4. All of you have made it clear that there is profound patriotism SLEEPING in this country. Lets WAKE UP! Show it.
Dear America,
I would like to publicly respond and thank everyone for the support. I wish that I had just STOOD UP after the soldier got off the plane and just started singing - I believe in my heart that many would have joined me.
Delta has contacted me - no money or free tickets (I promise, and I would not have taken them)- and this is NOT their policy. Evidently they had a flight attendant that made some bad decisions in trying to make this situation go away. They are going to do some training for the future.
Delta was very reverent and let the honor guards do a wonderful thing to honor each and every soldier that comes home with this beautiful tribute. For just this reason, I personally do not believe in a boycott of Delta.
The family knows what happened, has contacted me, and are appreciative of the effort. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have told them how beautiful and reverent it was as he was being taken off of the plane.
Several of the honor guards that were there have contacted me and were appreciative of the effort. Thank you. Thank you for your service. God bless you.
Many, many people from the city of Lyons, GA have contacted me and are appreciative of the effort. Thank you. God bless all of you. What you did in Lyons was amazing for Dustin Wright. I hope that everyone finds those videos of them arriving in that city.
Several people have commented that we should never sit down to sing the National Anthem. I agree 100%. I was trying to honor this soldier AND follow Delta's rules to stay in our seats. It was all and only done to honor this soldier. Lots of things are easy to see in hindsight.
For those few that felt that I was doing it for the glory: Please. Please stop. My new husband is a veteran, and so were both his brothers. One of them is a retired general. They all served during the Vietnam war. My deceased husband was a flight surgeon in Vietnam, a 20 year veteran of the Navy. I have been handed a flag after an honor guard honored him at his funeral. I was told that we could not sing because people from other countries were "uncomfortable" and "offended" with this. This statement horrified me. I was told that we couldn't sing because it was against the company policy - I was told this TWICE. I sincerely wish there was a recording. You would have been horrified too. I was horrified. I made the video after leaving the plane.
For the many soldiers who have shared their stories with me: Thank you. I have cried reading your heartfelt stories.
The one thing that has been profoundly evident to me with all of your comments is that I am not worried about the patriotism of this wonderful country as much as I was prior to hearing from you. I thought that we had no hope. We do. We have lots of hope. I encourage the silent majority to be silent no more.
Do I think that we can break out in the singing of our national anthem when we feel it is appropriate? Yes. Should it be ok on a plane with a soldier being taken off? Yes, WHEN the time is appropriate and if you stand AND observe the appropriate silence that is due. If the family is on board and does not want you to sing? No, I would respect their wishes. Did Delta honor this soldier? Yes, beautifully and reverently.
Were there really people on the plane that were from other countries and were uncomfortable and offended? I will never know for sure, but this is what was told to me. If I was in your country and the same thing happened, I would smile and be impressed by the patriotism. If the flight attendant just told me this to stop me singing {and be silent and reverent (which was admittedly appropriate)}, then shame on you! How could you even come up with this excuse. In a thousand years, I cannot fathom that an American could have come up with that excuse. Although, I pray that you just DID make this up because you were nervous. I have done stupid things when I was nervous or upset. If you actually conceded to these wishes of people from other countries...I cannot find the appropriate words to reprimand you.
Delta has apologized to me. Profusely. I accept. Like many things in life...it should have been handled differently. I am not throwing any stones.
What good has happened?
1. Hundreds of thousands of people who never knew about William Wright (Dustin Wright), his death, his family, and his service to our country, now know.
2. Hundreds of thousands of people are now praying for this soldier and his family. I know that they appreciate the prayers. Please keep them coming for this family - they will need it, especially when the attention dies down. Thats when it is the most lonely - after.
3. Hundreds of thousands of people now know that four soldiers died in this tragic event in Africa:
Staff SGT. Dustin Wright
Staff SGT. Jeremiah Johnson
Staff SGT. Bryan Black
SGT. LA David Johnson
Lets pray for all 4 of them and their families.
4. All of you have made it clear that there is profound patriotism SLEEPING in this country. Lets WAKE UP! Show it.
5. There is profound belief in God - The God of which the foundation of our country was based- SLEEPING in this country. This woke a lot of people up.
PLEASE WAKE UP!
Show it! I have received so many messages about prayer and God with respect to this country, it makes me hopeful that we all truly pray for God to continue to bless this country. We need it.
Thank you all for your messages that are 99% positive. I cannot possibly answer - let alone read -them all. I am going to try. I wish that every soldier and especially every gold star family could see the messages...they would have more pride in this country than they already do - which would be impossible. I sure do.
For those who were upset with me or thought that I was after glory...I am sorry that I upset you and that you think like this. It is wrong - but we can debate that forever and get no where. It is just sad. For the people who said very nasty things...I forgive you. I understand the passion and emotion. I get it.
I wish that I had asked for forgiveness in singing instead of permission to sing - but then these good things would not have happened. It is done. Just like NOT singing yesterday... I cannot undo it.
For the William Wright Family - I hope that you are ok. I am sorry if I caused you any discomfort or unwanted attention. Truly. Obviously America, the great State of Georgia, and The Bulldog Nation have lost a hero. I pray for you. We all do.
Please pray for ALL of these families tonight and for a long time - they will need it.
Sincerely,
Pamela Dee Gaudry