Keeping It Real

[Michael Russell]

I was having fun on youtube this evening when I came across

by one of the best bands no one has ever heard of, The Drive By Truckers. With all the debate going on about the war in Iraq, this video is a reminder of the real tragedy of war.

[Peri]

I was having fun on youtube this evening when I came across

by one of the best bands no one has ever heard of, The Drive By Truckers. With all the debate going on about the war in Iraq, this video is a reminder of the real tragedy of war.

Michael,

Ok, I'll bite.

This is a very moving tribute to someone who offered up their last and greatest measure of devotion.

I know a lot of people on this board support the war in Iraq, and I don't wish to debate anyone over the issue; however, it's easy to support a war if you or your loved ones aren't the ones putting the ultimate gift on the line. I have a co-worker who lost her eldest son in Iraq (he enlisted in the Marines after 9/11); her youngest son enlisted in the Marines for the infantry in honor of his brother and now my co-worker is facing the fact that her youngest is being deployed next year in July. My co-worker is vociferously anti-war. She's not a nut like Cindy Sheehan; she's quietly diginfied and she supported and respects her sons in their decisions, but I can tell you that she has no love for this war or the Administration who launched it.

I honor and respect our military and I'm not a pacifist; but I believe that governments should think long and hard before sending our children into harm's way--and if they DO send them, they sure as hell had better have an adequate plan to protect them as much as possible and get them in and out efficiently. In other words, don't lie about the reasons and don't do a lazy, half-assed job with the planning of it.

Edited November 24, 2006 by Peri