Pearl Harbor Survivor's thoughts on Obama

[Len Hyet]

Hey there NS

So something recently came across my newsfeed, a letter by one Harold Estes, a retired Master Chief Bos’n Mate living in a retirement home in Pearl Harbor, addressed to President Obama.

I think it addresses some valid issues, but gazing at the rest of you, I'm sure to find somebody who disagrees. So, without further ado, the letter.

My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of this year. People meeting me for the first time don’t believe my age because I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert.

I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos’n Mate. Now I live in a “rest home” located on the western end of Pearl Harbor , allowing me to keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country.

One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.

So here goes.

I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do, but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish.

I can’t figure out what country you are the president of.
You fly around the world telling our friends and enemies despicable lies like:

” We’re no longer a Christian nation”
” America is arrogant”

– (Your wife even
announced to the world,” America is mean-spirited. ” Please tell her to try preaching that nonsense to 23 generations of our
war dead buried all over the globe who died for no other reason than to free a whole lot of strangers from tyranny and hopelessness.)

I’d say shame on the both of you, but I don’t think you like America, nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.

After 9/11 you said,” America hasn’t lived up to her ideals.”

Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn’t mean the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.

I don’t think you mean the ideal that says equality is better than discrimination. You know the one that a whole lot of white people understood when they helped to get you elected.

Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man.

Shape up and start acting like an American. If you don’t, I’ll do what I can to see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania Avenue . You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the hands of murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like slaves.

And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don’t want us to do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black college professor in Massachusetts , who was putting up a fight? You don’t mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don’t want us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.

One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never had to defend your country with your life, but you’re the Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission, give them to him. But if you’re not in this fight to win, then get out. The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political strategy you’re thinking of.

You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest challenge ever presented to any president.
You’re not going to restore American greatness by bringing back our bloated economy. That’s not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and soul of who we are as Americans is our big fight now.
And I sure as hell don’t want to think my president is the enemy in this final battle…

Sincerely,
Harold B. Estes

Personally? I think he raises valid points.

The rest of you? Thoughts?

[Benutanairan]

Why is this in multiverse?

However he does raise a valid point considering the wait and see attitude the president has.

[United Marxist Nations]

This should be in General.

[Len Hyet]

This should be in General.

I meant to put it there

[Castille de Italia]

Truly the wisdom of an old man. Raises some valid points.

"Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn’t mean the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom."

I thought that was the best part. Thank you Fmr. Master Chief Boatswain's Mate Estes, you truly stood up to the "American" President.

[Common Territories]

Hey there NS

So something recently came across my newsfeed, a letter by one Harold Estes, a retired Master Chief Bos’n Mate living in a retirement home in Pearl Harbor, addressed to President Obama.

I think it addresses some valid issues, but gazing at the rest of you, I'm sure to find somebody who disagrees. So, without further ado, the letter.

My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of this year. People meeting me for the first time don’t believe my age because I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert.

I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos’n Mate. Now I live in a “rest home” located on the western end of Pearl Harbor , allowing me to keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country.

One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.

So here goes.

I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do, but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish.

I can’t figure out what country you are the president of.
You fly around the world telling our friends and enemies despicable lies like:

” We’re no longer a Christian nation”
” America is arrogant”

– (Your wife even
announced to the world,” America is mean-spirited. ” Please tell her to try preaching that nonsense to 23 generations of our
war dead buried all over the globe who died for no other reason than to free a whole lot of strangers from tyranny and hopelessness.)

I’d say shame on the both of you, but I don’t think you like America, nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.

After 9/11 you said,” America hasn’t lived up to her ideals.”

Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn’t mean the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.

I don’t think you mean the ideal that says equality is better than discrimination. You know the one that a whole lot of white people understood when they helped to get you elected.

Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man.

Shape up and start acting like an American. If you don’t, I’ll do what I can to see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania Avenue . You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the hands of murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like slaves.

And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don’t want us to do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black college professor in Massachusetts , who was putting up a fight? You don’t mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don’t want us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.

One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never had to defend your country with your life, but you’re the Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission, give them to him. But if you’re not in this fight to win, then get out. The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political strategy you’re thinking of.

You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest challenge ever presented to any president.
You’re not going to restore American greatness by bringing back our bloated economy. That’s not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and soul of who we are as Americans is our big fight now.
And I sure as hell don’t want to think my president is the enemy in this final battle…

Sincerely,
Harold B. Estes

Personally? I think he raises valid points.

The rest of you? Thoughts?

I wish I could personally shake the hand of this proud patriot who had the guts to stand up to Obama. He raised plenty of good points, even if he didn't touch all of Obama's issues (which no single letter could). I can only hope Obama listens to his elders and someone who had plenty of more experience than him in the matters of military affairs.

[Danbershan]

This will surely be moved to General soon, but I'm going to weigh in anyway.

I disagree thoroughly. Just because someone has died for something, doesn't mean its right, or that its been achieved. Saying the USA hasn't achieved certain ideals is not countered by the fact that people have died for them. If I decided that the UK should become a Halachic State, and then announced that before sacrificing myself for the ideal, it would not make it true.

America's greatest threat is not Afghanistan, or anywhere in the Middle East. That war is not defensive, and if you think it is I worry about you. That war is about American imperialism, and keeping the people distracted, nothing more. The economy is a bigger real issue.

'We're no longer a Christian nation" - the USA is becoming more secular, and more ideologically diverse. Therefore, its focus on Christianity is waning. I don't see this as offensive. But then, I'm British.

"America is arrogant" - you really think this is a lie? REALLY? I have met a lot of Americans, and I have looked a fair bit into American foreign policy. I know about imperialism, my family's been deeply involved in it, and I recognise it in America. Obviously, not all Americans are arrogant, and obviously not all factions of its government are. But a country where the common view (in my experience) is that it has the patent on freedom, is arrogant. A country which tries to export its form of democracy to societies which are not suited for what is, in any case, not a perfect system, is arrogant. What really infuriates me about many Americans who I have met, is the apparent notion that things of importance happen in the USA. Very rarely anywhere else. Yes, there are lots of these other little countries, like Mexico and the UK England and China, but they're not really so important. Obviously this is not universal, but the general impression the USA gives to the world is definitely one of arrogance.

23 generations of our war dead buried all over the globe who died for no other reason than to free a whole lot of strangers from tyranny and hopelessness.

- Do people actually believe this? Genuinely?

[Horsefish]

I really don't follow what he was saying. He just kept mentioning dead soldiers.

Is this some new form of debate or something?

[EnragedMaldivians]

Admittedly not an American.

There's no original 'criticism' here. It's just the same stuff that's been regurgitated by folks that dislike Obama for over the past four years. Are people supposed to treat this as profound and insightful because it came from the pen of an exceptionally elderly citizen?

[The Joseon Dynasty]

So what? These are a very common set of opinions.

"Be more aggressive; be more American; dead soldiers".

[Mavorpen]

Was there supposed to be a point in there outside of, "My penis is more American than Obama's!"

[Avenio]

Admittedly not an American.

There's no original 'criticism' here. It's just the same stuff that's been regurgitated by folks that dislike Obama for over the past four years. Are people supposed to treat this as profound and insightful because it came from the pen of an exceptionally elderly citizen?

He's a HERO or something, how dare you insult someone who was involved in World War II by saying that everything they say isn't automatically worthwhile!

[Len Hyet]

Was there supposed to be a point in there outside of, "My penis is more American than Obama's!"

A valid Criticism of his foreign policy? Or lack thereof

[Mavorpen]

Was there supposed to be a point in there outside of, "My penis is more American than Obama's!"

A valid Criticism of his foreign policy? Or lack thereof

There were no valid criticisms. If you believe there to be so, specifically point them out.

[Meowfoundland]

I'm glad to know surviving a major attack makes your opinion matter more, especially if your opinion is one that's been repeated again and again, over and over.

[Socialist States Owen]

Admittedly not an American.

There's no original 'criticism' here. It's just the same stuff that's been regurgitated by folks that dislike Obama for over the past four years. Are people supposed to treat this as profound and insightful because it came from the pen of an exceptionally elderly citizen?

Trudat. I don't think his status as a survivor of Pearl Harbour gives him some sort of extra insight.

[The Truth and Light]

I'm glad to know surviving a major attack makes your opinion matter more, especially if your opinion is one that's been repeated again and again, over and over.

This.

[Ifreann]

An old man repeats Republican talking points. So what?

[Frisivisia]

Obviously fake letter is obviously fake, as well as being wrong and dumb.

[North Stradia]

-snip

” We’re no longer a Christian nation”

It never was.

[Frisivisia]

Was there supposed to be a point in there outside of, "My penis is more American than Obama's!"

A valid Criticism of his foreign policy? Or lack thereof

Because Obama's such a hippie peacenik. He's surrounded himself with neocons, and that puts the fate of the world in peril.

[Gauthier]

An old man repeats Republican talking points. So what?

He's a Pearl Harbor Vet! His words have VALIDITY, damn it! He's proof of Obama's Kenyan Muslim machination!

[Ifreann]

Obviously fake letter is obviously fake, as well as being wrong and dumb.

Oh, it's not fake.

[Frisivisia]

An old man repeats Republican talking points. So what?

He's a Pearl Harbor Vet! His words have VALIDITY, damn it! He's proof of Obama's Kenyan Muslim machination!

Don't forget that we have yet to see if this is an actual thing, not some Beck-ite copypasta that makes conservatives feel good inside.

EDIT: disregard this.

[Frisivisia]

Obviously fake letter is obviously fake, as well as being wrong and dumb.

Oh, it's not fake.

Shit. What the fuck. Why old guy, why?