IN THE LAND OF BOOTS

Many years ago people in Washington D.C. government folk decided that Iraq would be a wonderful place to send a message to another place, Iran. The man that our government folk help put in power, in Iraq, went to war with his neighbors in Iran. It is a "Good Thing" Iran is bad, Iran is evil.

Time passes!

Today our government folk look at the man they considered "GOOD" and call him evil. He sits in a jail cell, while United States troops live in a palace or two or more that he owned. We were told a long time ago that there were, "Weapons of Mass Destruction". We were told that a little "Shock and Awe" would do the trick. We were told that,"Major Combat Was Over"...


Time passes!

There is an exibit that travels the country, a pair of boots for every troop killed in Iraq. It is an impressive display. It is a shocking display, and soon they may run out of space to display this visual awe of youthful, and aged potential lost.


Our government folk will tell you to be proud of their sacrfice. I honor these men and women, but I also stand against war, and failed political policies that make us stand out as a nation as, "Ugly Americans". The Vietnam Conflict did it ever really get declared a War?. It was a similar beast. One need not take the word of an aging objector. The goverment folk of that time have come out in books and on film to say they were wrong, and knew it as they sent troops to kill and die.

In my religious tradition, "We utterly deny all fighting with outward weapons of any kind...neither for the kingdom of God nor for the kingdoms of this World." While everyone may not want to adhere to a "Peace Testimony", we should be able to live as a people seeking Justice. Individuals like Sr. Dorothy Stang SND, was murdered in Brazil. She was in her early 70's had worked in the Rain Forest for over 20 years, threatened with death she refused to leave. Marla Ruzicka was 28 when she died in Iraq a civilian helping the innocent victims of our national shock and awe tatics. The organization she founded continues her work. These woman provide us with a positive sense of direction. They provide us with a winable strategy for overcoming terror in our time.

The early Quaker John Woolman would tell us that,"Love is the first motion..." We must move beyond a policy that fails to promote Love, Justice and Honor. The boots of our children should be on their feet, not a Memorial.