Thursday, May 3, 2007
We would like to commend the hard work and dedication of the people who took the time to write out the names of fallen service members from the war in Iraq. As veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the executive officers of the Collegiate Veterans Association at the University of Kansas thank you for investing the time and effort to complete this memorial.
However, we have several concerns about the placement and nature of this memorial, namely the location, the failure to inform our organization of this event and the exclusion of the dead from Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Seeing the names of fallen friends brought back buried emotions and memories of times spent with those who are no longer with us. Watching oblivious students walk on these names while absently talking on cell phones or listening to iPods evoked feelings of anger and rage. Placing this memorial in a central location such as Strong Hall certainly helped to draw attention to this it, yet the disrespectful nature in which some students treated this display negated the intentions of its creators.
This display came as a total surprise to the Collegiate Veterans Association and veterans on campus. It would have been appropriate and appreciated if those who organized this memorial would have informed us of their intentions and asked for our participation. We would have liked to have written the names of our deceased friends ourselves, instead of strangers doing it.
In the future, please inform the Collegiate Veterans Association of such an event, allowing us to give our input and assistance in such an undertaking. We can be reached at kucva@ku.edu.
While the organizers claim this event to be apolitical and only serve to honor the fallen, then why were the names of those killed in Afghanistan excluded? It seems to us that only Iraq was utilized because it is the unpopular war, whereas the less politically charged war in Afghanistan is more acceptable.
While this may be true, the bravery and sacrifice of those who have died in Afghanistan is no less memorable than their comrades in arms who were killed in Iraq.
Again, we would like to reiterate the efforts of those who undertook this project and thank them for their work. We appreciate their labors and commitment to raising awareness about the human cost of war.
Dan Parker, president, KU CVA
Evan Hoyt, vice-president
Kristopher Fisk, treasurer
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Comments
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
This is a snide condemnation?
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
That's what I said dipsh*t, stop wallowing in your own resentment for once.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Meet me at Watson at 5. Front steps. I will be in jeans and a black T-shirt.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
I have lost friends and relatives in Iraq. I applaud those who took the time to memoralize the fallen. CVA's snide condemnation (and that is what you are doing KFisk, don't try to weasel out of it) of the memorial is a sad ploy for attention and is a disservice to the fallen.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Wow...you meet somewhere and discuss this in person?
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Of course you don't understand the 'brothers in arms' thing, and I hope that you never will. I would have liked to have written the names of people I knew that were killed. How this is frightening to you fully eludes and confuses me.
As for the second part of your statement: wouldn't you be angry if someone was walking on your friends or family members graves? Because it was akin to that. It doesn't mean that I am going to fight anybody of become a terrorist, as you suggest. The notion is simply absurd.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Name a time and place Kris...lol. Sorry for the tone of my response though, just a little on edge when it comes to people thinking they own the patent on mourning. In all honesty, you signed your name to a selfish and misguided letter which aimed to take the piss out of a very noble gesture. If CVA is just desperate for attention, that is fine. But why does CVA feel the need to publish passive-aggresive rhetoric when a simple thank-you letter would have sufficed?
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Nice, I like how you pulled that from the other article s77white. I don't really need to defend myself as my words in that blog explain what I mean. The men and women of our armed forces are fighting for a cause they believe in. They know the risk of signing up and they accept it as their duty. Their losses are not forgotten. Their comrades in arms have died, but they have the will and desire to see the battle through. You, however, a mere civilian, would tell them that they cannot win, that they should run away, that they should give up, that they should surrender. Luckily those who put on the uniform don't have a Jello backbone like your own.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Actually, outside Anschutz tomorrow at 10 AM. Same costume
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Umm...you might have to wait a little longer for some facetime with me Kris, I've lived in Colorado since I graduated. My "lol" in my last post was more of a comment on the idea of carrying on this internet discussion in person. But I get back to Larrytown during basketball season if our discussion can wait that long.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Put my 2cent in on this, I think that this was a completely political statement by antiwar campus orginizations. WHY WAS IT DONE BY THE YOUNG DEMOCRATS IF IT WASN'T! And why would those most concerned, the veterans orginizations or ROTC etc. not informed? Memoralizing the dead is a noble gesture, but this is politicizing plain and simple. Their deaths are being used to fuel a political cause: to fight against the cause that these soldiers believed in and fought valiantly for and died for. This is a sad way to commemorate the deaths of our nations heros.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
KUCatholic08: "Is America's will so weak that we can't handle a 1 to 15 loss ratio?"
Sick.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
KUCatholic08: "You, however, a mere civilian, would tell them that they cannot win, that they should run away, that they should give up, that they should surrender."
You aren't really a student at KU are you? Only an idiot would make unsourced claims like that. How do you presume to know my personal feelings on the war and how it should be run (Here's a hint, my feelings are exactly the opposite of your moronic claims)? I know its hard for you, but try not to be a total ass.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
My comments about your notions is an attack on the left wing in general, such as the views expressed in Senator Harry Reid's recent statements before congress. You're right I do not know your views. You have made plenty unsourced claims yourself you know? I simply reasoned from your statements of the standard leftist mantra that you signed on for the full package. If you are not advocating surrender then I apologize.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Where have I made unsourced claims?
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Well, you called KFisk a dpsht. I'd like to see some proper documentation on that, s77white. Or is that just bias? You should really check your sources on that one. You've shown no academic proof here that KFisk is a dpsht.
"Hey, my name is s77white and I call people names on the internet."
Sweet. Awesome. You're really great.
Letter to the Editor: Placement could have been better but effort appreciated
Wonderful contribution to the discussion Matt. Keep up the good work.
PS
Attributing false quotes to someone is very VERY wrong. Dipsh*t.
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