Last night's vigil hosted by John Fortier and me drew numerous horn honks and waves of support, some of the best response the vigil has received in its nearly six years. It was joined by the 50 ish couple who often join, usually for a few minutes. I told them and told John that the inner voice within me is saying it is time to end this vigil.
Six years ago, shortly before Christmas of 2005, that inner voice gently urged the vigil to begin and provided the words for the vigil sign. This came right after President Bush was asked how many Iraqis had been killed in a war he ordered in March, 2003. As I recall it, he shrugged his shoulders and replied, "30,000 more or less" with no spark of compassion in his eyes and in an indifferent tone of voice.
His words came after years of heartache for me, watching the Afghan War and especially the war and occupation of the men, women and children of Iraq. The explosions, shootings and beheadings, the kidnappings and the rivers of blood, the mothers crying out in pain as their loved ones were being killed, some of them children, while other children were orphaned. Two million Iraqis fled their homes and 2 1/2 million Iraqis fled their country. As I held them dear, I held dear as well the U.S. and allied soldiers and their families and the horrific price they were paying as I listened to U.S. mothers who had lost their sons in Iraq, hearing their voices quiver and watching the tears roll down their cheeks.
But now the inner voice is saying to end this vigil, even as Iraq may fall apart as explosions continue to rock that dysfunctional nation. And the bloodletting in Afghanistan is horrific and spills into Pakistan, as fear and hatred for the U.S. grows. In Iraq over 1 million U.S. soldiers served and 4,487 of them paid with their lives, 32,200 more soldiers with family support are bearing severe injuries such as brain damage, paralysis or loss of limbs, while perhaps a quarter million soldiers are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, with thousands of them living homeless on the streets.
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are dead and more are being killed every day. This is what the U.S. has to show for its Iraq invasion. A trillion dollars gone as well and many millions of dollars more will be spent in the years to come to provide medical care to our severely injured veterans. Imagine what the price for Afghanistan will be, a 10 1/2 year old war still unfolding.
My son Kyle pointed out that if Americans had to pay for these wars now with a 75% income tax rather than having the cost put on the taxpayer credit card for future payment and if the draft was reinstated, the American people would no longer be indifferent to the wars and all of the suffering their government is causing others. I agree.
Despite the pain the vigil represents and our caring for everyone who has been effected by these wars, it has been a pleasure the last two of these six years holding these vigils with peace activist John Fortier, a Korean War veteran. He has held a separate peace vigil every Friday since just before President Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq in 2003. John is a retired school teacher and a husband of 53 years. He is a father, grandfather and great-grandfather and a kind and giving man, who at 78 years of age has so much energy, he volunteer teaches and is involved with the Occupy Movement.
I plan to host one more peace vigil in part to thank people for their support over these six years. And dear reader, thank you for your support as well. I look forward to where that inner voice will lead next.
Dick
If you would like to understand how the U.S. government led the American people to the Iraq War and Occupation, please see an extraordinary video, "Leading To War," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OMI_rNWDrs that John shared with me. It is archival news footage from CBS, PBS and other major news organizations. Even if you watch just the first few minutes of it, you will understand how this war was orchestrated.
5 comments:
Thank you for giving of your time, your energy and mainly yourself! The commitment you made for six years and 302 vigils was extraordinary!
The time equals (when equated as 24 hour, around the clock) to 12 1/2 days of your life which doesn't include the driving, preparation or writing.
Thank you for keeping these wars and their costs in our consciousness and those driving on Pacific Coast Highway and Palos Verdes Boulevard!
Thank you Kyle,
Your support and insight has been invaluable to me throughout these vigils and very much appreciated. You were there for several of the early vigils, appeared from time to time throughout the vigils and you have been there for some of the most recent.
You are already making an important difference in people's lives as a husband, father, brother and son. And as a real estate investor, property manager and employer you are effecting the lives of thousands of people.
In ways I can't even start to guess you will in the future become a social activist far bigger than what you have already done with political iniatives and what you have done with those controversial iniatives took courage and were very impressive.
Thank you for being such a caring and deeply compassionate person. I love you.
Dad
Dear Reader,
The following comment was sent to me by email from my friend Mary Ellen, an active supporter of the vigils from the outset. Her encouragement played an important role in keeping the vigils going and it was from her request that the vigils have been so carefully documented.
Her words are these:
You are an amazing writer. Eloquent, educational, and inspirational with a quiet depth of passion that touches the reader better than any angry or harsh lecturer ever has.
From the first word to the last, I enjoyed reading this vigil. What was most horrific was reading how Bush shrugged his shoulders at 30,000 dispensable civilians; children, mothers, fathers etc. who were not involved in the war. But these loved ones are not a dispensable commodity to their families. This war is not soldier fighting soldier - soldiers trained for battle. This war is inflicted daily on the innocent, how barbaric and cowardly to go after unarmed family members.
I understand that it is time to give up the vigils. Knowing you stood there teaching others in your quiet and elegant manner, with class and kindness honors me to know you. Bravo for a job well done.
We shall keep all those killed in the war and their loved ones in our prayers. I sure wish that was a bumper sticker to expand awareness to what war does. It gobbles up countries money, kills wonderful talented people and for what? Fifty years later all the countries are having dinner together at some fancy hotel making financial deals.
Angry men, greedy men trying to take what they want from other men's homes, businesses, countries etc are bullies....dangerous bullies who wrought devastation on their life path and in the lives of millions of others. It just makes you sick! When will humans wake up! Thank you for standing on the highway trying to wake them up!
Wishing you and Anne a Magical, Healthy and Happy NEW YEAR,
Mary Ellen ^I^
AngelScribe@msn.com
Dear Reader,
The following comments are those of my Uncle Gene, who at 84 years of age runs a multi-million dollar business. Like most of corporate America, he manufactures in China but he also manufactures in the U.S.
Shortly after the vigils began, he and my Aunt Eleanor lit candles from home during the vigils to support those vigils. Here are his comments:
"Dear Dick:
I noted on your last vigil that after 6 years a voice within said time to move on. We all hear that inner voice, but few of us listen.
6 years - how many people did you touch? Kids who were 6 are now 12, and kids who were 11 are now 17. How have you affected them for the next 60 - 70 years to come?
When you were discovered by the multiple bus drivers who honked their horns and the 40 or so people on the bus were affected as well.
Your touch was not just for our troops and their families and our country, it covered a blight on humanity.
The voice you hear and live by does not tolerate injustice. The voice has led you to many causes. For example, the [U.S.} Vietnam community sat and watched as their people were being unjustly treated in their area and you stepped in and organized an estimated 5000 people peaceful candlelight vigil.
I do not know where your voice will lead you now. I appreciated our last conversation in which you said that all that you were wearing was made in the USA where possible. Kyle's comment that his managers were instructed to by American. HD [Home Depot] has an 85suppliers list of what is made in America. This was given to the managers.
Will there be a day where Walmart type stores will be 100% American made items?
Now our leaders stimulate major corporations who in turn create jobs in China, Pakistan, India and even Burma who start with a $2.60 per day labor rate.
Congratulations on a job well done! You have touched thousands of people.
Love, Uncle Gene
Dear Reader,
The following comment is from Anne's and my friend, Vicky Landis:
Hello Dick,
First of all, Happy New Year to you, Anne and your family.
Second, thank you so much for letting me know that you will no longer hold the candlelight vigils. Folks like me who pass by that corner every Wednesday night, whether it's a beautiful spring evening, a warm summer night or a freezing winter night, there you are reminding us that there is still humanity in this world. There is still time that can be taken from our busy lives to show others that we do care about our veterans and that our service men and women do matter. When we toot our horns and get that beaming smile or wave from you or John, it is an instant connection. One that says, thank you for holding this vigil and thank you for reminding us how lucky we are to live in a free country.
I too look forward to see where your inner voice will take you next. Wherever it is, I know you will tackle it with much dedication and enthusiasm.
Will next week be the last vigil????
Vicky
Post a Comment