I betcha ten bucks this is getting them all weepy over in Freeperland...

(I just got it in my email from someone I thugh was smarter than he apparently is.) You'll especially like the part about "something good will happen to you at 9:11 tonight!"

Redstone
------------------------------
I sat in my seat of the Boeing 767 waiting for everyone to hurry and stow their carry-ons and grab a seat so we could start what I was sure to be a long, uneventful flight home.

With the huge capacity and slow moving people taking their time to stuff luggage far too big for the overhead and never paying much attention to holding up the growing line behind them, I simply shook my head knowing that this flight was not starting out very well. I was anxious to get home to see my loved ones so I was focused on my issues and just felt like standing up and yelling for some of these clowns to get their act together.

I knew I couldn't say a word so I just thumbed thru the "Sky Mall" magazine from the seat pocket in front of me.
You know it's really getting rough when you resort to the over priced, useless sky mall crap to break the monotony.
With everyone finally seated, we just sat there with the cabin door open and no one in any hurry to get us going although we were well past the scheduled take off time.
No wonder the airline industry is in trouble I told myself.

Just then, the attendant came on the intercom to inform us all that we were
being delayed.

The entire plane let out a collective groan.

She resumed speaking to say "We are holding the aircraft for some very special people who are on their way to the plane and the delay shouldn't be more than 5 minutes.

The word came after waiting six times as long as we were promised that I was finally going to be on my way home.

Why the hoopla over "these" folks?

I was expecting some celebrity or sport figure to be the reason for the hold up ..

Just get their butts in a seat and let's hit the gas I thought.

The attendant came back on the speaker to announce in a loud and excited voice that we were being joined by several U.S. Marines returning home from Iraq !!!

Just as they walked on board, the entire plane erupted into applause.

The men were a bit taken by surprise by the 340 people cheering for them as they searched for their seats.

They were having their hands shook and touched by almost everyone who was within an arm's distance of them as they passed down the aisle. One elderly woman kissed the hand of one of the Marines as he passed by her.

The applause, whistles and cheering didn't stop for a long time.

When we were finally airborne, I was not the only civilian checking his conscience as to the delays in "me" getting home, finding my easy chair, a cold beverage and the remote in my hand.

These men had done for all of us and I had been complaining silently about "me" and "my" issues I took for granted , the everyday freedoms I enjoy and the conveniences of the American way of life.

I took for granted that others had paid the price for my ability to moan and complain about a few minutes delay to "me" while those Heroes were going home to their loved ones.

I attempted to get my selfish outlook back in order and minutes before we landed, I suggested to the attendant that she announce over the speaker a request for everyone to remain in their seats until our heroes were allowed to gather their things and be first off the plane.

The cheers and applause continued until the last Marine stepped off and we all rose to go about our too often taken for granted everyday freedoms.

I felt proud of them.

I felt it an honor and a privilege to be among the first to welcome them home and say "Thank You for a job well done."

I vowed that I will never forget that flight nor the lesson learned. I can't say it enough, THANK YOU to those Veterans and active servicemen and women who may read this and a prayer for those who cannot because they are no longer with us.

GOD BLESS AMERICA! WELCOME HOME! AND THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE!!!!!

This is a ribbon for soldiers fighting in Iraq. Pass it on to everyone and pray.

Something good will happen to you tonight at 9:11 PM.

This is not a joke

Someone will either call you or will talk to you online and say that they love you.

Do not break this chain. Send this to as many people as you can in the next 15 minutes
----------------------------------

But I do have to tell you what happened to my brother on his way home a few years ago (this happened before 911).
He was in his dress blues (he is a Marine) and was at the airport with his coach ticket during the holidays waiting to fly home.
This is when he was a Private (he is now a Sgt).
A man walked up to him and shook his hand. Told him he had been a Marine himself.
He handed my brother his First Class ticket and took my brother's coach ticket and told him to enjoy.
I always thought that was awesome that that man did that.:thumbsup:

time it happened. And it should happen.

But this "story" is utter bullshit.

Something good will happen to you at 9:11 tonight." Spare me.

Redstone

I just noticed that you mentioned this at the top of your post.

Yeah - they'll probably express the gas that has been stuck in them all day, leading to a passionate 30 second fling ...

"Hurry up, hun! I'm already there!"

:eyes:

Oh that kind.

for the past few years. This is about the 10th time I have seen it.

Redstone

Just sayin . . .:eyes:

Frequently. Although, I never had to fly in my uniform on a commercial flight. Then again, I was Air Force ;)

Yeah, that's a true story :eyes:

To be honest, that is one reason why the "other side" gains so much ground. They send these emails out and people believe them to be true and get giddy.

At least this one wasn't about how much the "liberals" hate the troops and tell a story how some huge Marine slammed a bunch of hippies in a store and the whole mall cheered on the Marine or some other crap like that. Those are the type of emails that piss me off. Some of those bullshit stories get sent to the troops overseas and, I am guessing, bums them out.

By putting out those fucking things the people who send them aren't supporting the troops like they want people to think, they are spreading lies that the troops are not supported by half the U.S. blah blah blah.

Oh well, I said enough. I just like how the "storyteller" admits to being a typical puke by thinking "me, me, me, me, me".

Those propaganda emails drive me crazy. for some reason, people never seem to think there is a need to check the facts-they just get enraged instead. And the Republican email machine grinds out new ones every day.

Reader's Digest or some other rightwing jingoistic fuckrag.

My niece is in the Navy. They are not permitted to fly commercial airlines in uniform, are instructed to 'bury' their military ID when doing so and no longer carry military passports for flying overseas. Being overt members of the US military makes them extreme targets if the plane should be hijacked.

son was on a couple weeks ago....

I don't know about other services and it's possible that returning military probably wouldn't have civilian clothes to change into.

I was in the Air Force years back, and we always flew with our uniforms on, there is nothing
that says you cant.

But the story sounds fake, and can probably can be debunked

I am planning on making whoopy then! will report back tomorrow if whoopierre waid "I love you"!! or maybe I'll be doing it online?

being on a flight recently and seated next to a soldier. They announced the soldier's presence, fawned over him, etc. Said soldier didn't say much, just accepted the attention. When they got off the plane, he saw them unloading coffin-sized boxes from the cargo hold . . . not a word was mentioned regarding those by the people who fawned over the soldier on the plane. . . . I guess the bodies shipped home as freight don't count.

maximum. So it's a helluva trick to have one with 340 people in it, all applauding.

Next time you write this sort of drivel, check your facts, Jack.

Redstone

Along with the fact that military personnel aren't allowed to fly commercial airlines in uniform and are discouraged from announcing their involvement with the military for obvious reasons, as someone stated above.

Redstone

A normal 767-200 holds 250, a 767-300 stretch holds around 290 and that is with first and coach
so the 340 is a bunch of crap, the extra passengers would be sitting on everyones lap,
or you would have 2inch legroom inbetween the seats.

This story gave me diabetes it was so sweet.

I am sure that it can be debunked

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/comehome.asp

They've been "researching" this one for two and a half years.

it dertainly doen't need any research to debunk it.

I mean, "One elderly woman kissed the hand of one of the Marines as he passed by her."

Gawd, can you possibly get any more fake-corny than that?

Redstone

What the hell is an easy chair, anyway?

:shrug:

kiss you on your first date.

I am sure a La-z-boy is one, and I am sitting in one right now. Takin' it easy.

:eyes:

and how Vietnam vets were treated. That really pisses me off.

I have a second cousin in Iraq (I've only met him once) and his aunt (my cousin) sent this e-mail to me.

While I'll agree the bulk of e-mails like this come from right wingers and are probably bullshit, I'm not going to reply and try and debunk this. I just want my cousin to come home alive and well.

I hate what happened to the Vietnam vets. If any group of people needed support when they came home from war, it was them.

in the airport" never happened, don't you? It's an urban legend!

Snopes is your friend. Check them out before making assumptions.

We have plenty of Viet Nam vets here at DU. Hey, guys: Anyone ever spit on you at the airport?

No?

I didn't think so.

That "hippies spitting on the soldiers" bullshit is one of the most enduring crocks of crap ever to get started in this country.

Redstone

took heat for being married to a GI during the Vietnam War and that nobody ever clapped for my Dad. Whether the spitting incidence ever happened, I do not know. But I do know that Vietnam vets did not and do not get the respect they deserved.

And, since I did not say that soldiers were spit on, DO NOT imply to me that I made an assumption.

I was just talking to you.

Jeez. Lighten up.

Redstone

His flight out of Lambert (St Louis) departed late and he had to be back in Germany by the next day. The flight out of Philly was the last flight of the night. This was before the 9-11 crap.
BTW-even then he wasn't supposed to wear his uniform on the flight (Army). They were told back then that they were not supposed to on overseas flights unless they were on official business w/ the military. The story is a chainmail piece of crap.

So, they tell us the plane type and even which magazine they had, but neglect to mention where they were flying from or to? Why, that wouldn't be because someone could check it, is it?
And why not tell us the name of the airline that waits for heros ('coz I'm damn sure most wouldn't, unless they had checked baggage in the hold), so we can all thank them for thier patriotism?

I love the smell of Jingoism in the morning...

While if this story is true, I think it's a great tribute to these marines.

What I hate is when someone sends this stuff and add "pass this on if you support our troops ..... if you don't delete it".

that?

And by all, I mean ALL THE TROOPS IN IRAQ.

shit, i gotta get moving then.. i wasn't pLanning to pLeasure myseLf untiL about 10ish.

It's letting you know who of your friends and family are complete tools, via the sending of stupid shit like this.

this particular guy to be such a jingoistic boob (especialy since he's one of the VERY few who know about a few places I went and things I did), but I guess people start to lose it when they get older.

Redstone

one time i got pissed and sent him albinoblacksheep.com's Map of the World According to America when he sent me some goofy shit about a map of the USA on page of a magazine and some kid being able to put it together because he put the picture of jesus on the back together.

meanwhile our kids are failing geography. ARRRGH!

I'm just going to listen to Mastodon and break something now...i've worked myself into a frenzy over these stories and finals...grrr...

the 9:11 and chain letter aspects. It's just pure freeper barf designed to make people run out and buy yellow ribbons to slap on their SUVs. :eyes:

people like us are not the target audience for this stuff. Anyone with a questioning mind can wonder if something's not quite right and find out the truth. But these emails are directed at those who don't think twice about the contents and accept what is said as fact. This type of communication has to have some effect or else it wouldn't be done.