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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHelp with fact-finding, please: Obama and funerals
I know most of us are pissed off, but I'm really just looking for a bit of help with fact-finding here. Please no opinions or spitballs; we get enough of that already.
An old friend who's a Republican sent me another of his forwarded emails busting on Democrats. Generally I either look up the subject and send him links to disprove his email or ignore them, depending on how I feel. But two days ago he sent me one I really want to tear apart if possible, so I'm looking for some help.
Here are the points made in the mail:
1. Major General Harold Greene's body was returned to the US in 2014. Obama was golfing at the time, so he didn't attend the ceremony. Neither did the VP or the Secretary of Defense, and flags were not lowered to half-staff.
2. Four days later, Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri, after robbing a convenience store and seriously injuring a police officer. Obama sent a three-person delegation to Brown's funeral.
3. When Margaret Thatcher died, Obama sent only a small low-level delegation to her funeral.
4. When Chris Kyle was killed, there was no expression of sympathy from the White House. Yet when Whitney Houston died of a drug overdose, Obama/Biden ordered flags to half-staff.
If this information is incorrect, I would like to send my friend links to the correct information. I'm looking online, but thought some of you might be able to help.
For extra points, I'd love to know how many military funerals T has attended.
Thanks so much.
Kittycow
(2,396 posts)US Sect of Defense went. On Thatcher's, nobody from Obama's administration went but former rwo Republican Sects of State led that delegation. Three WH aides went to Michael Brown's. Also not true about Whitney Houston/Chris Kyle per Snopes. Only Gov Chris Christie lowered the state of NJ flag.
Kali
(55,007 posts)morons that forward email spam are never going to change
badhair77
(4,216 posts)I have a relative that sent out an email stating Obama wanted to change the National Anthem to Id like to teach the world to sing, the Coke ad song. She really believed it. When someone called her on it she blamed it on someone back east who had sent it to her. Same stuff she does with FB, too. Of course she doesnt delete those false posts. The truth wouldnt fit her narrative, which is basically batshit crazy.
tman
(983 posts)So we can surmise that the rest is BS too.
Kittycow
(2,396 posts)I wanted to know for myself. But I agree that, for me anyway, it's an exercise in futility to make lunkheads accept simple truths.
The only one with a little bit of credibility is Obama not attending or sending any Big Name Democrats to Thatcher's funeral. Some of the UK press got a little snippy about that. But sending former Republican Sects of State seems okay to me since they may have known her or at the very least, aligned with her views.
yardwork
(61,588 posts)You can spend a lot of time debunking the lies but your old friend probably won't believe the truth. Good for you for trying, though.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,670 posts)1. Major General Harold Greene's body was returned to the US in 2014. Obama was golfing at the time, so he didn't attend the ceremony. Neither did the VP or the Secretary of Defense, and flags were not lowered to half-staff.
The burial was preceded by a chapel service that was closed to media. Lt. Col. Juanita Chang, an Army public affairs officer, said the 650-seat chapel at Arlington was filled beyond capacity. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel attended and met with the family.
2. Four days later, Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri, after robbing a convenience store and seriously injuring a police officer. Obama sent a three-person delegation to Brown's funeral.
Brown was shoplifting (he stole some cigarillos) but he was stopped for jaywalking. The police officer was not seriously injured; he had some redness and bruising on his face.
Michael Brown did not have a felony record and he had no outstanding criminal complaints when he was shot. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/broken-record/
3. When Margaret Thatcher died, Obama sent only a small low-level delegation to her funeral.
Separately, the Republican party is sending three members of the House of Representatives: Marsha Blackburn, who will lead the delegation, along with Michele Bachmann and George Holding. Blackburn is a leading fiscal conservative, while Bachmann, a member of the hardline conservative Tea Party faction, became internationally known during her spectacular if brief bid for the 2012 presidential nomination.
Another leading Republican conservative and attempted 2012 nominee, Newt Gingrich, is also among the confirmed attendees. Ronald Reagan's widow, Nancy, was invited but has said she felt unable to make the trip aged 91.
The somewhat ambiguous nature of Thatcher's funeral, which is not a state event but nonetheless has many of the trappings of such a ceremony, given the involvement of the Queen and members of the armed forces, has prompted a varying response from other countries in terms of representation.
4. When Chris Kyle was killed, there was no expression of sympathy from the White House. Yet when Whitney Houston died of a drug overdose, Obama/Biden ordered flags to half-staff.
New Jersey governor Chris Christie made a somewhat controversial decision in directing all New Jersey state flags to be flown at half-staff in (Whitney Houston's) honor
virgogal
(10,178 posts)I dont understand is why any government reps attended Michael Browns funeral at all.We have tragedies like this too often,why was this one different?
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,670 posts)that it would be a good idea to have someone from the WH there, for community relations.
Sloumeau
(2,657 posts)Response to grumpyduck (Original post)
sarge43 This message was self-deleted by its author.
grumpyduck
(6,232 posts)It helped a lot. I replied to my friend and he semed to buy that it was mostly bullshit.