MEMORIAL DAY VIGIL REDUX

For those of you who read my Memorial Day Vigil story, especially those who were kind enough to leave comments about the story in the local paper - I want to let you know that the paper published all the letters that people from our group wrote to them.  There were no letters from the other group, evidently.  They also published this

"The Cape Gazette apologies for a photo caption in the May 31edition concerning the silent vigil held in Lewes, May 29, to honor those who have died thus far in the war in Iraq.  The caption stated 'Lines weren't drawn in the sand, but Savannah Road separated the silent vigil from the supporters of the troops.'  We did not mean to imply that those participating in the vigil are unsupportive of the troops."

under the "Corrections" section on the second page of the paper. as well as a column about a guy who had driven down from Dover to see the vigil.  This guy was a vet, and had hated the VN protesters, but now believes the protests shortened the war and seems to feel that what the silent vigils are doing is a good thing, bringing awareness of the cost of war into the public eye. 

Before I leave this subject, I'd like to show you the last comment to that post about the Memorial Day Vigil.  It's from my sister, who was visiting with her family, all of whom attended the vigil with us.  You will see that we really are related. Connected not just genetically, but in philosophy and thought.  It's so nice to be able to have this connection in a family.

Where oh where to begin.  

I am the "sister", Rosie, at the vigil, that earnest, few moments we spent remembering the dead and wounded from all wars and in particular this recent war, ongoing, in Iraq.  

We are entitled to remember our American brothers and sisters who have served in the military in our peaceful manner.  Those people across the street are entitled to their opinions and to voicing their opinions, but they are not entitled to attack us for our views either verbally or any other way.

I agree with the entry which said we who advocate peace should carry American flags.  I couln't agree more.  I said so last Sunday whilst we stood with our prayer flags.  We need to assert our Americaness in a way that everyone understands.  

The American troops in Irag are the relatives of pacifists as well as hawks. Surely, no one in their right mind could imagine that only the hawks are "supporting" them in love, prayer, and yeah, even tax dollars.  Putting a ribbon shaped sticker on your car that says "We support our troops" might  presuppose that we do not all support our troops.  Such a supposition is profoundly incorrect.  The women and men in Irag are supported by all of us:  we fear for them, we pray for them, we want them to come home safely.  

It may be the case that few in the current administration can put a real face to any of the troops and do not support them with love or prayer, because most of those in Irag are from working class families whose parents are not in the halls of Congress or in the Oval Office.  The decision to send innocent men and woman to kill and die in Irag came from a ruling elite interested in power in North Africa and West Asia not from mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers grieving for their family members.