Jackson Free Press

Mississippi is paying dearly with our soldiers' lives in the Iraqi War. Since the war began in March 2003, at least 37 servicemen from Mississippi have lost their lives. In fact, Mississippi currently ranks fifth in the nation in per capita loss of servicemen.

To date, 1,854 American servicemen and women have been lost to the war in Iraq, and how national leaders honor the dead has come under increased scrutiny. President Bush, in particular, has been widely criticized for failing to attend the funeral or memorial for even one of our lost servicemen and women, even after the loss earlier this month of 19 reservists from the same batallion from Cleveland, Ohio.

Although Bush has met with some of the families in private, he has never made a public appearance acknowledging the sacrifice he has asked of our servicemen. There are no photographs of Bush standing over the coffin of one of the Americans he sent off to war. The Bush administration even went so far as to refuse the release of photographs of coffins returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, a decision that was later reversed under a combination of litigation and public pressure.

This evasion of any public acknowledgment of soldiers lost in the war is particularly striking from a president who frequently speaks before large gatherings of troops and routinely refers to himself as a "war president."

Aides say Bush does not attend military funerals because he does not want to favor one ultimate sacrifice over another, although this consideration did not stop Presidents Carter, Reagan or Clinton from attending soldiers' funerals. Nor did those presidents subscribe to Bush's claim that funerals, even funerals at Arlington National Cemetary, are private affairs.

"Their funerals are a time for their family and friends to mourn and remember their loved one in a private way," said White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, as quoted in The Washington Post.

Closer to home, Gov. Haley Barbour has been to five private visitations, but he also has yet to attend a single public funeral. "Attending services for our fallen soldiers is a private and personal expression of our sympathy and support," Barbour told the Associated Press. Like Bush, Barbour claims that he should not attend military funerals because they are private events.

Sen. Thad Cochran has sent aides to funerals but has not attended any himself, according to Cochran aide Jenny Manley. Cochran does call the families and sends letters of condolence, but he stops short of any public expression of gratitude. "It's really on a case-by-case basis," Manley said, "depending on what it is the family wants and needs."

When Sen. Trent Lott gets notification that a Mississippi serviceman has been lost, he calls the immediate family and offers his condolences, according to Lott aide Lee Youngblood. He also sends a letter of appreciation, but he does not attend either funerals or visitations. "We believe the privacy of the family is paramount," Youngblood said, echoing the line offered by Bush and Barbour.

Yet like presidents before Bush, other Mississippi lawmakers routinely attend soldiers' services.

Rep. Bennie Thompson of the 2nd District has attended three funerals. "It's often the family that requests our presence and support," Thompson aide Karis Gutter said. Thompson went so far as to cancel a speaking event for the Department of Homeland Security in order to return home for the funeral of Army Sgt. John E. McGee. Thompson spoke at the McGee funeral, which was held May 14, 2005, in Cary, Miss.

Thompson also sends condolence cards, certificates of congressional recognition, and "survivor kits" that explain financial and other benefits available to the families of fallen servicemen. Thompson's office also provides resources to families to help them get the benefits they are due.

Rep. Charles Pickering Jr. tries to attend the funeral or the memorial service of all servicemen who are lost in the 3rd District, according to Pickering aide Kate King. When he is unable to attend, he sends a staff member in his place.

There have been six deaths in Rep. Gene Taylor's 4th District, and Taylor or one of his aides has attended all six, according to Taylor aide Beau Gex Taylor himself has been to four of the funerals, and he always takes time to talk to the family in private to thank them for their sacrifice and offer his assistance.

"Representative Taylor feels that he owes it to the troops to honor their sacrifice, particularly since he voted in favor of going to war in Iraq," Gex said.

This is not an obligation Bush, Barbour, Lott or Cochran feel they share. Yet, as casualties continue to mount and more families are left bereaved, these politicians' contention that they are only honoring the families' privacy will surely begin to wear thin.

Brian Johnson is a new writer and copy editor for the Jackson Free Press.