Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll – Crashes Marine’s Funeral
Over at Black Five, there is an account of a fallen Marine’s funeral that makes my blood boil.
The family of a Marine who was killed in Iraq is furious with Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll for showing up uninvited at his funeral this week, handing out her business card and then saying “our government” is against the war.
Ms. Knoll is the Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania.
When will people understand that families of fallen soldiers want to know that their loved ones died honorably? They don’t want to hear a politician come up to them in a Church funeral service (to which they weren’t invited)and say:
I want you to know our government is against this war
What Government Ms. Knoll? Pennsylvania? Foreign wars are not under the jurisdiction of State Governments. Nor is it necessary to get a Lt. Governor’s approval.
Here is what her Duties are. No foreign policy!
Maybe she should check with Governor Rendell. It seems he might be in support of the troops. Here is his message to service men and women.
GREETINGS:
As Governor, and on behalf of 12.4 million Pennsylvanians, I want to take this opportunity to thank our servicemen and women deployed in Iraq for your loyal and dedicated service to our commonwealth and country in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Every one of you possess great character, skill, courage, and passion for protecting your fellow citizens, qualities that have defined our nation’s greatest heroes for generations. You follow in the great tradition of the countless veterans who have served our country and demonstrated the highest ideals of American citizenship.
I can understand how difficult it must be for you to have to spend so much time overseas without the love and support of your family and friends nearby. I hope that you will find comfort in the friendship and support of those around you and in the knowledge that your family, your state, and the entire nation stand behind you, wish you well, and look forward to your success.
As Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and as a fellow soldier, I have come to accept – but not always understand – the risk servicemen and women face as they protect peace and democracy around the world. I extend my thanks for your service and the gift of freedom you give to future generations, both in America and around the world.
EDWARD G. RENDELL
Governor
Now both of them are democrats, but that shouldn’t matter. Rendell was a soldier, he gets it. He knows that the last thing a family or deployed soldier wants to hear is that people are against the war. You don’t show up at a funeral and even speak those words. Heck you shouldn’t speak. You didn’t know the family or the soldier. You can go if it is an open door funeral, but sit in the back, don’t draw attention away from the funeral ceremony or to yourself, and don’t say anything that a normal person wouldn’t say at a funeral. Like: “I’m sorry for your loss. Let me know if I can be of any help. He’ll be missed. He was so brave. etc.”
If you want to be useful, bring a box of tissues, but keep the politics to yourself.
And if you really want to know what a true hero is, Sgt. Joseph Goodrich is one.
Only two days before his death Staff Sergeant Goodrich sent his wife an email explaining his feelings for fallen soldiers and why he enlisted saying: “They sacrificed and gave to me something that I could never repay; freedom.”
I can’t even describe how proud I am that we have men and women like this defending America.
My condolences go out to all the families of fallen heroes.
It is beyond appalling that a Lt. Governor of a State would crash the funeral of a US Soldier killed in combat and interject her personal politics. It just goes to show the disconnect from reality that so many in the Democratic Party have. They have lost the support of the public and are irrational in their contempt for ordinary citizens. They feel superior to us dumb cattle who blindly or so they think follow GW’s policies. This is why they continue to lose National elections. The arrogance of this Woman and her self centered attitudes is typical of the elitist attitudes that shows a disconnect from the Democratic Party leaders and the people. She should be removed from office, censured at the very least by her Party. The Governor owes this family and apology. But I am not suprised by her behavior. The most extreme Anti-American Radicals are hiding in the Democratic Party. It should be called the American Socialists/Communist/Anarchists/Green Party of America.
I’m not one for people around the country demanding that another state remove one of its elected officials, but I absolutely agree with some type of statement from the Dems in Penn. If Rendell’s statement to the troops was heartfelt, I would hope he takes this public. He seems to support the troops and a statement of condemnation from Knoll’s boss would go along way to correcting the statements made at the funeral.
How about Democrats for a World with out American Ideals?
When the National Guard was shipping out the Penn. governor was not around. The Penn NG was shipping out the same time as the 116th National Guard, most of them from Idaho, the Idaho Governor stay an extra day to wish them well and a safe return home.
The Penn. and Idaho NG shipped out from Louisana at the same time. Was the Penn. governor more busy than the Idaho gov. that he could not take time to wish them well?
I am no big fan of the ID gov. but he gets my support for being there and taking the best wishes of the people with him. By the way Paul Revere and Raiders gave them a big send off.
[...] Here’s an update from the Lt. Gov. of Pennsylvania’s insult added to injury that I posted about on Saturday. [...]
This is the letter I sent to The GOV. of PA.
Sir
I have seen an article in the news paper that distresses me greatly. It indicates that Catherine Baker Knoll attended a fallen Marine’s funeral and made the statement that your government was against the war. Ms. Knoll has the right to her opinion but not to espouse it at a funeral she was not invites to.
I lived in your great state for over three years and found the people to be proud and patriotic Americans. She is not representative of your people and should not only apologize but resign. This type of behavior from an elected or appointed official is not acceptable. Her conduct is akin to the group in Kansas and no better. The only recourse I have is to bring this to the attention of the fraternal organizations I belong to and see if we can help correct this transgression of your Lt. Gov.
The American Legion and the National Infantry Association will be informed as well as others.
Thank you for your time
Patrick O’Donnell
Command Sergeant Major (Ret)
Well done Patrick.