"Thank you for doing this," said a 60 ish woman as she walked up and shook my hand. "My son was in Iraq. Thankfully he returned home safe."
"You're going to have to add Afghanistan to your sign," said a 50 ish bike rider a little later as he rode by and stared at the sign.
Much of this vigil was joined by a 37 year old Cambodian refugee who occasionally joins. As a child he and his family got caught in the Pol Pot genocide [1975-79] as an aftermath of the chaos caused by the spread of the Vietnam war.
As many as 2 million Cambodians, 25% of the population, were butchered, shot or starved to death in the "killing fields" as Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge tried to remake Cambodia into an agrarian Communist country.
Although his family fled the country and came to America, as a small boy, this 37 year man saw horrific sights that continue to haunted. As a result, he is very sensitive to wars and the horror and hardship they bring to the families in the affected nations.
He is bright and well educated and offered the following comments which I'll summarize: Regarding Iraq and Afghanistan, he views those wars as a huge mistake causing massive human suffering and bringing no benefit to America other than oil from Iraq.
He is particularly interested in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He felt there would be no peace until Palestine has statehood. And added, "Jerusalem must become an international city, not an Israeli city because its history is shared by the Jews, Christians and Muslims and should be open to all peoples."
Before he left, he said he was pleased with the European Union because he felt it would give them economic strength and would help bring peace to the region. "They've been at war with each other since the fall of the Roman Empire."
Later, as the vigil was about to conclude, a 57 year old Vietnam era Army veteran came by, read the sign and wanted to join. Although he didn't know it, the vigil was extended to accommodate him.
"Even I supported the Iraq war at first," he stated. "Then the whole thing turned out to be a bunch of lies. I don't know what to believe anymore."
He then spoke of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as being "a waste" of lives and resources.
"It's wonderful that you do this," he added. "These veterans pay such a heavy price. They should never be forgotten!"
He's right, nor should we forget everyone else who has paid a severe price in these wars, including the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. And at these vigils, we recall them in our hearts and we do so with the hope that these wars will end for they only bring ever more victims.
Some day the world will grow wiser and in place of war, it will invest in the well-being of all as mankind uplifts itself from poverty, hunger, hate and fear. For just as we can kill, we can also love and nurture one another and unite in friendship and in our need to solve problems common to each of us.
Dick
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