Boston Globe Publishes Slain Soldier's Blog

Army Specialist Stephen Fortunato was killed in Afghanistan on Tuesday.  The Boston Globe, Fortunato's hometown paper, carried the story in the October 17 edition.  It reads like many similar stories with interviews of the fallen soldier's parents, detailing their pride in their son and how difficult it was to send their son to war.

But the Globe went a step further and published a blog entry which Fortunato wrote August 30 and which his mother had forwarded to the paper.  The blog details the young soldier's pride in his country and roundly criticizes those who are critical of the war on terror.

Most assuredly, many of the Globe's readers and newsroom staff fall into that category, so kudos to the Globe's editors for publishing the thoughts of a fallen native son.  Fortunato's words – raw and refreshingly unrefined – are a reminder of what it means to be proud to be an American.  

If I may …

I'd like to say something....Just to get it out there so it is clear.
To all the pampered and protected Americans who feel it is their duty to inform me that I am not fighting for their freedom, and that i am a pawn in Bush's agenda of greed and oil acquisition: Noted, and [expletive deleted] You.

I am not a robot. i am not blind or ignorant to the state of the world or the implications of the “war on terrorism.” i know that our leaders have made mistakes in the handling of a very sensitive situation, but do not for one second think that you can make me lose faith in what we, meaning America's sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers in uniform are doing.

I am doing my part in fighting a very real enemy of the United States, i.e. Taliban, Al Qaida, and various other radical sects of Islam that have declared war on our way of life. Unless you believe the events of 9/11 were the result of a government conspiracy, which by the way would make you a MORON, there is no reasonable argument you can make against there being a true and dangerous threat that needs to be dealt with.

…

I am a proud American. i believe that my country allows me to live my life more or less however i want to, and believe me, i have seen what the alternative of that looks like. i also believe that our big scary government does way more than it has to to help complete [expletive deleted]-ups get back on their feet, a stark comparison to places where leaders just line their own pockets with gold while allowing the people who gave them their power and privilege to starve. I have chosen my corner. I back my country, and am proud to defend it against aggressors.  ...One last thing...a proposal. i know it has been stated time and time again but i just think it is worthy of reiteration. If you find yourself completely disgusted with the way America is being ran, and how we handle things on the global stage, you can leave. Isn't that amazing? No one will stop you! If you are an anarchist, there are places you can go where there is no government to tell you anything. That's right...you are left solely to your own devices and you can handle the men who show up at your door with AKs in any way that you see fit. Just don't try good old American debate tactics on them because you will most likely end up bound and blind-folded, to have your head chopped off on the internet so your parents can see it.

The media have largely marginalized the war on terror as an important consideration in the upcoming presidential election.  They have focused their collective energies on reporting that the economy is what will drive the electorate's decision.  That may well be, but these words, from a young man who paid the ultimate price in service of his country, and our freedom, are a call to remember that one of the most important roles any president serves is Commander-in-Chief. 

Thank you for the reminder, Specialist Fortunato.  Rest in Peace.

Kristen Fyfe is senior writer at the Culture and Media Institute, a division of the MediaResearchCenter.