Dear Mr. Romney, I am part of the 47%...

[pinboy3niner]

(Cross-post from GD.)

I receive partial combat disability retirement pay (non-taxable) from the Army, and I receive my health care from the VA.

AK fire in Vietnam blew away half my jaw and teeth and put a hole in my shoulder, and I was peppered with shrapnel. I know that may be hard to grasp for someone who spent that time in the thick of things in France, but bear with me.

I spent 18 months in an Army hospital before being retired for disability. Six years later, with about a year left to go for my undergrad degree, I had to drop out of university in California and relocate across the country so the bone graft to my jaw could be redone--twice--by the Navy's National Medical Center after the Army's original bone graft failed.

Don't worry yourself too much about me (as if I need to tell you that, lol!). I'm doing okay, even though my path didn't earn me hundreds of millions of dollars (believe it or not!). I've been used to living with my physical deficits for a long time now. (And would you believe it--my doctors ordered me not to ride motorcycles? According to them, it's too risky even for me to go skiing!)

I hear that, according to you, the government has made me "dependent," that I've somehow come to believe that I'm a "victim," and that I am wrongly receiving undeserved "entitlements." When I heard that, believe me, some choice words came to mind for you--but I'll spare you that.

It does, however, strike me as incredible that a candidate for the Presidency could be so ignorant and clueless about our progressive tax system, and especially as regards the troops (over whom you hope to serve as Commander-in-Chief) and veterans. It boggles the mind.

By now you can probably tell that I won't be voting for you in November. But I guess that news is pretty much anticlimactic, as it seems you'd already written me off. Believe me, the feeling is mutual.

Peace,
pinboy3niner


This OP was inspired by kpete's post and the responses to my reply in that thread:

A message to Mr. Romney from a Petty Officer in the US Navy
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021396217

The GD thread I put up:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021397181

And a salute to the troops and to my brother and sister veterans--47-percenters all.

[calimary]

1. Thank you for your service, pinboy3niner. You don't deserve this kind of callous dismissal.

NONE of you who have served our country and worn her uniform and volunteered to put yourselves in harm's way - NONE of you deserve these demeaning words (or attitude) of his. NONE of you.

None of the rest of us, either, but I think people who put their lives on the line for their country have achieved a rank of extra-special distinction.

[sabrina 1]

2. Pinboy

Excellently written OP.

When I read about how much 'danger' Romney was in while in France at the time, I saw red knowing many veterans like you, who know what danger really is.

Thanks for this OP, I hope he gets to read it somehow, not that he would care.

[pinboy3niner]

3. Sabrina

Thankyou.

I remember when I posted an old story in a DU2 thread and you responded. It came up again, along with a couple of other things you may find interesting...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=1395409

[sabrina 1]

4. You tell these stories so beautifully, Pinboy.

That one, about your son, is also very moving. He was so proud of you as he should be.

I always read your OPs unless I do not see them. For those of us who are fortunate enough never to have been anywhere near a war zone, it is hard to imagine what it must have been like no matter how much empathy we may have for the troops. But reading real stories from real soldiers, helps to appreciate what they have been through and makes ME anyhow, more determined to try at least, to prevent chickenhawks like Cheney et al from sending them to wars we do not need to fight.

I'm for the old way. Leaders who send troops into war zones, should be required to be out front leading the battle. That should eliminate the Romneys, Cheneys, GW Bushes from public life.

[white cloud]

5. Thanks for all pinboy

Excellent thread