I had to drive to the smaller of our two hospitals this morning and on the way, passed a truck full of guys "planting" crosses on the roadside. The crosses are white, about three feet tall and bear the names of area soldiers who have given their lives and in which war they were lost. I saw Panama, WWII, WWI, and Vietnam in the first set of crosses which were already standing.
What struck me is that the crosses from this one little community covered three miles of road, both sides. I was at the hospital for three hours and on my way back, the guys were still putting up the crosses. Makes you think. I hold my sons so dear - and in reading there crosses I saw several of the same last names, probably brothers - or cousins or at least relatives. The amount of pain that those famlies must have had to bear is just incredible.
And yet today, we still have scores of people overseas in a war. As we drove through West Virgina a couple of months ago we were struck by the signs, written on bedsheets - welcoming home soldiers from Iraq - or Bosnia - or Afghanistan...places many of these folks only know about from the news. Reporters skew things on the news, these famlies know the sacrifice they have made - that their sons and daughters have made- and the are entitled to feel proud.
Yesterday I followed a link on Chris's website to a journalist who is with the troops in Iraq. Here is the link if you are interested, his pictures and commentary are really interesting. I don't always understand the policitcs of war - I should, but I dont' bother to delve that deeply. What I do know is that as Memorial Day approaches, I will try to keep in mind those thousands of mothers who gave up their sons to their country.
5 comments:
Amen. Driving down that same road every day on the way to and from work, it really makes me think. What's more, I think about how small that town must have been back during the forties. How decimated was that town, when so many of the young men didn't come home?
War affects everyone. Both sides suffer. Not only those who fight, but also those who keep the home fires burning. Mothers. Sisters. Parents and friends. Kids. I wish Pres. Bush would stop his silly war and bring America's soldiers home again.
"War is Hell"
Good post, it makes you think. To see the names on cenotaphs and war memorials is depressing and overwhelming, and yet we never learn that war won't stop itself.
Why do grown men send their peers(serfs/slaves/inferiors)in to fight the wars that they, themselves, started? Inhuman.
I'm a pacifist in that regard. Remember those that were sent to their deaths with honour.
They did what they were told, and got killed for it.
I know this sounds a bit provocative, but this is something more people should feel strongly about.
I know that my grandfather's brothers went to war - third generation Irishmen - and several of htem didn't ocme home. I dont' want the draft - honestly becasue I have boys I dont' want to sacrifice. You hit a good point, that so many of the folks in our military go because it is a way out of poverty. It isn't the cross section of society like it wsa back in the 40's.
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