No words. One death, a tragedy; one million, a statistic. The treasures of a nation, her young, are often squandered by the old and powerful - all too often seeking nothing more than, well, more.
Platitudes and cliches are cold comfort for grieving mothers and wives, or, what's worse, children left behind.
And cold deaths suffered in foreign fields, in broken buildings or hot desert roads aren't in the service of some "greater good"; or at least not for them doing the dying.
So here's my Memorial Day wish, I'd like a little shame. A little shame from leaders who send their young men to die, after their leadership has failed. War is hell, but an easily found hell. True peace - the harder, more well hidden destination.
Sorry: no words, indeed.
3 comments:
A beautifully-worded call to consciousness, my son. You have my shame, it is freely given.
Thank you for reminding me of the TRUE meaning of Memorial Day.
That was beautiful.
Every one of those people has a mother or father or sibling or spouse that aches for them every day. Though they can say their child or loved one gave all for their country and their beliefs, the ache will never go away.
This is why I'm proud of our Remembrance Day and take our two minutes of silence very seriously.
And this is why I cry on same.
I hate these protestors that sit outside our military bases and at the graveside services of our fallen soldiers. Let them go sit on Bush's front porch and every politician that supported his rise to power.
It's never the decision makers that suffer,
You have my shame as well and our soldiers have my support.
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