War and Warriors

I'm not much of a Patriot. I'll admit that. As an LJ or just a J, for that matter, I try not to be politically affiliated. Here's the deal: I don't like being a sheep. I don't like being told what to do or think by others. Democrats, Republicans, I won't follow anyone who tries to manipulate me and they all do.

At my first school board meeting I was asked to lead the group in the Pledge of Allegiance. It was an uncomfortable moment for me. First, I hadn't really said the Pledge in, like, twenty years or more and I couldn't remember how it went - in English. I can say it perfectly in Spanish. Second, when I was in school, I refused to say the Pledge in the first place. It was a personal choice and I didn't make a big deal out of it. I was just irritated that we said it without question about that whole separation of church and state thing. You know, "under God." I'm a history fiend. I looked it up and the original Pledge didn't have the God part. So I just didn't say it. Third, taking oaths and making pledges is against my religion. Leading the school board in the Pledge and violating my religious beliefs - kinda uncomfortable.

In my job as an LJ I have to talk to a lot of people from a lot of different backgrounds. They often surprise me. A VFW Auxiliary woman told me that she wishes President Bush's name was on the Vietnam Wall. "When I see that wall, I wonder, 'How many more walls?'" she said. What a remarkable thing to say.

One of the unenviable parts of my job is asking the really hard questions of people who have already been through enough in their lives. Operation Injured Soldier was founded by an Iraq War Vet. He was severely injured when the fuel truck he was riding in hit an IED. The explosion was devastating. Tony was terribly burned and he lost part of his hand and has burns on his face. The driver of the truck died. "I think about him every day," he told me. "He was just a kid out of basic." I had to ask him about that day. It is the story. "Tony," I said. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I understand, but can you please tell me about that day?" His voice strained with emotion, and he told me about his experience. I was shaking. He ended the interview with a fine quote. "It doesn't matter if you are for or against the war," he said. "This isn't about politics. This is about them."

In this blog I wrote about my encounter with the panel of Vietnam Vets who talked with the High School students. I often think about those kids sitting in perfect silence as one Vet read from his book about being in the war. He wrote about coming home, "home at last, home, home, home." Those Vets talked about those kids going off to war as though it were a forgone conclusion. Through choice or by draft, they will be in war.

I talked politics a little bit with my mother this weekend as she languished in the hospital, waiting for surgery. She hates the war. She always has.

As a Lesser Journalist, I find myself learning about life. I hate the war, too. People don't always have choices. Fighting isn't always cut and dry. I told my mother this: I hate the war, not the warriors. Talk to Tony for a few minutes and that becomes clear. I had one last question before I hung up with him. It just popped into my head and I asked it.

"One last thing, Tony, do you remember the date you were attacked?" He answered without hesitation.

"September 6, 2004. I'll never forget it," he said.

Neither will I.

Maybe being patriotic isn't cut and dry either.

TARB