Last night my husband looked up from the newspaper and said, "What would our country do if 65 university students were killed? Why is this on page 10?"
The San Francisco Chronicle, as well as many other newspapers (including our own Seattle Times - on page 10), reported that twin car bombs killed at least 65 students at Iraq's Al-Mustansirya University on Tuesday. Most of the students were women. I'm so sad. I'm so angry.
There are at least three stunning things about this news.
First, that universities in Iraq are even open during the fighting and chaos that we've created. Classes are being cancelled, and many students are giving up, but there are still students who brave actual, physical danger to go to class and pursue a college education. Picture that on a college campus here at home. Go ahead, try to picture it. I'll wait.
Second, that most of the people killed were women. Because that means that in a place many of my countrymen mistakenly think of as "backward," women are actively participating in university education.
Third, that 65 -- SIXTY FIVE!! -- students died that day as a result of car bombings, which are a result of un-rest, which is a result of de-stabilization caused by something that my government is doing -- without my permission -- in my name.
So I'm sad and angry, and I've been thinking about what one small person can do about this.
I considered flying to Washington for the march on January 27th. Family issues dictate my staying home, but if you can go, GO! (Check it out at United for Peace
So today I'm committing to call my Congresspeople to ask them what they are going to do about the war. I'm going to call daily. I'll be polite. I'm an inquiring constituent. I donated money to their campaigns, made phone calls, and voted for them so that we could do more than just "send a message." I voted for them so that we could end the war.
I'll keep you posted.
I'm grateful today for free long distance. And I'm grateful for each and every one of the lives that has been lost in the violence in Iraq.
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2 comments:
And I'm grateful that the country is waking up to the horror show we have created in Iraq, and that people are brave enough to spread the word through their blogs about the need to end this shameful escapade.
Now, can any of us remember the lyrics to those Dylan songs? "Masters of War?" "With God on Our Side?" "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall?" It's time to start singing them all over again.
Thanks....
David Dawson
Germantown, TN
Thanks, Dave, for your response. My family stood with thousands of other Seattle families & made a 3 mile circle around Green Lake the day before "shock & awe" in hopes that our President would heed our demand for NO WAR. Yet, here we are. Time for everyone to stand up!
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