Existence is but an Illusion

Four soldiers from Hawaii have died this week. My neighbor called me yesterday to tell me the news of the second two. She did not know the men, or their families, but her husband is a helicopter pilot, so she is pretty well shaken. Wendall did not know these men either, but his office handled things for three of the four families, so it hit his office as well. My main emotion is anger, so I am having problems talking with her about this. Of course I support her, as I support all of the families around me, but my anger at Bush tends to get in the way, and I just want to yell at him in hopes that he can see what he is doing to regular people.

See, I really am mad at Bush and his administration. I'm upset that people are losing their lives for nothing more than political pissing contests. I'm upset that the religious right has been able to seize so much power in so short a time. I'm upset that I feel, on a daily basis, that I must watch what I say.

We live in the most amazing country in the world. I can honestly say that there was a time in my life when I did not appreciate all that this country had to offer. It was not until I was an adult, struggling with the day to day adult world that I could see the jewel that we possess. I believe that George Bush wants to pocket that jewel. I believe that he is robbing us of much of what it means to be "an American". I know that he does not consider the human cost of his plan.

So what do I say to my neighbor? What do I tell the person at the checkout counter, or the passerby on the street, or the man standing next to me at the gas pump? Hawaii is a small community of people. The connections here are far reaching. You always "know someone who knows". There is no way to have a discussion about these deaths without it becoming personal. No way to simply say "I'm sorry" without it meaning so much more.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=413&e=1&u=/ibsys/20041019/lo_kitv/2417370
Fernandez's father -- a former military man himself and the son of a Korean War veteran -- is struggling with a mixture of sorrow and anger.
"I think this president rushed our troops into battle," he said. "I am not endorsing any candidate, but I do think we should exercise our right to vote and we do need a change."

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Oct/18/br/br05p.html
Since the start of the war in Iraq in March 2003, 23 soldiers with notable Hawai'i ties have been killed in the Middle East, including 17 in Iraq. Of those killed, 15 were assigned to the 25th Infantry Division.