Honoring the dead while opposing the war (mobile monument salutes dead)

[truthpusher]

http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_2790563

Honoring the dead while opposing the war
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By Carla Bova
Marin Independent Journal
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Novato man says mobile monument salutes fallen troops
Bus driver and musician John Maxwell of Novato is a soft-spoken man who makes a striking statement - just by driving his red pickup.

Maxwell has meticulously written the names of 1,650 U.S. soldiers killed during the war in Iraq in metallic silver marker on his 1988 Isuzu truck.

He paints them chronologically by date of death and updates the list weekly, careful to remove and re-write names if dates get out of sequence.

"It started because I felt powerless about the situation with Iraq. It seems in this country we are so sheltered from what is happening over there," Maxwell said as tears welled in his eyes. "We don't even get to see the caskets come back with the flag on them. It is important to remember the true cost of war, the loss of life."

complete story: http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_2790563

[carpediem]

1. what a nice tribute n/t

.

[Zan_of_Texas]

2. Let's talk about this.

Ok. I am sorry for every person wounded or killed in the Iraq war. And, all their loved ones.

No matter what side they were on.

But -- and, okay, this is just for conversation. No flames necessary.

Isn't there a time when it becomes necessary to draw a line, and say, okay, all you youngsters out there -- pay attention -- this is a bogus war. On bogus pretenses. You will not be protected with body armor. You will not get the best medical treatment later. You will not have your agreement honored by the military, and you will be sent back to the war zone numerous times no matter what they say now.

You may kill people. Some of them will be children. Their only crime is to live on top of the world's second largest pool of oil. You may use depleted uranium as a weapon (an illegal one), which has a half life of 4.5 billion years, and you won't be able to get it out of your own system either, possibly dooming your children to birth defects. You may torture people, some of whom who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, who have no access to legal counsel, and who possibly were sold into imprisonment by bounty hunters. ("Gitmo Detainees Say Muslims Were Sold," by Michelle Faul, AP, 31 May 2005 http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/060105Z.shtml)


DUers, is it time to STOP honoring the troops, and tell them to STOP SIGNING UP FOR THIS DUTY. STOP TAKING ORDERS TO COMMIT INTERNATIONAL WAR CRIMES. GO TO JAIL IF NECESSARY, BUT STARVE THIS KILLING MACHINE.

Just asking the question.

[truthpusher]

3. This man and his truck....

...remind people that the highest honor that some of these men might actually see....is there name on the side of a truck. The glamour of combat is gone.

[Supersedeas]

4. young people are paying more attention--the media is the one asleep

or awake enough to do stenography...celebrity gossip...sports or weather, anyone

[dbt]

5. Kick!