Update: Here is a link to a letter written by Mrs. Marla M. Kilfoyle, one of Gregory Buckley’s former teachers, addressed to Senator Charles Schumer and congressional representatives Carolyn McCarthy and Peter King.
What you’ll witness in the video below is the heart-rending testimony of Gregory Buckley Sr., the father of Marine Lance Cpl. Greg Buckley Jr., the latest American to fall victim to the seemingly continuous blue on green violence engulfing Afghanistan. Rather than heeding Gregory Buckley Sr.’s advice, the Pentagon has ordered a new round of sensitivity training for American soldiers, the victims of these lethal, unprovoked assaults.
His letter to the President, and the First Lady, are presented unedited below.
Dear Michelle and Barack Obama
This letter is very hard for me to write because I am not one to write things down, I’m more of a man that speaks from the heart.
As I taught my three sons growing up, a man is most sincere when he speaks from the heart.
I am extremely sad, devastated and broken not just for what has been done to me, but what is being done to this country.
I believe, as my son did, his joining the Marine Corp. was a positive thing for himself & for this country.
As I write this, all I can think about is walking my son to the school bus on the first day. As I put him on the bus he said to me “are you going to be here when I come back?” I replied “I will always be here for you.” Those are the words that repeat in my head, that is why I can never let this go.
Why are you giving billions of dollars to countries that do not respect and appreciate us & our flag, the very flag my son lost his life for. I am extremely disheartened when I see the laughter on your face on talk shows or at fund raisers , or even playing basketball on the streets of New York.
Your main goal as president should be first & foremost: cut off all financial aid to countries that would allow our American flag to be burned.
I am not a man of hate, but at the end of the day, I am a man that speaks the truth.
At no time did any family ever receive a phone call or an apology from Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai for allowing one of his own police officers execute my son & his fellow soldiers. At no time did any of us receive a phone call from youeither.
As an American I am horrified & disgusted that your solution to these insider attacks is to ask our soldiers to be more courteous and polite to these murderers.
We should give them what they want & and leave their country immediately.
Afghanies or any other immigrants that live in the United States should be respected as long as they respect us.
Our military should be used to help countries that truly want & need our help, they should be safe-guarding our borders. so we do not have to walk around in our own country on pins and needles.
Please tell the foreign people that are here now: to open up their hearts and arms and embrace us and we will embrace them, but if they cannot be a positive force in our great country, the way immigrants have been before them, they should return to their own native land.
My son was a proud & brave Marine, a loving son and most importantly a loving brother. All Greg wanted was for everyone to love & respect each other and live in peace.
You have the power to see that my son, Lance Corporal Greg Buckley, and the 2,000 other United States soldiers who have died these past 11 years in Afghanistan did not die in vane.
I’m begging you, in the name of my son Greg Jr., to bring our troops home NOW!Respectfully,
Gregory Buckley Sr.
******************************
Everyone: please feel free to share this
Thank you all for your continuing love & support!
Together we can make this happen.
we want our troops home, when is it going 2 stop? we have our own problems in our country. who helps us?????? enough is enough. bring our troops home alive. GOD BLESS AMERICA….
That’s a very touching, heartfelt letter. Judging by the fact that we are still in these countries, it would seem that the letter fell on death ears. It’s a damn shame.