Dear Mr. President,
I went to the war a healthy, beautiful woman. I really admire your wife. I don’t want any troops to suffer the way I have for the past 11 years. When I first became sick in Saudi, it continued after every meal. When I first went to the VA, they said it was all in my head. I had severe bone pain in my legs and had to give up a brand new car I bought when I got out of the Air Force. I couldn’t drive it anymore. Then the pain spread to all my joints and muscles. I had a constant sore throat and fatigue, but doctors said nothing was wrong. I asked to be checked for mycoplasma fermantans but they denied me. Finally in 1997, I got a new doctor at the VA who took me seriously and realized I had lupus. Then in May 2001, I was no longer able to work and due to the rule that says you can’t have your disability check if you get out early from the Air Force, I have really suffered. Now I can barely walk and I can only see the rheumatologist every 2 months. I have to go all the way to Tampa for anything serious .By the way, when I got home from the war, I was told if I didn’t take the Early Out, most likely I would be RIF’ted (reduction in force) with no benefits, because my career field was 80 percent staff sergeants. At no time was I told, if you take the early out and become disabled we will keep your check until you pay us back. If I had known about that I would have stayed in and got a medical discharge for being in the toilet all the time.
I have a friend, an Army gulf vet who has tried for 7 years to get medical treatment from the VA. He has contacted Congressman and Senators with no results. The VA says they can’t treat him because his medical records mysteriously disappeared. He really needs help as he suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and has nightmares from having to drag burnt up Iraqis out of their burnt up tanks.
It’s really horrible the way we have suffered — I mean all Gulf vets in general. However, I must say I would serve my country again if I were able, and I am proud of my service in the Air Force. I would also like to say that we are sick from either the exposures from the environment, the shots, the pills, other exposures, etc.
There is a reason.
I think I am personally sick from breathing in oil smoke for months — the sky during the day was black as night, the numerous vaccines, and untidy conditions that the Air Force food was served in. If you support a new war in Iraq, you must take a stand for sick Gulf vets like myself who made the ultimate sacrifice and are still making it day by day.
Sincerely,
Mary Ann Parker
Gulf Vet, U.S. Air Force
Dear Mr. President,
My plan is to keep a very small herd (or flock, as the case may be) of cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits, and probably more. A farmer, Joel Salatin from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, estimates that he’s building an inch of topsoil per year on his pastures by successional pasturing. The cows spend, say, a month in a particular place, then the chickens move in and clean up all the fly larvae and spread the manure very nicely with their scratching, and of course add lots of their own, then the pigs move in and root through and plow up and turn over all the goodies so that it all composts beautifully, and so on. He manages his critters so that each one fulfills an ecological niche like the one for which it has evolved. He works with the natural forces at play, and so is able to channel them for the benefit of all: the land, his animals, his customers, and he and his family. His management is about twice as productive per acre as current industry practices, by the way.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Sincerely,
Mickael F. J. Lamb
Dear Mr. President,
You can be walking down the street and suddenly bump your head into someone else’s thought. Sex thoughts are the biggest. They come in the shape of toast, or falling leaves.
I used to skip along on a beautiful song called dirt. Once some big boys beat me up and kicked the song in my face.
Our tree house was the closest point to the moon.
Sincerely,
Eric Morgan
Dear Mr. President,
It’s me again.
Spring semester begins on January 13th, 2003. Just to let you know, so you can be prepared, I will be teaching three more classes (another 140 American Government students) with the assignment of finding something they care about. Oh, for the school part, they have to decide which public official might have an interest in their topic and write a letter to him/her, hopefully get a reply and then write a 2-page essay on their experience.
It would be really nice if you would take the time to read the few letters they send to you this semester and reply. I’m a bit weary of reading essays that say, “I wrote a letter to the president, put a stamp on the envelope and mailed it to him in D.C.” in 80 Pt. font, to cover the required 2 pages. After all, Ms. Shapiro and Governor Perry seem to be able to make time to reply. Just a thought.
Thanking you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
Professor Powell
Dear Mr. President,
I recently moved from New York to San Francisco. I don’t know how often you come out to California to make public appearances, but you should know this: the good people of San Francisco don’t seem to like American flags. This bothered me when I first arrived. It bothered me so much that I mentioned it to nearly everybody I met, or spoke with about the fact of my relocating from one coast to the other. Nobody seemed to mind it much. They told me that they associate the flag with the war on terrorism, and with the violent revenge streak that surged through the nation after September 11, 2001. I tried explaining to them that the flag has a history that far exceeds that of an event just over a year old. While many people conceded that this was true, they felt that in the current climate, to hang a flag equaled support for the war effort. I disagree, Mr. President. I believe in the flag. I see it as a symbol of all that we are, and all that we can be. Maybe that’s a little much, a little overly sentimental. I don’t really care.
My birthday is on September 11, Mr. President. I was born in 1976, as a bicentennial baby. Recently I have been reading a documentary history of the United States, which traces our country’s history from the early declarations written by the Continental Congress up through your speech from last fall. I recommend this book to you, Mr. President, if only because it serves to remind me that we are on this timeline, moving forward. All of this is behind us, and so much more is ahead. Don’t let yours be the last chapter.
Sincerely,
Lee Epstein
Dear Mr. President,
I work at a specialty market, and people tend to become irate when they don’t find white truffles at my store. Do they know how much white truffles cost? Even locally harvested ones are very expensive. People are also unaware that white truffles are not technically mushrooms. They are a tuberous form of fungus that grows only in specific areas, such as under oak groves. But because I don’t carry them, those customers treat me like I don’t know anything about the specific nature of this food product. They probably don’t know that the most traditional way to eat a white truffle is to slice them thinly with a special grater onto a fried egg. And they also probably don’t know that black truffles are the only type of truffle that can be cooked. White truffles lose their flavor and break down.
Sincerely,
Patrick Tsukuda
Dear Mr. President,
Recently I’ve been (re)reading my copy of the Federalist Papers, and something has struck me as odd.
The framers of the Constitution of the United States had a very convincing argument for keeping the union intact, so as to lessen the chance of a foreign country invading us, and also to lessen the chances of going to war with another country.
Nowhere in them do they mention a purpose aimed towards eventually ignoring the constitution they wrote, and wantonly attacking other countries.
Sincerely,
Andrew Helm
Dear Mr. President,
I was a Navy Reservist, activated in 1991 to serve in Saudi Arabia, for Operation Desert Storm. I was a 43 year old, physically fit female. My M.O. was Respiratory Therapist. Being a Respiratory Therapist over there proved to be really challenging, for the mere fact that Uncle Sam only had 8 of us there. Let me tell you that because of the oil burning, the air was always polluted, and it was always dark from the smoke that smelled like sulfuric acid, so needless to say, a lot of GI’s suffered from some sort of breathing problem. We had only one type of breathing medicine over there (Broncosol), which is a powerful broncodiolator. The big problem we encountered was that some couldn’t take this type of medicine, and experienced rapid heart rates, as well as increased pulse rates, which posed a big problem, since there was no other way to treat them. We had to resort to primitive methods, like having them breathe in bags, to decrease their hyperventilation, which in return would decrease their heart rate, as well as their pulse. While this was going on, our wounded were arriving via Helo’s, which required our immediate attention, they needed respirators, and our job was to stabilize them, for transport to Germany (I believe). We were given the most primitive respirators to use over there. I guess they didn’t think they would be in demand as much (smile).
The other problem was running the respirators, because we used oxygen tanks and power from generators. You realize all this went on while we were being attacked by SCUDs, our hospital unit was set up eighty miles (80) from the front line. We had very long days and a very tedious time, while we eight (8) Respirator Therapist were deployed over there, going nonstop for days, and only resting out of pure exhaustion. But it was funny, no mattered how tired you were, when you heard the Helo’s coming in, you became alert, and ready for the next Helo, bringing in the wounded. This went on long after the war was over, for now we were treating mostly our own, from being careless and stepping on mines, or just having serious accidents of some sort. This went on approximately two (2) or three (3) weeks before coming back state side.
I became ill, about a month after being there (abdominal cramping, constipation, and nausea). I went to sick call, and was given a rectal exam, along with the normal work up (TPR, BP, and blood work). At this time I was also suffering from trouble urinating. I was told they couldn’t properly diagnose me, since they didn’t have the proper equipment over there, and to seek medical help upon returning to the states, and they gave me something for my cramping (Donnatal).
When we finally got the OK, that we were really leaving, I was one of the 1st reservist to be released, only to be told months later that passengers on the first return plane weren’t entitled to any G.I. benefits, because we were 24 hours short of our 90days (from Saudi to the U. S is 24 hours time difference).
I sought medical help — before they finally let us vets that had served in Desert Storm seek VA medical help — buy then my condition continued to progress to a point, where my vital systems (liver, kidneys, and stomach) were starting to shut down. I tried to continue working and doing my weekend drills, but by this time, between the pain, and abdominal bloating, I was one sick person. I worked for the VA Hospital as a Respiratory Therapist, and had to take an early retirement (due to my health) and as far as the reserves, I was let go, because they said I was Unfit For Military Duty. No disability, no nothing.
At that time in my life, I was too sick to try and fight them.
I had many problems associated with colectomies — in an out of hospital on a regular basis, for the next 6–8 yrs. And if that wasn’t bad enough, I developed Cancer in 1992, along with my other problems, which landed me in a nursing home. My prognosis was grave, and I was told to get everything ready, and was given 6 months to live. Not through any thing else, but God’s grace, am I able to be relating this story to you. Doctors said it was my time, but God had the final voice in this.
I have followed the rules of the chain of command and at this time I’m reaching out to the highest of command, Mr. President.
I have presented my case to Pro-Bono (with no response).
I recently received a letter from the Appeals Court, postponing my hearing to January 6th. At this time it seems futile — after following all of the proper procedures — I feel I am not going to get the assistance that I need.
Sincerely,
Helena Brown
Dear Mr. President,
I am writing to you about a fellow Texan, my boyfriend and a United States Air Force pilot. He is as devoted a Patriot as I have ever known. He truly believes in our democratic system and is willing to protect us from anything that may obstruct our freedom. He has dedicated his life to the service of our country and ultimately his life is in your hands, not in the hands of those who know him and love him.
If your daughters were military personnel, would you feel the same way? Would you send them off without proper evidence?
I know it must sound foolish that my anti-war sentiment is mainly of a personal nature and terribly selfish at that, because there are men and women in Iraq that are loved and honored by their families in the same way. And deserve freedom as much as I.
But, if everyone in the world felt the way I do about a single person, this war would not be feasible, and we would be forced to solve our disputes, the horrors in the world, through other, possibly more constructive means. I truly believe that. That is where you come in.
Your power to make a change is so great. When you finally give your orders, please know that he trusts you, despite it all, to make the right decision: so please do.
Sincerely,
Megan Constan
[NOTE: The opinions expressed in these letters do not necessarily represent those of McSweeney’s, Knopf, or Gabe Hudson.]