Republicans will take every opportunity to make political points, and their choice of venues surpasses all accepted norms of taste and appropriateness.
The four-year Iraq occupation has killed more Livingston County soldiers and Marines than were lost in the entire 16-year conflict in Vietnam. Livingston County has lost nine service members in the ill-conceived occupation compared to seven causalities in Vietnam. To maintain support for the occupation in an atmosphere where more and more Americans are turning away from Bush’s failed Iraq policies the current Administration has blocked photos of and media coverage of the caskets of men and woman coming home from Iraq, but they use the funerals of these brave men and woman to make political points and push their disproved reasons for the invasion.
The latest incident is the funeral of Marine Cpl. Mark D. Kidd of Milford in neighboring Oakland County. Cpl. Kidd was a member of the Cornerstone Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Brighton Township, one of the most conservative mega-churches in Livingston County, and that’s where the funeral was held.
The church’s pastor, Richard Alberta, compounded the tragedy of the death of such a promising young man by pushing his distorted, hard-right Republican opinions.
A political tone crept into the service when Alberta took task with politicians and Hollywood questioning President George W. Bush's Iraq policies. Alberta said if there was any doubt about whether Marines like Mark Kidd are successful in Iraq, people should ask the little girls there who now attend school or the little boys once shot for saying something that upset the Iraqi politicians.
"I am ashamed, personally, of leaders who say they support the troops but not the commander in chief," Alberta said while the mourners' thunderous clap nearly drowned him out. "Do they not see that discourages the warriors and encourages the terrorists?
"When the next 9/11 comes and the world is terrified, we will not look toward Hollywood who played Marines; we'll look to the real ones. Thank you, guys," he said, addressing a group of Marines.
These inappropriate comments are wrong on so many fronts. It’s not just ”politicians and Hollywood” questioning the President’s failed Iraq polices, it’s the majority of the American people, and they are simply exercising their rights and responsibilities as citizens to do so for good reason. This invasion and occupation was based on misinformation and deceit and nothing has changed. Despite four years of these funerals there’s still no clear, coherent policy.
No one doubts that the soldiers, sailors, airman and Marines are doing an excellent job under extremely trying conditions, but at no time was the reason given for invading a sovereign country was that so boys and girls could go to school.
Of course you can support the troops and not support the Bush failed Iraq policies. Now, Rev. Alberta obviously knows more about history than I do, but this country was formed on the basis of the governed questing the civilian government that control the military. That concept is as American as apple pie, so what is he ashamed of? It’s our absolute responsibility as citizens to hold the government and politicians accountable. Isn’t that what the Founding Fathers stressed?
I would also like to ask Rev. Alberta what does 9/11 have to do with Iraq?
10 comments:
Listen, Guru.
The funeral service was held to comfort his family, not to make you happy. The Kidd family attends this church, so they obviously believe in Rev. Alberta and what he has to say about things.
I'm sorry you don't like it, but this was for the Kidd family, not for you.
How dare you criticize the way in which this family decided to remember and honor their son.
Listen, who-ever-you-are. Are you saying they have to subscribe to Albert’s extreme political views to be members of the church? How are lies and smearing the majority of Americans providing comfort to the family?
What qualifies Alberta to comment on the political situation and spread lies? Would it be OK if the government drafted his sermons?
I was not criticizing the family; I was criticizing a pastor for politicizing a funeral in a church.
Guru, smuru.....
You would do all of us a favor and shut your pie hole. You know nothing about politics, patriotism or piety. I will say this much, you do know about lies and political extremism. Just keep your sad opinions to yourself and let those of us who revere the sacrifice of this brave young man do so in the way we see as appropriate. It's not up to you.
Thank you for the compliment, doesn’t-have the courage to identify-themselves. I know I am on the right track when I get sad, name-calling comments like this. Yes, rest assured I will continue to hold the feet of wing nuts like you to the fire when they try to pass off lies and misinformation as fact and take a human tragedy and exploit it, and I will continue to express my opinion.
Yes, I do know about lies and political extremism, and we just saw a perfect example of it at a military funeral. I also appreciate the sacrifice of Cpl. Kidd. After spending 20 years in the military, I feel like I know and served with many young people just like him. That’s why I will do whatever it takes to ensure our government only places the lives of these brave men and women in danger when it's absolutely necessary. It is up to me, and other right-thinking Americans to hold the government accountable.
Thanks for your comments.
Coming in late to this, but isn't Alberta the one who got a bit of press a while back when he criticized his fellow local clergymen in the Press & Argus? I remember something about him saying other pastors weren't as close to God as he was and wouldn't know God if they bumped into him at Meijer, or something to that effect. Scary for a "Holy Man" to say things like that.
Nice blog, by the way!
Sorry for not getting into this here, sooner, but I think anonymous is an idiot.
I'm an OIF vet and I know that if I died I wouldn't want the pastor speaking at the funeral to use it as an excuse to give his thoughts on politics.
The funeral should be about Cpl. Kidd, not Bush or the Republican party.
Welcome to the blog, Mr. Reynolds, and thank you fro the complement. You may be right, but I really don’t remember. I don’t want to make an accusation I can’t back up.
Better late than never, djtyg. Thanks for your opinion and input. I agree with you 100 percent; anonymous is an idiot. This is not the first time Republicans have used a funeral in Livingston County to try and justify this senseless occupation, and I hope it will be the last funeral we have here.
I think L. Lucy introduced us, but I am awful with names. If not, I look forward to meeting you soon at the bloggers caucus. It will be nice to meet a fellow vet.
Better late than never, djtyg. Thanks for your opinion and input. I agree with you 100 percent; anonymous is an idiot. This is not the first time Republicans have used a funeral in Livingston County to try and justify this senseless occupation, and I hope it will be the last funeral we have here.
I think L. Lucy introduced us, but I am awful with names. If not, I look forward to meeting you soon at the bloggers caucus. It will be nice to meet a fellow vet.
well i was at this funeral. and we only got to hear about mark for a combined total of about 10 minutes. mark was more then iraq, he was the most wonderful person i ever knew. it seriously upsets me that the only thing people will remember about mark is that he died in iraq. he was so much more then that.
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