Somebody Else's Child Left Behind
From The New York Times Magazine's Letters page, this woman has a point:
I loved the letter (Oct. 31), in response to Ron Suskind's Oct. 17 article from a writer who said that her vote goes to George Bush because he would "call out the Marines" in the war on terror, whereas John Kerry would seek world support and consensus, and she wants her kids to be safe. Clearly, she's counting on some other mother to supply those marines. Patricia Monger Hamilton, Ontario
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/international/middleeast/14falluja.html?th=&oref=login&pagewanted=print&position=
"Hospitals in Baghdad began receiving civilian casualties from the fighting in Falluja. In Numaan General Hospital, a taxi driver, Farhan Khalaf, 45, stared at two bedridden sons who had been wounded by shrapnel. Alaa, 11, was hit in the chest, and Nafe, 7, lost one of his legs.
"Everything was so quiet," Mr. Khalaf said. "Offices and shops were open, police were in the city. I didn't see anyone carrying guns. Now the Americans are shooting randomly at anything that moves."
"Our houses are completely deserted now," he said. "Look at that child. Does that child look like Zarqawi?"
Lena at November 14, 2004 10:43 AM
Damned ingrate. I bet he won't even vote.
Eric at November 14, 2004 1:17 PM
Sit there in your chair, with your beverage, and pretend that America, and freedom in the human experience generally, JUST HAPPENED... all on their own, and without the blood of willful men to make it go.
We think you're cute.
But while your lefty buns are down on the chair, see this sequence at Totten's:
> http://www.michaeltotten.com/archives/000612.html
PS- I hate it when guys who are younger than me make better sense
Cridland at November 14, 2004 3:44 PM
I'm no dove. I just take issue with our apparently learning-disabled leader, who sees our country being attacked by Osama (well, after he managed to tear himself away from "My Pet Goat"), and attacks THE WRONG EVIL, MURDERING THUG. Now, there are plenty of evil, murdering thugs in the world to choose from. As I pointed out recently, what a shame that the people in Sudan currently being slaughtered are only sitting on increasingly skinny black asses, not black gold, while we're twiddling our thumbs and holding diplomatic tea-sessions in their behalf. If the Marines were needed anywhere, priority number one should have been Sudan.
Amy Alkon, warrior princess at November 14, 2004 4:52 PM
"I hate it when guys who are younger than me make better sense"
I know what you mean, Crid. My professional mentor is a few years younger than me. She's fucking brilliant though (a PhD from MIT -- pretty snazzy chick).
Lena the old dimwit at November 14, 2004 5:43 PM
Crid- why did you choose my, what's your word, "snark", to reply to rather than Lenas post? I feel terrible for both us and them, and sardonic comments are one way I deal with the horror.
Your tilt to a freedom that is an illusion.
If the vote goes for the US in January, and the Iraqi people give the US a big legitmate thumbs up, I will apologize to everyone and embrace Bush's policies.
If it goes for a theocrastic anti-American government, are you man enough to admit you were wrong?
eric at November 14, 2004 6:27 PM
> If it goes for a theocrastic
Theocratic.
> anti-American government,
For Christ's sake Eric, can you even hear the paradox of your fucking question? Will *YOU* have more faith in this USA-supervised ballot than in one of Saddam's?
A few years ago there was an exhibit of Lincoln autographs at the Huntington in San Marino. There were dozens of pieces, everything from the 19th-century equivalent of dry cleaning slips to the grandest instruments of state... Attorneys leave big paper trails. A personal favorite was a letter to a friend which described looking for a wife in southern Indiana (home!) and then Illinois; it lamented that so very many of his prospects were terribly, terribly fat. The authenticity of the exhibition was thusly certified with a stab of recognition in my Hoosier heart.
The most poignant letter from young Abe described a tour of a southern plantation given by the land owner. The Master begged his tourist to understand. Paraphrasing: "No, my workers love it here! They LIKE me. Don't believe it, callow lawyer? Just ASK them." Abraham noted for his correspondent that he'd have loved to consult the slaves, but so long as their driver stood nearby, watching over them with a bullwhip of freshly seasoned leather, there was little point.
The pieces were under sneeze-guard glass in that big room with lattice-work shelves on the surrounding gallery. There must of been a couple hundred of us shuffling through that day. Just at the exit I turned back to look across the switchbacked rows of Californians and tourists. There were no black people. Crossing the threshold, I thought that even though admiration for the Penny Man might not be fashionable, it was remarkable that no history-buff brothers took the time to come out and look. But before reaching the afternoon sun, the truth was clear: No one is ever going to thank you for merely recognizing their humanity. Nor should they.
The expectation of gratitude is never a good motive. Consider Europe. The warriors and taxpayers of the United States have given most of the continent its first sixty-year period of peace in something like six centuries. But if you talk to men named Pierre and Gunther this week, you'll not hear thanks for their lives of safety and defense-free budgets. When Iraq is up on her feet, and handsomely-shoed feet they will be, she'll walk toward her own daily purposes without blowing kisses in the direction of Crawford before breakfast. (Accordingly, we can also hope that they forget who gave them Saddam to begin with.)
This thing in Iraq is not a certain victory. (Shabby metaphors! It's a prayer wrapped around a lottery ticket stapled to Hail Mary football pass in a windy sandstorm, and if it doesn't score, we're going to have to throw again without a huddle.) But it's an appeal to the absolute best in human nature, and it presumes that the American miracle is not about being a white guy, or a Christian guy (OR NOT, Amy), or even a guy or even American. If the project of freedom is going to proceed, aren't we going to have to surrender our dependence on despots eventually? Aren't you glad the Boomers can finally stake a claim in the righteous side of history?
It would be cool if you could be just a smidge broader in your perspective. As is often said to much younger people, it's not all about you.
Cridland at November 14, 2004 9:09 PM
Sorry for the typo. The "s" is next to the "a", so don't give yourself too many points for pointing it out.
You seriously made my point, so thanks. I sacastically said that this taxi driver will not be thankful for the indescribable pain we have caused his family, and you reply the expectation of gratitude is never a good motive. The handsomely shoed Iraqis will someday ask "who was that masked man?" as W rides off into the sunset, and everyone left alive lives happily ever after.
Cute story also. Great way to divert from the point. Nobody has ever said there was any legitimacy to the 99.9% ballots cast for Saddam Hussein. Your point seems to be that since the American sponsored election will be more legitimate, the bloodshed will have been worthwhile. The ends justify the means, if I get your point.
The problem with "the ends justify the means" is that the means continue to grow more barbaric until the ends are achieved.
My perspective of this war does not need to be broader. Nor does my perspective of the holocaust, or of any other atrocity inflicted upon humanity, need to be broadened to see why the perpetrators felt justified.
There are moral absolutes in this world. There are rules of war, and America has broken many of them.
PS- I know many Europeans, including one old man who fought FOR the Nazis in WW2, that thank America every day for their freedom and liberation. I bet everyone here who actually gets over to Europe knows such people. That was a different generation and a different war with different motives.
eric at November 15, 2004 9:49 AM