18 August 2006

Where Have All The Flowers Gone?


Forty years ago, the young people of this country would have been storming the streets, screaming at the powers that be that they were unwilling to die for what was a questionable cause at best. Today they barely stir. There is no draft, the numbers of dead and wounded for both Americans, British, and Iraqis are virtually unreported. The news simply does not affect most families. The bodies are snuck into the country. The funerals are not shown. But things are starting to stir ... there are rumblings. Finally an awareness is starting to set in that this misadventure in Iraq was more than wrong, it was criminal. The men who so badly wanted it, are being forced to come to terms with the result of their abysmal actions.

July was a record for our involvement in Iraq with over 3,000 Iraqis slaughtered. Our veterans hospitals will be filled for years with ruined bodies and minds. The sale of lapel poppies will occur before every Veterans Day to help care for them.

George, George What do you Say?
How many people will you kill today?

Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Covered with flowers every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?

4 comments:

Pogo said...

jamie,
That's very poignant. Thank you. My take is that young folks today are less curious and suspicious, more comfortable, conservative and gullible than they (we) were 40 years ago. It is a shame that they don't question their leaders more than they do.

vanillabirdies said...

It is the parts of existence that have been wiped out from under our feet.

Being one of the supposed "young people" I get it. My generation is narcissitic, and is concerned more with insta-celebrity and copying reality t.v. sitcoms...rather than the actual reality.

Velvet Underground said it best:

"Please Put Down Your Hands..."

Many people have their hands over their eyes and ears. Including the news channels. Which later concludes if it isn't shown..it never existed.

Durward Discussion said...

Vanillabirdies,

I can always depend on you to come through with a sensitive and beautifully appropriate comment.

What is your new Icon? It is delightful.

enigma4ever said...

wow...really beautiful post...and beautiful comments...thank you