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3M and PFC groundwater contamination in Minnesota
Bob Collins

A Gold Star letter to Trump

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It should come as no surprise -- although it still does -- that the preferred Republican candidate for president of the United States thought it made some sense to attack Gold Star parents. It doesn't take a political science degree to see the stupidity of doing so.

Decency as a concept disappeared from this campaign months -- many months -- ago as people in positions of leadership took a pass on leadership.

Today, parents of other soldiers killed in the wars, sent the candidate a letter.

August 1, 2016

Donald J Trump

725 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10022

Mr. Trump,

We are all Gold Star Families, who have lost those we love the most in war. Ours is a sacrifice you will never know. Ours is a sacrifice we would never want you to know.

Your recent comments regarding the Khan family were repugnant, and personally offensive to us. When you question a mother's pain, by implying that her religion, not her grief, kept her from addressing an arena of people, you are attacking us. When you say your job building buildings is akin to our sacrifice, you are attacking our sacrifice.

You are not just attacking us, you are cheapening the sacrifice made by those we lost.

You are minimizing the risk our service members make for all of us.

This goes beyond politics. It is about a sense of decency. That kind decency you mock as "political correctness."

We feel we must speak out and demand you apologize to the Khans, to all Gold Star families, and to all Americans for your offensive, and frankly anti-American, comments.

We hope you will hear us.

Sincerely,

Diane and Neil Santoriello, Mother and Father of 1LT Neil Santoriello, KIA, Iraq

Summer Lipford-Mickelson, Mother, Frederick Sirko, Father, Kirby Mickelson, Stepfather, Laura Sirko Samimy and Bridget Sirko Gentle, Sisters of PFC Steven Sirko, KIA, Iraq.

Sue and Randy Loudon, Mother and Father of 2ndLt. Christopher Loudon, KIA, Iraq

Melanie House, Widow of HM3 John Daniel House, KIA, Iraq

Derek and Lorene Davey, Mother and Father of Cpl. Seamus M. Davey, KIA, Iraq

Celeste Zappala, Mother, and Raphael Zappala, Brother of SGT. Sherwood Baker, KIA, Iraq

Sue Niederer, Mother of 2LT Seth Dvorin, KIA, Iraq

Fulvio and Gilda Carbonaro, Father and Mother of Sgt. Alessandro Carbonaro, KIA, Iraq

Karen Meredith, Mother of 1LT Ken Ballard, KIA, Iraq

Sergio Torres, Father, Lupe Torres, Mother and Beatriz Saldivar, Aunt of SGT Daniel Torres, KIA, Iraq

MG (Ret.) Paul D. Eaton, and Frank Eaton, sons of Col. Norman Eaton, KIA, Vietnam

Stephanie Fisher, mother of SSG Thomas Fogarty, KIA Afghanistan

Norma and Oscar Aviles, parents of Lcpl. Andrew J. Aviles, KIA Iraq

Cheryl Lankford, widow of CSM Jonathan"Miles"Lankford Sr., KIAIraq

Carlos and Melida Arredondo Father & Step-Mother to Lcpl. Alexander Arredondo, KIA, Iraq

Florence Sandra Penn , sister of 1 LT Charles Penn Jr , KIA Korea

Nadia McCaffrey, mother of SGT Patrick McCaffrey, KIA Iraq

"I wish, ya know, no more comments, no more hatred to my Gold Star family community," Carlos Arredondo (you may remember him from the Boston Marathon bombing) told WBUR. "Because all they're doing is pretty much dividing us."