And the Seeds of Humanity's Destruction Are Sown...

I have been stunned since I saw reality yesterday.
Today after this morning's liturgy I feel strong enough to write about my experience.
From life's experience, emotionally and spiritually; I approach Memorial Day with dread.

I know that Ken's mom and Gilda are at Arlington Cemetery in DC this weekend, placing wreaths on their only son's, only children's graves. Soldiers both they died in Iraq; Ken in a freak accident, Alex in a fiery explosion caused by a RPG. Jason knew Ken (also a tank commander), Gilda kept vigil at Jason's bedside at WRAMC in those first horrible days when we did not know if he would live. I hold them in my heart, soul, prayers, and tears.

I will include Gilda's words written this past month, two years after his death.

It still seems unreal that Alex did not return from Iraq, that his bright future was cut short, that his young bride was left a widow. A silent scream wants to break out of my chest as I contemplate his stark absence and think of the young men and women who will die today and tomorrow to fill the other graves that have been prepared at Arlington. We do not honor our loved ones by accepting the continued loss of life in a reckless, irresponsible war that has no military solution. We do not honor the troops by standing by indifferently as members of the Congress give their sneering Commander-in-Chief a blank check to continue a war based on a tidal wave of lies and hubris. We honor the fallen by beginning an immediate redeployment from Iraq and by showing our determination to stop a new war with Iran. We honor the fallen by making sure that those who return from Iraq and Afghanistan receive all the help they need for their education, and their physical and mental health. We honor the fallen by taking action, by making peace.

Every year, Chicago holds a Memorial Day Parade. They report that it is the "largest in the Nation" with about 10,000 taking part in the march. We are also known as the militarized city in the nation. It took us an hour and half wait in place to begin our entry into the parade. We were number 154 of the groups. Yesterday, I marched with a new Chicago gathering called CVO: Coalition of Veterans Organizations: Leave No Veteran Behind (coalitionofvets.org). They joined forces to lobby for veterans benefits and issues. I marched with WWII, Vietnam, and Iraq vets. These are not peace men; they are warriors. Later we were joined by the Assoc of Women Veterans. African-American women who wore bright blue satin jackets and added a lot of color for us ;-). They were very happy to be in the streets with us. I carried a sign: Support our vets-1 side, other: Save VA Healthcare, supplied by CVO.

Another organizer I met was a Vietnam era veteran of Vet 2 Vet project. (Can also be found via VA for a group near you, in Chicago D Rogers at DJRVetNet@yahoo.com) I believe funded by the VA, and based on what the Vietnam era veterans had to do for themselves as the VA of the 60's and 70's would not recognize the need for counseling for PTSD. Research with these vets identified and gave recognition to this "disorder" which we now know is normal human reaction to the participation in the destruction of human life. American society does not understand nor provide support for veterans returning with PTSD. As a society we need to identify the programming and destruction of "soul" that prepares a warrior for battle. Indigenous people have rituals to reintegrate soldiers to "normal" civilian life, we deny it. See Dr. Tick's work: War and the Soul: Healing our Nation's Veterans from PTSD.

What shocked my very soul was the sight of, at least, 500 Jr ROTC students in full uniform. They sang the cadences of warfare "I am in your face" version. Beautiful young men and women, most of color, a diverse rainbow of our children and grandchildren. Not only does our culture and all media support the paradigm of death through war, but we dress our children and encourage them to enter fully into the paradigm. The viewers of the parade gave them the loudest "rahs" and my heart was torn open.

Dear God,
We ask your forgiveness and mercy
for a nation that teaches its youngest
to prepare to go to war
inflicting death and destruction
on another
and all life itself.

Dressed in their "finest uniforms"
they prepare for their deaths
remembered in a future
Memorial Day parade.
As gladiators of old
their words ring out,
"We who are about to die, salute you."

Know what we do
Their blood is on our hands.