By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
In just a few days, citizens (hopefully vetted ones that are actually walking around and not previously thought to be deceased) are going to cast their vote in one of the strangest and snarkiest presidential elections in American history.
I am not going to try and persuade you along partisan lines as to who the best candidate is. I am sure that you have already made your choice long ago, and it is my fond hope that you did your own research, asked the tough questions, and if you are a person of faith, that you prayed about your choice before you sign in at the polling place in your district on Tuesday.
Nor am I going to pitch a fit if you didn’t do any of the above. I am, however, going to appeal to you by way of a story. It is one that I have told on several occasions and platforms, and it bears repeating because it involves veterans, and veterans who put their lives on the line so that complete strangers could vote.
It was January of 2005. I was “serving those who served” by working for the Department of Defense in Morale, Welfare, and Recreation, otherwise known as MWR. I was on a base known as Radwaniyah, and it had been the stomping grounds of Uday Hussein, the son of the Butcher of Baghdad (one of them at least), who happened to be his father. That man’s name was Saddam Hussein, arguably one of the most evil men that ever drew breath.
It was cold, and the Iraqis had set the date for the first true election since 1958. There had been various socialist dictators that had “show elections,” prior to Saddam, and Saddam himself had two. In the first, he claimed a 99% vote in his favor, and the second boasted a 100% unanimous vote that served to “re-elect” him.
Enter our veterans, and those of the Coalition that had gone to Iraq to help. Due to the fact that Radwaniyah was an intel base, it was almost exclusively populated by Americans, with the exception of some elite forces that served to protect the perimeter. Here is where I saw something that changed my life forever. As it pertained to our soldiers, I saw guys put their lives on the line so that complete strangers had the chance to vote. It was a long, long day. There was bloodshed; thankfully not much, but I made coffee for the guys when they came in. It was a moment of celebratory tiredness.
As far as the Iraqis were concerned, Al-Zarqawi had promised to kill any who dared defy Al-Qaeda and vote. He managed to take the lives of a little over 45 Iraqis. Some had purchased their coffins in case they didn’t make it through the day, and a 96-year-old woman voted for the first time. She was brought to the polling place in a wheelbarrow. “Blood and treasure” took on a whole new meaning, and I want to finish this Soldier by asking a question as it pertains to our troops:
Who, in your mind will lead and inspire our troops as Commander-in-Chief to manifest this kind of selflessness, and when they do, who will protect THEM? Once you have your answer, then vote for that person on November 5. And, while you’re at it, pray that we will never have to have soldiers protect US while we “fill in the bubble” on our ballots.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
November 1, 2024
