War Deaths in Vain
Well, I suppose life is in vain, too, isn't it. But a blogger took a lot grief a while back for pointing out the selfishness in making a personal argument to continue a political war - which all war is, of course. It was an argument pretty much summed up by, "my son died and I feel like his death will have been in vain if this war doesn't continue".
We can assume the "to a successful conclusion".
While I don't agree with that sentiment, I appreciate the honesty of it. I appreciate even more the honesty in confronting it. Because that's the devil, isn't it. Government's are capable of such evil in the name of motherhood. If we, the people, don't confront the lies, who will?
Just know that the honest reaction to an honest reaction, can result in a lynch mob. But so it has been ever thus for truthtellers. It's a losing of your head (we're conditioned to lie from birth, afterall) that can quite literally result in losing your head.
Anyway, the mythologizing of war (it's eventually a Hollywood production, they all get put up there on the big screen) puts me in mind of the Deerhunter, the movie that wasn't Apocalypse Now. It's a powerful movie with an ending that goes right to the heart of what's either right or wrong with America (and not knowing gives me pause about the outcome of the upcoming Presidential election).
After all the characters go through as a result of America's War in Vietnam, the movie ends with the survivors, sitting around the dinner table, singing "God Bless America". And you believe it, you really do. Because you can't imagine the human will it would take for them to confront the truth.
