I have never been described as a person of few words, and yet I can hardly bare to write this. But I owe Daily Kos a debt of gratitude that is long over due.
12 years ago, Palm Sunday, my son, an Army medic, was among those who were ambushed in Sadr City on this horrific day. 72 soldiers died from April 4-11 during Holy Week in 2004. We heard news of the casualties, but it was seven miserable days before we received news on the afternoon of Easter Sunday that Isaac was among the living. It was the longest week of my life. And the longest year. But far too many never returned home, including Casey Sheehan — and the countless Iraqi civilians who were needlessly caught in the conflict.
There was and still is no excuse for this immoral war, for all that it cost us as a nation and in rise of extremism and terrorism that has followed in its wake. We honor the memories of the dead by refusing to allow ourselves to be duped by those who profit from hate, conflict and war.
Three years later, after having spent 5 days in the county jail, I learned that my new friend, a Kossack, had written a diary about our peaceful protest at the Erie’s Federal Court House - My Friend Katie Goes to Jail. It was the comments of this DK community that helped to encourage me with its many messages of support and the realization that I was not alone. Again, thank you.