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Politics : Don't Blame Me, I Voted For Kerry -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: American Spirit who wrote (22946)	5/15/2004 11:21:16 PM
From: Brumar89	Respond to of 81568

The only poll that counts is in November.(eom)

To: American Spirit who wrote (22946)	5/16/2004 9:26:58 AM
From: lorne	Respond to of 81568

as. Could you pass this along to kerry. ....." Reynolds said in the e-mail, signed with his name, military title and unit, "We are doing a good job in Iraq, and I challenge anyone, anywhere to dispute me on these facts. So if you happen to run into John Kerry, be sure to give him my e-mail address and send him to Denison, Iowa. This soldier will set him straight."..... Iowa soldier gains fame for sending positive Iraq e-mail CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) usatoday.com — An Iowa soldier is gaining notoriety as the author of an e-mail now circulating the world noting positive developments in Iraq. Sgt. First Class Ray Reynolds said he wrote the message to counter what he considers overly negative media coverage focused on soldiers killed and politicians who have criticized the war effort. "We need to start focusing on the good because that's what's going to inspire the people of Iraq and the troops, that America is behind this project," Reynolds, 37, of Denison, told The Gazette. "We need to think of it in terms of rebuilding the country of Iraq rather than the day-to-day ups and downs of the project." His e-mail, based on statistics he compiled, notes accomplishments ranging from power and phone service being restored to cleaner drinking water and the interim constitution being signed. He wrote the e-mail to 13 friends and relatives and asked his acquaintances to pass it on. Now, the e-mail is traveling around the world. Reynolds, in his letter, says the media has "done a very poor job of covering everything that has happened." Reynolds, of the Iowa Army National Guard 234th Signal Battalion, worked in the communications division in Baghdad. Lt. Col. Greg Hapgood, a spokesman for the Iowa Guard, said he stopped counting the constant queries he's receiving about the e-mail. He thinks the message is so popular because people are thirsty for good news to give them hope. But he said Reynolds bordered on breaking a rule by "expressing political views in uniform." Reynolds said in the e-mail, signed with his name, military title and unit, "We are doing a good job in Iraq, and I challenge anyone, anywhere to dispute me on these facts. So if you happen to run into John Kerry, be sure to give him my e-mail address and send him to Denison, Iowa. This soldier will set him straight." Hapgood said Reynolds "has not been formally disciplined" but stressed the importance of soldiers staying away out of politics. "For those of us in uniform, it's important that we remain apolitical, that we're absolutely neutral," he said. "We work for the American people, and we have to put our politics aside."