[Guy]

Mr. Rivers,

This reply is in re: “Keep our slaves safe� and “Government hasn’t kept its promises to soldiers�!

First, let me begin by saying…It amazes me that you can write about the military in such a negative light, yet you have never walked a day in our boots. Honestly, I thought about replying to both of your articles in a well-spoken and eloquent manner…then it dawned on me. Why? Reggie Rivers does not rate among the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines…he was a football player turned columnist!

So I decided to respond to certain paragraphs contained within each article. �So away we go�, that’s a phrase in which we, that have served in uniform say before being deployed to defend yours and other liberals way of life.

“Our military is one of the last bastions of slavery in the United States. At the moment, our slaves are stuck in a combat zone, getting killed and maimed, and there's nothing they can do about it except hunker down and pray.

“Yes, our slaves signed up of their own free will, but most of them were as misled about their job as the rest of us were about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.�

I cannot fathom that a former professional football player turned columnist would refer to these men and women, who serve in uniform, as “SLAVES�! As I last recall. One must volunteer and go thru a screening to enter any branch of service.

“Bastions of slavery�. I wonder if you are aware of the fact…that these Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines…past, present and future are the ones that afforded YOU the opportunity to pursue a career in the NFL and later as an columnist, albeit a misguided one!

“We often see feature stories about brave men like Pat Tillman, the former NFL player who was killed after leaving his lucrative career to go fight on the front lines in Afghanistan. Tillman was an extreme patriot who was far more committed to his ideals than most Americans. But where are the stories from the other end of the spectrum? Or even from the middle�?

First, what would you know about Ranger Tillman or the life and sacrifice he lived and gave?

Second, if you would like to know the “true stories from the other end of the spectrum�. Just ask the newspaper who prints your column to allow to be an on-the-ground reporter in Iraq or Afghanistan!

“First, I apologize for offending men and women in uniform. My father, two brothers, two sisters and two brothers-in-law have a combined 123 years of service in the U.S. Air Force, so I'm definitely a fan of soldiers�.

Notice how you mention your family members’ time in-service, yet you have ZERO…NONE…NADA? Wait a minute I’m catching on now…use the family members’ honorable time in-service to “extract your foot, from your mouth�!

“The point of my column was not to attack the troops, but to stick up for them. I believe our leaders renege on promises, put soldiers into impossible and deadly situations and play politics while people are dying�.

You did attack us by accusing us as being “slaves� and it doesn’t matter what you believe in our leaders. It matters what we believe because…you are not there!

Mr. Rivers,
I could go on and on however I’ll leave you with this…We are not “slaves� especially in the company of people I have worked with!

I volunteered…for the service!
I volunteered…for Airborne School!
I volunteered…for Ranger School!
I volunteered…for Special Forces Training!
I volunteered…for Desert Storm!
I volunteered…for Haiti!
I volunteered…for Iraq (As a private contractor twice)!

Now if all of that volunteering makes me a “slave� then you are confused!

I’m 100% American who happens to be black Mr. Rivers.

Guy K. Jones
De Oppresso Liber