No Room on the Wall

[trof]

When there is no room left on stone
To write the wrong
Or spell the sin
Who will name the dead?
- John Cory

Memorial Day is here, and with it the cheap carnival sales pitch of patriotism and sacrifice and paying the price for freedom. The sideshow of this holiday weekend will be the primary campaign pre- election blather and speeches about honoring the men and women who serve our nation. Nickel-and-dime phrase and praise, sleight of hand and tongue, to divert our eyes from the real issue of supporting our troops and veterans.

Senator Jim Webb has a bill before Congress to increase the GI Bill education benefits of our veterans, but McCain and the GOP will not support it. Why aren't Obama and Clinton raising this issue during their primary race? Why are the media more focused on who is or is not wearing a patriotic lapel pin? Useless questions, I know, because for the media the election is nothing more than entertainment: American Idol goes to Washington. And questions about supporting our troops and veterans are about money, and true patriots understand there is always money for war - emergency funding and billions to keep the lie going. War is expensive. Care for the veteran and his family? That smacks of entitlement programs like welfare - and that's too costly and too wasteful of taxpayer dollars. Welcome to Wonderland.

Close your eyes and picture that long obsidian wall of the Vietnam Memorial glistening with the tears of heaven on a rainy day, the etched names so vivid you can see their senior prom photos. As people move along you see the reflections of the families and veterans passing each panel to pay their respects, occasionally reaching out to touch a name as fingers rub and linger over each letter that spells out that life - trapped within the wall.

Now picture the last panel, a soggy rain-soaked piece of cardboard with black ink streaked like weeping mascara that reads:
"There is no room on the Wall for more names. "Thank you for supporting the troops. - Come again."
http://www.truthout.org/article/no-room-wall

[ThatsMyBarack]

1. ...

:cry: Thanks for sharing.

[Kutjara]

2. Do we cry when a hammer breaks?

Do we get all weepy and wistful when the dishwasher dies or the fridge coughs out it's last breath of freon? No. We get another and move on!

That's the way Republicans view our veterans. Once they're "broken," they're of no further use and should be discarded. The average GOPer would sooner build a memorial to their car's alternator than to a dead or disabled vet.

[trof]

3. If I could rec your reply I would.

Exactly right.