I wonder if Riad Q. Citizen in Iraq would like to know that a great deal of US servicemen/women over there have websites about their tour of duty in Iraq with pictures and comments and all that.
Like it’s a vacation or something.
I know it’s not a vacation. They know it’s not a vacation. It is weird none-the-less.
Days gone by, you wrote a letter and it took a month to get there and was out of date by then. Now, war correspondence is on demand. In addition it includes visual aids. And requests to send more McNuggets, the platoon is running low.
I can understand families’ desires to stay in touch and informed of the well being of loved ones, it’s just weird. Reading about the fire mission of someone the same way one browses for VARV cabinetry on the IKEA site. Seems to marginalize the underlying reality, that there’s a freaking war going on. People are dying and atrocities (and war crimes?) are being committed.
At least Sgt. Jack’s site has Flash 6 though.
A foreign military rolls into the US, takes over and then sends pictures and amusing anecdotes back home about it while we wait in line for a job. Or bread. Or medical treatment. I dunno, doesn’t sit right with me.
I get the impression that from some folks now that Bush won, everything is back to ‘ok’. For the Kerry folks, they are worried about whether or not the voting machines were unplugged in Ohio. People sit and ponder these thoughts as they drive to Walmart to get their copy of HALO II or a Bratz Treehouse for their kids for Christmas.
Meanwhile over in Fallujah right now there’s kids cowering in corners, wondering if when they finallly are able to get their wounded mom or dad to the hospital if the hospital will still be standing.
Seems to me we are continually taking our eye off the ball.
No matter what guy-in-a-blue-suit is in the White House now, I, and most other Americans (don’t get me started on the fact that people tend to overlook those in need here at home, that’s a whole ‘nother diatribe) will be able to go to bed tonight – on a mattress, no less – and sleep ok – heartburn from the Pizza Hut delivery not withstanding.
The interesting thing about this blog stuff is that I can stop in the middle, save the file and come back to edit later without posting. The previous paragraph is where I had stopped yesterday. I just re-read my ramblings and sometimes I think I should just delete the junk. I go on and on and I complain, I satirize, I philosphize – but I offer no solutions, no ideas. I’m the first to admit this. In fact this is perhaps what frustrates me the most. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. There’s hundreds of organizations and foundations waiting to take my time and money. Everyday one or another of them turns out to be no good. Where does my money really go? I could give my time, but hey, who has any of that anymore? I did the one thing I thought could make a difference and voted – and it didn’t.
I feel like I should be doing some good, I want to do some good, but have no idea where to focus my energies. I’ve read in places that alot of people focus on one area that they are passionate about. Is that like picking your favorite child? Like “oh, these people are suffering over here, and these people are too. There’s injustice here AND there. Um. Eeny meanie miny moe. I choose this cause. Somebody else will have to help those other people – my fight is with these.” What if nobody helps those other people?
There’s no simple answer, of this I am sure, but you are welcome to stay tuned as I try and find an outlet for my activist energies. I’ll keep you posted.