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Written by Andrew Olson - View Profile
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Sunday, 18 March 2007 |
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We’ve all heard it, many many times. Whether you have stood by the slogan with resilience, or have zealously opposed it, now is a time to step back and really try to take an objective look at the situation. The situation is a problematic one for most of us, as it is for me. But we are also exacerbating the situation, all of us. That situation of course, is the War on Terror, specifically that military operation in Iraq. With the bleak anniversary of war looming over us all, a whopping 4 years in Iraq, 5 on the front it’s time we all shift our views, widened our scopes.
For me, the priority lies with our troops. I am sympathetic to the turmoil of the Middle East, and to the innocents dying everyday. But the fact remains that the Middle East was in turmoil before we invaded Afghanistan, and it will remain in turmoil when we finally leave Iraq. All the while we have troops dying on a daily basis, and exponentially more being maimed. Hopefully all of us have had our eyes opened to the atrocities of our wounded soldiers homecoming and deplorable medical treatment and housing. When the death of drugged out Playboy Bunny becomes the most culturally significant news item of our culture, especially in the face of so many untold stories of genuine and truly heroic people serving their country with such sacrifices, it greatly depresses me.
I had a very close group of my best friends who were in Iraq for over a year. I never thought we should have been in Iraq, I never thought we should have been in Afghanistan. Neither made sense to me, and I saw no reason why my closest group of friends with the National Guard must risk their lives for no apparent reason. When people close to you are involved, it greatly changes your view of things. It was hard to be so vehemently opposed to this escapade and support my friends. It seemed contradictory to me, and was difficult. Of course, as the war grew in age, its controversial nature only grew. By the time they returned, there was widespread disapproval. We the boys got back, for 6 months it was noting but a party. We went out literally, every single night. The adaptation for the guys was one of reckless abandonment; they just didn’t fit back in. In the midst of college, classes were skipped regularly and eventually dropped, education for a better tomorrow was a joke to them, became a joke to me. Priorities were turned on their heads, of what we’ve been taught, the utter realization at the age of 21 that this is your only chance at life, don’t waste it; instead get wasted. Basically it was a baseball bat to the face, but it banded us together, quite literally made us family. Money and bar tabs didn’t matter any more, We hardly called each other because we were always together, and all our living areas were communal just as clothes and food were a necessity not just for the legal tenant, but for the rest of the group as well.
In the midst of it all, stories, philosophies, ethical questions of war and mass market death all came about as they would for anyone. The guys struggled with their views. Many were opposed to the war, when looking from the outside in, the common response almost always coming up that, “I never asked to be a part of this” almost always clashing violently with a the world is against us and we have to stick together mentality. A buddy summed it up great. “I don’t think we should have gone to Iraq, I see that, yeah I think Bush ****ed up. But all I ask is that you don’t throw eggs at us when driving by, what the hell does that do, what the hell does that tell us?”
As you look at the war now, try doing it with someone else’s glasses on. Remember that the bureaucrats that are now changing face for the upcoming elections, for the vast majority, voted to support this war they now rip apart. Know that Congress, although possibly taking a stance on the troop increase, are still pouring in millions of dollars to support the war. And that Democrats are finding solace in candidates that didn’t have to lay down their perspectives on the war at the beginning of this Fiasco. That supporting the troops is a double edge sword, if you support the war, you should also equally support their well-being once their home, and respect families wishes and rights for those who have come home under different circumstances. Know that this is not a red or a blue, a black or a white, a rich or a poor person’s war, but that it is mine as well as it is yours, whether I oppose it with audacity or your support it with tenacity. Try to appreciate the stance of the man or woman across the street, honk proudly but not blindly, understand this is a problem that has embedded itself in the psyche of our nation and it will continue to fester and perpetuate itself until we can come together, hopefully somewhere in the middle of road.
--Drew
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Well said
Written by Is Everybody In? on 2007-03-19 18:30:26
So many of us ignore the situation because it's taking place "over there." But, we are sacrificing our kids for a worthless cause. Thanks for waking us up to the personal side. |
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Ravings, rantings, and gibberish. (36)
writen by: Drew
What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew |
|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
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|  | Here at Nextnc we have some characters. Get a sneak peak behind the curtain and find out what amusing antics our staffers get themselves into on a weekly basis. | |
| | What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
|  | Life's little morsels of inspiration, observation and encouragement seen through the eyes of the Nextnc reporter.
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|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
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