The Deception of Gun Free Zones

We're told that gun free zones are safe places.  Really?  You've got to be kidding.  The idea that a gun free zone is a safe place is flawed to the very core. Who obeys laws and rules? The law abiding citizen. A criminal who has already decided to commit murder will not be deterred by a rule, law or a sign in a window, leaving everyone inside the gun free zone sitting ducks, completely unable to defend themselves or others against a shooter. As a Marine mom I'm angry that four Marines and a Sailor were able to be gunned down before meeting any opposition last week in Chattanooga, TN. The military faces enough legitimate risks. Being defenseless on their own base or in a recruiting station is insane.  How dare our government leave our military personnel who are among the most qualified to defend, defenseless.

• In 2009 the Fort Hood shooter was able to kill 13 and injure 30 people before being stopped by police.Had the soldiers there been armed, that shooter would have been taken out as soon a he began shooting, resulting in many lives being saved.
• In 2012 the Aurora Colorado theater shooter had time to  kill 12 and injure 70 before being stopped.  If only a few people in the theater had had a gun more would be alive today.
• At Sandy Hook in 2012 the shooter roamed about the school killing 20 children and 6 adults. The police weren't there when it happened so they couldn't help. If only some of the staff had been armed, far fewer would have died.
• DC Navy Yard in 2013.  12 killed and 3 injured. Another gun free zone. The law abiding citizens obeyed the law so there was no one to stop the shooter.
• Charleston church shooting last month resulted in 10 shot, nine fatally. He just kept shooting until he was done. No one in that church had a gun except the criminal.  
• Just this week the Lafayette theater shooting, 2 dead and 9 injured.

In all of these cases the criminal did not obey the law, only the law abiding citizens obeyed the law and therefore became victims. Gun control laws  and gun free zones don't work and in fact create death traps for unsuspecting people just going about their day.   Allowing and encouraging law abiding, conscientious and qualified citizens to carry concealed firearms is the best first line of defense because the police can't always be there.

Complacency Isn't an Option

After taking a long break from writing it's time to get back at it. With the plethora of current events that have left many of us scratching our heads trying to understand what is going on in this country and around the world it's hard to be silent. I may be only one voice, but my voice joined with others can make a difference. Without trying to sound dramatic, the continued existence of the United States of America as we have known it is in jeopardy. The good news is there are still enough of us who believe in the foundations of this nation and the blessings God has bestowed upon us. We understand the history of our nation and that it was built on Godly principles and the goodness, hard work and sacrifice of those who recognized this is an extraordinary nation.  Let's stay  thoughtful, diligent and prayerful, as we stand together to preserve the amazing gift we've been given by God and by those who have gone before us. 

A Heart Warmed by Classic Small Town USA

In the small country town of Eagle Mountain, we settled in on the lawn of a small outdoor amphitheater for a Clint Black concert. It was the culmination of the week long Pony Express festivities. The large crowd was friendly and well mannered. An occasional police officer on horseback could be spotted on the hill overlooking the amphitheater.

Prior to the concert, numerous members of the community were acknowledged for their spirit of volunteerism and service to their community. A local children’s dance group performed for the cheering crowd. Recognition was given to a Marine who had lost his life while serving his country. This caught me by surprise, as it was my son Cpl. Adam Galvez this tiny community honored. I was deeply touched given the fact that we were guests of a soldier who spent more than 20 years in the Army and suffered multiple disabling injuries in while in Iraq. He and his wife are very much local heroes who have overcome extreme adversity and embraced life to the fullest. Our families joined by the tragedies of war, and a community grateful for their freedom.

We watched the concert under the stars and the spectacular fireworks display that followed. I was overwhelmed with how wonderful it felt to be among the people of this small town, enjoying the evening, the music, the fireworks, and the friendships. For me, it was one of those “Wow God” moments. Everything about the evening pointed to the beauty of God’s creation, His amazing love for us and the comfort of knowing that through the good times and bad, He never lets go of us.

American Legion Magazine, Unexpected Friends, By Amy Galvez May 2011

Utah Gold Star Mother Amy Galvez talks with Iraqi women during a reception at the home of First Lady Hero Talabani. Photo by Cindy Hosea

My son, Adam, deployed to Iraq in 2006. I continued on with life’s daily tasks, but he was constantly on my mind. About five months later, I looked out my window and saw two Marines approaching my front door. Adam had been killed.

My story is not unlike that of thousands of other military mothers who have faced the unimaginable. Proud of our children, we occupy our time serving those who serve. We rally community support, send care packages and speak to local groups about the military. For many mothers, that doesn’t change even when our worst fears are realized. In a way, we feel as though we’ve been charged with carrying on our children’s work.

Last September, I was one of nine Gold Star Mothers – three from Utah, six from South Carolina – invited to Iraq by Families United Toward Universal Respect (FUTURE) and its Hugs for Healing program. For the first time, mothers of U.S. servicemembers would meet Iraqi women who have also suffered loss.
Each mother had a different reason for going to Iraq. Some hoped to find peace or feel closer to the child they lost there. Others wanted to better understand what their sons and daughters had fought for. As for me, I wanted to learn more about the Iraqi people and the country in which my son died.  Though we’d have an outstanding security team, Iraq was still a dangerous place.  Putting our families at ease about sending another loved one to Iraq wasn’t easy.

Based in Sulaymaniyah, in the Kurdistan region, we were in country for seven days. We were the Iraqis’ honored guests – the mothers of sons and daughters who had given so much for their nation. They told us stories about life under Saddam Hussein and in the years since. They shared their culture, their history, and their hopes for the future. We visited hospitals and women’s centers, and participated in service projects for women and children.

Having had an experience that profoundly changed our lives, many of our Gold Star mothers would probably go back to Iraq if given the chance. Mothers who’d lost children in Iraq now felt deeply connected to the country and its people.

Sept. 25, 2010: The pilot’s announcement – “We will be entering Iraqi airspace in three minutes” – was surreal. I was really going to Iraq. My emotions ran the gamut as I realized we would fly past the area in which my son died.

When we landed, a delegation of Iraqi women and other officials expedited us through customs and transported us to our hotel. Driving through the city, I saw many scenes that reminded me of my son’s war photos. Other areas looked progressive. Uncertain of what our accommodations would be like, we were pleasantly surprised to find modest, clean rooms with hot and cold running water and air conditioning.  

In the hotel lobby we were introduced to the rest of our security team, which now consisted of two Americans and eight Iraqi men, in dark suits with sunglasses and earpieces. Feeling a bit nervous, we were escorted to the rear of the hotel, where several SUVs and police vehicles were staged. Our group, and the Iraqi women we would spend the week with, boarded two small buses, which followed the security vehicles with lights and sirens on.

In 10 minutes, we arrived at the headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), where a long procession of Iraqi women and dignitaries greeted each of us. They expressed deep appreciation for our visit as TV cameras rolled and hundreds of photos were snapped. Our unexpected VIP treatment continued at an elaborate luncheon of delicious traditional cuisine.  

After the meal, I met an Iraqi woman who survived Saddam’s 1988 chemical-weapons attack. Her husband had been brutally killed by the regime. I was speechless as I listened to her story, and her expression of gratitude for my son’s sacrifice and the hard work of the U.S. military.

I’d been in Iraq not even three hours and already felt connected to people I’d known only from the evening news who lived half a world away. My eyes were being opened to the reality of the suffering of the Iraqi people and how much our military has done for them. I knew without a doubt that I was supposed to be here.

Sept. 26: Today we attended a Women’s Leadership Conference that included women from across Iraq, First Lady Hero Talabani, leaders from Women for FUTURE-Iraq, and Anfal widows of Saddam’s campaign against the Kurds. Joining us were Kurdish Regional Government officials, U.S. Army Gen. Thomas Vandal, Utah National Guardsmen, U.S. soldiers, State Department representatives and other dignitaries.

Much to my surprise, during Gen. Vandal’s address, he told my son’s story: “Twenty-one-year-old Marine Cpl. Adam Galvez was injured in a suicide bombing, buried alive under a collapsed building, attempted to rescue other Marines while taking gunfire from the enemy, and returned to duty only to be killed by an IED.” I was in awe that four years after Adam’s death, I sat in a conference in Iraq, where an Army general told his story to U.S. and Iraqi dignitaries and guests.  

The Iraqi women talked about how they suffered under Saddam and were freed by the Americans from his torture and brutality.  “We grieve for your sons as if they were our own,” one woman said. “They are part of us, and now you are part of us.”  They spoke of the progress made by Iraqi women and their need to learn how to network in service and support of each another. This is not common among Iraqi women as it is in the United States. They are learning from our examples how to support and serve one another.

The languages spoken here are Arabic, Kurdish and English. There are plenty of people to serve as interpreters. With hugs and kisses to accompany the spoken words, there is little difficulty communicating with the Iraqi women.

Over dinner this evening, a woman told me that her father, four brothers and fiance were executed. She said that when the government took their men and killed them, the women were not permitted to cry. If they were caught crying, they would be arrested for sympathizing with a traitor. She said her mother locked herself in a room of their house for three months following her father’s death so she could grieve without being caught. Like so many others, she thanked me for my son’s sacrifice for their freedom.

Sept. 27: Today the Iraqi and American women worked together to assemble hygiene kits, school supplies and newborn packages to be distributed at area hospitals, orphanages, schools and a women’s center. Some made quilts, others made beaded jewelry. We were able to show the benefits of working together for the betterment of the community.  At the cancer and maternity hospitals, we visited patients and distributed supplies. We found poor conditions, a lack of proper medication, basic medical supplies and comfort items. Many sick children were without blankets for warmth or to hold close for comfort. Saddened, we left wanting to do something to help.

Sept. 28: The city of Halabja is a 90-minute drive through the countryside on narrow roads, only a few miles from the Iran border. This is the site of Saddam’s 1988 chemical-weapons attack in which 5,000 people were killed within five minutes of the bombs dropping. Our vehicles moved through the tiny streets of this run-down town.  People stared as we passed by. Our arrival at the memorial site was somewhat unnerving. Unlike before, our security detail now carried sub-machine guns. News and video cameras were everywhere. Many people – nearly all carrying weapons – awaited our arrival. Our security briefed us on exactly how to move once we left the bus. We followed every order given, as we felt our safety was at risk.

The museum was filled with photos and displays of the dead lying in the streets following the attack 22 years ago. Photos were taken by Saddam’s men to prove the weapons had been effective. Copies lined the walls and in disbelief I looked at each one: a mother covering her child, and both laid dead in the street. The back of a pickup truck filled with dead children who’d tried to escape as bombs fell.  As I stared at that photo, a man pointed to himself, then pointed to the picture. He said, “Me.” Another man who spoke broken English confirmed what I believed the man to be saying. He had been one of the children in that truck, the only survivor. He laid in that truck for two days before being rescued, the other man said.  We visited the cemetery, where victims who could not be identified are buried in mass graves that contain hundreds of bodies. The rest are in single graves with headstones. Small fences and other makeshift borders surrounded multiple graves of people from the same family.

The Gold Star Mothers laid flowers at the base of a monument in the graveyard, and listened to survivors tell their stories and express their gratitude that our sons helped rid their country of the man who had done this to them. It was an emotional moment as survivors gave each mother a pin representing the 5,000 victims. I left realizing the importance of what our military had done for these people and the world.

Tonight we spent a special evening at the home of President and Mrs. Talabani. The first lady of Iraq hosted a dinner for the Gold Star Mothers visiting from the United States, along with the women from Baghdad with whom we had spent the week. The day before, Mrs. Talabani had traditional Kurdish dresses made for each woman in our group.  During dinner, she told stories of hiding out from Saddam Hussein in the hills of northern Iraq. One night, she heard the sounds of incoming fire and exploding bombs. The next morning, they found an unexploded bomb at the entrance of the building in which they had sought shelter. She also spoke of Saddam’s chemical-weapons attacks and the Kurds’ fight to stay alive.
Following dinner, Mrs. Talabani presented each Gold Star Mother with a crystal engraved with this message: “Our eternal gratitude to the mothers who raised the bravest of children, who dedicated their lives to the liberation of other nations ... A Mother.” I will cherish this forever as a gift from the heart of one mother to another.  The evening with Mrs. Talabani was uplifting and heartwarming. Her gratitude for us and our children who had died in her country, fighting for their liberation, was genuine.

Sept. 29: Today, the Peshmerga – Kurdish fighters – proudly hosted our delegation at their military base. Sheikh Jafar Mustafa, the Kurdish defense minister, spoke about the significance of the U.S. role in Iraq’s liberation and thanked us for our children’s sacrifice. The soldiers demonstrated their skills with marching drills, obstacle courses and other exercises, followed by lunch and time to visit with the U.S and Kurdish military.

Sept. 30: This afternoon was set aside for a time of quiet reflection and a memorial service for our sons and daughters who had been killed in Iraq. But was another memorial service really what we needed? I wanted to be accomplishing concrete work with the Iraqi people, not memorializing the dead, as so much of that had already been done. Little did I know this day may have been the most important of our week in Iraq.

At Lake Dukan, an exclusive resort in northern Iraq, our chaplain offered to serve communion for any who wanted to participate. Six of us moved to a secluded alcove for the service. Each one felt the presence of God in that place. We sang, worshiped and received communion. I thought of my son and his brutal death in this Muslim land, and now I was here, worshiping the Lord. What amazing things God has done to bring me to this moment. We looked up to see our friends – Iraqi women and others who had spent the week with us – gathered all around, watching us worship.

We ended the day in a large circle, and each mother took time to speak about her son, reflect, or share a Bible verse that was special to her. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share with the Iraqis what God had done for me. To think that He would take a group of mothers whose children died in war in this country, then bring them to that land to share the love of Jesus, was almost more than I could comprehend. We concluded by singing “Amazing Grace,” with the Iraqi women attempting to join in.

There was a different “feel” as we left Lake Dukan. Our U.S. delegation, all in one bus, sang, laughed and danced in the aisle of the bus all the way back to town. Our day at Lake Dukan was one that God had placed on the agenda, a divine appointment. He touched each one of us that day, in the most unlikely way, in the most unlikely place, and no one would ever be the same.

A few days later it was time to return to home.  The morning of our departure several in our group had a sense of urgency.  It was time to leave.  A few blasts could be heard in the distance which may have increased our apprehension. We were met at the airport with a long delay but finally boarded our flight and took off. I breathed sigh of relief as the pilot announce we had cleared Iraqi airspace. 

As we reflected on this most magnificent trip we knew we would never be the same.  We had seen the Iraq war from a perspective that few would ever see and had come to understand our son's and daughter's sacrifices in a new and amazing way.   The friendships forged with our new Iraqi friends, for some, would last for years to come.


Note from American Legion Magazine:
Amy Galvez and her husband, Tony, live in Salt Lake City. The story of their son, Marine Cpl. Adam Galvez, appeared in the May 2007 issue of The American Legion Magazine (“Death, Not in Vain”).

Gold Star Moms Prepare for Journey to Iraq

The following eight posts tell the story of our Gold Star Mother's trip to Iraq

In my wildest imagination I never saw myself on the ground in Iraq, but that is indeed what is about to happen. With a little over a week to go, I and several other Gold Star Moms are frantically gathering our supplies and attending to the last minute details before we assemble at Salt Lake International Airport and begin our journey. We will join the other Gold Star Mothers and the staff of FUTURE who is hosting the trip, in Atlanta, and head off to the land where our sons served.

Our trip will include service projects to benefit Iraqi widows, orphans, hospital patients and the physically handicapped. We will be working with Utah based Operation Give to make and distribute aid kits, along with children’s educational and activity packs, as well as providing assistance to the Iraqi women in completing projects in their community.

Our travels will take us to the site of worst chemical attack in history. The 1988 chemical weapons attack by Saddam Hussein’s army killed 5,000 men, women and children. There, we will meet the town’s people and survivors of the gruesome attack. We’ll also spend time distributing supplies and activity packages in the community.

Cultural and social exchanges will be part of the week’s events as we get to know and understand the people our sons fought for.

As mother’s who’ve lost sons at war, we are uniquely privileged to have the opportunity to visit the nation our son’s gave so much for. As their moms, we count it an honor to do what we can for Iraq in light of all our sons did.

Follow our progress as we make final preparations and embark on this life changing journey. I have no doubt I will come back a different person, not only because of the experiences I will have and the people I will meet, but also because I will be in the country where my son spent the last days of his life. I'll have visited the land where a piece of my heart will remain forever.

Into Iraq

Our journey began on Sept 23^rd as we assembled at Salt Lake International airport. Jan Moncur, Colleen Parkin and me Amy Galvez were going to Iraq, the nation in which our sons served and ultimately died. Carol Young was originally scheduled for the trip, but due to a lack of funding, was unable to go. Joining us was Salt Lake Tribune reporter Matthew LaPlante, whose job it was to chronicle the story of Utah Gold Star Moms in Iraq, on our humanitarian and healing mission to the Iraqi women. However Matthew, as it turned out would watch over “his Utah Moms” and attend to our concerns and needs, easing any apprehension we may have had.

We met up with the rest of our group in Atlanta. In all our group of eighteen consisted of three Gold Star Mothers from Utah, seven from South Carolina, a Chaplain, two staff from the Organizing group FUTURE (Families United Toward Universal Respect) and our security team. After a security briefing we were on our way to Paris, then Amman, Jordan, then finally on to city of Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq.

The 36 hour trip was grueling but excitement remained high throughout our travels. When the pilot announced “we will be entering Iraqi airspace in three minutes” it was surreal. I was really going to Iraq. My emotions ran the gamut as I realized we would fly relatively close to the town in which my son died. I wondered what my son Adam would think. Who would have imagined that four years after his death I would be on the ground in the county where war took his life. I also considered the danger. But after getting my initial exposure to the middle east by spending several hours in Amman, Jodan, many of my fears were alleviated and I was ready to enter Iraq.

I was overwhelmed at touch down. We were really on the ground in Iraq. I was almost in disbelief that it was real. This is where my son spent the last days of his life, and now, I was there. Our group was met by a delegation of Iraqi women and other officials who expedited us through customs, and transported us to our hotel. Driving through the city I saw many scenes that reminded me of a hundreds of photos we had from my son’s time in Iraq. Other areas looked progressive. Development and progress was evident everywhere.

Uncertain of what our hotel accommodations would actually be like, we were pleasantly surprised to find a nice, somewhat clean room with hot and cold running water, a bathroom, comfortable beds and air conditioning.

Without a moment of rest, we assembled in the lobby waiting for our instructions, as none of us knew why our presence had been required. Our security team in whom we’d all gained confidence, announced our security would now be under the control of six Iraqi men in dark suits, sunglasses, and earpieces in their ears, resembling secret service or something similar, and we were to go with these men . I must admit, I was a bit nervous. They escorted us outside to the rear of the hotel where there were several SUV’s, and some police vehicles with doors open and a bustle of activity around them. Our group boarded two small busses which abruptly took off behind several SUV’s with the lead police vehicle with lights and sirens on. I finally realized we were part of a motorcade, but the moms did not know where we were going. After about a ten minute drive through town, we arrived at the headquarters of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. There we passed a long procession of Iraqi women and other dignitaries who greeting each one of us. We were ushered into a beautiful room with a large ringed oval table and plush green velvet chairs where we were seated. About forty people filled the room with many standing or sitting along the wall. We were addressed by the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and several Iraqi women. The expressed deep appreciation for our visit to Iraq, TV cameras shot video, and hundreds of photos were taken.

Our VIP treatment continued at the conclusion of the address as we then escorted to a feast. Enormous amounts of many varieties of Iraqi cuisine filled the table which was about thirty feet in length. The food was exceptional and truly was a feast.

After the meal I visited with an Iraqi women who brought me to tears as she thanked me for my son helping free them from Saddam Hussein. She had survived the 1988 chemical weapons attack by Saddam’s regime which killed 5,000 men, women and children. Then later her husband was brutally killed by the regime. This women personally suffered under Saddam Hussein and lost many family members under his dictatorship. I was speechless as listened to her story. Her gratitude for my son’s sacrifice and the hard work and sacrifices by the U.S. Military could not be adequately put into words.

I had been in Iraq for less than three hours and I was already changed in the most profound way. I had made a connection to people who existed a half a world away on the evening news. But they were real, and this was only the beginning of my eyes being opened to the reality of suffering of the Iraqi and how much our military has done for them. I already looked forward to what lay ahead later that day and in the coming week. This truly would be a life changing experience and I knew without a doubt that I was supposed to be here.

Women's Leadership Conference in Iraq

It’s Sunday night here in Iraq, completing two days in country for the Gold Star Mothers. I’ll start by giving information on our conditions here in Iraq as several people have asked about it. Then I will share a few details of today’s events.

The temperature is in the high 90’s during the day and 80’s at night, so it is more comfortable than I was preparing for. Many places have air conditioning to some extent. Others however, do not. Today we attended a conference with hundreds of people and no working a/c. We got through it though! The elevators in our hotel work sporadically. Stepping into them is a risk. Our room is not actually on the seventh floor but we must walk up sevenflights of stairs to reach our room if we do not use the elevator. We have a heavy security presence.We often travel by motorcade with several security vehicles leading and bringing up the rear. We took time out before dinner tonight to do some shopping. A security detail was needed to take thirteen women shopping! We made them work hard on that outing as they not only had to track each one of us, but also assist in with our purchases helping us make the dollar/dinar conversion. Most of our women were prepared to not eat much on this trip either due to availability of food or concerns of getting sick from what we might eat. However, our organizers preselected the places we would eat as to reduce the risk of getting sick. The food in northern Iraq is outstanding and is offered in large quantities, often. The languages spoken here are Arabic, Kurdish and some English. Many of the Iraqis we are with speak enough English to communicate and there are plenty of people to serve as interpreters. Now on to today’s events.

Today we attended the Women’s Leadership Conference with women from various areas in Iraq, many of whom we’ve spent the last two days with. In attendance were leaders from Women for FUTURE Iraq, dignitaries, The First Lady of Iraq, U.S. Army Gen. Vandal, CW04 Holton from Utah and several U.S. Soldiers, State Dept representative and many others. Along with all the attendees, the auditorium was filled with security and news cameras.

Speeches were made by Mrs. Talabani, Gen. Vandal and many others. During Gen. Vandal’s address, much to my surprise, he told my son’s story. “21 year old Marine Cpl. Adam Galvez injured in a suicide bomb, buried alive under a collapsed building, attempting to rescue other Marines while taking gun fire from the enemy, and returning to duty only to be killed by an IED". As he expounded on the details he made clear the sacrifices that have been made by brave young Americans. I was in awe of the situation, that four years after Adam’s death in Iraq, I sat in a conference in Iraq where an Army general told his story to American and Iraqi dignitaries and Iraqi people trying to rebuild and secure their future.

The messages of the Iraqi women had a similar theme. They suffered greatly under Saddam Hussein and they were freed from his torture and brutality by the Americans. Words were not enough to express their gratitude of all that had been done for them. The traditional kisses, and hugs and tears spoke more than words could have. They were grateful for the bond the Gold Star Mothers now shared with them.

“We grieve for your sons as they were our own, because they are part of us and now and you are part of us”, one women said. They spoke of the progress being made by Iraqi women and the need to learn the American’s way of networking women together in service and support of one another. Women sharing and networking together is not common among Iraqi women as it is in the U.S. The women are learning from our examples and support, how to serve one another.

During Saddam Hussein’s regime, many women were widowed as their men were executed or simply vanished without a trace. Many of the women spoke of fathers, brothers, husbands of the same family being killed by Hussein or by insurgents, leaving huge numbers of women without men. If not widowed, there were no men to marry, leaving far too many women to survive on their own. It broke my heart, as over dinner a women told me of her father, four brothers and fiancé being executed. She said when the government took their men and killed them, the women were not permitted to cry. If they were caught crying, they would be arrested for sympathizing with a traitor. This woman’s mother locked herself in one room of their house for three months following her husband’s death so she could grieve without being caught. She again expressed her gratitude for all the U.S. Military has done for them and thanked me for my son’s sacrifice for their freedom.

In the past two days, I’ve seen the deeply compassionate and grateful hearts of women who have suffered and are now moving towards a brighter future. A bond has been formed and every Gold Star Mother in our group has been affected in the most profound way. We are blessed to be here with these remarkable women and look forward to spending the next few days with them.

Utah Gold Star Moms with

Mrs. Talabani, The First Lady of Iraq.