[Peace-discuss] Promotion on the bodies of dead kids

Mon Oct 26 17:46:58 CDT 2009

This is disgusting.  This poor kid died for nothing -- I have a daughter his 
age, who went to school around here, as he did -- or, rather, he died for the 
criminal purposes of our leaders, like a Wehrmacht or IDF soldier.

In a well-run society, those leaders would be in cells in The Hague, awaiting 
trial on the the Nuremberg Principles.  They're guilty, and the only question 
would be whether the death penalty should be applied, if like me you're opposed 
to capital punishment.

Instead, Obama is in Florida today, talking to kids of the same age whom he's 
about to send off to AfPak.

	The News-Gazette.com
  	Soldier killed in Afghanistan back home in Rantoul
	By Dave Hinton
	Monday October 26, 2009

Members of the Patriot Guard Riders, the Rantoul police department, Champaign 
and Rantoul fire departments and others wait Sunday as the hearse carrying the 
casket of Sgt. Christopher Rudzinski, a U.S. soldier who was killed in 
Afghanistan, arrives at Rantoul Township High School for a four-hour visitation. 
A memorial service followed later in the evening. More photos are available at 
www.news-gazette.com.

The Rantoul community welcomed Sgt. Christopher Rudzinski home Sunday.

Sgt. Rudzinski, 28, who served in the Army, died Oct. 16 from injuries sustained 
when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on patrol 
near Kandahar, Afghanistan.

It marked his fourth deployment to an area of conflict. He previously had served 
one tour of duty in Kosovo and two in Iraq. Sgt. Rudzinski was assigned to a 
military police brigade based at Fort Stewart, Ga.

A flight bearing his body touched down at Willard Airport, Savoy, about 10 a.m. 
Sunday.

Sgt. Rudzinski traveled the remainder of the way home in a motorcade that 
included numerous vehicles from area police and fire departments, veterans' 
representatives and motorcycle-driving members of the Patriot Guard.

In Rantoul, the motorcade headed east along U.S. 136 to Lux Memorial Chapel. The 
sides of the approximately 2-mile route were lined with more than 500 American 
flags.

The motorcade passed beneath a large American flag held between two ladder 
firetrucks at the Tanner Street intersection.

Sgt. Rudzinski's family greeted the public at a four-hour visitation Sunday 
afternoon at Rantoul Township High School. An estimated 1,500 people attended.

A memorial service followed at the high school.

About 50 volunteers placed the more than 500 American flags along the motorcade 
route Saturday afternoon. Larry Eckhardt of Little York, owner of the flags, 
spearheaded the effort.

"The town was fantastic," Eckhardt said of the volunteer effort. "It went real 
smoothly."

Eckhardt said he has headed flag-planting efforts to honor fallen military 
personnel in several Illinois communities.

"The south part of Illinois (south of Peoria) is really fantastic," he said. 
"They really come out" to help.

Several hundred members of the public lined the motorcade route to pay tribute.

Laurie Waters of Rantoul said she did so "to honor this man who served our 
country. Our whole family is career military. I know the life and the sacrifices 
that they go through. I'm here to honor him and his family."

Dot Griffin of Rantoul held a small American flag as she waited for the motorcade.

She said she attended "because I think he deserves our respect, our time.

"This is just a small thing," she said. "He gave the big thing."

At Sunday evening's memorial service, the Rev. Stanley Malinowski said the 
turnout showed the love and concern that the community held for the Rudzinski 
family, which includes his widow, Caroline, and their 1-year-old son, Ryan.

Malinowski said he had known Sgt. Rudzinski for several years, and he said tales 
of the sergeant's service reflected the kind of man he was.

Aaron Runyon, a friend of Sgt. Rudzinski's, said the two grew up across the 
street from one another.

Runyon said when the two were together, the topic invariably turned to either 
flying or cars.

He said Sgt. Rudzinski had an adventurous spirit, and Runyon told about 
accompanying the Rudzinski family on his first visit to Disney World, where his 
friend had been before. He said Sgt. Rudzinski had mapped out what rides they 
would visit.

To illustrate Sgt. Rudzinski's daring nature, he said his friend wanted to visit 
the hair-raising Space Mountain ride first. While Runyon was scared to death, 
Sgt. Rudzinski had the time of his life.

He said Sgt. Rudzinski also had a selfless side.

"Chris shared with people who were in need," he said. "I'm grateful to this town 
for practicing hospitality and love to his family."

A funeral Mass at St. Malachy Catholic Church and graveside service at Holy 
Sepulchre Cemetery for Sgt. Rudzinski were scheduled today.

Find this article at:
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/2009/10/26/soldier_killed_in_afghanistan_back_home_in_rantoul

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2009/10/26/soldier_killed_in_afghanistan_back_home_in_rantoul