Iraq Soldiers Reenlist: Friend's Letter

Why don't you spend your time during tonight's debate with fellow McCain-Palin Supporters in a chat room? Come to http://votebitter.com. If you'd like a classic "Sarah: Guns and God" tee-shirt, you can get one (or more) by clicking on the image to your right.

I sent my young friend, Rhandi, from Corpus Christi, Texas, copies of the pictures above of U.S. soldiers reenlisting en masse in Baghdad. She replied with a heartfelt letter about her experience as a young army wife. It touched me greatly, and I hope it will also touch you.

Steve,

You have me in tears. I don't know how I missed this, but thank you so much for the nice little "shout out." My husband has served nearly 8 long years in the military (including 2 deployments - 1 being a consecutive 2 together, and the later being the whole first year of our marriage). He, too, reenlisted in Baghdad. He will be in for as long as he can - only 12 years until retirement is an option, which at that time he will be 39 years young.

It's amazing when I think about the things I've sacrificed simply to be with him (leaving my comfort zone, families, and friends, attending a new school, and trying to start and continue life in a whole nother state, a whole nother atmosphere), but even more amazing still is the dedication and sacrifices I've seen him and other men and women like him, including friends, make for the better of our whole society.

My best friend from Portland, TX is marrying a marine in December, who is also thinking about reenlisting for the sole purpose of believing in what we're doing and what our country stands for. He planned on going in for four years and getting the heck out, but now that it's come down to it - he is pretty close to staying in for at least 1 more enlistment. This man has a college degree and is one of the most educated, intelligent young men I know. I wouldn't want men and women of any less of caliber as he and my husband out there fighting for us. Just goes to show that pretty much every stereotype I've ever heard, and may have repeated, about our men and women in uniform is extremely wrong. :)

In the household I live in (and run :wink:), we support McCain. In the household I came from, they support McCain. In the households I've visited in my recent trip to Texas, we support McCain. I hung out with a BIG, BIG group of young adults (ages 20 to 24) and we were amazed by the fact that we could all agree on the same presidential candidate. Yes, politics did not get ugly between our group, and it seemed to only strengthen our beliefs, knowledge and united front regarding the future president of our country.

I've never seen so many young people get involved and feel this strongly, but going back to Texas made me proud to be where I was from, and even prouder to be apart of the friendships and relationships I have there, and with other fellow political followers. When that big of a group of young adults can get together and continue to have a good time speaking about political elections and candidates without all hell breaking loose and a big confrontation, you've got to know that something good is going on, and something great could be happening.

I'm with you 1000% Steve. As is my husband, best friend and her fiance, who is currently deployed, plus the many, many others that I know - soldiers and civilians alike.

Thank you for sending out this email and including my family and I in it. Eric's been home since June and I'm still in tears when it comes to these types of things.

Thanks for all you do and more,
Rhandi

Sarah Palin on Center Stage

I sent the following to the many bloggers and web site administators participating in efforts to ensure the eledtion of John McCain and Sarah Palin. If you dall into that category and have heavy traffic on your site, e-mail me at: TalkTop65@aol.com. -- Steve

Dear Bloggers and Web Site Administrators: I'm asking you to respond no later than Monday if you're interested in the following. The image above is dynamic, in-your-face and aimed especially at states with lots of hunters, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Virginia.

Many of us will be offering this product for sale -- at $14 per shirt, which includes shipping. If you wish to offer it on your site, you will receive $1.00 (one dollar) for every one ordered from your site. All you would have to do is to put up a couple of simple gadgets (gidgets?) on your site. The order process will be simple, and it will be possible to get them through priority (or, even, I believe Fedex).

If you blog or site is active and gets 2,000 or more page visits per week (or soon will), it probably makes sense for you to participate. Your investment will be zero. Your administrative costs will be zero. Your risk also will be zero. If you decide to participate, you wiil have to fill out a simple form so that we can pay you legally.

Why am I supporting this effort? The key is that it will benefit McCain-Palin -- and may even have a small effect on their winning this election. In my case, every nickel "extra" I get -- and this has been true since February -- will go to the campaigns of John and Sarah and other candidates who back them.

What you do with the money you make -- a little or a lot -- is your own business. This being America, that's as it should be. If your site sells 5,000 products -- and some of them will -- you will get a check for $5,000.

I look forward to working closely with all of you in the years ahead as we continue to try to right the various wrongs we've seen in the political system and, especially, the media. Again, if you want to participate in this venture, please respond by e-mail before Monday noon.

I will send you the "affiliate" form as soon as I get your okay.This project will be well underway by Tuesday of next week. If it makes sense for you, I hope you'll participate. If you don't want to, just don't respond. If you know high traffic sites that might be interested, let me know.
If you're interested in multiple t-shirts, let me know by e-mail.