WHY I FIGHT FOR PEACE

[babylonsister]

http://www.occupationstl.net/?q=node/83

WHY I FIGHT FOR PEACE

If you need encouragement to step out of the crowd and shout, "End this war!" Or if you are wondering why we do what we do, you must read this poem written by Cloy Richards (USMC), member of Iraq Veterans Against the War. His mom, Tina Richards, is a member of Military Families Speak Out and is in Washington D.C. actively participating in the Occupation Project in the hall of Congress. Read more here.



WHY I FIGHT FOR PEACE
by Cloy Richards USMC

Because I can’t forget no matter how hard I try.
They told us we were taking out advancing Iraqi
forces,
But when we went to check out the bodies
they were nothing but women and children
desperately fleeing their homes because
they wanted to get out of the city
before we attacked in the morning.

Because my little brother, who is my job to protect,
decided to join the California National Guard
to get some money for college and
they promised he wouldn’t go to Iraq.
instead three months after enlisting
he was sent to Iraq for one year.

Since he has been home for the last six months,
he refuses to talk to anyone, he lives by himself.
the only person he associates with is a friend of his,
the one other man out of his squad of thirteen men
who made it home alive.

He called me a few weeks ago for the first time
And told me he’s having nightmares.
I asked what they were about and
He said they’re about picking up the pieces
Of his fellow soldiers after a car bomb hit them.

Because every single one of the Marines I served
with,
the really brave warriors, even when some friends
and people
they looked up to got killed or lost an arm or leg,
they wouldn’t cry, they just kept fighting.
They completed their mission.

Every one of them I have spoken to since we got
home
has broken down crying in front of me,
saying all they can do since they got back
is bounce from job to job, drink and do drugs,
And contemplate suicide to end the pain.

Because I’m tired of drinking, bouncing from job to job
and contemplating suicide to end the pain.

Because every time I see a child,
I think of the thousands I’ve slaughtered.
Because every time I see a young soldier,
I think of the thousands Bush has slaughtered.
Because every time I look in the mirror
I see a casualty of the war.

Because I have a lot of lives I have to make up for,
the lives I have taken and
Because it’s right.
That’s why I fight.
Because of soldiers with wounds you can’t see.

[blondie58]

1. thank you for posting this, Babylon Sister

the poor guy- one of thousands who are going through the same hell- and for what?

[whathappened]

2. man that hurt

to read that , it is so sad , well reADING I WAS THINKING OF THE CHIMP TODAY SAYING HOW HE IS FIXIN THINGS UP FER THE WARRIORS when they come home to heal , and then for the life of me he start snickering after saying this , wow , this peice of shit needs his head removed and donated to sceince to see what the hell is in these

[az chela]

3. Well that brought me to tears!!!!!!1

Keep on keeping on Cloy and Tina,we love you and support you.I wish I could do more to help end this madness!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Focus on march 17th

[patrice]

4. I have not understood . . . .

I thought the troops should be supported, because they die or are wounded and suffer great pain, because they have to leave family and home and go in harms way, and because they often have to endure serious physical hardships. And even though I do think the Invasion of Iraq was a Bad thing to do, I have to allow for the possibility that some soldiers honestly don't think it was/is bad.

Now I find I must add de-humanization to that list of things soldiers suffer. I remember what my Dad told us about how depressing WWII was - and we were in the "right" in that one. How much worse it must be for those who know what they are doing is for a Lie.

[PreacherCasey]

5. So sad. Our "leaders" know that war creates these kinds of results. They don't care.

I'll never understand that. Words can not express the arrogance and insanity of that type of thinking.

on edit: war not what

[NanceGreggs]

6. Speechless.

That's my only response.


Speechless.





Thanks for sharing this, my sister.