Here's Mason Jennings, crooning the tune, lyrics printed below. The Matron knows this is not a popular perspective but she does not support the war in Afghanistan. Or really anywhere. She mourns the many losses those 30,000 men and women (doesn't troop sound less painful than woman or man?) headed to Afghanistan will suffer.
She's pretty much on the same page with Elie Wiesel when he says "I cannot say I am for war. War means suffering. War means widows, orphans." Wiesel's piece is long but click on #8 for his explanation of what makes a war just and how our current situation just isn't cutting it.
Change? Sorta seems like more of the same old, same old - tragically.
Every step I take takes me farther from you
Every move I make reminds me that I'll always love you
Since you were a child we built our lives around you
How am I supposed to live in this world we made without you?
Sometimes late at night I go the field
Is that where you are? Are you a shooting star?
Can you say my name? Darling can you hear me?
Tell me where's your heart now that it stopped beating?
It's right here, it's right here, it's right here
When you joined the war we were so proud of you
You seemed so grown up, living life the way we taught you
Then your first letter came, it sounded nothing like you
It took all my strength to keep myself from running to you
Sometimes late at night I go the field
Is that where you are? Are you a shooting star?
Can you say my name? Darling can you hear me?
Tell me where's your heart now that it stopped beating?
It's right here, it's right here, it's right here
And it will always be until the sun dries the ocean
And you will always be my little one
If I was the President, if I was that man
I would walk out with those kids, out across the sand
If I was the President, if I was that brave
I would take a shovel then dig each child their grave
If I was the President and my world turned black
I would want no victory, I'd just want you back
I don't want no victory, I just want you back
6 comments:
Even worse than the 30,000 Americans that are headed to Afghanistan are the thousands of Afghani women and children and men who will be killed, whether they are the *enemy* or not.
I know in my heart that war is not the answer to anything - the I think of my relatives spared the gas chambers because the Allies stepped in.
I just hope that Mr. Obama has a real and actual plan and it is followed and we offer more help than harm to the Afghan people.
if the president had said..."I am sending 30,000 troops to help pack up and bring the rest of the troops home." That would have made more sense...to me.
Essentially, Carol, that is what he is doing. I, too, wish we could just leave. Now. I have a son in Army ROTC, so this issue hits close to my heart. I'd like to believe that we could leave immediately with no harm to our national interests. But that's probably not true. I'd also like to believe that politics played no part in this decision. But that's probably not true, either. Politics affects everything.
But I think that the Far Left's siren song of "War is wrong" is as misleadingly simplistic as the Far Right's "Shock and Awe." Life is more complicated than that; and President Obama is, as usual, attempting to steer a middle course between the 2 extremes.
So, I'm disagreeing respectfully and regretfully with you, MM; you know I adore your blog and your writing.
Afghanistan has been a mess for decades. When the UN authorized the use of force, the mess became one for which the world became responsible. It would be irresponsible for NATO troops to walk away without stabilizing that country. Afghanistan's stability or lack thereof (and ditto that region's lack of stability) affects every nation and therefore every citizen.
I find it ironic that about 70000 troops continue to be in Germany (since WWII so over 60 years but who is counting?) and no one questions their withdrawal.
Canada has had troops in Afghanistan since October 8, 2001 and has suffered casualties as have with other countries. This is an international effort. Families + loved ones all over the world wish, hope and pray for peace.
Amen. Such a painful thing--to stay means devastation for us, to leave means the Afghan people suffer at the hands of extremists.
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