Hollow Words and Empty Gestures

[Solly Mack]

When my husband first got his orders to deploy to Iraq, I was angry. Incredibly angry.
The closer his departure date the angrier I got. The entire time he was deployed I was angry and I'm still angry.

We went through the process of getting his affairs in order and saying the constant "I love yous" and "I'll miss yous" that mask what you really want to say.

Me being me,I didn't hold everything back.

I told my husband that should he die, the safest course of action for anyone thinking to hand me a flag is to not hand me a flag. I didn't want it and I was liable to be very vocal about it. I still feel that way.

I've no use for meaningless ceremony that serves to make others feel better about what America is doing in Iraq.

I know some think it's about honoring the fallen but it's not. Not in the case of Iraq anyway.

The troops shouldn't be in Iraq. It was dishonorable - if we really want to concern ourselves with words and acts of honor - to even send the troops to Iraq.

There is nothing honorable about what America is doing in Iraq. Nothing honorable about how America got into Iraq.

Every now and then one of the troops does something that puts the well being of others over their own - and that is worth honoring - but those individual acts will never redeem America for what she has done.

Sometimes though, I suspect some people are counting on just that.

I also suspect some people think that if all the pomp and ceremony is displayed for the fallen, that somehow that means the life lived is also being honored.

To my way of thinking, that just isn't so.

See, from where I sit, you don't get to send men and women off to kill and be killed for the criminal enterprise of a madman and then get to pretend you "support the troops" or that you honor them.

I can't tell you how angry it makes me to see the exact same nation that sent people off to die for lies now pretend they care so damned much about the dead that died for those lies.

It's all just hollow words and empty gestures.

Just another way of wrapping up in the flag and hiding behind it.

The troops have been used - wrongly and criminally.

There is absolutely no honor in that.

They are used to score political points.

There is absolutely no honor in that.

If you would use my husband and the hundreds of thousands of others, use them to end this criminal act called a war.

Otherwise, keep your hollow words of honor and your empty gestures of support.



I make no apologies for how I feel about this.

[bonito]

1. K&R

Well said.:-(

[Solly Mack]

2. Thank you, bonito

[genie_weenie]

3. The Fallen are used, the living are used.

No need to apologize. :hug:

So the words about noble deaths and sacred blood and honor and such are all put into dead lips by grave robbers and fakes who have no right to speak for the dead. Dalton Trumbo

[Solly Mack]

5. and people just accept it

Thank you, genie_weenie

[rosesaylavee]

4. No apologies needed.

I feel the same. And I would have a problem with that ceremony too. It is a ritual that needs to be shaken up I think as it is no longer promotes its original intent.

K & R

:hug:

[Solly Mack]

7. It's not the ceremony so much as the lie behind it

Another time I might feel different. As it is, I just see a nation of people struggling to cling to any gesture - no matter how empty, no matter how hollow - to give them hope...to make them feel better about what is happening.

And it's not just the flag over the coffins...that's actually the least of it

It's almost as if people have allowed themselves to be reduced to "the least we could do"

we can't stop the war...so the least we can do
we can't do this or we can't do that...so this is the least we can do

but it's not about honoring the troops - and it's not about supporting the troops...it's about making themselves feel better and making themselves look better...

and attempts at making America's image look better


Thank you, rosesaylavee, for listening. It matters.

[rosesaylavee]

9. I think I understand - at least as much as someone

not in the situation can... Rituals are very potent and are built around an agreed upon truth. If that central truth is no longer valid - the ritual loses its ability to heal and validate the experience of those participating.

Love and peace to you this morning. :hug:

[Solly Mack]

13. You have a way with words

Thank you again!!!! :hug:

[Karenina]

6. Our Solly Mack

is a TRUTH-TELLER EXTRAORDINAIRE! :loveya:

[Solly Mack]

11. Hey Karenina

I've been so insulted and outraged over the "who supports the troops more" masturbatory, feel good bullshit.


Unreal

All the while the people safely removed from it all play their self-congratulatory games, other people are dying.



:loveya:

Folks that can't take my anger might wanna consider this...I'm not the only person within the military community that thinks this way.

[Karenina]

14. I tell you what...

When I read that statement from pickles about THEIR "suffering" :nuke:

[Solly Mack]

16. It was a truly amazing comment - as another poster said

it was her "let them eat cake" moment...and it was

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. delete.

[myrna minx]

10. Oh Solly Mack, I can't imagine

what you are going through. :hug: Know that we're always here for you.

[Solly Mack]

12. Hi myrna minx

I'm just beyond disgusted with it all

People are dying - and I do mean both Americans and Iraqis - for lies

and nothing will ever change that

Thank you

[spanone]

15. You'd think the Tillman & Lynch expose in Congress would have moved some people.

I guess you only see what you want to see. America sorely needs to get it's collective head out of the sand.

K&R

[Karenina]

17. The way I see it, the U.S. dick is in the sand

the head is up the ass with feces blocking the ears...

[Solly Mack]

18. I know the truth is ugly - horribly ugly

I can take the ugly - I can handle the truth...the lies are destroying this nation and not just this nation

people need to stop lying to themselves and to stop seeking comfort in the lies of others

[brer cat]

19. Solly Mack,

You and Riverbend's blogs are imo, two of the most powerful voices on DU re the war. Brutally honest, immensely personal, and providing an insight that most of us don't have from the "inside."

To read this tonight along with Riverbend's new blog had me in tears, as well as so angry!

Our troops have been used, abused, and discarded among the rubbish of Walter Reed and the like; innocent Iraqis have been killed, raped, displaced. What a burden to add to our troops and their families!

I hope that you know that on DU your husband's service, and your sacrifice are deeply appreciated. There are no "empty gestures of support" here.



:hug:

[Solly Mack]

20. You don't know this but your words - and not just this time -

have been a great comfort to me. I wanted you to know

Thank you, brer cat
:hug: