Fuck.
Fuck Fuck.
I am usually a bit more eloquent that this. But FUCK!!
I live in a small town called Mechanicsville, VA. When the U.S.S. Cole was bombed in October of 2000, we lost Ken Clodfelter. He was a great kid. His folks played Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause every year at the local Christmas breakfast. Salt of the earth people. There is a bridge named Ken’s name about 1/2 mile from my house.
Sorry about your son. Here’s a plaque we put up on this bridge over I-295. A plaque. On a frickin’ bridge. Thanks. :rolleyes:
I guess in 2000 after the U.S.S. Cole was bombed, we had no idea how bloody things would really get.
This week in our local paper we find out that Heathe Craig was killed in Afghanistan. (article is 1/2 way down the page)
When a Blood kills a Crip, We know that a reprisal killing will soon follow. A Crip will avenge the death by killing a Blood. Which creates the need for another wave of vengeance. From the outside we can see that the cycle of violence simply feeds itself and it doesn’t end until everyone is dead or one side has had enough death and misery.
Sounds like war to me. Either one side is completely eliminated, or one side endurs enough misery that they throw up their hands.
Is this how we forge a new world? By killing or creating unbearable misery? And along the way creaing plenty of new reasons for us to fight again in the future? Planting the seeds of future wars?
Is there no one with a new idea? And furthermore, are we so unready to consider new solutions as a society? I say we are NOT ready. Because as a person in the United States, I am among the top 1% of the wealthy of the world. Where do you rank? A world without war will have to look much different. There will have to be opportunity and wealth more equally distributed. There will have to be a sense of justice around the world where countries do not feel they are being held down so that the First World can remain insanely wealthy.
We may have to give up some of our luxuries so that people can have the security they deserve. There is no security except shared security. As long as we remain uber-rich, and watch other nations struggle to feed their people, we expect conflicts.
Fuck it. I want my Ipod, and my $4.95 happy meal, and I want to buy my kids’ clothes at Wal-Mart. Keep sending soldiers. I want a big ol’ SUV that uses more fuel than I need, and releases green house gases that screws the planet.
Sorry Ken. Sorry Heathe. We just are not ready to sacrafice what it takes to have peace in the world. See you on the other side.