Peace Vigil
The number of people at the peace vigil has grown, since I began attending in May. I’ve noticed that few young people attend and nearly all are senior citizens. If the draft were revived that would certainly change. The young woman that drove by and yelled something about us peace vigil participants being shot might even end up joining our ranks.
In July my wife and daughter participated with me in a peace vigil in Margaretville. They were surprised to discover that most of the people driving by in cars sounded their horns and gave a thumbs up.
The most noteworthy occurrence at that anti-war demonstration was the man, standing directly across the street from me, who lectured us with an analogy about building a house and not leaving until the roof was completed. He ended with the Marine Corps motto Semper Fi. My immediate reaction was to reply: “Don’t give me that Semper Fi crap, your talking to former Sgt. O’Leary U.S.M.C.” He and his friends left and I never had an opportunity to suggest that the foundation for the Iraq War was build on a quicksand of lies. Our daughter put her hand on my shoulder and said: “Dad, that’s not the way Gandhi would have handled it.”
Some ex-Marines are rabidly militaristic superpatriots. Peace vigil participants are patriotic, but aren't compelled to mindlessly fall into lockstep once the martial music is sounded. Critics of Bush’s policies are not directing their protests against America or the Marine Corps, but against this regime’s incompetent leadership.
At the peace vigil in early August, an inappropriate comment was made by a middle aged man that drove by and shouted: “Get a (expletive deleted) life.” In fact, it’s all about the lives of those that die in Iraq, who will never experience the wonderful life, which many of us have been fortunate to have lived for the last 50 years. A few days after my 18th. birthday, I enlisted in the Marine Corps. My life could have ended shortly thereafter, but for the Korean War ceasefire. My life has been and continues to be a beautiful experience.
On Sat. August 19th. from 11 a.m. to noon, I’ll again be at the Peace Vigil in Delhi, because it’s all about life.
In July my wife and daughter participated with me in a peace vigil in Margaretville. They were surprised to discover that most of the people driving by in cars sounded their horns and gave a thumbs up.
The most noteworthy occurrence at that anti-war demonstration was the man, standing directly across the street from me, who lectured us with an analogy about building a house and not leaving until the roof was completed. He ended with the Marine Corps motto Semper Fi. My immediate reaction was to reply: “Don’t give me that Semper Fi crap, your talking to former Sgt. O’Leary U.S.M.C.” He and his friends left and I never had an opportunity to suggest that the foundation for the Iraq War was build on a quicksand of lies. Our daughter put her hand on my shoulder and said: “Dad, that’s not the way Gandhi would have handled it.”
Some ex-Marines are rabidly militaristic superpatriots. Peace vigil participants are patriotic, but aren't compelled to mindlessly fall into lockstep once the martial music is sounded. Critics of Bush’s policies are not directing their protests against America or the Marine Corps, but against this regime’s incompetent leadership.
At the peace vigil in early August, an inappropriate comment was made by a middle aged man that drove by and shouted: “Get a (expletive deleted) life.” In fact, it’s all about the lives of those that die in Iraq, who will never experience the wonderful life, which many of us have been fortunate to have lived for the last 50 years. A few days after my 18th. birthday, I enlisted in the Marine Corps. My life could have ended shortly thereafter, but for the Korean War ceasefire. My life has been and continues to be a beautiful experience.
On Sat. August 19th. from 11 a.m. to noon, I’ll again be at the Peace Vigil in Delhi, because it’s all about life.
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