Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.
This world in arms is not spending money alone.
It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.
This is not a way of life at all in any true sense.
Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron. ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower, speech, American Society of Newspaper Editors, 16 April 1953
I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity. ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower
The United States Military Industrial Complex has might. General and former President Eisenhower understood this. He warned Americans. Abundant might does not make right; it only advances the notion of righteousness. Patriotism is promoted through militarism. His words fell on deaf ears. The sound was hollow in contrast to the drone of drumbeats. At the time, Americans were as they are today; dedicated to the customs we think characterize democracy.
We see this in many a war and peace policy. Questions are asked of the government and the people. Testimony is taken. Think tanks assess Foreign Policy. Conclusions are drawn and decisions made. Still, in 2010, a few within the electorate wonder as General Eisenhower had.. With Al-Qaida Fading, Why Expand the Afghan War?
Only today Cable News Network aired a report that suggests most of those who want a public option health care plan are African Americans, Persons in this population are more likely to be uninsured. Statistics show dark skinned individuals also seem predisposed to poor health. News broadcaster Kyra Phillips continues. Black people, when surveyed, say they think Mister Obama has performed well in office. In contrast, far fewer white Americans approve of what the Obama Administration has done on the job. Subtly, Ms Phillips reminds the audience, the current President of the United States is the nation's first Black Commander-In-Chief. The implication is obvious.
Yet, the tale is not necessarily as told. Witness the stories shared in a MoveOn.org video, study the faces, and consider the situation of those who say they cannot afford to wait for health care reform, Mostly white faces fill the screen.
MoveOn.org presents this production with a desire to seek donations. This self-proclaimed "Progressive" organization hopes to advance the Democratic candidate, and look for dollars to do so. In essence, MoveOn would wish the public to think that if we advocate for Barack Obama then the Party platform will be fulfilled. As one who does not necessarily see these two entities as equivalent, I offer this audio-visual presentation more as a tool to inform than a request for a contribution.
"The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Toiled ever upward through the night."
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Peace comes upon us without much fanfare. Most await an announcement or seek a moment of resolve. However, the message never comes. In this country, in our local communities, and perchance planet wide, a small number of people acknowledge goodwill is not created in an instant. It grows. The transition from warfare to common welfare is invisible. Tranquility enters; and no one stands triumphantly. Buglers do not blow their horns. Twenty-one guns do not salute. Serenity is a state of being. This is true for individuals and for the world as a whole. Harmony, once achieved will be but a hush. Peace grows as a tree does, from the roots up.
A soldier's story is our story. On this April afternoon, I attended a memorial. Americans in my local community, as well as those in every other region of the country, mourned the recession. People pondered the reality; this war affects our daily lives and our fiscal stability. In my neighborhood, Michael Prysner, an Iraq War veteran offered his theory on the theme, Recession and the Iraq War; A Soldier's Story. I share an introduction to his tale and an invitation. Please peruse the musings of Michael Prysner.
What does it mean to be a Progressive? A long time ago, those in America who thought it best to work for the greater good, defined themselves as Liberals. However, in the late 1980s that term was given a negative connotation. Liberals lost their way. Then, they [we] progressed. The tem Liberal went through a metamorphosis. Now, those who actively express their concern for society as a whole identify themselves as Progressive.
Tell Congress to "Support our troops. Bring them home!"
MoveOn.org and soldiers far from American shores are asking for your assistance. Families here in the States hope that you will help. We, the public understand the hurts these persons experience. We feel them too. Americans long for a return to calm. Iraqis do as well. There is much evidence that this battle did not need to be. I invite you to speak your mind, talk from the heart, and do whatever you can to help our troops and to free the citizens of Iraq.
This weekend I had the opportunity to touch Ohio. I volunteered. With thanks to MoveOn.org, I “called for change.” I shared my support for Democratic Senate, candidate Sherrod Brown. Phew, what a relief this was, interesting, inspiring, and sadly, disillusioning. Nevertheless, I was, I am elated.
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