A joke??
A teacher was talking to her very young charges about Iraq in her geography class.
"Beautiful traditional orchards with citric fruit trees shading the lush greens planted between them; tall palm trees forming a high canopy protecting the trees from the sun. You can see some sun rays penetrate through the canopy to cast a beautiful twinkling light upon the ground. It is so cool and healthy; very many kinds of birds live here, including the famous nightingale that sings with the angels.
"Not far away, the stream flows slowly, very slowly because the ground is very nearly flat. Its water is sometimes still elevated to the fields in the olden way of the water-wheel; and the sound of water trickling can be heard all day long. Otherwise it is very quiet.
"The families ….. "
One of her young students starts crying quietly. "What is it Yasmeen? Why are you crying?"
Please Miss Hanan; can you take us to Iraq?? Please? It sounds so very nice and quiet; much nicer than here.""
If admitting mistakes is unpatriotic, then I'll be no patriot.
The belief that assuming responsibility when one has done wrong is disloyal reveals of mind of a jingoist, not a patriot.
If one is called upon to "act like" the deaths and suffering of innocents is acceptable in order to belong to a country, include me out.
Somehow, though, I don't think our constitution was written by folks who considered blind obedience to be patriotic. Indeed, I don't believe my country "stands for" torture, exploitation of the resources of another country, or invasion of sovereign nations. And should its leaders subvert the law and upend its principles, it is my duty--my patriotic duty--to oppose them by all legal means, to the utmost of my ability.
And you know what else? I don't believe for one instant that you, Lisa, would look into the eyes of a child and tell her that her wish for peace and quiet made you sick. Or that, if you knew of a terrible loss she'd suffered, you would say you didn't care. But you were willing to state so in this forum, where people from all over the world can read your ill-considered words and feel sure, once more, that Americans have lost their honor, compassion, common sense and plain decency.
Please. Slow down and think.
Posted by: Laura | June 14, 2007 at 12:54 AM
Goodness, Lisa, where to start? Let's start with the fact that this is not a war. It was never declared by Congress, as required under Article 2, Section 8 of the US Constitution. It was an invasion, followed by a horribly botched occupation which has placed our troops in the terrible situation of trying to provide security in a hostile land. Face it, Lisa, what would you do if you woke up every morning to watch foreign troops policing your street? And what would you do if that force invaded your home at 3AM? If you were a true American, you would oppose them with everything you had - your life, your fortune and your sacred honor.
Some - by no means all - of the insurgency in Iraq is driven by love of country. Shias and Sunnis alike - again, by no means all - fight our troops simply because they are there, and for no other reason. As our minuteman forefathers saw the British troops as an occupation army, some Iraqis see those wonderful men and women who signed up to put their lives on the line for their - our - nation as an occupation army.
Can you blame them, Lisa? Walk a mile in their shoes. God bless America, and the rest of the world, too.
Posted by: Steve | June 14, 2007 at 12:18 AM
Hey Lisa, you must be one of those good 'God Bless America' folks who think the Iraq War is justified cuz your President said so. Right? Because Saddam was mixed up with 9/11. Right? Sorry Sweetie, they lied to you. They told you that we needed to go to Iraq and you still believe them - how sad. Over 4,000 Americans have died in Iraq (soldiers + contractors) and you're put out because 2 out of 3 AMERICANS 'act like' we were wrong to go there. You're as dumb as a box of rocks.
Posted by: Mike from Maryland | June 13, 2007 at 10:31 PM
I'm so sick of everyone acting like we ( the USA ) are the ones in the wrong in this war. If you live in this country you need to support it and what it stands for . If Iraq is so mistreated then why don't you move there to do your part in helping the Iraqi's and let us live in the land that WE love. I support ALL of MY troops that are there for me and also for the likes of people like you that don't deserve to be here in this country. If I had my say we would get our men home because really I don't care what happens in Iraq to Iraqi people. Our troops are putting their lives on the line for people in Iraq AND America that don't appreciate it. If you don't like the way we do things here in the USA then PLEASE do us all a favor and move , Iraq needs people like you. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS AND GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!
Posted by: Lisa | June 13, 2007 at 12:16 PM
I'm a social worker in public education and what children have to say about life can rip one's heart out, like this young person, Yasmeen. How very sad ... I'm very sorry for what has become of Iraq due to US aggrogance. I hope someday we'll be forgiven. Peace
Posted by: Deborah from Kansas | June 11, 2007 at 11:34 PM
hhummm...not sure of that sentiment.
Posted by: Aashish Chandra Gupta | June 11, 2007 at 09:27 PM
What I would give for Yasmeen and her teacher, her parents, the Osamas and the Assaads, the Martins and the Johns and the Noors and the Tiffanies...for all of us, to be able to sit quietly in the shade, smelling the orange blossoms, listening to the soft trickle of blessed waters, and waiting, waiting together, for the nightengale to sing.
Posted by: Laura | June 11, 2007 at 12:45 AM