August 6th

Driving past Fort Gibson today, we were suddenly halted on the highway. A quick look between the cars ahead of us & it was apparent that a funeral procession was crossing towards the national cemetery.
"I bet that's one of our soldiers. Coming back from Iraq. Coming back the hard way."
The last of the mourners slipped past along with the police escort & I felt bitter disgust;
"Look at that - we've now come closer to a funeral for a soldier wasted in Iraq than our fucking President has."

It turns out that the soldier in question managed to fight off death for three years after being severely wounded in Iraq. Rest in peace.

*******

Today HBO marked 62 years since America dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima with the premier of White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

I watched what I could but I finally had to turn the channel. The testimonies & images of agony and horror were excruciating & I didn't want my child to see any of it. I'll watch it later tonight if I have the chance. Frankly, I feel obligated.

In fact, I think everyone should feel obligated. Particularly the stupid assholes who think nothing of using war as a primary means to an end.

All I know about war is from the safety & merciful grace of history and distance - much the same as the most chickenshit of chicken hawks.

Anymore though, I have to wonder if they've got the guts to look sixty-year-old film footage in the eye. After all, why should they waste their beautiful little minds worrying over the sheer bloody murder of war?