Current Mood:contemplative
Current Music:dog’s psychic whining – feed us feed us
TK
A Friday. Some things were closed, some things weren’t. Garbage was picked up, right on schedule.
Stephen Cobert tried to help out and make Armistice Day relevant – xTreMe!!, in today’s marketing parlance.
I thought of Richard D. Bartley for a bit. Also thought of my dad, and Boo’s dad. My uncles. Wallace boys didn’t do to shabby at the service to country part.
2,000 crosses are in the sand at Santa Monica. Sunset candle-light vigil was scheduled. Bush got angry at his critics.
I used to make my way down to the Mall in DC on Veteran’s Day. All somber and shit – trying to figure out what it was all about, why we’d keep asking so much from our citizens. Just caught the last 15 minutes of a Discovery-Times docu on ‘Citizen Soldiers, about our reservists who’ve been to Iraq. The price that is paid for the gift that is given… possibly a fair trade in some valuation, I just kinda wish we were dying for a more righteous reason than, and I quote the AP on today’s visit by Condi Rice – “religious unity.” Uh, yeah, Condi – that’s what’s gonna happen in Iraq… oh, wait – maybe not.
Well, it’s troubling to me to ponder what exactly it is we give those who give the most. I recall reading about crappy death benefits being doubled by concerned congress-critters. I recall reading about the ones who make it back, but spend time at Walter Reed, only to see that they have bills from the government for issued equipment that they might not have been in the position to turn in, what with the bleeding and holes in their bodies and missing limbs. But God bless us, our gov’t sends the bills out. It’s just the way we say “Thanks” – kind of gets you right in the heart, doesn’t it?
Yet, what have I done? I had a bumper sticker (or three) when I had a bumper. I’m thinking of finding a POW/MIA plate holder for the Radian. I’ll occasionally ponder losing 70 lbs and checking back in with The Blue, but not because I believe in what we’re doing in Iraq (I don’t – being lied to isn’t really a compelling reason to invade a country, or to die trying), but because I’d love to get my security clearance re-activated. Ha… there’s a good reason to sign the dotted line.
Support. Respect. Wish they were home – all things I do for our troops. And then I think about going to see Jarhead, cause I like the soundtrack on the trailer. Three Kings was decent – god, I remember checking that out with Snoozie and being impressed – who knew that would be a movie about the ‘first’ Gulf war? Wow…
And so I blog. What the hell, right? Here are some words about how I’m feeling, and what I’m thinking on Veteran’s Day, 2005. As a country, we are at war with terrorism er… involved in the Struggle Against Violent Extremism, but still at war on Drugs, Poverty, and let’s not forget, Homosexuals!!! (Or is it only them marrying each other? What if they wanted to marry straight people? Hmmm… Next on Fox – Gay + Strait = Gaits!! or Stays!! … talk about wedding disasters!)
Where was I? Oh – yeah – Thank you, America’s Military Forces. I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without your support. I’ll buy you a beer when you get back, ok?
wow….
:+s+: