Struggling to Find Words

I opened the story out of curiosity and added it to my playlist without really looking at what it was about. Truth be told, I listen to all remembrances of lost soldiers. It's tortuous. I cry every single time. It is absolutely the LEAST I can do. Whether or not I agree with the war, I cannot quarrel with the decision of any of the soldiers to be in the armed forces, to follow their commanders into battle or to serve with dignity in whatever unit they are assigned.


The more I listened to it, the worse it got. I stopped at one point to go directly to his blog to read what he had written. [You can read Major Olmstead final post here.] I had to go to a meeting and didn't get to finish listening to the piece.


In the meantime, I sent an email to the codepink listserv regarding some rather abusive messages that have been posted by someone who goes by DOE ONE (his/her email address is shockandawe2006@...com -- I post this not because I want anyone to send him/her nasty email, just to show that he/she hides behind an anonymity). I was going to sign off the list, instead I plead for moderation -- as in, moderator, please get this person off the list.


Here's what I wrote:

I came to the site to unsubscribe.I think it is unfair that I should have to unsubscribe, though, in order to nothave to deal with the many (and hateful) posts by DOE ONE who is clearly not acode pink member. Instead, I am going to plead for whomever is moderating this list to remove DOEONE from the list. It is clear to me from the posts that DOE ONE has no intention of moderatingthe tone of his/her posts. I know that the anonymity of posting to lists gives many the sense that theycan do and say that which they would not say to another person's face, but Iwould like to believe that we could maintain some sense of propriety in cyberspace by moderating the list. Thanks.

This is what DOE ONE wrote back:

i will be more than happy to say what i said, and even more,to your face but then you can not stand any opposing viewpointbecause your own beliefs are so flimsy and intellectuallydishonest that they can not stand against the blowing of a person with severe lung cancer

Obvious ignorance aside, this person knows nothing about me. I make NO personal attack towards him/her. I merely state the obvious (and you haven't seen the other posts made by this person, but they are NOT worthy of even excerpting for they are of no value and often rather vulgar): he/she is not on the list to further the discussion of code pink. This person may have joined in order to harangue, I don't know, but the posts have been inappropriate.


I turned back to my computer to finish reading Major Olmstead's final blog and to listen to the radio piece. I wonder what we are to do in this world with so little respect for each other. And, politics aside, the loss of another person who is willing to think through issues, share his thoughts in a respectful way, and who truly loves his life is a tragedy beyond words.


There are no words to offer his wife and family and friends (cyber space and in person). I am truly sorry for his loss. The world is mourning the gap he leaves. We were a better world with him it.

Thank you for your sacrifice, Major Olmstead. Thank you for choosing life even though it meant giving yours in return.