17 May 2007

Memorial Day

I'm afraid I went AWOL on Wednesday and decided to drive around the countryside doing errands and visiting. When I got home I was too tired to blog so I guess I ditched "blogging" yesterday (and doesn't that just feel like high school all over again).
Today, I'm back and thinking about troops-- yes, that has come to mean individual soldiers, not groups of soldiers, which I believe to be incorrect, but the media seems to think it's just fine. Anyway, Memorial Day is coming, and I received an e-mail my favorite candidate, John Edwards, asking people to do something to support the troops ( www.supporthetroopsendthewar.com ). I signed another petition and sent more money, but the most important part of the site was asking individuals to do something for Memorial Day: speak out, pray, support a veteran, send a care package, organize a candle light vigil or any other activity. The important thing was to make a commitment, and send back information on what you did. I decided to adopt a soldier and send a care package (www.troopcarepackage.com ).
If I were 20 years old and living in a tent in the desert-I would be thrilled to get something from a stranger back in the USA who was thinking about me. So that's what I am going to do.

I agree with John Edwards and many others who feel that the best way to support our men and women is to bring them safely home. We will not end centuries of ethnic infighting by brute force, and certainly not by "democracy" which is probably as alien to Iraqis, as women in Burkha's on Rodeo Drive.
In my mind, all we have done by inserting ourselves into the middle of these Arab states, is create a vortex of fear, hate, anger, ethnic cleansing and violence. I agree that Saddam Hussein was a ruthless dictator, and had no concept of what human rights were. But during his reign of terror,(ps--speaking of reign of terror-- why not take a look at Darfur??) Iraq was at least functioning-they had water, electricity, education, health care, and oil production. We've pretty much destroyed their infrastructure, and most of the country with no idea how to fix it, still don't. Enough.
As a sidenote, Vietnam, left over, 57,000 soldiers (of my generation) dead, while the American people protested, and the government stonewalled. I can't do much, but sign petitions, send checks and make phone calls. So this Memorial Day, I'm going to see what I can do for one soldier-- or "troop". At least, one of these brave Americans will have the name and a face, and maybe some cookies.

2 comments:

A.Fanny said...

Glad to hear you played hookie - it's an important creative thing to lollygag. What beside cookies will go into the care package? A lovely thing to do!

Doris Rose said...

toys, food, pictures of home...I dunno...

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