JUST HOW MUCH ARE WE BEING ASKED TO FORGET?

The tragedy of modern war is not so much that young men die but that they die fighting each other, instead of their real enemies back home in the capitals. -Edward Abbey, naturalist and author (1927-1989)

We can even amend that quote because in today's wars, it is not only young men fighting young men. Today, young and older women and men, many of whom are parents, don't die fighting each other but die when women and children are strapped with bomb vests, and nothing is clear as to who is fighting for what. The war in Iraq was started by a group of men, none of whom had ever served in a military, and none of whom were trained in military strategy. They were bullies in political circles who played their war games as though they were playing hand held electronic, computer games with graphics they read out on the media occasionally. The media played along with their denial and showed no returning dead in flag draped caskets, few weeping family members and friends grieving. They even manufactured lies as they did about the patriotic football player killed by 'friendly' fire.

There has been much said about the abuse of power in these men but none have ever had to face the nation with their truth. Not only have they not had to own up to their deceits, publicly, Cheney is still allowed to be on the television news as though he remains credible. We, the insignificant little people of America are left wondering about our governmental system and its ability to protect us in any way...not from the horrors beyond our borders but from those ruthless and conscienceless in major public offices.

As the years go on, it is not in my nature to look for revenge, but it is a hope of mine that American children will not have to read in their history books one day that this generation left so much for them to clean up but with no lessons or skills with which to do it.

Dare I hope that the insults to us all allowed to be carried out during the last Administration, will just be allowed to fade away from the tears and perspiration the rest of us shed to try to make the effect of their evils right again?