A Moment Of Silence Please

Dear Great Aunt Pat,

I don't think I ever said thank you for being so nice to me. You always greeted me with a warm smile, a tight hug and a nice compliment. You were kind when other's in our family called me a hippie and did not mean it as a compliment. When other's made underhanded remarks you were always ready with a steady hand resting on my shoulder.

You laughed easily and out loud. You were warm and always thought of everyone else. You always asked me about my Grandparents who lived so far away in Florida, and always loved to remind me how much my Grandpa, your brother, loved me when I was a little girl and glowed when he was around me.

You remembered things that I was too young to remember and never let me forget that family is important.

And you gave me Dorothy, your daughter and my big cousin, who I adore.

I will see you for the last time on Saturday. I will always love you and I will miss you terribly. Please say hello to Grandma, Uncle Mike, Opa, Uncle Paul, Uncle Steve, Christopher and of course Lady for me.

Love,

Kala

I Love My Country, I Think Otherwise of My President

His speech started plainly enough:

“My greatest responsibility as President is to protect the American people. And that's your calling, as well. I thank you for your service, your courage and your sacrifice. I thank your families, who support you in your vital work.” Simply thanking people for their hard work and effort.”

But I took it the wrong way. I was appalled that he thanked our soldiers for sacrificing their lives. I was appalled that he had the audacity to *thank* them. It felt cocky and false.

1,700 men and women have died in Iraq so far, and there is no end in sight. They deserved a heck of a lot more than a thank you. They deserved a ticket home.

I was hoping that this speech that President Bush gave would be one of tolerance, one that spoke of peace. The message was clear, but it was not one of peace. The message was one of hatred and violence. Of self absorption, arrogance and ignorance of other cultures. I listened to a man make a speech about the brutality of war, the endless death on both sides and act as if, well this here is what we’re going to do because I say so.

I sat in my living room appalled and I can only imagine what his speech looked like from the other side of the world. How did it look to someone, just like me, in say Germany or France and listening to the same speech? Our American leaders look like bullies and cowards.

A few notes:

How about re-making Iraq in the image of a Muslim country where Muslim’s could live and be Muslim.

Iraq did not attack America. We attacked them. You twisted the words to be inclusive of Iraq so that you can justify the war.

If you continue to see images of violence and bloodshed perhaps it is because the Iraqis do not want American Troops there. Perhaps we should just leave.

You speak of all of these horrible things that Iraqi insurgents are doing; car bombs, sneak attacks, etc. But I thought this was a war. Is it supposed to be fair? And I am pretty sure the Iraqis feel like they are defending their right to their own country. And is it not the winners who write the history books. So we shall see.

You want to ‘advance freedom’ by shoving it down someone else’s throat. How does that make them free? How does that give them the freedom to choose when it is forced upon them by another country? Perhaps they do not want Democracy. But it should not be the American Government’s choice. Ever.

Yes the American’s have made progress in terms of new roads and new schools and medicine. And I love that these social programs are being implemented. But can we not do that and still pull out of the war? Can we not provide aid and allow the country to govern it’s self?

Really - a clear path? I am not seeing a clear path? A clear path to what? More money in your pocket when you and Donald Rumsfeld have figured out a way to make friends in High Oil Type Places.

I am saddened and frustrated by this war.