"My brother said he would break my legs if I went into the Army," stated a 47 ish man describing what his older brother told him in 1982 when he graduated from high school. This man's brother was an Army veteran and had followed in the tradition of their father, their uncle and their grandfather in joining the Army.
Today, according to this man his older brother is now a prominent patent attorney. This 47 ish man is a film maker and each holiday season he helps homeless veterans by volunteering some time at the Los Angeles Mission.
But on June 2nd, he got mugged outside a local Bank of America branch. The police captured the mugger but this 47 ish man is recovering from severe injuries and is using a cane to walk for fear he might fall without it. He is living with his mother as his caregiver. He said he has seen the vigil on many occasions and wanted to join it, which he did last night for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, the prestigious British newspaper The Guardian reported that violent incidents are up 39 percent in Afghanistan from a year ago and despite claims of "progress" from the U.S. and NATO, the violence is growing.* Recently for example, the Taliban struck in the heart of the capitol, Kabul, attacking the U.S. Embassy, NATO headquarters and the police headquarters, all of which are heavily secured. It took 20 hours to repel the attack and it delivered the message to Afghans and to everyone else that no place in Afghanistan is safe. This after 10 years of U.S. war and occupation.
But thousands of miles away on our busy Pacific Coast Highway street corner, among all the horn honks and waves of support, the most touching moment of the vigil for me was when a small sedan stopped at a red light. In the backseat with the rear window down was an 9 ish little girl who read the sign and with her small brown and white dog cheek to cheek with her, she waved and smiled at us. The warm glow of her smile could have melted a Popsicle and it certainly melted me.
John Fortier who participates in this vigil launched a vigil nearby that he has held each Friday night since just before President George W. Bush began the invasion and occupation of Iraq in March, 2003. The vigil I host has taken place since January, 2006. Not only do we remind people of the huge price in lives that these wars have cost, but it is with the hope that people will raise their voices to end these wars, a power they have if only they will use it as others did to end the Vietnam War. If you are not raising your voice, please as a matter of conscience and compassion, speak up now, for every day these wars bring more victims and more heartache.
Dick
*The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/9870210
No comments:
Post a Comment