Hero Families

The anti-war movement and their friends in the main-stream media have made a heroine of Cindy Sheehan, mother of a fallen soldier. Yet it was her son Casey who was the hero, and Mrs. Sheehan has been dishonoring his most honorable sacrifice.

Mrs. Sheehan has become the new face of the anti-war fringe, featured in New York Times editorials, in Maureen Dowd columns, blogging on Michael Moore’s web site, supported by the radical group United for Peace and Justice and the Communist Party USA. But she does not represent the Gold Star Mothers or the other family members of our fallen soldiers.

The father of Kyle Andrew Griffin, a recipient of the Army Commendation Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal and the Bronze Star, who was killed in a truck accident on a road between Mosul and Tikrit on May 30, 2003 spoke for many of those families in the Wall Street Journal today. Following are excerpts from Ronald Griffin’s moving letter.

I lost a son in Iraq and Cindy Sheehan does not speak for me. I honor her son for his service and sacrifice. However, I abhor all that she represents and those who would cast her as the symbol for parents of our fallen soldiers. Over the past few days I have reached out to other parents and loved ones of fallen heroes in an attempt to find out their reactions to all the attention Mrs. Sheehan has attracted.

Ann and Dale Hampton lost their only child, Capt. Kimberly Hampton, on Jan. 2, 2004, while she was flying her Kiowa helicopter. She was a member of the 82nd Airborne and the company commander. Ann Hampton wrote, "My grief sometimes seems unbearable, but I cannot add the additional baggage of anger. Mrs. Sheehan has every right to protest . . . but I cannot do that. I would be protesting the very thing that Kimberly believed in and died for." (Capt. Hampton was our grandson Johnny’s commanding officer.)

Karen Long is the mother of Spc. Zachariah Long, who died with my son Kyle on May 30, 2003. Zack and Kyle were inseparable friends as only soldiers can be. Karen's view is that what Mrs. Sheehan is doing she has every right to do, but she is dishonoring all soldiers, including Karen's son, Zack. Karen will tell you over and over again that Zack is not here and no one, but no one will dishonor her son.

Those who lost their lives believed in the mission. To honor their memory, and because it is right, we must believe in the mission, too. We refuse to allow Cindy Sheehan to speak for all of us. Instead, we ask you to learn the individual stories. They are glorious. Honor their memories. Honor their service.

Never dishonor them by giving in. They never did.