I couldn't agree more with his sentiments concerning Mr. Luckovich's cartoon. His portrayal of our dead as meer props on some stage is an affront to the liberties they protect for fools like Mr. Luckovich.
But don't take it from me, listen to a Gold Star Father tell you what their flag draped coffins mean to him.
I met the most important passenger I could possibly meet as he arrived at Hartsfield International Airport at approximately 5:00 p.m. on August 24, 2005. I welcomed him home by watching through tears as two Army Sergeants uncrate his casket and drape it with an American Flag. Airline employees watch as I, an untrained civilian, stand at attention and salute as best I could. My boy - a man greater than I shall ever be, SGT Michael James Stokely, had come home.
Webster's defines a casket as a receptacle for something highly prized and valued; a coffin, especially an expensive one. That definition is an understatement for the Stokely family and many more like us.
Mr. Luckovich's August 28, 2006 editorial parody of the Rush Limbaugh / Michael J. Fox squabble, using rows of flag draped caskets with a clown like individual saying to another "Rush Limbaugh says they're faking it" is over the top. The two have absolutely nothing to do with one another except that Mr. Luckovich is getting a two for one shot by expressing his disdain for the valuable contents of flag draped caskets as he pokes Rush Limbaugh in the eye.
The conerstone of the freedom and way of life we have in America is founded on free speech. Mr. Luckovich can express himself without having his property taken, sent to Siberia, fear of hands, genitals, or head being cut-off, daughter raped in his presence or forced to watch as his whole family is slaughtered. That freedom cornerstone is cut with the sacrificial service of soldiers, especially those whose body comes home in a flag draped casket.
Webster's got it right, for dead soldiers in flag draped caskets are highly prized and most valuable for they have done their best, giving all for America. Can the same be said of Mr. Luckovich and the AJC? Maybe Mr. Luckovich should draw a cartoon and parody himself standing alongside West Park Baptist fanatics who mock flag draped caskets and seek to wound families of dead soldiers.
May God continue to Bless America and may your blessing be so great that you suffer not the welcoming home of your valuable loved one in a way our family and many others have, and may no one mock your loss.
Robert Stokely
proud dad SGT Mike Stokely US Army
KIA by IED 16
August 05 near Yusufiyah south of Baghdad
E Troop 108th CAV
48th Brigade Georgia National Guard
[Ed Note: Address and phone number removed for personal reasons]
Mr. Luckovich and the owner/editors of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution should apologize to all of the Gold Star Families immediately. Your callous attempt to subvert the topic of Mr. Fox's false assertions concerning Stem Cell Research and Mr. Limbaugh's commentary by defaming the memories of our dead soldiers is a definite case of malfeasance of your office as a public figure and media outlet. Perhaps if you offered up your time to attend a ramp ceremony you’d begin to understand the honor these men and women should be accorded, for they are finer people than you will ever be.
Kat in Ga agrees.
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