The White House honors our soldiers

Rebecca Lawson of West Babylon, New York, told MSNBC this story: Her son, a reservist, was ordered to attend an inaugutation party whose purpose was to honor soldiers who had been to Iraq and their families. He arrived at the party, where he and others simply stood and listened to Bush say a few words. There was nothing there for them to eat, so later, they had to go to a fast-food restaurant. Lawson's son spent the night at a local military base, and then was told he had to pay for his room.

First we send them to a war for no other reason than to make some rich people richer. Then we fail to give them the necessary equipment to keep them safe. Then we cut their benefits. And when we "honor" them, we insult them and then make them pay for it.

And of course, we all know what is next: Refusing to acknowledge or treat whatever horrible war-related diseases they get. We've been there before, the last time we kicked sand in people's faces.