This past August I went to D.C. with my 17 year old son....

[Postman]

it was a get-away trip from the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. Just the two of us to spend some quality father and son time together.

We stayed at the Capital Holiday Inn as it afforded us quick access to the Mall and all the museums.

We thoroughly enjoyed each others company as we both love history and Washington.

As we walked the Mall I couldn't help but think back about the previous October when we both marched in solidarity against this evil war in Iraq. It was the largest anti-war march in Washington since Vietnam, we were told.

That anti-war march was my sons first trip to D.C. so we didn't have time to take in the history around us at the time.

On this trip I made it a priority to visit the Vietnam Wall. As we stared in silence at the names, descending deeper and deeper into the memorial, I couldn't help but think that we were in the process of making another wall, that the country had forgotten the lessons of Vietnam. Only this new wall would hold the names of fallen comrades in Iraq.

I say comrades because I too served in the armed forces. I've earned my right to dissent.

Some people say that those that died as a result of Vietnam, died in vain. I believe their deaths were not in vain. If for nothing else, their deaths were a message from the dead to the living. That we the living, have a responsibility to those who don the uniform of this country's armed forces. That we not send them off to kill and die without the full support of the American people and that the cause must be just.

The imperialist ambitions of this administration have repulsed practically the entire civilized world yet they continue to lie, obfuscate, mis-direct and otherwise shirk their responsibility to the American people.

If, as the administration suggested, we were under threat of WMD attack, why do you blow the cover of a CIA officer that works along the lines of WMD detection? If this isn't treason, what is?

Fact is, this whole Iraq affair is all a fraud. From Kay's report to Congress in not finding weapons to the very reasons for this war. All were fraudulent. Like this entire presidency. A fraud.

[gristy]

1. Yes. A fraud.

Thanks for posting.

[roguevalley]

2. hug your boy and tell him greener days are coming

this is a lesson he should hold in his heart forever

[dbt]

3. Thank you, Postman!

I have believed for a LONG time that 58,000 Americans (that we know of) died for nothing in Viet Nam. When you put it this way:

I believe their deaths were not in vain. If for nothing else, their deaths were a message from the dead to the living. That we the living, have a responsibility to those who don the uniform of this country's armed forces. That we not send them off to kill and die without the full support of the American people and that the cause must be just.

It becomes a little easier to bear. Thank you!

:grouphug:
dbt

[KoKo]

4. A great post! With a reminder to us all.......Remembering that wall is

why so many of us did what we could to stop Bush.......The dead on that wall did speak.....and thanks for sharing that with those of us who needed to hear it in these dark days.

koko