I just got into a new activity. Even though I voted last Tuesday i have attended my first political rally of the season. Sunday Retired General Wesley Clark came to Roswell to speak in support of the Obama campaign. I had to go see him. A man who served our military honorably for years. So honorably that he resigned his commission when the Cheney/Bush administration rushed into war in Iraq. A real stand up guy.
The rally was sponsored by the local Democratic Party and was held in the MIA-POW Memorial Park here in town. Apparently the big parties consider Roswell a major play in this election. 2 weeks ago Sarah and Bosephus did their Pop Star Tour appearance and John McCain is scheduled to appear today. Obama hasn’t come but he sent his spokesman for Sundays rally and that is good.
There were about 250 folks attending and it was an extremely diverse crowd. People from young first time voters to lifetime Democrats in their 80’s. One of the coolest things I saw, besides the speakers, was an 18 year old kid who had just voted in his first presidential election talking with an elderly couple. Die hard Obama fans all 3. The gentleman is 87 and his lovely wife 81.
Veterans of the Viet Nam conflict mingled with War On Terror vets that were hanging out with a lone Korea vet. All supporting the anti Bush/McCain policies that got us into a horrible place in Iraq. A few hippie types mingled with the suits and some grandmotherly women were making sure no one was thirsty.
When I arrived, kinda early, I was honored to meet Harry Teague, a representative to The House in D.C.
He introduced me to General Clark and I was impressed by both of their sincerity. Yes they are politicians but their handshakes were firm and they seemed genuine. I wasn’t so caught up in the celebrity moment to be duped and I believe they mean well for their country and New Mexico.
The crowd gathered around to listen to the speakers and many local politicians were introduced to huge rounds of applause. When the General was introduced he got a standing ovation. Then the message started flowing. He said many things that the lefty bloggers have been saying all summer but it sounded somewhat different coming from a former Commander of troops of the military.
We heard his take on the illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq over 5 years ago. From a military guy’s standpoint it still sounded like all of the anti war rants you hear from the “liberal” bloggers and speakers.
He spoke about the atrocious conditions at Guatanamo Bay and how the folks being held there should be granted the rights of any other prisoner being held by our military. He spoke about the need to bring the troops home from Iraq and requiring Iraq to govern itself.
There was a section of his speech dedicated to the shitty conditions our soldiers face when they return home from this conflict. Physically wounded or not he called for reform of benifits. More money for medical care and disability was a big subject. Recognition of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a treatable disability took a big part of his speech time. The folks holding the Veterans For Obama signs applauded him loudly. 
The Viet Nam vet that brought the flag shown honoring all the soldiers that served in the conflicts chatted with me before the speakers came on. He lost his brother in Viet Nam when he was also serving. A leader in Veterans Against The War he is very active in educating people about the need for us to bring our troops home as well as veteran rights.
The whole affair was kinda short lasting less than an hour. The mood was high and excited. Very little opposition and considering about 80% of the crowd had already voted in the early voting we are priveleged to have here the main message was to get those who haven’t voted to do so on Tuesday. Quite an inspiring rally all in all.
I am going to see Johnny Bush…I mean McCain…today at the Roswell Airport but don’t think I will be quite as inspired. After all he doesen’t support our troops. He has shown this by supporting Dubya’s failed policies and promising to continue them if elected.
My new buddy Charlie
who I met there is joining me in asking everyone who hasn’t voted to get out Tuesday and do your part to defeat the continuation of the Cheney/Bush administration and their assassination of America.
Lets do what we can.
Support Our Troops By Voting For Their Safe Return…Home.
Yes, Wes Clark is a stand-up guy, and when he was doing analysis on TV made a lot of sense. He has his own political action committee: http://securingamerica.com/splashpage/ .
Military law forbids active duty military personnel from participating in the political discourse (the military is supposed to be non-partisan, working for all of the people), and I think sometimes the public gets the impression that most of the military are right leaning hawks. I believe that is a fallacy. The military is not homogeneous in terms of political beliefs, it is just as diverse in its thinking as the general population. So I have to conclude, that many in the military at this time, also want to see CHANGE in our governing officials. The current administration has incredibly misused, abused and destroyed our military, and as a veteran it makes me very angry.
PTSD and TBI (traumatic brain injury) are going to be the lasting legacy from this war for this generation of veterans, and the military is just now beginning to recognize it, but the VA still continues to consciously avoid it. While Bush and his cronies will go off in to the sunset to reap financial gain from their collusion with the war profiteers, our young people who were thrown in to the breach by Bush will suffer the consequences for the rest of their lives.
To learn more about the effects of PTSD and how to help, readers may start by visiting one of my websites: http://fightptsd.org