Monday, May 31, 2010

Memorial Day

It’s hard for me to put my opinion on war into words. War, in my mind, is an animal so closely related to hate that it is hard to believe that it is often graced with words like honor, strength and loyalty. For every good thing that had ever come out of a war, there were hundreds of evils released to wreak havoc on billions of people who never did anything but get up in the morning. When discussing war crimes, a writer whom a greatly admire once wrote, “All wars are crimes.”

I have not always felt this way. In fact, I was a staunch supporter at one point (no surprise, weren’t we all?). I was so full of frustration, fear and anger that I fully supported our Government raining all hell on anyone who m I didn’t like. I wanted the U.S. Armed forces to be the “arm of the Lord” and I was fully ready to put the fear of God into any and all who ever dared to hurt me again. I wanted to defend my freedom and I knew that blood would be shed for its cause.

Now I don’t know. I don’t think anyone else does either.

War seems so different now than when I was growing up. No one can truthfully tell the difference between peace time and war time, enemies cannot be identified until after someone has been killed; our boys are out there fighting ghosts. They are out there doing things, seeing things and becoming a part of a history that people back home do not want to recognize. Back home, we’re too busy avoiding the real truth that there is a continental-sized mess on our hands, and rather than fixing it, we take turns placing blame and calling each other names.

There is a real evil in the world that drives people to the point of madness that even bloodshed is not enough to satisfy the hate that runs through their veins. I am grateful for those men and women who died protecting me from that hatred. I am grateful that I have never, ever seen the horrors of such deep, abiding hatred. I am grateful that I never had to kill my brother over land or property. I have never had to fight to defend the life of those seen as less-than-equal. I have never had to liberate entire continents from the grips of madmen. I have never had to fight for people who have no global voice, or global worth. I have never had to fight while my neighbors, family and friends have openly declared against the wars being fought. I have never had to fight. I am thankful and relieved, for I would never come back the same person, if I even came back at all.

“All wars are crimes,” but let us never forget those who sacrificed their own breath for crimes that they did not commit. Let us not forget for the fathers and sons, mothers and daughters who left the comforts of this land and ran into the hells across the globe for no other reason than to ensure that we didn’t have to. They died, so that I might live, so that we all may live in peace that I hope will soon arrive for everyone everywhere.

“There are deeds that must not pass away. There are memories that must not wither.”

Happy Memorial Day