Reply #8: More thoughts...

[k j]

TayTay, we don't really know each other, but I read your posts with attention. Although not a Mom, and forced to read JK's speech in a fast hurry today, I also thought, "12-16 months equals how many casualities?" and "20,000 out by December, leaves how many still in danger?"

To both Ray of Light and TayTay, I may look at it differently because loss happened, right in front of my eyes, at age 16. And, as any 16-year-old might think, I thought I was responsible for the loss. Survivor guilt. I carried it for decades. I finally learned what to shuff off and what to carry. I don't carry much these days.

Blame does bullshit. At any level.

I too thought, even hurried, and only reading the prepared words, that John Kerry was saying something extraordinary-- to us, to his supporters-- today. In my mind, he offered to carry the responsibility of Iraq. It is patently obvious no one else has. Someone has to step up.

I also have responsibility, as an American, for living the life I live that contributed to what happened on September 11, 2001, whether my lifestyle was used as a pretext to anger and encourage those men who flew the planes in our buildings, or not. Bottom line, I'm an American. I consume buckets of resources every single second.

I want to do what I can while I'm on this earth. To me, it's that simple. People are going to die. But someone has to step into the breach at some point and try to turn the tide. Many of us have been doing that for a very long time, all in our own ways.

Every little bit helps. I'm going forward. To hell with those who want to stay behind and blame others for shit that happened two years or two minutes ago.

"She said, with a smile." :-)