Something I Need To Bring To All Of Your Attention!

[leanin_green]

Last night, as I was thumbing through the channels, I came across a movie that reminded me of some things we need to remember as people opposed to the "adventure in Iraq." That movie was BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY.

There was one scene that was ominously reminiscent of what is happening in America again today. Many of the same statements, ideologies, political stances and general viewpoints are present today.

I found myself in awe of the fact that this same wound to our national psyche, ala Vietnam, is being played out again with Iraq. When I think about it, it wouldn't matter what country it was. It really isn't so much about what country or war we engage ourselves in. It's about the wound that never healed.

When Tom Cruise's character was all dressed up in his dress blues, rode in the Fourth of July parade(and the flashbacks started to bleed in), was up in front of the crowd to give his speech, and the cry of a baby could be heard over the crowd, and the flashbacks began in earnest. I was seeing the wound all over again. I heard what the VFW character was saying as if I was listening to these same men today. The scenes of the VA hospital, the doctor explaining about the cutbacks, all of it is exactly what is occurring today.

So what am I trying to say? It's just this.

This war in Iraq is a recurring theme for the wound that has never healed in our country. We are the new players in that theme. We have repeated the same mistakes because we have never, as a nation, come to terms with what happened in Vietnam. The only ones who get it are those Vietnam Vets who are actively helping the Iraq vets in the hospitals. They know what is going on and are going about it the right way. With understanding and support. Listen my fellow Democrats and Progressives. There are a lot of Americans hurting and confused about what is happening. Republican and Democrats alike are losing loved ones to this war. As more light is being shed on how we went to war, many cherished beliefs are being challenged by those of the Right. These aren't the political operatives I'm talking about. These are simple Americans who need our help and compassion. These people want to believe in this country so badly it hurts. As we fight against what BushCo and his cronies are doing to our country let's not forget these simple people. Let's not repeat the mistakes at home of the Vietnam era.

We have an opportunity to get it right this time. And know this. It is the law of Karma, cause and effect, God's Law, whatever you want to call it, that each time the opportunity comes along to learn about the behavior that has brought us to the current circumstances and we don't use it; the next time it comes around it will be worse. The intensity increases each time in order to create the necessary internal pressure, discomfort and crises so that what needs to be addressed in our behavior is addressed. Why do you think that John Kerry was our nominee? Coincidence? Not hardly. Kerry, knowingly or not, answered a collective unconscious call from our national psyche for healing. I believe our nation answered that call and elected him. We all know the rest. There is an element of our consciousness as a nation who won't accept the need for healing. Just look at the people in power. All of them that are in key positions served at the time of the original wound of this country. The people who hold to their view in our country are afraid. How will we answer this fear? With anger? With actions of disdain, superiority, name-calling, elitism and detachment? Yes, they revile us, make us crazy and stir us up into a frenzy. We need to talk to those that lived during the time of this original wound to our nation. Engage a Vietnam vet into a conversation. Let's ask them to step up to leadership positions to guide us through this murky time. What did we do wrong then that created the need to revisit it again? The players that have brought us here again are more insidious this time and it will take a greater effort on our part to not go down the wrong roads again. How do we proceed?