Michelle Malkin » Why he served

Why he served

By Michelle Malkin • October 17, 2008 04:16 PM

Everyone: Please read this.

And spread it far and wide.

It’s your spirit-lifter and perspective-keeper of the day.

Of the year.

God bless you, Army Specialist Stephen Fortunato. R.I.P. We are eternally grateful.

The following is a blog entry written on Aug. 30, 2008, by Army Specialist Stephen Fortunato, who was killed Tuesday in Afghanistan when the vehicle he was riding in was blown up by an improvised explosive device. This entry was forwarded to the Globe by his mother, Elizabeth “Betty” Crawford.

If I may …
I’d like to say something….Just to get it out there so it is clear.
To all the pampered and protected Americans who feel it is their duty to inform me that I am not fighting for their freedom, and that i am a pawn in Bush’s agenda of greed and oil acquisition: Noted, and [expletive deleted] You.

I am not a robot. i am not blind or ignorant to the state of the world or the implications of the “war on terrorism.” i know that our leaders have made mistakes in the handling of a very sensitive situation, but do not for one second think that you can make me lose faith in what we, meaning America’s sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers in uniform are doing.
I am doing my part in fighting a very real enemy of the United States, i.e. Taliban, Al Qaida, and various other radical sects of Islam that have declared war on our way of life. Unless you believe the events of 9/11 were the result of a government conspiracy, which by the way would make you a MORON, there is no reasonable argument you can make against there being a true and dangerous threat that needs to be dealt with. i don’t care if there are corporations leaching off the war effort to make money, and i don’t care if you don’t think our freedom within America’s borders is actually at stake. i just want to kill those who would harm my family and friends. it is that simple. Even if this is just a war for profit or to assert America’s power, so what? Someone has to be on top and I want it to be us. There’s nothing wrong with wishing prosperity for your side.

I am a proud American. i believe that my country allows me to live my life more or less however i want to, and believe me, i have seen what the alternative of that looks like. i also believe that our big scary government does way more than it has to to help complete [expletive deleted]-ups get back on their feet, a stark comparison to places where leaders just line their own pockets with gold while allowing the people who gave them their power and privilage to starve. I have chosen my corner. I back my country, and am proud to defend it against aggressors. Also, if you dare accuse us of being inhumane, or overly aggressive because we have rolled into someone else’s country and blown some [expletive deleted] up and shot some people, let me remind you of just how inhumane we COULD be in defending ourselves. Let me remind you that we have a warhead that drops multiple bomblets from the stratosphere which upon impact, would turn all the sand in Iraq to glass, and reduce every living thing there to dust. Do we use it? No. Instead we use the most humane weapon ever devised: the American soldier. We send our bravest (and perhaps admitably craziest) men and women into enemy territory, into harms way, to root out those whom we are after and do our best to leave innocent lives unscathed.

…One last thing…a proposal. i know it has been stated time and time again but i just think it is worthy of reiteration. If you find yourself completely disgusted with the way America is being ran, and how we handle things on the global stage, you can leave. Isn’t that amazing? No one will stop you! If you are an anarchist, there are places you can go where there is no government to tell you anything. That’s right…you are left solely to your own devices and you can handle the men who show up at your door with AKs in any way that you see fit. Just don’t try good old American debate tactics on them because you will most likely end up bound and blind-folded, to have your head chopped off on the internet so your parents can see it. However if you insist on staying here and taking advantage of privilages such as free speach and WIC, keep the counter-productive [expletive deleted] to a minimum while the grown ups figure out how to handle this god-awful mess in the middle east.

Posted in: Iraq

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#505681

On October 18th, 2008 at 6:03 am, dhalls said:

A true American son.
#505691

On October 18th, 2008 at 6:53 am, FamilyMan said:

That’s the America I know.
#505693

On October 18th, 2008 at 7:12 am, zeroangel said:

Rock on. Very well said.

He will no doubt be remembered well.
#505720

On October 18th, 2008 at 9:06 am, JDinTX said:

We appreciate your service and sacrifice. I can only hope that the service and sacrifice of all soldiers is not in vain when B. Hussein Obama pulls everyone from the war and gives up on the freedoms of others and tries to make us lose ours.
#505729

On October 18th, 2008 at 9:30 am, kcnut said:

Rip fortunato sir may god bless you and damned those who want to crush our country and increase the hate of our troops and people like mike steele sarah palin and joe the plumber and my mom and dad.
#505730

On October 18th, 2008 at 9:32 am, flaming_o said:

I deeply thank God for the gift of Stephen Fortunato and all like him.
#505749

On October 18th, 2008 at 10:25 am, pinkpolkadot said:

Thank you for your patriotism and service to this country. You are a very brave man. God bless you and your family.
#505750

On October 18th, 2008 at 10:29 am, DBNinKY said:

God bless you, Army Specialist Stephen Fortunato. R.I.P. We are eternally grateful.

Blessings and many thanks to this wonderful family; they are evocative of the American family and its commitment to a higher sense of duty and purpose.
#505785

On October 18th, 2008 at 11:35 am, Truesoldier said:

May Specialist Fortunato’s soul rest knowing that his battle will not have been fought in vain and that other valiant soldiers will take up his banner and continue the fight!

Specialist Fortunato IS the truest of American Hero’s and his words should be forwarded to the many members of Congress lest they forget what is on the line!
#505793

On October 18th, 2008 at 11:51 am, SapsHaven said:

I’m sort of humbled by his words. I think I will try to re-read them regularly.
Regards
#505868

On October 18th, 2008 at 1:00 pm, ssnark said:

“That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,”
William Shakespeare, Henry V Act III.

I think this says all but one thing.

To absent comrades!
#505928

On October 18th, 2008 at 2:27 pm, longbow said:

I salute you, Stephen, and am proud of you – a true hero. Your life and your words are an inspiration to me, thank you for helping to keep us free and strong. I wish you did not have to lose your life. There are people here who you died for who neither appreciate nor deserve nor understand your sacrifice.

Rest in Peace, I know there is a special place in Heaven for those like you who lay down their lives for a good and just cause.
#505999

On October 18th, 2008 at 4:38 pm, Jarhead said:

I will Devote at my 5:30 PM Mass today to SPC Stephen Fortunato . He is with our Lord Jesus in heaven. My God comfort his family in their time of lose. I will also light two more candles tonight one for him and the other for his family. May God Bless them all. Semper Fi from this old Marine, Army SPC Stephen Fortunato you did your country proud, now may you R.I.P.
#506090

On October 18th, 2008 at 5:58 pm, K2 said:

God Bless Specialist Fortunato. RIP.

A heartfelt thank you to the Fortunato family and may the hand of God give you comfort.
#506170

On October 18th, 2008 at 7:45 pm, emjem24 said:

RIP, Specialist Fortunato.

We need more people like you. Too few people understand what it means to be an American and too many are willing to part with their integrity, even their very freedom, for a bag of coin.

You will be missed. And you won’t be forgotten. I will mention you in my prayers and light a candle in remembrance.
#506496

On October 19th, 2008 at 8:59 am, mholland1 said:

Thank you for being one of the grown-ups.
#506497

On October 19th, 2008 at 9:08 am, davidjamesduprey said:

RIP, Specialist Fortunato.

From a pampered and protected American, I’d like to say America is my country, Right or Wrong!

For all of the wrongs we have done, and the faults we have, The United States of America is still a million times better than any other country in the World. When America acts around the World we do it for the best intentions, call us naive but, at least we tried.

“…That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation under God, shall have a new birth of freedom…”
– Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln.
#506708

On October 19th, 2008 at 12:48 pm, rommsey said:

F*cking Awesome!

Thank God that he ever lived!
#506978

On October 19th, 2008 at 8:00 pm, keystone said:

Thank you and R.I.P. Spc. Stephen Fortunato. Very well said.

Send_Me, Thank you for your comment, also very well said.
#507402

On October 20th, 2008 at 11:04 am, FirstSkirt said:

A light has gone out of the world with the passing of Specialist Fortunato. We are blessed to be in presence of such men as these. To my military brethren, God Bless You in the defense of the America I love–I only pray that will be as courageous as you when the next attack happens.
#508253

On October 20th, 2008 at 10:30 pm, NJ-Aviator said:

Thank you Stephen Fortunato. You’ve made a positive difference in this world. I won’t forget your words, your actions or your sacrifice.

God bless you and your family.
#508630

On October 21st, 2008 at 11:34 am, expat said:

God bless you and your family. May you rest in eternal peace with our lord.