I like to comment on that, but first let me honor one of those Americans who did not just talk about our freedoms. She gave her life for those things we take for granted. She did it not just for us but for those same freedoms for the people of Iraq. She walked our talk.
Army Pfc. Erin L. McLyman
Died March 13, 2010 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom, 26, of Federal Way, Washington, formerly of Eugene, Oregon; assigned to the 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.; died March 13 in Balad, Iraq, of wounds sustained when enemy forces attacked her base with mortar fire.
Now, here is my comment on comment on all the fireworks we've had lately about Freedom of Speech here on ActiveRAIN:
My community, home of the University of Oregon, once known for rabid anti-war protests in the 1960's, recently buried the daughter of one of my current clients - PFC Erin L. McLyman - the third Oregon woman killed while serving in the US military in our long war in Iraq.
There were no protesters at the funeral of this warrior woman.
But there was a lot of NOT-SO-FREE speech.
About fifty of the Patriot Riders were there, exercising that free speech. Dressed in their leathers or Levi uniforms, with plenty of service patches on their sleeves, with big American flags flying from their motorcycles, they escorted her body from the airport to the mortuary one day.
And then a couple of days later, flags again flying, they brought her to her funeral...where a lot of people lined the route: saluting, waving flags or placing hands on hearts.
Then they stood at a slightly relaxed Parade Rest, holding their flags beside them...posted all over the church parking lot and entrance walk-ways. It would have been a fitting tribute for a head of state.
The Governor of Oregon, Ted Kulongoski, a good and honest man, a former Marine was there to exercise his NOT-SO-FREE speech, too. He was speaking at his hundredth funeral for an Oregon servicemember. Ted, whom I have had the honor of knowing personally, is a Democrat. I am not. We disagree about many things, but his talk at that funeral was one of the best I've ever heard. I know he is sincere.
The Patriot Riders are into sacrificing their time to make sure there is no negative "free speech" at such funerals - not by preventing it physically - but by preventing it morally.
The governor has never missed the funeral of an Oregonian who has died in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Those Riders, that governor are the appropriate response to unwanted political speech.
In America, we don't shut people up. We just drown them out. Sometimes we do it with words. Sometimes we do it with actions.
And some of us sacrifice a little more.
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Jim Hale
Principal Broker / Owner
Graduate, REALTOR Institute e-PRO
Member, Million Dollar Club of Lane County
Member, Real Estate Brokers Million Dollar Club
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