After a recent conversation with yet another veteran who has shared horror stories with me about their stateside V.A. hospital medical care, I've decided to share my 2015 blog again. Here it is:
Imagine this, USA: One town or city in every state makes an intentional decision to have one year without July 4th fireworks. The money is instead designated to cover services for veterans, and their families, who also serve: health, education, food and housing. The baby in the crib whose mommy or daddy emerges from the trenches with PTSD may end up serving for a lifetime. We can't stop wars that make the rich filthy and our landscapes filthier. We CAN stop the fireworks.
We can educate for educated choices.
Despair should not be the motivation to serve. Manufactured scarcity builds armies. Lies and profiteering build wars.
Instead of a night of ephemeral toxic light shows we choose to support:
The young person who believed it was the only way out of poverty. The only way to gain respect, the only way to get an education. The same ones who instead returned to an empty refrigerator, a foreclosure notice, the vestiges of brain damage and dependence on a wheelchair. The ones bamboozled by the perfect teeth of seductive recruitment in the corridors of failing schools and crumbling neighborhoods.
We choose to believe in those who did it because they believe(d), even if we do not. We honor the goodness of their hearts, the purity and innocence of their intentions. The heroic heart that truly believes peace and democracy are possible and is willing to die for it.
We choose to support those whose lives and minds are shredded by the revelations and truths of war.
We choose to support the spouse that is wounded when love becomes the fist of trauma and no longer recognizes itself.
We choose to look at ourselves with honest eyes:
We "selfie" ourselves into the void. Pretend. Smile. Deny. Despair.
Die Slowly. Die Stupidly. Live in FEAR! The Musical!
One homeless veteran is one too many and shames us all.
We can be patriots. Even if we don't believe.
No flag required. No shots fired.
The statistics below by themselves would be enough reason to end fireworks. Can't stop war. There is too much insatiable lust for profit at stake. The fear of death creates more death as cowards send the brave to the front lines so they might immortalize themselves with all that money can buy. Passing down blood money through generations in fear of death. Can't stop that lust. Can't end that cowardice.
Start small; stop fireworks.
http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/holidays/fireworks/reports-and-statistics-about-fireworks
Want to see the real numbers of government spending?
https://www.nationalpriorities.org
Imagine this, USA: One town or city in every state makes an intentional decision to have one year without July 4th fireworks. The money is instead designated to cover services for veterans, and their families, who also serve: health, education, food and housing. The baby in the crib whose mommy or daddy emerges from the trenches with PTSD may end up serving for a lifetime. We can't stop wars that make the rich filthy and our landscapes filthier. We CAN stop the fireworks.
We can educate for educated choices.
Despair should not be the motivation to serve. Manufactured scarcity builds armies. Lies and profiteering build wars.
Instead of a night of ephemeral toxic light shows we choose to support:
The young person who believed it was the only way out of poverty. The only way to gain respect, the only way to get an education. The same ones who instead returned to an empty refrigerator, a foreclosure notice, the vestiges of brain damage and dependence on a wheelchair. The ones bamboozled by the perfect teeth of seductive recruitment in the corridors of failing schools and crumbling neighborhoods.
We choose to believe in those who did it because they believe(d), even if we do not. We honor the goodness of their hearts, the purity and innocence of their intentions. The heroic heart that truly believes peace and democracy are possible and is willing to die for it.
We choose to support those whose lives and minds are shredded by the revelations and truths of war.
We choose to support the spouse that is wounded when love becomes the fist of trauma and no longer recognizes itself.
We choose to look at ourselves with honest eyes:
We "selfie" ourselves into the void. Pretend. Smile. Deny. Despair.
Die Slowly. Die Stupidly. Live in FEAR! The Musical!
One homeless veteran is one too many and shames us all.
We can be patriots. Even if we don't believe.
No flag required. No shots fired.
The statistics below by themselves would be enough reason to end fireworks. Can't stop war. There is too much insatiable lust for profit at stake. The fear of death creates more death as cowards send the brave to the front lines so they might immortalize themselves with all that money can buy. Passing down blood money through generations in fear of death. Can't stop that lust. Can't end that cowardice.
Start small; stop fireworks.
http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/holidays/fireworks/reports-and-statistics-about-fireworks
Want to see the real numbers of government spending?
https://www.nationalpriorities.org
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