NL prints my response about "Win the War" signs

The Staunton News Leader ran a column on the 4th of July by Seth Lovell questioning if people who put out "Win the War" signs and bumper stickers were doing anything more for the troops.

My response is printed in today's paper. Following it in the online version are the usual anti-war protester/liberal responses that appear when anyone conservative writes anything to the Staunton paper.

Sign effort spurred by duty to U.S., our troops
Lynn Mitchell • July 10, 2008

The column in the July 4 edition from Seth Lovell chastising those who display "Win the War" signs or "Support the Troops" bumper stickers raised some interesting questions.

As one of the people who helped distribute "Win the war" signs and bumper stickers, I feel he missed something in the message and has missed the good deeds many in this community have done for the military. Mixing politics and support for the troops? They are inseparable.

As a child of the Vietnam War era, I well remember when this nation did NOT support our troops. Young men would put on the uniform only to be ridiculed by those who did not agree with the war. The silent majority remained silent — and thus the troops felt unappreciated. When they returned home from service in far-off lands, they were not welcomed home as the heroes they were. They were, instead, spit upon and insulted. Superiors cautioned them that it was too dangerous to travel in uniform — in America. There is something terribly wrong with that.

When the War on Terror began almost seven years ago, the anti-war protesters came out in force. Democrat and Republican elected officials voted together to go to war to protect a nation that had been viciously attacked, losing almost 3,000 innocents who were killed by terrorists. That is politics. That is the military.

Should Americans have sat at home and let our men and women in uniform halfway around the world see only dissent coming from America? Or was it better to stand up and let them know we supported them and were grateful that they were willing to sacrifice and put their lives on the line to protect the freedoms we enjoyed?

Just because someone has a "Win the war" bumper sticker or yard sign does not mean they have not done more to support the troops. We have sent care packages by the hundreds, written letters and cards and helped families while their loved ones are away at war. We have been at the Thomas D. Howie Memorial Armory to support them when they left for war, and we have been there to joyously welcome them home when they returned. We have stood up to the anti-war protesters on the streets of Staunton, Augusta County, Richmond, D.C., and beyond. We have grieved with families who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

On the Fourth of July, National Guardsmen stopped by the Republican booth in Gypsy Hill Park to thank us for our support and to ask where to find "Win the War" signs. They left with the signs and our eternal gratitude for their service to our country.

If someone is not able to help in other ways but is able to "slap a sticker on a car," as Mr. Lovell put it, to show support, then we welcome it. At least our soldiers can see it and know they are thought of and loved.

We are grateful to our community for being willing to publicly show support because we remember the days of Vietnam when that support was not shown. My Vietnam-era Air Force husband would have been happy to see a "Support the Troops" rally or "Win the War" bumper sticker.

Those who have been to Iraq and those who support the mission know that to "win the war" means to leave a stable Iraq in the hands of her own people complete with their own constitution, police force, and military. After years of dictatorship, having a stable country takes time but it is being accomplished, and American forces will begin to withdraw when Iraq is ready.

We thank Mr. Lovell for his service to our country, and encourage him to contact us if he has suggestions on other ways we can help the military in our community.

Lynn Mitchell is vice chairwoman of the Augusta County Republican Committee and its Support the Troops coordinator.

Correction: I am not the "Support the Troops" coordinator for the Augusta County Republican Committee. That is something I do on my own in conjunction with the Gathering of Eagles and other pro-troops organizations. More Republicans are involved than Democrats but it is not part of the Republican Party.

My thanks to Cindy Corell and Roger Watson at the News Leader for allowing me to respond in more than the usual 350-word LTE limit.