This Veteran's for Peace, Bring the Troops Home

I still don't understand the argument that if you are a former member of the military, you must be hawkish. I don't buy that, nor do I buy the prevailing opinion that if you support the troops, you wouldn't question our fearless leader. What does it mean to support the troops anyway?

Putting some cheesy magnetic ribbon on your vehicle? Flying the Stars and Stripes in your front yard. Just more commercial patriotic hype!

Talking about superficial patriotism: at my school there was a special certificate of appreciation handed out to each veteran during classes. Not a bad thing for stimulating class discussion on the origins of the holiday, etc. But this pales in comparison to the memo I received about two weeks ago. On a day the Federal government had set aside for rememberance and thanks, I was scheduled for training in a new program that our school district has launched. Needless to say, I'm not attending.

I don't know what it means to support the troops. The entire year that my brother-in-law was involved with his National Guard unit in the Iraq conflict, I was overcome with helplessness every time reports came out regarding the war. The Bush administration turned a deaf ear to its own citizens, as well as to the international community, what else could be done to change the rush to war? When my brother-in-law finally returned, I cried with relief. Yes, he was safe, but his unit lost two members in the conflict.

Unfortunately, many more must cry in grief. Last week, a local soldier, Brian Baker was killed in Baghdad, leaving behind a widow pregnant with twins, and a step-son. And news today reports that another local marine has literally lost an arm and a leg for Bush's folly.