Self-serving group mistreats Turillo

Although the attacks on September 11th have changed the context, popularity and the usage of such words as: sacrifice, patriotism, and hero, it has not kept the vast majority of the population from misrepresenting themselves through these words. We believe we are committing an act of sacrifice when we listen to the President speak about "sacrifice." We feel that we are fulfilling an act of patriotism when we raise the flag, or attach bumper stickers to our cars. When, in reality, if this is all we have done, then all we have accomplished is to have "talked the talk."

In our community there are people who have silently "walked the walk." They have known the meaning of sacrifice, patriotism and true heroic acts. I am referring to the men and women who have served in the war on terror. Though I know there are many in our community, I do not know of all of them and for this I truly apologize. I do know of Mr. Michael Turillo, a civilian soldier, who left his four little children, his wife, and his home to go to a foreign land to fight a war.

Though I do not know Mr. Turillo personally, I doubt that he was filled with joy when he was called to serve in Iraq. I imagine that he and his wife had many sleepless nights of anticipation: one less parent to read to the kids at night, to say prayers with them, to tuck them into bed. I have no doubt if asked why he went, he would reply to make the world safe for his children. In making the world safe for his children, Mr. Turillo is making it safe for our children. Mr. Turillo's act of sacrifice may have kept him from such things as accompanying his children to their first day of school, witnessing his son's first catch of a baseball, escorting his daughter to the "Sweet Heart Dance;" but his sacrifice of these opportunities allowed us to experience these once in a lifetime parental moments. Mr. Turillo served so we wouldn't have to.

"We," who are fortunate enough to be able to afford to live in this community (are so because, unlike Mr. Turillo and those of his special ilk, we were not called away from our jobs for six to 18 months to go and fight in a war) should be outraged at what has recently happened to Mr. Turillo's family.

Mr. Turillo, after com- pleting every procedure that was asked of him, was promised the position as lighthouse keeper. But, because of the Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Association 's specious and self-serving claims that it is unsafe for a family with small children to maintain occupancy of the lighthouse, Mr. Turillo's dream of raising his family as he was raised has been shattered.

A wise man once told me that a heroic act is an act that a person performs for someone who couldn't do it for himself. The lighthouse association had a chance to do something heroic. Yes, it would have required them to sacrifice their ideology (for only three years!), ownership of the lighthouse and to be able to appoint their own lighthouse keeper. Instead they made a choice that required the least amount of sacrifice. The association sent a letter to Washington, knowing that it would sabotage any agreement that had been worked out locally for Mr. Turillo's family and thus assuring the fulfillment of the association agenda. For that I say shame on you!

For the rest of us who live in the Jamestown community, especially those of us who line Narragansett Avenue to watch the Memorial Day parade; those of us who are proud to be Americans and know that that pride comes with a price; those of us who swell with patriotic fervor when we see the phalanx of flags that surround Veterans Square; for those of us who have said in the past and will say in the future "we do support our troops," I say - if we do not do everything in our power to fix this wrong that was done to this war veteran and his family - then shame on us!

Bob Tamboe

Jamestown