Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 37 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Exclusive to OpEd News:
OpEdNews Op Eds   

Semper Fi: The funeral production line at Quantico Virginia

By       (Page 1 of 1 pages)   No comments
Message Jane Stillwater
Become a Fan
  (1 fan)
On April 20, the second-to-the-last day of the American Indian Movement's Sacred Run from San Francisco to Washington DC, I actually walked 13 miles! And, as you can imagine, walking through this great country is the absolute best way to get to know America first-hand.

We learned about the hurricane devastation that still haunts New Orleans. We learned how to survive tornadoes in Tennessee. We learned about the grim cruelty of feed lots in Texas. And we also learned about the milk of human kindness that flows through America's small towns. We learned that all across America, churches, city halls, National Guard armories and Indian casinos were willing to put us up for a night because many wonderful Americans across this broad country also believe in the Sacred Run's motto that "All life is sacred".

And, as we trudged doggedly past the various Civil War battlefields between Fredricksburg and Arlington VA, we also learned something else. Apparently some people are still having trouble learning one of life's more obvious lessons -- that war doesn't work. Some 150 years after 17,000 soldiers were callously sent to their deaths by their idiot commanders at Fredricksburg, some people STILL think that war is a good idea.

In the short space of time that it took us to walk past the U.S. Marine base at Quantico, Virginia -- fifteen minutes max -- we saw two military funeral corteges leaving the main gate on their way to the cemetery. One funeral every 15 minutes? Does this funeral production line go on all day? Every day? Or did we just come at a bad time.

If Americans truly believe that ALL life is sacred -- not just fetuses and the brain-dead -- we need to make certain that NOT ONE MORE of our finest young men are being forced to die at the whim of the silver-tonged avaricious old liars in the White House.

PS: The 2006 Sacred Run is over. But you know what I miss most? The morning and evening call to "Circle up!" Every morning and every evening, about 40 of us would stand in a circle and talk about "stuff". It gave me a true feeling of family. I miss that. I wanna start and end all my days with the call to "Circle up!" I want to form daily circles with my family, my friends, my neighbors, my co-workers -- and even my bosses!

And I think that the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Marine Corps need to also start and end their days that way too. Plus I bet we would have far fewer wars in this world if "aggressors" and "insurgents" circled up together every morning as well.
Rate It | View Ratings

Jane Stillwater Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Stillwater is a freelance writer who hates injustice and corruption in any form but especially injustice and corruption paid for by American taxpayers. She has recently published a book entitled, "Bring Your Own Flak Jacket: Helpful Tips For Touring (more...)
 
Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

200 Concubines: In India, it's hard not to think about sex!

My trip to North Korea: Pictures worth a thousand words?

Exponential happiness: McCain, Obama, Chekhov & my 93-year-old aunt

Our dual-citizenship Congress: Lotsa pork for Israelis, no pork for California?

Lucas Mangope: One of South Africa's living legends

Google Earth: Gaza has now gone dark too....

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend