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BETH CHAPMAN SPEECH

Discussion in '2003 Archive' started by I Am Blessed 24, Mar 20, 2003.

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  1. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

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    Last week, the Shelby County Alabama Legislative Delegation hosted a "Stand Up for America Rally." More than 1,200 people attended including featured speakers Chief Justice Roy Moore, Adjutant General Mark Bowen and Alabama State Auditor Beth Chapman.

    : Below is a copy of Mrs. Chapman's speech, which resulted in five standing ovations, tremendous applause and an encore. It's a short read and well worth it.

    : I'm here tonight because men and women of the United States military have given their lives for my freedom. I am not here tonight because Sheryl Crowe, Rosie O'Donnell, Martin Sheen, George Clooney, Jane Fonda or Phil Donahue, sacrificed their lives for me.

    : If my memory serves me correctly, it was not movie stars or musicians, but the United States Military who fought on the shores of Iwo Jima, the jungles of Vietnam, and the beaches of Normandy. Tonight, I say we should support the President of the United States and the U.S. Military and tell the liberal, tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing, hippy, tie-dyed liberals to go make their movies and music and whine somewhere else.

    : After all, if they lived in Iraq, they wouldn't be allowed the freedom of speech they're being given here today. Ironically, they would be put to death at the hands of Sadam Husssein or Osama Bin Laden. I want to know how the very people who are against war because of the loss of life, can possibly be the same people who are for abortion?

    : They are the same people who are for animal rights but against the rights of the unborn. The movie stars say they want to go to Iraq and serve as "human shields" for the Iraqis. I say let them buy a one-way ticket and go.

    : No one likes war. I hate war! But the one thing I hate more is the fact that this country has been forced into war-innocent people have lost their lives - - and there but for the grace of God, it could have been my brother, my husband, or even worse my own son.

    : On December 7, 1941, there are no records of movie stars treading the blazing waters of Pearl Harbor.

    : On September 11, 2001; there are no photos of movie stars standing as "human shields" against the debris and falling bodies ascending from the World Trade Center. There were only policemen and firemen - -underpaid civil servants who gave their all with nothing expected in return.

    : When the USS Cole was bombed, there were no movie stars guarding the ship - - where were the human shields then?

    : If America's movie stars want to be human shields, let them shield the gang-ridden streets of Los Angeles, or New York City, let them shield the lives of the children of North Birmingham whose mothers lay them down to sleep on the floor each night to shelter them from stray bullets.

    : If they want to be human shields, I say let them shield the men and women of honesty and integrity that epitomizes courage and embody the spirit of freedom by wearing the proud uniforms of the United States Military. Those are the people who have earned and deserve shielding!

    : Throughout the course of history, this country has remained free, not because of movie stars and liberal activists, but because of brave men and women who hated war too. However, they lay down their lives so that we all may live in freedom. After all - "What greater love hath no man, that he lay down his life for his friend," or in this case a country.

    : We should give our military honor and acknowledgment and not let their lives be in vain. If you want to see true human shields, walk through Arlington Cemetery. There lie human shields, heroes, and the BRAVE Americans who didn't get on television and talk about being a human shield - they were human shields.

    : I thank God tonight for freedom - - those who bought and paid for it with their lives in the past - - those who will protect it in the present and defend it in the future.

    : America has remained silent too long! God-fearing people have remained silent too long!

    : We must lift our voices united in a humble prayer to God for guidance and the strength and courage to sustain us throughout whatever the future may hold.

    : After the tragic events of Sept. 11th, my then eleven -year-old son said terrorism is a war against them and us and if you're not one of us, then you're one of them.

    : So in closing tonight, let us be of one accord, let us stand proud, and let us be the human shields of prayer, encouragement and support for the President, our troops and their families and our country.

    : May God bless America, the land of the free, the home of the brave and the greatest country on the face of this earth
     
    #1 I Am Blessed 24, Mar 20, 2003
  2. LadyEagle

    LadyEagle <b>Moderator</b> <img src =/israel.gif>

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    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
    #2 LadyEagle, Mar 21, 2003
  3. Rev. Joshua

    Rev. Joshua <img src=/cjv.jpg>

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    Which is why we don't let eleven-year-old's make foreign policy (well, we didn't used to).

    The McCarthy-like comparison of those who don't approve of this war to the terrorists is absurd. The fact that one lunatic attacked us does not give us carte blanche to invade other, unrelated nutcases (presumably out of frustration that we can't seem to find the original lunatic). A person can criticize bad foreign policy and unwanted aggression and still be a patriot.

    Joshua
     
    #3 Rev. Joshua, Mar 21, 2003
  4. Matt Black

    Matt Black Well-Known Member
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    I agree. The "he who is not with us is against us" precedent being set here is highly irresponsible and dangerous. It strikes at the heart of the very freedoms for which you claim to be fighting.

    Yours in Christ

    Matt
     
    #4 Matt Black, Mar 21, 2003
  5. LadyEagle

    LadyEagle <b>Moderator</b> <img src =/israel.gif>

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    How is that? Sorry, don't understand your logic.

    Just the fact that the majority of the "left" is against this war, shows we are on the right track! [​IMG]

    The left is against this war because innocent women & children might be killed (by accident), in spite of our military surgical strikes, but we should leave Saddam Hussain in power so he can kill more people than the 1 million he has already killed, and it's okay to rip innocent babies out of the womb & destroy them & sell their tissue for profit. Go figure. :rolleyes:

    The logic to the anti-war argument (peace not war) eludes me. I especially am amazed by the anti-war demonstrations that end up violent like in San Francisco where police were attacked with rocks and pieces of rebar and Paris where the McDonalds was demolished. :rolleyes:
     
    #5 LadyEagle, Mar 21, 2003
  6. Rev. Joshua

    Rev. Joshua <img src=/cjv.jpg>

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    Well, any event where a McDonald's is destroyed can't be all bad... ;)

    I'm not opposed to the war because of concerns for the civillians (although people who are better Christians than I am always express that concern about any war). I'm a soldier, and I understand that sometimes people need to die for the greater good.

    What concerns me is the U.S. completely reinventing its foreign policy and invading another sovereign nation. I'm also very concerned by the blatant disregard of the U.N. We may not always be a superpower (look at Rome, the UK, Spain, etc. for proof of that) - and when we're no longer the biggest bully on the street we may not like the precedent that this sets.

    Joshua
     
    #6 Rev. Joshua, Mar 21, 2003
  7. Kiffin

    Kiffin New Member

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    The US did not blatantly disregard the U.N. It went through the proper channels and gave up after the French promise to veto us. Bush could have disregarded the UN as Clinton did in bombing Serbia (Which may have not been a bad thing for Bush to do) or could have disregarded the UN as the French have in their military involvement in the Ivory Coast. The UN proved itself to be nothing but a debating society more concerned in containing the US than Iraq and has failed . Bush and Blair showed leadership in going by themselves.

    Referring to the US as a bully is unfair. The US has did it's best to not cause civilian casualties and is clear this is a war of liberation and not conquest. Unlike Rome and the Old British Empire the USA has been sensitive to not hurt civilians.

    I had reservations a few months ago but Secretary Powell's speech at the UN clearly showed Iraq had chemical weapons and connections to terrorism. Prime Minister Blair also put his on political career he believed the threat was so dangerous. I compare the US war very similar to Israel's lightning War in 1967, Striking one's enemy before he attacks. If France and Britain would have done this in 1938, with Nazi Germany, WWII may have been less brutal or avoided. I think history will show Bush and Blair as courageous leaders in a time of crisis.
     
    #7 Kiffin, Mar 21, 2003
  8. American Citizen

    American Citizen New Member

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    Do you believe the same thing about our involvement in Bosnia and Kosovo?
     
    #8 American Citizen, Mar 21, 2003
  9. C.S. Murphy

    C.S. Murphy New Member

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    #9 C.S. Murphy, Mar 22, 2003
  10. Rev. Joshua

    Rev. Joshua <img src=/cjv.jpg>

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    C.S. I think you missed something. My comment was about the anti-war rally where SheEagle said a McDonald's was destroyed.

    Joshua
     
    #10 Rev. Joshua, Mar 22, 2003
  11. I Am Blessed 24

    I Am Blessed 24 Active Member

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    War protesters have no more right to destroy a McDonald's than abortion protesters have to destroy an abortion clinic.

    We didn't leave the UN...the UN left us!

    :rolleyes:
    Sue
     
    #11 I Am Blessed 24, Mar 22, 2003
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