RIP Shawn Starkovich, 20 - your picture cuts like a knife,

[Bluebear]

You know, it's bad enough when you see the photo of a fallen soldier in uniform. Proud, uniformed, in front of a flag... but when you see a picture like this, of a kid - a kid! - sitting on the steps like he could be waiting for English 102 to begin ...


=====



"He made friends with bums on the street," Smith said. "He was always one to make friends with whoever was there.

"When people say that somebody has lived their life to the fullest, I know it's cliche, but he seriously did a lot in his 20 years," Smith added.

It's the unfinished plans that have made Shawn Starkovich's death particularly hard, Smith said.

They won't be able to go motorcycle riding to celebrate her new motorcycle license.

They won't get the tattoos they planned to get once he returned from Iraq.

"He was my Shawn," Smith said. "I'm still shaking to this day. I still can't believe he is gone."

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070719/NEWS01/707190346/0/SPORTS

[JackBeck]

1. Too many like him before his tragic death.

And yet so many more to come.

So sad.

[classof56]

2. Oh, god, this could be my grandson.

Once again, words fail me and you'll have to pardon me while I go weep more tears of despair.

WHEN WILL WE EVER LEARN???

Tired Old Cynic

[Ghost in the Machine]

3. R.I.P. Lance Corporal Starkovich

[sarge43]

4. Dreams destroyed, hopes shattered, love unfulfilled, children

unborn, work never done, life's riches denied.

May he rest in peace; may everyone who loved him find peace.

[judaspriestess]

5. RIP Shawn

and thank you for your service and your unfortunate sacrifice.

[jgraz]

6. Just a comma

Everytime I learn of another fallen soldier, I hear *'s voice saying that. Of all the things he's done and said, that comment alone should earn him a spot as one of the worst scumbags in history.

[blondeatlast]

7. "English 102." I quit teaching some 10 years ago. I wonder how many of my former

7th and 8th grade students are involved in the Bush cabal's mad quest for whatever they are willing to sacrifice young men like these.

I see my 10 year old son in every face in this war. Shawn has the same style and attutude as my son--and that young man will never know the joy of his own child.

Make this madness stop, for the love of God, make it stop. :cry::patriot:

[ribrepin]

8. I live near this family and know his mother in passing

The family is completely devastated as are all families who have had this happen. I have talked to so many people this last week who are in tears over this. It's just heartbreaking. Even the local "bomb them all and let god sort them out" is taking this hard. She had never experienced a war death before and doesn't like how it feels.

RIP Shawn
Prayers for the family

[blondeatlast]

20. If you get the chance, tell them that we do care and that Shawn's death has touched us, too.

Thank you.

[ribrepin]

22. I will, but I know they are getting a lot of support from the local community

There are so many people who have been affected by Shawn's death. It's not just the family. It's Shawn's friends and their families. The parent's friends and co-workers. The sister's friends and their parents. It's a wide circle of people with each of these deaths.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

9. Our kids being sacrificed for the imperial...

...ambitions of an illegitimate, criminal regime -- if you dwell on it too long it makes you crazy with anger.

[SoCalDem]

18. and this time it's not just "kids".. It's 48 yr old Dads & Moms

with kids in college & mortgages.

This little "escapade" is devastating whole families..and the effects are lifelong..even if Mom & Dad return alive.

Reservists/Guardsmen have REAL lives outside of their military life.. When they get called up, they lose the income that was paying tuition, mortgages, car payments...

A 4 year "hiatus" from routine bill-paying and ordinary working life is enough to set a person up for poverty for the rest of their lives..and for their families as well..

[blondeatlast]

21. That's the ugly little secret no one wants to address.

Men and women who drive the everyday economy are going to war, leaving behind families and returning to a dismal job market.

All we hear is that the Dow is up. That's about 10% of the REAL American economy.

This war is so fucked up on so many levels it will be never be possible to grasp the real impact it has had.

[midnight]

10. Let's bring them home...... Give them decent paying jobs, and

live the dream.....Let's remember all the brave Shawn's who have gone before we really felt the impact of their greatness.

[Bullwinkle925]

11. I just hate this so much . . .

it is too reminiscent of Viet Nam. Of course, since none of the non-elected officials in D.C. ever served their country in combat - they wouldn't have a clue as to the enormity of loss that is happening to each one of these families.

I just hate it!!!!!!!

:cry:

[KG]

12. some day, and i hope it's soon, poor people will stop falling for the lies,

stop believeing in the fairey tales they are told, and stop signing up to fight rich mens wars.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

13. What a WASTE. He could be one my daughter's friends...

What did he die for? Our freedom? I don't feel more free, I feel sad.

[ClayZ]

14. .

[terrya]

15. RIP, Shawn

What a horrible waste of what sounded like a good, decent guy.

I hate this fucking war.

[JacquesMolay]

16. You won't see this picture posted at Free Republic....

... they care about the game, not the pawns.

[here_is_to_hope]

17. Salute....n/t

[Jed Dilligan]

19. I was drinking with some military in a bar last night

The haircuts really frighten me but once I get past that they are not bad people.

RIP Shawn

:patriot:

[orleans]

23. --heartbreaking-- n/t