Chaplain's Assistant Gibson lately?
I figure that they probably finished peeling that deuce-and-a-half load of potatoes sometime yesterday afternoon, and the good Corporal should be well along in scouring the grease-trap outside the Mess Hall (bring back fond memories, anyone?)with a toothbrush. He should have it knocked off by, oh, about 0245 hours tomorrow Morning.
And the good Chaplain's Assistant; ah yes, I can picture the Dear Saint now, on his knees...
Spitshining a toilet bowl in the latrine.
Old man Tinkham was NOOOOOOT amused, was he, Gentlemen?
Somehow I don't think that either of these brave Soldiers will be available for comment any time soon.
Or any time later, for that matter.
But if this ever manages to get through to either of you, Gentlemen; at least one United States Army Veteran salutes you!
As an old PFC (Proud, FReeping Civilian)now, I might speculate that someone (or a few) higher up on the Chain of MNG Command may be deserving of a somewhat more "Lunar" salutation, if you catch my drift.
What you have done for the heroic Men and Women under your Command, as well as for their precious Families and Children, and for all Mainers who still somehow manage to Love our Country, cherish American LIBERTY, and respect our President has not gone without due notice; nor shall it pass without our sincere gratitude!
We regret that all too soon, Troops under your (former?) Command as well as many others will, in all probablility, be enduring conditions which would make that grease-trap and latrine a health - spa by comparison, and make that truckload of spuds seem like a recreational activity. They surely might stink to High Heaven, but not nearly as bad as VX nerve agent, ricin, or mustard gas we suppose.
War isn't always as simple as it used to be, is it?
Now it can be quite a challenge to discern just where the lines of Battle are drawn, and who the Enemy might be - before or behind, or perhaps even within them.
Old Thor demands many more forms of sacrifice than just his traditional tribute of seas of blood, and rivers of tears, doesn't he?
Some of us know that all too well, don't we Fellows?
I'm looking at that picture on the front page of this Morning's Portland Press Herald as we speak (so to speak), Amigo.
Now if this same American Warrior comes back home by the Grace of God when the bugles of War at last sound the "Recall" (I wish they still litteraly did that, by the way)and this precious little Princess does not want his hugs, kisses, or anything to do with him because "Teacher" taught her that Daddy is a mean, evil, bloodthirsty bully by going to kill poor innocent Iraqi children in a bad, illeagal war so that greedy American Capitalists could get the oil and get even richer than they already are for a mean, evil, illegitimate President who nobody really likes anyway...
(Man; I sure do run out my sentences when I'm pi$$ed off!)
...Then I'm afraid that I cannot guarentee (spelling goes to Chicago, too) the health, serenity, or well-being of said "Teacher" for very long at all.
And you know what?; Honestly, if it ever comes to that, I'm afraid that I would feel a whole lot more sympathy for that broken hearted Soldier and his shattered Family than I would for whatever remnants might be recovered of Komrade "Teacher".
As much as I deplore violence as a means of conflict resolution, if it ever comes to that, I frankly would have to blow my nose a couple of times on that white flag of mine and think it over real hard before jumping out of my trench waving it for cooler heads and hearts to prevail, as I think I have tried to do here this time.
So hey; MEA (I know you're in here):
PLEASE!!!; DO NOT EVER LET IT COME TO THAT!!!
Jeezus; Get a clue for Christ's Sake!
Amen.
Said, I believe, by actor Ron Silver who, although still a liberal, backs Dubya and the war on terror wherever it takes us.
Hey, hey, that's my Lord your using for foul language. Surely there are other words you could choose.
"After discussions with Adjutant General and Commissioner Brigadier Joseph E. Tinkham II, I am asking you to remind school personnel that these are difficult times for our nation and that the families of military personnel need our sensitivity."
Spoken like a true liberal rat. Sensitivity? What? Do they have some kind of incurable disease or something for having patriotic mommy or daddy? (Oh, I know, you are not at all familiar with that 'p' word, are you?) HOW ABOUT OUR TOTAL SUPPORT and APPRECIATION, you, you, you moran!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.