2004 Year in Review

Welcoming Home the Troops

In the last week, I attended two large events in this small New Mexican city. Today, the 720th Transportation unit of the National Guard got a big "welcome home" from the city. Several thousand people lined the parade route enthusiastically giving their thanks to the men and women who served in Iraq, risking their lives transporting supplies and equipment to the soldiers occupying Iraq.

Of the 150 or so members of this unit, almost half were injured, although, thankfully, none were killed. This part of New Mexico is a somewhat unusual combination of patriotism and liberalism. New Mexico has many military bases and the volunteer rate for wars has always been amongst the highest in the country.

But, you don't detect a real gung-ho, pro-war attitude in the citizenry. Most of the letters to the Editor in the local paper are anti-war and the Mayor wrote a letter asking that the 720th return from Iraq. The politicians make the war and peace decisions and the residents here accept that and do their best to serve their country.

71% of this county voted for Gore in 2000 and it is likely that an even higher percentage will vote for Kerry this fall. Some in the crowd had t-shirts given out at John Kerry's whistle-stop tour last Saturday to Las Vegas.

Around 8,000 people in this city of 14,000 came to see Kerry. I stood in line for about an hour waiting to be wanded by the local police and I was near the front of the line. Many stood in line for three hours.

Attending political rallies is really great fun. People are very excited and enthusiastic. I heard one person say that it was great to be among people who thought like they do. It's similar to going to a baseball game - there is a certain communal oneness which makes a person feel fulfilled. The "Welcome Home" parade today gives you the same feeling.

Speaking from the back of the same train car that Harry Truman spoke here from in 1944 during his campaign was a wonderful touch. Kerry, John Edwards and Teresa Kerry all spoke for 10-20 minutes each. Teresa Kerry was a favorite as she spoke fluent Spanish to the mostly Hispanic audience.

After the speech, as the Mariachi music blared, people hung around the back of the train car and the two candidates and their wives signed the John Kerry for President t-shirts that they had given out earlier.

It was a touching event. People here are naturally enthusiastic and honest in their feelings. The candidates appreciated that and seemed to be having a great time. The Edwards spoke to many people in the crowd.

John Kerry took the t-shirts that his wife had gathered in the crowd, signed them standing up, and then carefully folded them into a throw able shape, and tossed them into the crowd like a football quarterback. His wife usually pointed out where the t-shirt had come from.

It was dark when they left. After about 45 minutes of signing t-shirts, hats and even something that looked like a camisole (this caused smiles on the candidates’ faces and hoots and hollers in the crowd), the train gave a little toot and rolled out of the station, headed for Lamy, Albuquerque and Gallup.

There is great enthusiasm for Kerry and for defeating Bush this year that I've never seen, at least since the 1960s. Americans usually tend not to be very political, but that's not true this year. 45% of the electorate has made up their minds that another four years of Bush is decidedly not a good idea.

On primary day this spring, I heard many people say that they didn't care how long they had to wait, they were going to vote (and it was raining). I think that says something about this fall’s election.

by John Legler, Guest Columnist
August 13, 2004