Grieving mom says letters inspired her to join Sept. 11 peace group
Mari-Rae Sopper, who grew up in Inverness and was a star gymnast at Fremd High School, was on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. The 35-year-old had just quit her job as an attorney and Navy JAG officer and was on her way to California to start a new life as a college gymnastics coach. The subject line of the last email she sent to her friends and family summed it up: “New Job, New City, New State, New Life.”
Her mother, Marion Kminek, shares some of the letters about her daughter and how they moved her to join a group dedicated to peace.
#376; #8220;Some people thought Mari-Rae just wasn't cut out for the military because, truth be told, she really wasn't very good at being a follower, although she really did try. Many more people thought Mari-Rae was exactly the kind of officer the military needs. Either way, to be certain, she was one of the most irrepressibly independent thinkers many of us who worked with her at Appellate Defense had ever encountered. Not surprisingly, she quickly became an exceptional appellate lawyer. She fought for justice for each and every service member she represented and always gave her clients the benefit of the doubt.#8221;
#376; #8220;One of the most beautiful things about Mari-Rae is that she did more than just get upset when she saw injustice #8212; she acted on so many of her convictions. A staunch advocate for women's and children's rights, she was a dedicated mentor to a child at risk from a very poor middle school district in Alexandria, Va. It would be hard to find anyone more deeply patriotic than Mari-Rae. The strength of her conviction that the individual could make a difference in our democratic government made ME feel more optimistic about our government and made me believe that activism and ideals really were not just meant to be the stuff of youth.#8221;
#376; #8220;I was mentoring and assisting her on the case that she had pending in the U.S. Supreme Court. Many lesser attorneys would have sought the fame of arguing a case in the U.S. Supreme Court, regardless of the negative effects such was likely to have both on the specific client and others accused of crimes. Mari-Rae took a position that was honorable to the profession of law, but most certainly deprived her of an opportunity to appear before the Supreme Court. That case has had an impact on every death penalty case in the U.S. and also every military court-martial thereafter.#8221;
#376; #8220;Mari-Rae was unique, beautiful and talented. She had a rare way of looking at the world #8212; she was trusting, nonjudgmental and full of ideas. I remember her coming to me in her first week when she swore she couldn't wear the required uniform skirt length and figured that if she just explained it to her commanding officer #8212; who would be a reasonable person #8212; she could get it shortened a bit. The Navy never had a more dedicated, passionate, intelligent lawyer. She brought honor, integrity and courage to every case she ever had, and she fought hard for every client she represented.#8221;
After hearing about my daughter and the way she lived her life, you can understand why I joined September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows. This group was launched on Feb. 15, 2002, with the hope that ALL of our nation's powers #8212; our political, legal, economic and spiritual power #8212; rather than simply our military power, would be brought to bear in ending terrorism. In the outpouring of support our nation received after the 9/11 killings of nearly 3,000 people, we recognized a strength that went beyond military strength. In that international support, we recognized the common cause shared by almost everyone on the planet: the desire for peace, freedom and self-determination for themselves and for future generations.
By developing and advocating nonviolent options and action in the pursuit of justice, we hope to break the cycles of violence engendered by war and terrorism.
Acknowledging our common experience with all people affected by violence throughout the world, we work to create a safer and more peaceful world for everyone.
As Martin Luther King said: #8220;Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows.#8221;
Let's bring our troops home now and take care of them when they get here!