San Francisco National Cemetery, photo by Susiep From an "iffy" memory, I think it may have been Kurt Vonnegut who said (paraphrasing badly with that same memory), "Our technology exceeds our morality by centuries."
While we're excellent at remembering those whose lives were sacrificed in wars, humanity is an abject failure at remembering their horrors. ~Da
Here then is "a look, by the numbers, at the pace of veterans' burials at national cemeteries:"*
6
While we're excellent at remembering those whose lives were sacrificed in wars, humanity is an abject failure at remembering their horrors. ~Da
Here then is "a look, by the numbers, at the pace of veterans' burials at national cemeteries:"*
6
7
30
60
76
84
125
1,800
101,200
686,000
7.9 million
23.8 million
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Associated Press
4 comments:
One of my favorite Viet Nam vets here in the Quad Cities looks much worse for the wear after our winter separation. My heart sinks.
Meanwhile, the U.S. war machine churns out more vets every day. Their severe, unmet needs will strangle and kill their families and sicken our nation.
This is an amazing post. Please, never stop posting. Even tho I seldom see you, I miss you, Dada.
BE: Thanks for the supportive comments and encouragement. And while the misery cast upon increasing numbers of returning veterans and their families, to say nothing of those who don't return (and their families) was absolutely avoidable and is now so regretted by so many, I like to think they are but the cosmic seeds of justice sewn that we must, and shall, now reap. It is our rightful future. As we have sown in, we shall own it.
I would never wish this upon any people but, given the miseries we have served upon others underserving of it, it is not only fit - and just - it is the proper retribution for the suffering we have projected upon others.
It really pains me, the bitter harvest that is ahead for generations of Americans who had no say in the planting and sewing of these seeds.
(I'm sorry to hear of your friend, the Vietnam vet, who is wearing badly. He is a brother. And while some of us may never have gone there, pointed a gun, or pulled a trigger, all who served - regardless of where - during that era - are complicit.)
Oh, and BTW, just knowing you and Mr. BE aren't just 'down the road' impoverishes us here, still just up the road.
BE: I apologize for sounding like a preacher in previous comment. I made it after reading the umpteenth article about the Bush admin's determination to go to war against Iran before they depart office.
And that's the 'umpteenth' article in just the past coupe of weeks! This has been going on for months, no years, now and no one, but no one, seems capable of stopping this insanity but, oh my, we've gotten sooo very, very good about bitching against the madmen. It drives me insane - sorry.
I am very, very tired of hollering. Apathetic America deserves what it gets. Sadly, the rest of the world doesn't. Sorry. And I apologize for sounding like a preacher last time.
I have such respect & sorrow for those who lost their lives,, and those who did not but suffer.
I also have angst for the gvmnt that put them in harms way- especially this regime conducting the illegal occupation.
Post a Comment