Memorial Day--a toast
Words from President Bush's weekly radio address in which he talks about Memorial Day, which is tomorrow:
Sacrifice, freedom, brave, valor, sacred, independence, proud, responsibilities, dignity, honor, good, devoted, commemorate, liberty, bravery, win, secured, heroes, thanks, opportunity, served, delivered, loved, dearly.
On memorial day, 2 U.S. veterans will commit suicide. U.S. troops will kill 7 civilians in Iraq, comprising fully 1/7 of the 47 civilians who will die from war related violence in Iraq on memorial day.
So raise your glasses and be upstanding. I propose a toast. To the American War Dead--to honor, valor, freedom, sacrifice, liberty, dignity, untreated PTSD, and suicide. And to all the other deaths that the American War Dead helped bring about. To the 1 million Iraqi War dead, and the 5 million Vietnamese War Dead. And the 30,000 Nicaraguan War Dead. And the 200,000 Guatemalan War Dead. And the 75,000 Salvadoran Civil War Dead. And finally, to the millions and millions of internally and externally displaced people whose displacement is directly traceable to American military interventions, and thus to the American War Dead. To the dead and displaced!
1 comment:
Thanks for writing too! ;-) I'm glad to find your blog - I like the way you think. My world view is changing and it's nice to know there are others who are thinking compassionately about those affected by war. I think the consequences of our choices cause us so much emotional discomfort that we feel we must spend time justifying our actions so we don't feel so guilty. Thankfulness, pride, and honor are much easier emotions than regret, remorse, and sorrow for those who suffer from war.
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