Hello everyone! It has been a while since I last wrote a diary. I miss it, and the connections with all of you, and I am going to make sure I get to write more often. For those that don’t know, I am Sherri Welsh, and my husband is Barry Welsh. He blogs too as many of you know, and those that don’t can Google or You Tube to learn about him. He was the man that stood up and challenged Mike Pence two years ago (we started the campaign in 2005). If you don’t know the name Mike Pence, here are the latest links.
I’m beginning to think that rural life isn’t what it’s cracked up. From the “commute” to the grocery store and the “commute” to work, and points elsewhere, it makes for a very tiring day. There is the risk of becoming complacent in one’s perspective at times too. Like the images and the reports we see on the News, the blogs and eMags online to the local and satellite radios we listen to, we sometimes become lulled into thinking that the “conflict is over there” – that the “suffering is over there”, the “war is over there”… until it hits home.
When the local boy that took one of our daughter’s to the prom, and another local boy that went to Military school after graduation, came back from “over there” (Iraq) that we hear of them coming home with their perspectives, limbs, lives greatly distorted due to the tough and gruesome tasks that they may have had to perform. Some men and women have come back from this “Armed Conflict” that have eagerly anticipated going home, come back in silence awaiting only the sad and heartbroken family, friends and community to send them to their final rest. We all know that this is a risk that one prepares for when signing up for any kind of military duty, and for that, I think we can all agree, are grateful and respectful of such sacrifices.
This time in our history is not so unlike other events in the past, it’s not different in the sense that death, in the end is still death. It’s the seriousness, the somber respect and the trust that one had in one’s government to take the equally difficult matter of sending our Military in to harms way that has changed. The knowledge that anyone of any understanding can agree that death is a final cost for serving one’s government, especially in the Military. To my mind it’s the matter of oversight, the thoughtful and most shrewd and economic value of safety and strategy that decides where and when our military should go that instills respect, credibility that form our opinions. The fact that our men and women in our Military branches still go to do a very unpleasant, very real, very deadly and very awful job that most of us would, frankly, not find the inner resolve to do. Just like those in our Police and Emergency occupations or Professional Health care or as teachers or any one who serves publicly – we all show respect for those that sacrifice of themselves to make a difference.
So far there has been little to see of both credibility and respect to be earned by our current administration and that would include our “Congressman” Mike Pence (R-IN06).
Mr. Pence is without doubt, to be either the most oblivious individual on the planet Earth or the most arrogant to be spouting off dribble such as comparing our Indiana farmers markets to an Iraqi market place. Look, I may have to commute a way to get anywhere in the rural South Eastern portion of Indiana, we may have unemployment rampantly high with all the closures of business in this district, but I defy anyone to reasonably explain how one can say such a ludicrous statement while wearing a flak jacket with an escort armed to the teeth? Okay we like our guns down here, but to say that Iraq is anywhere as safe as a rural farmers market in INDIANA???
The only fear I have of any farmer’s market in Indiana is when my husband, Barry Welsh (the 2006 Democratic Candidate for Indiana’s 6th Congressional district) is going to the local farmers market and I know we’ll end up eating 5 pounds of Watermelon, cantaloupe, corn on the cob, tomatoes, and any combination of other fresh produce per person, per day for the next 2.5 or 3 weeks. I just don’t think that is the same as Baghdad.
I’m embarrassed, to say the least, that any comments that are uttered through Mike Pence’s lips will only create a stereotype or image of all Hoosiers that I for one, am not pleased with. He paints his own ignorance, poor judgment and callous remarks on every Indiana resident of the 6th Congressional district, let alone Indiana or for that matter as an American. Normally I would never state my opinions in such a vitriolic way, but the guy has opened his mouth and it’s been published for all to see or hear. He’s fair game as far as I’m concerned.
To condescend to the public by uttering such asinine remarks reminds me of Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf aka Bhagdad Bob pronouncing with great posture that the Iraqis “..have control of the (Bhagdad) airport” while seeing in a split screen US Military taking the airport. Is this what we are reduced to?? GREAT, we now have Bhagdad Pence representing us. The sad fact is that it’s NOT just Indiana that he partly represents; it’s Congress, America, HUMAN BEINGS even! This among a whole litany of items that make me cringe when stating that Mike Pence is the representative of Indiana’s 6th Congressional District, this is the one that broke the camel’s back. It was bad enough that in 2006 he compared the number of deaths that we have sustained during this armed conflict to a football score and went further to say that “we were winning the game”. I’m ashamed and sickened by such a display of ignorance it’s unexplainable, unbelievable and inexcusable.
I am planning on Barry Welsh, my husband, to take up the call to campaign against Mike Pence in the 2008 election. Thus, Take My Husband Please! Also please put pressure on the blog world in general to target Pence in 2008. This time Barry will win; people aren’t as timid as they once were to state their opinions within the district. Here are some examples;
This morning, I was reading a local paper and found an article describing the recent visit of Sen. McCain, Rep. Mike Pence and others to Iraq. Part of their tour was through a local market. These markets are the places we keep hearing about, where locals visit while wearing explosive vests. When they detonate themselves, they take many innocent people with them.
According to the Times, the congressmen described the place as “a safe bustling place full of hopeful and warmly welcoming Iraqis.” Congressman Pence added that it was “like a normal outdoor market in Indiana in the summertime.”
Here is the Timesâ description of the situation: When they arrived at the market, which is called Shorja, on Sunday with more than 100 soldiers in armored Humvees (the equivalent of an entire company) and attack helicopters overhead, the soldiers redirected traffic from the area and restricted access to the Americans, and sharpshooters were posted on the roofs. The congressmen wore bulletproof vests throughout their hour-long visit.
Now, I have had the pleasure of shopping at a number of Indiana outdoor markets. I have always had a wonderful time shopping and talking to the great people who were selling. Apparently, Congressman Pence has had different experiences. I can think of several possibilities.
The congressman is delusional. Either he was totally out of it when he visited the Iraqi market … or when he visited the Indiana markets. This is now something that can be medicated. Perhaps he should check this out.
The congressman really believes that the things he said are true. See item above.
The congressman believes that he can convince you that what he said is true. In that case, perhaps it is you who needs the medication. And last,
The Indiana markets that the Congressman has been visiting are really like Iraq. In that case, he has been visiting markets that are very different from those I visited.
You really need to get yourself a congressman who has a better grip on reality.But Indianans find any similarities between Bargersville and Baghdad ludicrous. “There’ve been no shootings or car bombings” at that market since it opened a few years ago, said Robin Gibson, assistant metro editor of the Star Press in Muncie, IN.”Maybe some overeager dogs jumping at people,” she ventured.
“Avon Waters, a former features editor and writer for the Herald Bulletin in Anderson, the other relatively big town in Pence’s largely rural congressional district, said he never wore a flak jacket and ‘never felt afraid’ when he spent a couple of recent years covering farmers markets in Madison County.”
Iraqis also disagreed with Pence’s assessment of the Shorja market’s “friendly relaxed atmosphere.” Karim Abdullah, a textile merchant at Shorja, said that the lawmakers “were laughing and talking to people as if there was nothing going on in this country or at least they were pretending that they were tourists. … To achieve this, they sealed off the area, put themselves in flak jackets and walked in the middle of tens of armed American soldiers.”
A day after the congressional delegation visited Shorja, 21 Shorja market workers were “ambushed, bound and shot dead north of the capital.”
Madison County, Indiana doesn’t look a thing like Baghdad.
I hope Pastor Welsh runs again in 2008.
Barry Welsh: http://www.dfalink.com/profile.php?id=210561
and
Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:37 am Post subject:
Ummm…..no….the guy from PA is right…..what a stupid thing to say unless Pence thinks his constituents are idiots. Pence would say anything to stay in Bush’s good graces…..I am not sure that Pence has an original thought to speak of
also
Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:51 am Post subject:
So how much did it cost for their protection on the propaganda tour of a Iraq market place????
along with
Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:53 am Post subject:
Maybe Pence has been strolling through some of those “drug markets” in Indy where he needed soldiers, armored vehicles, snipers, attack helicopters and a flack jacket to shop. East Central Indiana has the delusional, poster boy, gas bag they deserve as a congressman.
and
posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 7:36 am Post subject:
Finally people are seeing the true colors of the politicians supporting this war. Pence is one of Dubya’s Indiana hand puppets like Mitch Daniels. The republicans need to take a long hard look at Iraq and find a way out or they can kiss the 2008 election goodbye, so lets hope they don’t get the messege and we can have a real change in this country. George, John and Mike the 3 blind mice!!!
finally this
Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 8:06 am Post subject:
Elmer A Johnson Jr, good post about pence being another bush-led puppet, just like daniels. Yeah, pence was really roughing it in the market with helicopters and several levels of security and military protection. I guess it’s easy to say it was “like an east central Indiana market” while there is no threat at dodging bullets and car bombs. He’s one of the worst people to represent anywhere in Indiana. He’s poor attempt at a cover up answer to what he really meant was pathetic.
People are realizing that it’s the quality of the representation that matters. We are half way there, we walked away with 40% of the vote with less than $50K in cash and services to run a campaign and now we are getting into position to launch the 2008 campaign, we will get Barry elected!
This is my diary and is an inside look at a Congressional campaign, up close and personal. My diary has not been vetted or edited by the campaign.
Love,
Sherri Welsh
Congressional Candidates Wife
