Wow- people are just - wow. I'm baffled and pissed.

[Hawkeye]

OK so I do this thing called Soldiers angels online. I am a mentor thing. It's just a thing where you send notes and packages to soldiers overseas.

Well I've had 2 incidents this week that made me just want to start screaming at people.

First-there is a guy-a Master Sargent in the USMC. He has a hard to pronounce name. I get this e-mail from this girl railing on me that she doesn't want a name she can't pronounce because she's from a small town etc. Oh dear God. So I write back explaining that if he's in the military chances are he's probably got American citizen ship and he's pretty much american. Oh no- I get another e-mail back that he clearly cannot be american because he has no american name. *rolls eyes*

THEN I get another e-mail from another person who rails on me complaining she was under the impression that she would actually have a pen pal but chances are that the soldiers won't write back (I dunno-something about a war going on and theres not a bunch of time to write to people-it sort of hinders many letters written back) and she demanded that she get a soldier who writes a lot. Well I wrote back-well we don't really know who is going to be a writer over there and be able to write you back and who isn't. So she demands that I find out. How am I supposed to find out? Am I supposed to fly over to wherever the soldiers are and make them write letters and ask if they write letters? NO. So I tell her as nicely as I can-we don't know who will write and who won't. So she throws a fit and gets off the list

Jesus Christ-where do these people come from? I swear to God some of these people you just seriously have to wonder-why the hell did you sign up if your just going to throw a fit?

 

[Deirdre]

It sounds like they're in it for themselves and not for the soldiers. I wouldn't waste energy giving them a second thought. Selfish twerps.n >

 

[Vicky88]

God people really are stupid. I hate it when nice things or ideas like that are ruined by dumb and nasty people.

 

[kimmy]

it seems like they're wanting someone to write to just so they can be like "look at what a good person i am, i have a friend who's in Iraq! i'm amazing" kind of thing. i know alot of people like that, and it's so sad. one of my dear friends is leaving for his second tour in Iraq on Saturday, and everyone seems to want to be his friend again, even though...when he's home they scarcely talk to him.

people are dumb. but just remember that what you're doing is important to alot of people, so don't let the idiots get you down! :loveya:

 

[f1rewater]

Did she literally say she can't pronounce it because she is from a small town? For fuck's sake and what exactly does she mean by an "American" name? John Smith?

Funnily enough people in the US pronounce my name correctly rather than people in my own country.

 

[asnbrb]

please. I've got an Okinawan last name (Kakazu) and I'm American.

But, damn- believe me when I tell you that hardly ANYONE who can't pronounce Japanese words can say it.

 

[Beauty Mark]

I have an "American" name, and people still mess it up, because it's a regional and not like Smith or Brown.

I think that's incredibly selfish that the girl expects something back. She probably just wants proof that she's doing it, so she can tell everyone that she is. For all you know, she has some f'ed up fantasy that she writes a soldier, he'll fall in love with her, and they'll marry and live happily ever after.

 

[Bernadette]

Those people should be ashamed of themselves. Talk about missing the point.
Being in the military and putting your life on the line for this coutnry, I can't imagine what could make you more American than that!
Sounds to me like she is looking for a "white person name" or whatever her idea of that might be, freaking ridiculous.
The other girl, I mean it's supposed to be about doing something for someone that is over there sacrificing themmself and all she wants to know is what she is going to get out of it. Jerk.
I'm impressed with your ability to remain calm and not go off on them, I don't think i could do it.

 

[MAC_Whore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deirdre It sounds like they're in it for themselves and not for the soldiers...

Agreed.

What twats. Sorry that these speedbumps are hindering your attempts to do good. Next time you get a crappy email from someone like that, send them this:

DEAR PEN PAL:

I KNOW YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO WRITE ME AND I THANK YOU, BUT SPARE TIME IS A BIT HARDER TO COME BY FOR ME. SORRY. HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND.

LOVE,
JOE

PS-I'VE INCLUDED SOME PHOTOS OF MY DOWNTIME FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

 

[kaliraksha]

That's just plain silly... some people are honestly dumb and selfish and I don't think I have much more to say to that. Once I accepted that I was able to move on and not worry so much about pretentious people looking to service themselves.

Thank goodness for people like you who organize these things!

 

[queenofdisaster]

it is incredibly and ridiculously stupid and selfish to demand any more than what these soldiers are already doing for our country... what more is there to ask? i live on a military base, and it's amazing to see just how ignorant some of the women here are... (NOT all of them, just most!)

i agree, total TWATS!

 

[Hawkeye]

aww thanks for understanding my frustration ladies- I just can't believe some of these people! They infuriate me!

wow these people- I just wonder about them.

I think people some of these people are in it for the glory- and you can't do that. You really have to put aside a lot of things and that is very very hard. But you do it because you know that over there is a person, a human. Maybe a kid maybe an older person but so many people forget that they are human to.

I recently got a chance to talk to a medic (through letters) and I wrote to him because this quote I heard on Mash really struck me. It was like something, " There is no words to describe what it is to see a Surgeon who is about to operate cut open a soldier and warm his hands over the body." And I asked him about it and he wrote back that it was true.

So intriguing and yet, so sad.

It just baffles me how someone cannot get past themselves long enough to reach the human side. *sigh* I can just imagine the lonliness, boredom. sorry to get all philosophical on you guys.

anyway-
and just to clarify-I didn't organize this unfortunately. But this awesome lady her name is Patti Patton-Bader her son was in the military in Iraq and if I recall correctly-her son wrote to her and said-all these soldiers don't have anyone to write to them! So she said well ok I will. Then she got some of her friends to do it and then eventually it just exploded. I joined as just a person writing to soldiers I believe right after we declared war with Iraq- I think it was the June after and for some reason the mentor angel there really liked me and asked if I wanted to help out. So I said OK. I don't really do anything that spectacular-I just "tell the angels what they need to know and send 'em out". All I'm there for is that! Though I do get a hold of some of my angels soldiers info every now and then and if I feel the need to send an extra boost of confidence I usually slip in an extra package or letter or something like that.
Just wanted to clarify! Can't take credit for something I didn't do.

 

[MAC_Whore]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbeabitch ....It just baffles me how someone cannot get past themselves long enough to reach the human side. *sigh* I can just imagine the lonliness, boredom. sorry to get all philosophical on you guys......

I think most people don't have any idea as to the extent of what soldiers go through. We are here; safe and warm in our comfortable worlds. I'm sure those letters are a tremendous comfort. What you're doing is so very important. Thanks!