Soon, the family members of the dead will hear the words, "We regret to inform you..." My family knows the horror of the doorbell, ringing in the night. The dead of night. My brother understands to the core the devastation of what, perhaps, has become too familiar--the rote relaying by the military's deliverers of pain.
If it's daytime, they may see the car that slows to a stop, carrying the uniformed messengers. The fathers, mothers, siblings, wives or husbands may be either sitting or standing, taking out the trash or raking leaves and they know what is about to come--the syllables, their impact. It's the nightmare of all those with a loved one serving during wartime. At first, there's numbness but, soon, that is replaced by agony so overwhelming it sends the grieving to the floor screaming. Or they are paralyzed by sorrow. And there is wave after wave of disbelief.
George Bush is the bogeyman who comes at all hours of the day and night with sentences that make parents and relatives want someone to put a pillow over their faces to prevent breathing.
We've been warned to expect more attacks as the December 15th election in Iraq approaches. Is this some feeble attempt to steel families against the unthinkable? As if there's any preparation for the death or maiming of a loved one.
And George W. Bush whose only combat as a member of the elite National Guard's "Champagne Unit" during the Vietnam War, probably, was his participation in barroom brawls after popping too many corks. How could people have been so duped to elect this loser twice?
Here is Bush on sacrifice : "I've been to war. I've raised twins. If I had a choice, I'd rather go to war."
Imagine the insensitivity of this. But, then, I've watched him cross the White House lawn on a day when troops were killed and he's waved and grinned as if he's got the winning lottery ticket in his wallet. He does. Each day the war rages on, Bush makes more money. And he has no children there. He doesn't have to worry about the ringing of the doorbell. He doesn't know the truth of war.
Plus, he's got the POWER. He's manipulating life and death and that has to be the ultimate rush for a man who used to love the feel of alcohol coursing through his veins. He's replaced that addiction with power. Bush's blood power concentration has to be so high right now that it exceeds a level toxic to our country.
How many troop deaths will, finally, convince Americans that this war is a mistake? Or will it take the reinstatement of conscription?
When I hear people declare that they still support this man and his war, I tell them, "Don't advocate that OTHERS fight unless you're willing to go to the recruitment station and enlist or encourage your children to sign on."
When will more Americans turn off Reality T.V. and tune into the realities of a United States foreign policy that is collapsing under its own hubris? We should be marching in the streets to show the world that not all of us are under the spell of a madman. We have to do this for ourselves, our children and their children. The survival of our planet is at stake.
And once we're rid of Bush Inc., we should insist that every candidate take a political-power Breathalyzer test.
