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It is not my loss. It is a copy of an article by Larry Elder and a letter to Larry regarding the loss of Dr. Castellano's son in Iraq.

http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com | Anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan attempted to get Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., to lead the charge for the immediate withdrawal of troops. Sen. Clinton refused, calling the Iraq War a "complicated situation." For Sen. Clinton, no fool, knows about Sheehan's irresponsible statements, including:

"I don't understand" the "Gold Star Moms who still support [Bush] and his war," and "I . . . pray for these 'continue the murder and mayhem' moms to see the light." [From her online diary, Aug. 27, 2005]

Saddam Hussein and Donald Rumsfeld are "kindred spirits." [Online diary, Aug. 24, 2005]

Her son "was killed for lies and for a . . . Neo-Con agenda to benefit Israel." [From an e-mail to "Nightline," March 15, 2005]

The president and "his destructive Neo-con cabal" are "the biggest terrorist outfit in the world." [From her essay, June 6, 2005]

"We are waging a nuclear war in Iraq right now. That country is contaminated. It will be contaminated for practically eternity now." [San Francisco State University speech, April 27, 2005]

The Bush administration is "a bunch of f—-ing hypocrites." [San Francisco State University speech, April 27, 2005]

"If George Bush believes his rhetoric and his bulls—t, that this is a war for freedom and democracy, that he is spreading freedom and democracy, does he think every person he kills makes Iraq more free?" [San Francisco State University speech, April 27, 2005]

Bush "needs to sign up his two little party-animal girls. They need to go to this war." [San Francisco State University speech, April 27, 2005]

" . . . [W]e have to impeach everybody from George Bush down to the person who picks up dog s—t in Washington. . . . " [San Francisco State University speech, April 27, 2005]

For a different perspective, consider the letter I recently received from a father who lost his own son in Iraq:

Larry,

I was a philosophy professor; I am a former Marine; I am a conservative; and I am absolutely furious at Cindy Sheehan.

Why is this woman receiving the attention she is getting? Why is the media giving this woman the opportunity to profligately disseminate an obviously radical left-wing platform when there are those of us who are experiencing the same loss of a child killed in Iraq, and yet we don't get the opportunity to appear before thousands of people to share our thoughts and platforms? Is it because they support her and yet can't express the same views without losing credibility?

I didn't vote for the president in the 2000 election. I didn't trust his politics. When he was elected in 2004, he was my choice only as a protest vote. . . . Yet after 9/11 (I am a former New Yorker), I thought he demonstrated that he was a leader. When he decided to fight terrorism abroad, I was encouraged. My son then decided to enlist in the Army. As a former Marine, I couldn't oppose him, yet I wanted him to wait until the heat of the conflict passed. He refused; he was resolute; he wanted to go.

My understanding is that Mrs. Sheehan's son volunteered three times, including the mission that finally took his life. My son didn't volunteer for the mission that took his life. Her son was killed in the line of duty and should receive all honors that go with that sacrifice. My son was killed (28 Jan 05) protecting the Iraqi people during the preparation leading up to the elections in Iraq. My son died four days shy of his 21st birthday, and he was killed by friendly fire.

Now let me ask you, who has more of a right to go barnstorming around the country vilifying the president than I? Friendly fire, Larry. How dare she insult and degrade the memory of her son, my son and all the men and women killed there by her shameless politicking! I understand better than most the depth, breadth, width and length of her grief at the loss of a child. I am reminded every day of his loss; I miss him more than words could ever express. I, however, would never dishonor him or others by a selfish, self-serving display of radical politics wrapped in false pain.

I carry a unit pin from the 25th infantry division with me constantly, as a reminder of my son's service. I wear his dog tags along with mine as reminder of his sacrifice. Every time I see Mrs. Sheehan I cry out of anger, rage, disappointment and frustration at the dishonor she has levied on those who have fallen.

My son Stephen (pronounced Steven) Castellano, and dare I say all others who have died providing for the freedom of Iraq people, deserves better. . . .

By the way, I supported the president in his decision — and still do.

Sincerely, Paul A. Castellano

Mr. Castellano, thank you for your family's sacrifice — a sacrifice that ensures our freedom, including that of Cindy Sheehan.

Yes, the saddest part of all, needed to be said.

"Lastly, what do you have to say to the parents of those troops currently in the war zone knowing that your actions only encourage our enemies and will result in the deaths of some of those troops."

We have no personal knowledge of any children. It was mentioned in an AP article, which went nationwide, but I don't think there were any children.

Cindy Sheehan has left Washington and is back in Vacaville now, arriving yesterday.

You forgot Senator Feinstein. Cindy trashed her big time.

Perhaps, but not likely. I wonder who is also paying for her sister, Dede Miller's expenses on the road, as well.

Casey left two insurance policies. One was the first insurance policy afforded all military personnel. The second was an additional policy.

I do believe Casey had twin daughters. I don't know who the mother is, or know of them personally, but it is reported he was the father of twin daughters on several news outlets. Therefore, the children would have been entitled to the military policy and the benefits, thereof.

His sister has advised that the policy Casey left behind was paying their education and during the summer, it was planned to purchase a home in the college town where his brothers and sisters attend for them to live in. This was after the parents separated.

You know, Casey had twin daughters, which are not mentioned at all by Cindy Sheehan.

I believe those children would have been instant beneficiaries to the first insurance policy and would be receiving military benefits.

She has spent the last two Fourth of Julys conducting antiwar protests rather than commemorating the memories of those who fought and gave their lives so we have our freedoms today and especially those freedoms she is so intent upon practicing.

It is interesting that Pelosi's office would justify meeting with her, stating that Sheehan is one of her constituents.

The Congress representative for Vacaville is George Miller (a Democrat) and there is no press releases of meeting with him.

Pelosi's office has been contacted by others in this area, regarding problems and she has refused to meet with them because they are not in her District.

During the last week of June and the first weeks of July, the Kerry campaign were contacting parents of fallen soldiers. Just as we had first hand knowledge they had contacted the Sheehans during that period of time, they also contacted a mother in Canton, Ohio around the same very time, then after it was revealed publicly, the Kerry campaign denied it.


http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/854cvlfo.asp

I am not certain how she is supporting herself. She claims it is from insurance policies Casey left. He had the standard military policy and took out one additional policy, however, its my understanding the funds are being used to educate the other children and there were plans last summer to purchase a home in Davis, Calfornia, for the kids to live in while they attended school.

The Kerry campaign did, in fact, approach families of fallen soldiers. The link below indicates an Ohio mother contacted at the exact same time there was contact with the Sheehan family.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/004/854cvlfo.asp

Dixie, you're welcome. Vacaville is mid sized suburb between San Francisco and Sacramento but still has a very small town feel. At Christmas everyone gathers to light the Christmas tree downtown and sing Christmas carols. And the young folks all congregate at the local bowling alley.

These past several years, many of those young folks were in uniform for Vacaville is not only a "Norman Rockwell" type of town, its also home to Travis Air Force Base where many of the Airmen have been to Iraq on many different occasions.

A good number retire here. In fact, so many of our police officers and sheriffs were in the National Guard and deployed, we almost had a crisis. Needless to say, this situation has touched almost everyone in the community in some sort of personal way and is difficult for many.

To read some of the views, you can go to www.thereporter.com

We know nothing about her. No member of ours has spoken with anyone from the family since mid summer. My understanding is her mother lives in the Los Angeles area near where they lived before they moved to Vacaville around the early 90s.

Carly has moved on from community college to U.C. She is attending school. I am not certain if she is still working at her part time job. The last my family had contact with her was the middle of summer.

She was not with her mother this summer at Crawford but was in Europe with her sister, instead.

Carly was very involved with her mother, initially, during the Kerry campaign and traveled with her.

Your post touched my heart. The voice that needs to be heard and that the media is ignoring in favor of Cindy Sheehan is Joe Williams, who lost his son, Mike.

Joe is a veteran of the Vietnam War and his son was a Marine and the first fallen in Vacaville.

Joe's fighting hard to preserve Mike's name and honor his memory, but is facing a tough fight as a result of what Cindy is doing. HIS voice is the one that needs to be heard.

Please give our love and support to your neighbor and please tell them how truly lucky they were to have such a wonderful special grandson, who thought more of others than himself.

What wonderful, extraordinary young men and women we have in our armed forces and we are so very grateful to every single one of them.

According to Carly, the youngest daughter, she advised her family had been in contact with the Kerry campaign. Shortly thereafter, she became involved with an organization in Berkeley and agreed to make television advertisements for them. Carly was very excited about speaking to them and showed a card of a public relations firm, that she described as "John Kerry's public relations company" to various individuals in town.

Carly was very excited about being on the road, "working for John Kerry," as she put it, but I believe it was for one of the other organizations that was supporting Kerry.

Cindy, during the campaign, demonstrated at sites where the President and Vice-President spoke, during the summer of 2004.

Our biggest concern is the pain it would create to the children of Cindy. The youngest has just started college. At the beginning of last summer, Cindy and her husband planned to purchase a home in Davis, California where the kids were intending to attend, for them to live in.

According to Carly, the youngest sister of Casey, when she revealed it, tears came into her eyes as she said, "Thank you, Casey."

I believe she was referring to the college assistance and purchase of the home for them to reside in while going to college, as a result of the insurance policies Casey left behind.

There is so much pain associated with this, that it would be very difficult. But the story can be verified, every ounce of it.

Joseph Williams sat with her at the parade on Memorial Day. He is probably the best person to speak on it.

I am the source. I live in Vacaville, California where Cindy Sheehan lives and it is MY letter to Cindy Sheehan, to which I hope she will read and know the pain she has put everyone through.

Joseph Williams, who also knows her, traveled not only to Crawford to take his son's name off Cindy's crosses, but to Washington, DC, when he found Cindy and her organization had then put his son's name listed upon an advertisement they put into newspapers.

Both parents of fallen soldiers are from Vacaville. They were both at a Memorial Day parade that honored their children's sacrifice with one another.

Joe is a veteran and he is fighting for his son's name and honor which Cindy is trying to take from him, in her claim to prove her own son's death was not noble.

It is a tragic situation.