In today's NY Times Book Review, Robert E. Lee is quoted as saying, "It is well that war is so terrible. We should grow too fond of it." Is it a coincidence that the people that rush us into wars never served and that the people that have a more nuanced approach to war all did? I think not. Check this website for a list of prominent Republicans and Democrats who served our country and who didn't. It is terribly depressing.
If you have HBO and you haven't watched "Last Letters Home", you really should. Of course, many people are criticizing the inappropriateness of airing the show during war time. God forbid the American public should be able to see the pain of the families who have lost loved ones. The NY Times also published many last letters from soldiers last week.
As always, Middle Musings sums up the hypocrisy quite nicely. Read her 11-11 entry. Wisdom Weasel also brings up some good points in this entry.
And then read this scary article from yesterday's NY Times about how the same-sex marriage ban has divided the town of Granville, Ohio. I think that the quote below from Marla Krak sums up the way a lot of people feel in this country and it blows me away.
For members of the more conservative religious community, the passage of Issue 1 was met with a sense of satisfaction in knowing that their faith-oriented beliefs were shared by many. Some saw it as an important corrective to what they perceived as the news media's "normalizing" of gay relationships.
"Many Democrats I know are fearful about the economy, but I feel that if you go back to the basics, things will fix themselves," said Marla Krak, a mother of three who said she believed that homosexuality was a choice.
Who needs The Onion when you've got people like Marla Krak? So there we have it: No sodomy = good economy!
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6 comments:
looking at those photos from LIFE at the ICP yesterday really drove home the point of how scared the media is these days. they don't want to be rebuked by the administration and the FCC has all the broadcasters running scared with their priggishness. it's enough to make me want to drop a couple of f-bombs should i somehow find a TV camera in my vicinity. their pictures and words, people. your eyes and ears will not start bleeding upon exposure to them. and if you don't want to see/hear it, there are plenty of alternatives (for now) to occupy your time.
this country grows more frustrating by the day. i don't even have the energy to expend on the whole "gay is a choice" bullshit.
Dan, your blogs are often a very bright spot in my day! I walk around thinking - I really, really like this guy! Thank you for being Chris' friend, for being my friend, and for all the "shout outs" to my blog. I have just spent 7 hours at a rehearsal for our studio's production of the Nutcracker. There is a mom there whose son is in Iraq for the THIRD time. I made a special point of talking with her today, and expressing my concern for her, her son, and their family. If anyone wants to know what war looks like, one only need to look into this woman's face. I just pray that they don't get a "Last Letter Home".
I couldn't agree more with you and Jamie, especially after seeing all three exhibits at ICP on Saturday. In some ways I feel like people have been taught not to trust the media, but in some ways the media is to blame as well.
The saturation of staged "events" and photo ops have made "the news" less about actual occurences and more about planned public relations - something I thought about when we were discussing Kennedy traveling by train on the campaign trail. Those photos gave me the sense of an impromptu gathering - homemade signs, people outside to see what was going on, etc. - while rallies from this year's campaign seemed more like Hollywood casting calls, transplanted from one city to the next.
Michelle said:
I lost my cousin this weekend in Iraq; and I've just been spending the past two hours torturing myself looking through photos online of the war wondering if maybe I'll see him & the looks in the faces of the Iraqi people completely mirror what I'm feeling. I think people forget that pain transcends language, culture and religion...America has lost 1,194 people as of yesterday - at last count Iraq has lost over 100,000. 101,194+ people lost for what?
As for the coffins - I find it most upsetting that they are "shipping" my cousin back in cargo, but those pictures that were released earlier this year to the chagrin of the government is the only thing that brings me a little comfort because I know he is not alone.
I blame this war solely on Bush and his cabinet - the senators & reps approved it, but I assume it was on the naive grounds that Bush would be rational and simply use it as a threat, not as an approval from the US to actually go. Does anyone know however if any of the sens/reps sons or daughters are actually serving in Iraq? I know Michael Moore asked something like that in Farhenheit, but I haven't watched it yet...Was there an answer?
michelle, i'm so sorry to hear about your loss. that is truly awful.
My thoughts are with you and your family as well, Michelle.
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