San Diego paper: "Bread lines required to feed military families"

[Jack from Charlotte]

This article from The San Diego Union Trib will make you cry.

Repug, pres, house, senate and court..... Supporting the Troops

“The bases are in the more expensive parts of the county and things like gas, food, insurance and rent are just higher here,” Chavez said. “I got a call last night from a lady in need. She ran out of baby formula and diapers. She's 22 with two kids under 3 and her husband is in Iraq. She was distraught and cried for 10 minutes. This happens more often than not.”

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20061013/news_7m13bread.html

[davekriss]

1. Is that what Republicans means...

...when they shout "Support our troops!" Donate to food pantries and volunteer to hand out charity at bread lines?

[OzarkDem]

2. Treating our troops like Walmart employees

They don't deserve this.

[EFerrari]

5. Didn't this happen in the Soviet Union? n/t

[Chemical Bill]

11. Walmart employees don't deserve this either. n/t

[OzarkDem]

14. True, but troops in combat deserve it even less

I can't understand where the GOP gets the idea that people are mere tools for them to use and dispose of at their whim.

[magellan]

3. And the Repugs claim the Dems won't support the troops if they win

I ask you, how could they possibly support the troops LESS than these bastards have so far?

[acmejack]

4. They gave the troops a generous 3.3% raise!

What do you want? These people didn't serve & could give a good god damn about the troops. They don't care about us, they don't care about anybody about themselves, their cronies, and their bank accounts.

[leesa]

6. Don't worry...the 'Support the Troops ' stickers are thick down here in SD

The troops will get everything they need from these caring Republicans!

[TechBear_Seattle]

9. So how about this "support the troops" sticker?

"Support Our Troops: Give generously to (name of local food bank.)" When asked, pull out the article mentioned in post 0.

[Ian David]

13. They're not "stickers." They're magnets.

They peel right the fuck off.

The ones that say, "Bush/Cheney '04" are stickers.

[Pierre.Suave]

7. absolutely disgusting.

I am appalled. yeah, they're supporting the troops alright...

[butterfly77]

8. I wonder if some of these same troops ...

still support bushit.

[Bitwit1234]

10. And CEO

of oil companies are raking in millions in salary. The republicans say "stay the course" sure as long as some one else is doing the fighting.

A lot of these men and woman had good paying jobs and security before they were sent to fight "bush's war". Even when they come back what will they do. Their jobs gone. Over half maimed and injured for life. Their prospects for good paying jobs shot to hell.

This person occupying the white house is the worst disgrace this country has ever had.

When I think of all the men and women who have sacrificed in our past to make this country what is was I cry. I can't believe that such people as this current brand of republicans and their supporters could ever have been raised in this country. I can't believe that they support torture, jailing without recourse, detention forever. What kind of monsters are they? And monster is the only word for them.

When you read about those women and children doesn't it tug at your heart strings, doesn't it make you bawl. If you are a caring person it does. It also makes you angry, angry as hell. It makes you more determined than ever to take back this country. No way in hell can we let the republicans steal another election. WE HAVE TO WIN IN NOVEMBER. And it is a shame that we can steam clean the white house while we are at it. And I would love more than any thing for that wilted turd blossom rove to be found guilty of something and locked up forever.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

12. I would love to see the stats for the poverty level of guardsmen and

reservist's families. How many of them have lost their homes, etc because their spouse had to leave their lives to go to Iraq???

[borlis]

15. Sick, sick sick, and oh so typical. And where is the media on

stuff like this? I forwarded it to my two bush loving Aunts. I'm sure they will never reply to me though.

[Solly Mack]

16. A young boy, during the Reagan years, killed himself

because he felt one less person would be less a strain on his military family.


1984
Danny Holley, age 13,
BOY SACRIFICES LIFE TO AID HIS HUNGRY FAMILY
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9A01E5DB1038F933A0575BC0A962948260

"A shocked community sent food and money today to the Army family of a 13-year-old boy who hanged himself after telling his mother, ''If there was one less mouth to feed, things would be better.''

The death of the boy, Danny Holley, who collected cans for a penny apiece to help buy food for his sister and two brothers, touched thousands of families at Fort Ord and brought hundreds of sympathy calls from around the area.

The troubles of the Holley family were not much different from those of many other Army families, said Cynthia High of the Army Emergency Relief office, who had worked with Jennifer Holley, Danny's mother.."


http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C03E2D91038F93AA3575AC0A962948260&sec=health&pagewanted=print


"On Aug. 27, Danny Holley, the 13- year-old-son of another soldier whose family was financially distressed and had been troubled by bureaucratic snarls, hanged himself near Fort Ord after telling his mother, ''If you didn't have me to feed, things would be better.'' "



In Junction City, Kansas, which also host Fort Riley, a major food bank closed their doors to military families - the need was so great for the military that it was hurting the local needs as well. I know this firsthand ...I used to live on Fort Riley and many of the military families that were getting help suddenly found themselves without. This happened in mid 2004.


So in 20 years....not much has changed.

[wicket]

21. My god, how heartbreaking

:cry: :cry:

[Solly Mack]

28. I remember when it happened...and all the denial that came out

of the Whitehouse...

[wicket]

29. I would've been about 6 at the time, so I do not remember it

What a terrible, horrible thing to have happen. That poor little boy :cry:

[druidity33]

25. ever read Thomas Hardy?

there's a book he wrote (Jude or Tess, don't remember) where the main characters children hang themselves near the end to make life easier on the mother... "done because we were too menny"

seems like starvation and despair are old problems...

as a species we should be way past this stuff by now...

[Solly Mack]

27. They mention the story in one of the articles

society, especially an unresponsive society, makes it hard to get past... because such a society often creates the conditions that lead to those feelings of despair

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. God bless our soldiers and their wives.

[wicket]

22. Amen

And our soldiers husbands.

[rd_kent]

18. "She's 22 with two kids under 3" ????????WTF?????

Um, ever heard of contraception? I feel for her and her family (BTW, I am in the military and have been for nearly 20 years) but at what point does personal accountability come into play? If your spouse is a PFC who makes 1800 bucks a month, DONT HAVE A HERD OF KIDS!!!!!

[Qanisqineq]

19. I'd hardly consider 2 kids a "herd"

I agree that personal accountability does come into play, but for all we know she could be done having kids. Maybe one was an accident. Maybe she wants her kids to be close in age, afterall my sisters are 7 years and 14 years younger than me and we barely know each other.

And BTW, I am an army wife (husband 11 years in) and have no kids. I've seen military families with a "herd" of kids but I don't think she is quite there yet. My question: is she living on post? If living off post, the BAH is based on the cost of living in the area and should be enough for a decent apartment. Maybe they are living in too pricey an apartment.

EDIT: um, I can't type as fast as I think... or something

[rd_kent]

20. Oh, I'm sure there are a thousand reasons!

We have got to stop making excuses. The report staes she has "2 kids under 3", implying that there are more kids over 3. Or maybe not. If she is 22 with two kids (who are not twins, or it would have stated so in order to get more sympathy in the story)then she and her husband should have planned better. The military gives FREE contraception (condoms AND the pill), FREE housing and FREE medical. Why is she getting handouts from charities? Because of decision she and her husband have made, thats why!!!
Now Im not saying we should not help her, but she and her husband have GOT to take responsibility for their lives and the lives af the children they CHOSE to have.(IMHO, there are no unplanned pregnancies, only irresponsible ones. ****this is not bait for a discussion about rape, etc., bla bla bla****)

[gollygee]

23. It's really none of your business why she has two young kids

lots of people want their kids spaced close together (I don't like that but I don't get to make other people's reproductive decisions) and it's fairly common for people to get married *because* there is a pregnancy.

And pro-choice means that people have a CHOICE to make the decision that is best for them in EVERY way - including making a choice that fits their religious beliefs. And that's coming from a very pro-choice athiest. I make choices for me. I do not make choices for other people.

The problem is that our military personnel are paid almost nothing. When my brother was in the military, his family would not have even begun to make it without food stamps and WIC. And his child was an only and was born when they were a bit older.

[rd_kent]

24. Oh, now come on!!!!

When she did an interview with the paper and it was published, it became my business!!! When the sailors(I'm in the Navy, 19 1/2 years) who work for me get anywhere near being in that situation, I get them set up with a financial counselor who helpd them budget properly so they dont have to rely on charity.

This is not an argument about choice. I agree with you. But if one chooses to CHOOSE to have a child or children, then they also have to CHOOSE to be financially responsible and ensure they can afford it.

[Bridget Burke]

34. She only has two kids. They are both under 3.

When my father died, my mother had 3 kids under 5. We weren't poor--living in Base Housing in South Dakota in the early 50's was not as expensive as living in San Diego. (I believe that Housing Allowances are more common than Base Housing nowadays.)

Yes, there ARE unplanned pregnancies. Even the best contraceptive methods can fail.

Get off your fucking high horse.

[noamnety]

31. Please find another outlet for your sexism

1. Whatever happens in her uterus is not your business.
2. Why are you putting the blame on her? Why is this HER (as opposed to HIS or THEIR) bad decision?
3. How do you know if she used contraception and it failed? (followed closely by a redirect to issue #1)
4. How do you know they weren't originally making more money, and one of them was laid off and he decided to join the army because of that?
5. Women that have their kids early may have better long-term earnings - that "getting them out of the way" ends up being economic necessity, for some, so you don't have to interrupt a career just as you're starting to get ahead, only to lose all your skills for a timeout to raise kids, and then re-enter the job market middle-aged (when nobody wants to hire you) as an unskilled entry level employee. Financially, women with kids tend to get screwed no matter how they time the kids.
6. How do you know he wasn't a reservist with a regular job who was activated, and that's what screwed up their budget?
7. How do you know they didn't have a way to make ends meet, and that wasn't wiped out in an unexpected crisis?
8. How do you know she wasn't the victim of some "abstinence only" bullshit that didn't teach her the first thing about contraceptives?
9. Where did you get the idea only middle and upper class people are morally authorized to have children?
10. Please review #1 again.

[wicket]

32. Amen

:hug:

[Mad_Dem_X]

36. Thank you!

This guy obviously has issues with women.

[NewJeffCT]

35. If she has 1 kid that is almost 3

Then, it was likely she was pregnant over 3 1/2 years ago. At that time, I doubt her & her husband had planned on him having several tours of duty in Iraq. Heck, she might have gotten pregnant the second time when her husband came home from his first tour of duty, figuring it was all over for him.

[wicket]

26. kick

:kick:

[Homer Wells]

30. Welcome to our Brave New World

:sarcasm:

[tomreedtoon]

33. Why are Democrats afraid to talk about this?

It would be magnificent if, sometime during the Democratic convention, that instead of seeing a homespun video feature about how the candidate is a wholesome guy from a small town who loves his mother...

...they showed military dependents lining up at the food banks trying to get food, because "freedom isn't free" and the Republicans don't want to pay for a bunch of slacking kids and wives.

In fact, rather than pretending to be an imitation Republican (and I can think of at least one mainstream candidate who is doing HER best to do that) the candidates might start paying attention to the poor, the disenfranchised and the abused. The people who are suffering under Republican rule. Or, if you want to put it simply, the people Jesus would have helped, who Jesus's "appointed politicians" on earth don't give a damn about.