Boot Murtha now!
‘I could not disagree more with Murtha’
By Phil Ray, pray@altoonamirror.com
JOHNSTOWN — David Beamer labeled U.S. Rep. John Murtha’s suggestion that America give up the fight in Iraq as “ridiculous” Sunday while attending a rally in Johnstown. Beamer’s son Todd was one of the heroes on Flight 93 that crashed into a field near Shanksville, Somerset County, Sept. 11, 2001.
Murtha, D-12th District, supports constructing a memorial in Somerset County to commemorate the bravery of Flight 93 passengers who fought the terrorists and diverted the airplane away from Washington, D.C.
Todd Beamer, a father of three, was one of the leaders of the revolt and the individual who uttered the now renowned words, “Lets roll.”
His father attended a three-hour, “Boot Murtha” rally at the War Memorial Arena Sunday and received a standing ovation when he said he agrees with Murtha on the need for a memorial “but on the most important matters of our day, I could not disagree more with John P. Murtha.”
Beamer lashed out at Murtha’s criticism of American troops, his release on his Web site of vital information that revealed some of the weaknesses of the American military and his suggestion several months ago that America “redeploy” its troops from Iraq.
“The enemy will see this for what it is. ... Redeployment means defeat,” Beamer said.
“Does it require another battle in Shanksville?” Beamer asked as he wondered aloud what it will take for America to become united in the war on terrorism.
He said Murtha wants to “chat up” the enemy, go hat-in-hand to Osama bin Laden, but he said if you go hat-in-hand, “you better be prepared to leave with your head in your hat in your hand.”
Beamer supported the continuing war against terrorism and said, “It’s been 1,481 days since Sept. 11 and there have been no more homeland attacks, no more homeland battle grounds, no more homeland burial grounds, and that is just one more thing that is George Bush’s fault.”
Murtha said it was his job as a Congressman to speak up and to lead a change in U.S. foreign policy.
But “Boot Murtha” rally co-chairman Harry Beam of Johnstown, a decorated Vietnam veteran and retired lieutenant colonel, was critical of Murtha for labeling seven Marines now in the brig for war crimes as murderers before the investigation had been completed.
He wants voters to “put a stop to Murtha from verbally shooting at our brave soldiers.”
Others who spoke included Lieutenant Colonel Graig Minnick of Johnstown, an Iraqi war veteran; Earl Johnson, who escaped from the 51st floor of the North Tower in New York after it was hit by one of the terrorist-driven airplanes; John Wroblewski, a Gold Star Father whose son 2nd Lt. John T. Wroblewski died in Iraq more than two years ago; and Terry Pennington, whose son Rob is one of the Marines awaiting charges for the alleged killing of civilians.
Pennington said there is no proof of war crimes by the Marines, and he said statements like those from Murtha, and the willingness of the news media to believe the worst, has made the military squeamish.
“This kind of garbage has got to stop,” he said.
As 22 anti-war protesters held up signs across the street from the War Memorial, Democrat Bob Fiffick, a retired steelworker, was wearing a button on behalf of Murtha’s Republican opponent this fall, Diana Irey, a Washington County commissioner, as he waited for the “Boot Murtha” rally to start.
“I’ve been a Democrat for 35 years. I was a big union man. This past year they [Democrats] lost touch with me.”
“This country is so divided,” he said.
Tim Sumner of Martinsburg said his wife’s brother Joseph Leavey was a New York firefighter who died in the attacks on the Twin Towers.
He said the fight has to be taken to the Islamic Fascists, whether in Iraq, Iran, Syria or another country.
“We can no longer sit back and take it. ... There is no retreating,” he said.
Albion Wilde of Takoma Park, Md., who works with the wounded as a volunteer at Walter Reed Hospital and who was wearing an Army windbreaker given to her by a veteran, said of Murtha, “I think he has been disloyal to the United States, the military.”
She said the nation has been under attack by terrorists for the past 20 years, a fact that Murtha ignores.
Mirror Staff Writer Phil Ray |
