Emily Perez is dead...

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/9/22/151113/209

Emily was the first black woman to serve as corps commander sergeant major at West Point. She graduated in the top 10% of her class. She was a leader among leaders. In spite of all that promise, this story does not have a happy ending.

You will not see it on FOX (she's not blonde enough), or The Today Show (she's not shallow enough), or BET (she's not freaky enough) ... that doesn't mean her story is not important enough.

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Sometimes our prayers go unanswered. Emily died in Al Kifl, Iraq, on Sept. 12. As this increasingly pointless war churns on, it is easy to grow numb as they throw more of our children into that meat grinder. But every now and then a story comes along that gets past my defenses and I wonder how much longer we will let the Pied Piper of hatred and violence lead our children to a place of no return.

more...

:cry:


God speed Emily.

We have lost so many.

Real tears for Emily and all the other soldiers who have given their lives for BUSH.

Waste

forward operations. They must have run out of cannon fodder.

:( How many more? :cry:

year at West Point. I can't even look her in the eye without crying for her possible impending loss. It is just horrific. :(

RIP, Emily. :cry:

All of them, somebody's beloved child. :cry:

She was wanting to help people - not kill them.

a snip

Lt. Perez joined the Medical Service Corps because she wanted to help people. It was something she always focused on. As a high school student, Perez pushed her church to begin an HIV/AIDS ministry after several family friends became infected with the virus. She was honored in 2001 by the American Red Cross Board of Governors for her work as an AIDS educator.

Because of her desire to help and serve, Lt. Perez gave of herself. Literally. Shortly before shipping out to Iraq with the 204th Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, she flew cross country to be a bone marrow donor for a stranger who was a match. Donating bone marrow is a painful and difficult procedure. I am sure those who knew her would not be surprised to learn she volunteered to endure the suffering if it meant she could help someone. By all accounts that's who she was.

May she rest in peace.

some people on this board absolutely hate, hate, HATE anything military to the point that they're as biased against them as fundies are against gays.

Shhhh.... pass it on....

Another life sacrificed for what?

5 years on into this whole military/Bush/Iraq/terra charade, you do have to wonder who is still being willfully, purposefully blinkered on what's going on over there.

If Emily REALLY wanted to help on the AIDS front (for example), I can't see how West Point was the first step towards that particular goal.

RIP Emily.

What a waste.

Peace.

that joining the military is a step in the direction of death (both for yourself and your fellow human beings)?

No matter how they advertise it (adventure/career!), market it (honor/duty/patriotism/serve your country), or package it (the best of the best/top gun!!), the fundamental function of the military is to kill human beings and destroy objects. Everything else is in preparation for that mission.

It is a political tool.

Anyone that joins the military (volunteers) more than likely isn't expecting any sympathy from others if they get injured or die - so I don't know why anyone would want to give it to them.

who joined to kick some muslim ass.

But she went to help as a medic. I feel for her and the loss of her family - I don't want to get to a point in my life that I don't feel loss when it is warranted.

even going to Iraq to help as a medic means you are buying into the propaganda.

I can empathize with her family's loss, I can even grieve her lost potential to our nation's ideals but ultimately she lost her life in pursuit of BFEE's capitalistic, immoral, greedy goals in the ME.

:cry:

the world that need medical help - why become a military medic? Their job - their primary job is to heal infantry - infantry that will go back to the battlefield and kill (the military's function).

Feel what you want - I won't tell you to feel differently - I just think that in this case your strings are being pulled for political purposes. That's all.

nah.. I still see the humanity in her life and feel bad for her and her family. The fact she was in the military? - I think she really thought she was helping - I agree she could have helped in many non military ways, but she did live her life doing many good things in general and her loss is still a loss.


I have had family members in the past, and friends in the military now - most joined because they felt there was no other jobs to find at the time, etc.. I won't mourn the ones there now any less if God forbid they are killed in this evil war. I will continue to blame the evil govt. who do the lying in the first place that pull these desparate kids into their web.

This isn't a black and white issue for me.

and other features that can be accessed by alumni. Many employers, when looking for new employees, are looking for leaders. West Point (and the other service academies) are known for producing leaders. That leadership can translate in a positive way both in a military career and also in a civilian career.

Besides- not all infantry are on the ground to kill. Even if they were though- don't you think that the wounded soldier/sailor/airman/marine deserves compassionate, excellent medical care? If they were to die from wounds sustained in battle, would it really restore the lives that they had taken while on duty? Unfortunately, no, it couldn't.

I hate war. I hate the killing. I hate that our troops are being used as cannonfire. I hate that this brave young woman was killed before she had the chance to help change the world. Who knows what she would have discovered, or done. Would she have put in her mandatory time in the army as the condition of her free education and then left the armed services for civilian work? Would she have stayed in the army and filled her dreams in a non-combat role doing something with her passions? Who knows. What I DO know is that we have all suffered a loss. This woman represented the best in all of us, and her death, as unnecessary as it was, represents the worst of humanity.

going to West Point was an honor that women were not allowed to indulge. I would expect that for a young black woman it was an extreme honor.
Many people in this country are totally unaware to what extent Bush has ruined as far as integrity and honor. Our military academies are one thing that have been made a mockery. They now hold open "cattle call" type of entries all over the country because their enrollments are down--like in the rest of the military.
Back in the days of better Presidents...it was a PROCESS to apply.
I salute her for her accomplishments. Not everyone is so much of a politicaholic that they completely understand the nuance of their decisions.
God rest her soul. She was a very special lady.
I, for one, still understand the honor that many of our soldiers have ingrained in them when they join. Most of them are just ignorant of the facts mostly in part because of the MSM. They are as complicit as Bush and his gang.

Lt. Perez joined the Medical Service Corps because she wanted to help people. It was something she always focused on. As a high school student, Perez pushed her church to begin an HIV/AIDS ministry after several family friends became infected with the virus. She was honored in 2001 by the American Red Cross Board of Governors for her work as an AIDS educator.

Because of her desire to help and serve, Lt. Perez gave of herself. Literally. Shortly before shipping out to Iraq with the 204th Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, she flew cross country to be a bone marrow donor for a stranger who was a match. Donating bone marrow is a painful and difficult procedure. I am sure those who knew her would not be surprised to learn she volunteered to endure the suffering if it meant she could help someone. By all accounts that's who she was.

As I study Emily's picture, I'm captivated by how vibrant her eyes are, how firmly she grasps the sword, and smitten by the half smile that breathes confidence. It's been said the eyes are the windows to the soul. Through them we see the past, present, and future. I'll bet there was a time her father in an unguarded moment looked at her and fell in love. You see the truth is no matter what kind of slob you are, there comes a point in every father's life when he looks into his daughter's eyes and is simply awed by how beautiful they are. It's not the sort of experience guys share over a brew. If you've ever had that moment you probably recognize the one that followed it. That's the moment when we offer up that silent prayer -- that when she falls in love, he'll be a better man than we are and he will be worthy.

Sometimes our prayers go unanswered. Emily died in Al Kifl, Iraq, on Sept. 12. As this increasingly pointless war churns on, it is easy to grow numb as they throw more of our children into that meat grinder. But every now and then a story comes along that gets past my defenses and I wonder how much longer we will let the Pied Piper of hatred and violence lead our children to a place of no return.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I am not haunted by the fear that my brother will be sent to war. I believe there are beliefs and causes worth taking risks for, worth fighting and dying for. Rather, I am haunted by the fear that he will be sent to war thoughtlessly, carelessly."
-- Cara Cannon Byington (Jan. 15, 2003)

no matter what kind of slob you are"? Strange, combative words to find in an eulogy, especially when considering the author apparently did not know the lady of whom they were speaking.

..., our sons and daughters who believe in America enough to fight and die for it, on a senseless war is folly.

PB

Oh, I forgot, racism is DEAD in America! My ASS!

I'm a white female and this is an OUTRAGE! But then I may be speaking out of turn, I rarely watch those channels anymore. Only 2 people draw me there. Cafferty & Keith!

-Wolf Blitzer
-Chris Matthews
-Lou Dobbs
-Paula Zahn
-Larry King
-Anderson Cooper
-Tucker Carlson
-Keith Olberman
-Joe Scarborough
-Nancy Grace

(I'm sure there are lots more white people on FOX, but I refuse to watch it).

All of these white men and women have a minimum of one hour per day of news/commentary on cable news. Not a single non-white face among 'em - although MSNBC did give one hour per week to Connie Chung.

Not a single African-American, not a single hispanic, not a single Asian-American...I'm white and I have a pretty good idea what white people think. I'd like some diversity of viewpoint when it comes to world and national events - and if we had that CNN or MSNBC might have covered this young woman's death.

Our best & brightest are being sent to die for a lie
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I'm just so disgusted.....
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and all the victims of the BFEE.

:kick:

She looks so proud... RIP Emily. :cry:

in her short life than many of us do in a lifetime.

RIP Emily Perez. :cry:

I can't take much more of this.

family and friends.

May she rest in peace...and may we have peace in our troubled world...

and the best thing we can do is elect leadership who will NEVER take them for granted, NEVER put them in danger needlessly, NEVER misuse them...

There are young people of socio-economic disadvantage who opt for the military as a way up and out. There are people like Jessica Lynch who aspire to become kindergarten teachers, and choose to serve for their educations. And there are people like Emily Perez, whose talent offers them a whole range of options -- and they choose service to their country.

We should honor them all, and SHAME the people who'd squander such lives, simultaneously using them as backdrops, sweeping their injuries and deaths under the rug, and holding up the people who killed them as campaign points. :mad:

Imagine what a difference she would have made in a fully lived life.

:cry:

If you click onto the funeral home link, you can read condolences, or even write your own.

www.legacy.com/WashingtonPost/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=19297591


Emily J.T. Perez
PEREZ<#10> EMILY J.T. PEREZ, 2nd Lt., USA
Age 23 of Fort Washington, MD on September 12, 2006 while serving our country in Iraq. 2001 graduate of Oxon Hill High School and 2005 graduate of U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY. She was a member of Peace Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. She leaves to cherish her memory, parents, Daniel and Vicki Perez; brother, Kevyn (Kimberely); maternal grandmother, Rena Gunter and paternal grandmother, Delia Torres. Visitation one hour prior to service. Services will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2006 at 11 a.m. at Ebenezer AME Church, 7707 Allentown Rd., Fort Washington, MD, Dr. Michael T. Bell, Eulogist. Interment Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at U.S. Military Academy at West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY. Arrangements by CEDELL BROOKS FUNERAL HOME, Port Royal, VA. Condolences may be expressed at: www.brooksfuneralhome.com
Published in The Washington Post from 9/21/2006 - 9/22/2006.

Guest Book • Funeral home info • Flowers • Gift Shop • Charities

2nd Lt. Emily Jazmin Tatum Perez
February 19, 1983 - September 12, 2006

Resided In: Ft. Washington Maryland
Funeral Home: Cedell Brooks Funeral Home
Visitation: September 23, 2006
Service: September 23, 2006
Cemetery: U. S. Military Academy

Our Emily

Root: Feminine form of Aemilius
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “ambitious, industrial”

Majestic: one who leads passionately
Personality: someone who knows when to change
Genuine: a volunteer in many causes
Style: one whose counsel is widely sought
Ability: does her work competently
Character: always scratches beneath the surface
Sentiment: welcomes guests with open arms
Physical: moves full steam ahead

On February 19, 1983, a frosty Saturday morning in Heidelberg, Germany, Emily Jazmin Tatum finally decided (after deliberating for about 2 ½ days) to make her debut as the daughter of proud parents, Daniel and Vicki Perez.

We didn’t stay long at the hospital because she was rearing to break in her big brother Kevyn, affectionately known to her as Bubba. There was no mistaking that they were two inseparable peas in a pod with her as the apple of his eye. Everywhere that Bubba went Emily was sure to go.

It became very obvious at a very early age that Emily had a deep, abiding love for Christ that caused her to serve Him with a passion. In 1989, at the age of six, Emily decided that she wanted to be baptized although we as her parents thought it was too early. But after a private discussion with her godfather, Pastor Michael T. Bell, we were all baptized as a family. ‘Thank you God for that beautiful day.’ Emily’s first service to God started with Easter speeches. She loved the long speeches and would recite them proudly and loudly. In addition to her Easter debuts, Emily loved singing with the children’s and youth Choirs, ushering with the youth usher board, assisting with children’s church, and tutoring for the church tutoring program at Greater New Zion Baptist Church in Mannheim, Germany and Peace Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. In 2000 Emily focused her passion on the ministry of HIV/AIDS due to her love for Mr. Teddy, an extended family member. She met with her godfather to discuss the need for a HIV/AIDS ministry which resulted in the beginning of the Peace Baptist Church Shekinah Ministry. She also became an HIV/Aids peer educator with the Alexandria Red Cross Chapter and the Red Cross National Chapter. In 2001, she was honored by the Red Cross Board of Governors for her endeavors and contributions to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Emily’s academic career started shortly after staying at home with Ma for two years. She mustered up her little body to make a big impression on the teachers and administrators at Happy Child Christian Day Care in Killeen, TX in the fall of 1985. That’s where she began reading at the ripe old age of 3. From there we ventured back to the land of her birth where she began her academic endeavors. She became fluent in the German language at the age of four while attending the Evangelist kindergarten in Seckenheim, Germany. At the age of five, Emily was enrolled in the Mannheim Elementary School where in her second grade year she was identified and placed in the Talented and Gifted (TAG) program, thus beginning an aggressive and challenging academic career. In 1997 she became one of the youngest members of the Model United Nations (MUN) as a freshman at Heidelberg American High School which resulted in her travels to Russia and De Hague, Netherlands as a youth ambassador. During her freshman year, she was first chair clarinet in the Heidelberg Band, a member of the varsity track team where she took the silver in the 100 meter dash and the bronze as the first leg in the 4x1 relay at the 1997 European finals. In 1998, we decided it was time to return to the U.S. to get Emily acclimated to our school system. She was tested and enrolled in the Science and Technology program at Oxon Hill High School with her eventually graduating in the top five percent of her class in 2001. In the winter of 2000, Emily received the nomination of both Senator Mulkowski and Congressman Wynn to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. Emily reported for duty with great pride and anticipation in July 2001. She soon distinguished herself as the academic Geek of the Week. At West Point, she was a very active member of the Gospel Choir, Officers of Christian Fellowship, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Taking Academic Responsibility and Succeeding (STARS), the Corps’ track team, and many more organizations. She proudly served in leadership roles that ranged from squad leader to eventually the Battalion Sergeant Major, Regiment Sergeant Major, Beast Sergeant Major, and finally the first African American Female to serve as the Corps Command Sergeant Major (CSM) for the 2005 school year. During her entire career at West Point Emily maintained a GPA that allowed her to wear the academic Star and Gold wreath. In May 2005, Emily graduated in the top 10% of her class. She was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army as a Medical Service Officer by LTG Bill Lennox.

Although in her short life of 23 years Emily’s accomplishments were many, she never wanted them highlighted or exposed. In her eyes, her greatest accomplishment was living every minute of her life serving, taking care of others, and loving it.

On September 12, 2006, Emily, affectionately known as Em, Emma, TiTi, Taz and Kobe, in full praise and in a twinkling of an eye, was swept up in the arms of her Holy Father to join her namesake and great grandmother, Emeline Garner, and her Daddy Bill.

She leaves to celebrate her life and to continue her zeal to serve, her loving parents, Daniel and Vicki, her Bubba, Kevyn and his wife, her big sister, Kim along with her very heartbeats, her nephews, Ke’Juan, Kyrahn, and Kaylen; her maternal grandmother, Rena Gunter; her paternal grandmother, Delia Torres; her uncles Hylan, Elmer, and Jimmy; her aunts Reesa, Judy, Lilly and Sonya; her honorary aunts Patricia (Netgirl), Carrie, and Pat; Madrina; her cousins Hylan Michael, Holly, Carmen, Anthony, Joshua, and Eric, along with the Village women in her life, Her girls (you know who you are) and a great host of family and friends.

The family (to include Peace Baptist Church, C Co, 204th Support Battalion and the United States Corp of Cadets) of Second Lieutenant Emily J. T. Perez, sincerely appreciates every act and thought of kindness in this hour of bereavement.

A foundation / scholarship fund for African-American and Hispanic women who share Emily’s passion for Sociology and Medical Services has been established in her honor.

We challenge each of you to honor and cherish the memory of Emily and to not only ‘talk the talk’ but ‘walk that talk’ for:

‘Eyes have not seen, nor ears have heard, nor have entered into the hearts of men what God has prepared for those who love Him.’
I Corinthians 2:9

‘Use what you’ve got, start where you are, and do what you can, knowing that you can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you.’

Emily Perez

Why can't the bios of each soldier who was slain in Irag be featured daily on the internet and in the mainstream news so that we can see what a waste of human life this idiotic war is causing. (Not to mention the dead, innocent Iraqis) They did it here in NYC for 9/11 victims - how hard would it be to honor the fallen properly.

Maybe this way people would fucking wake up and stop glorifying this invasion and see it for what it reallly is. :grr:

(crickets chirp)

(tumbleweed blows down Main Street past swinging saloon doors)

That's what I thought.

Hey George, if you're lurking, assuming you even know how to turn on a computer, Emily Perez was about a thousand times the American you'll ever be! :grr:

:cry: :mad: :cry:

Young women shouldn't have to overcome so many barriers and work so hard to excel only to die in an illegal war.

RIP Lt. Perez. You have served your country honorably, even when your leaders didn't deserve your sacrifice.

group of repuke bastards, draft dodgers, and cowards receive their just rewards. What they have done is 1,000 times worse than what these people did...

http://members.aol.com/RVSNorton/Lincoln3.html

Sorry, but my compassion and forgiveness are all used up.

And beautiful.

Indeed, a real waste, as are all the lives taken in that war based on lies. Yet somehow the loss of Emily Perez seems to carve a greater wound in our hearts at this loss.

There is a saying, that a life is measured by its breadth and not by its length. So true of Emily, that she accomplished so much and touched so many, and yet so young.

RIP, Emily.

I am so sick of seeing our beautiful young people die in this obscene war.

How many future leaders must we lose to this rediculous war??! This administration is squandering our future and must be held to account someday.

has been slain by Bush's* war machine. It makes me ill. So many twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings, so much life to give and they are taken out by Dumbya's wet-dream of a war.

I am so sorry your potential impact on this world was cut so tragically short....

tears are streaming.......

Our best and our brightest, our future.. ...

goddamnit Emily wou;d have been a better pRez than lil mr. fart joking bunnypants!

As bluestateguy said:

You will not see it on FOX (she's not blonde enough), or The Today Show (she's not shallow enough), or BET (she's not freaky enough) ...

The point being that these three networks (with NBC standing in for the three traditional broadcast networks) are superficial. However, I'd like to add something.

She's not intellectual enough for PBS to talk about her either. Apparently she was solidly military, and followed orders without obvious complaints. Whatever misgivings she may or may not have had about the war, she didn't make a big deal about it in public. Only if she was a protestor who was suing the Marine Corps for something would the intellectual mavens even notice her.

She was one of the ordinary people who died because of this war. And there isn't even a Ted Koppel any more to show her face on the air for six seconds on a TV Iraq War Memorial.

The point: you don't have to be conservative or right-wing to be a media whore. It helps, but there are a lot of people on all parts of the political spectrum who are phonies.

administration. I would love the chance to piss on their graves.

i feel, in many ways, like I let you down.

:cry:

But for the killing they print, and ignore the fallen.

as a "meatgrinder." The very word I used during the Vietnam era for that insane waste of human life that demanded more cannon fodder every day, every year....

When it's all said and done, and we're looking back on this time in history, I wonder how many will be awash in REGRET as they realize how long this madness was allowed to run its course before something finally gets DONE about it?

RIP, Emily, if you can. You did your part, loved your country, and served it well. :patriot:

What can one say?

Tragic waste. Inexplicable waste of a promising young life.

RIP, Soldier.

There are bronzed letters from fallen soldiers in America's wars--Revolutionary to present--in a small park overlooking the harbor. This is a quote from Samuel Lloyd Jones, written Oct 17, 1951, died
Oct 20, 1951:

"Living from generation to generation of wars seems like mankind admitting it doesn't know how to be civilized. There must be a better way."

Rest in peace, Emily Perez.

Okay, anger levels rising. Bad. Must. Not. Think. Bad. Thoughts.

our future dying for an unjust cause.

and lets not forget the children that are being killed in Iraq