Heartbreaking pic

[n2doc]

Anthony Martini of Chicago mourns his brother, Marine Lance Cpl. Philip John Martini, while visiting a memorial of more than 3,400 pairs of boots representing the U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq, in Chicago's Grant Park. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) (May 26, 2007)

[SalmonChantedEvening]

1. ...

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[wellstone dem]

2. ...

:cry: :cry: :cry:

[SOUTHERN_BOY]

3. Three sets of those boots

belong to firefighter brothers from my state. It's a damned waste. We needed them here. People die HERE because we don't have qualified manpower.

[peacebaby3]

7. Welcome to DU! Based on your sig line...

I think we are in the same state.

My husband served in Iraq and we have lost several friends as well.

Glad to have you here! :hi:

[spacelady]

29. How are you? I was moved by this photo, too.

Here we are, with AC, comfortable, & it just seems to go on & on & I feel so helpless.

[peacebaby3]

34. Hiya L! I'm doing pretty well.

Headed to NY for work this next week. Staying busy! How are you?!?!?!

We need to get together sometime soon! Give me a call when you have time!

I've never actually seen this mobile monument, but I can only imagine how I would feel. I'm sure it would really get to me. I was suprised how moved I was by the Viet Nam Memorial in DC. The way it starts out small and just keeps growing...I was really moved.

Oh, I remember the heat stories from the hubby. I would send him magazines that he liked in care packages and before he could read them, the glue that held the pages together would melt. Back then, they literally lived in big tents in the desert and just had a hole in the ground for a restroom so the joke we had was when he would get a chance to call, I would go flush the toilet to remind him of home! I think we were starting to lose our minds after a year had gone by...a flushing toilet and decent toilet paper was a really big deal!

[Cabcere]

24. I'm sorry to hear that, Southern Boy.

And welcome to DU! :hi:

[SOUTHERN_BOY]

40. Thank you very much.

[Lochloosa]

27. Welcome to DU SOUTHERN_BOY

:toast:

[Vektor]

33. Welcome to DU, Southern Boy!

Great having you here! :hi:

[Dernitt]

4. God's Speed Marine

I know you're up there guarding the streets Lance Cpl. Philip John Martini.

:patriot: :cry:

[Obamarama]

5. What does that phrase mean really..."Up there guarding the streets" ?

Lance Cpl. Martini isn't "up there guarding the streets."

I don't doubt the fact that Martini is "up there," but I doubt the streets "up there" need guarding.

Lance Cpl. Martini is dead, and was sent to his death by the lies of George W. Bush.

He certainly deserves to be honored for his service to our country, and he certainly deserves to be mourned.

But to reduce his sacrifice to some bumper-sticker sentiment feels "off" to me.

[Dernitt]

11. It's from the US Marines hymn

"If the Army and the Navy Ever gaze on Heaven's scenes,
They will find the streets are guarded By United States Marines."

No "bumper sticker sentiment" just honoring a fallen Marine.

[midnight]

20. I think it is a reminder that our marines are the best......

I don't know why people were a bit harsh with your statement, but thanks for sharing.

[treestar]

23. Is there no end to this crap?

Why are the marines "better" than the air force, army, navy, coast guard, etc? They all lose their lives to protect our freedom (or that is to say, to protect Bushco's dominance, but we're not supposed to be telling that truth when it comes to the military).

[Obamarama]

36. I didn't know that and I stand corrected. Thanks for clearing that up.

Guess I was being a little oversensitive to some of the jingoistic jargon floating around this Memorial Day.

[Clark2008]

14. I hope you apologize.

Now that you know it's from the Marine Corps' own hymn.

[Obamarama]

38. I don't know that I wrote anything I need to apologize for....

But if it makes you feel better, I did thank Dernitt for educating myself about the origins of the words he posted.

[treestar]

22. We have to fight them "up there" so we don't have to fight them

"down here."

:sarcasm:

[ourbluenation]

6. welcome Dernitt

:)

[ThatsMyBarack]

10. Welcome to DU, Dernitt!

:patriot: :hi:

[Cabcere]

25. Welcome to DU, Dernitt!

:hi:

[Forkboy]

8. Tell him we don't have the votes.

I'm sure he'll feel better.

[Solly Mack]

9. !

(exactly my thoughts)

[Reterr]

12. ...

:kick:

[LWolf]

13. .

:cry:

[Rex]

15. Hey Congress Assholes! Take a look at that picture, you fucking monsters.

To all that fight against the WH and it's non-winnable war, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!

To all the selfish assholes that feed of the corporate money troff, FUCK YOU! YOU HAVE MY SCORN AND A POX ON YOUR HOUSEHOLD!

EOM

[treestar]

21. How convenient for * and the rethugs

that you blame Congress and not them!

[Rex]

30. Oh please, spare me. Everyone blames the BFEE - Congress still

deserves my scorn. If you can only focus on one branch - then I pity you.

[graywarrior]

16. Welcome SOUTHERN_BOY and Dernitt.

It takes a lot to make me cry, but that pic does a job on me. Damn.

[malaise]

17. Tear-jerking

Sadly Bush says more boots will be added and there's hardly been a whimper anywhere in MSM.

[133724]

18. Last time I was in Grant Park I got tear gassed ; Chicago August 1968.....

[Straight Shooter]

19. This is what bush means when he says we need more boots on the ground.

Is the giggling murderer enjoying a barbecue today? What is that freak up to anyway?

[Libby2]

26. Heartbreaking!

I'm so sick of the death and destruction.

[mentalsolstice]

28. Too bad our "dear leaders"...

aren't there whenever new pairs of boots are added to the display. My heart breaks for this young man, because not only his he grieving his personal loss, but also the loss of the others.

[tabasco]

31. Good lord. Reminds me of my visit to the Vietnam Memorial.

How many names on the Iraq Memorial? - - - -> for nothing!!

[northofdenali]

32. ...

:cry::cry::cry:

[Olney Blue]

35. It's too much to bear sometimes.

[bdamomma]

37. I wish those who started this invasion and murderous act

find themselves in a very dark place in the near future.

[SammyWinstonJack]

39. As do I.