Friday, March 25, 2005
Dear Faiza,
Two years ago the thought of impending war made me ill. No one here seemed to care. My brother and a few others, yes, but most just thought I was crazy to be so upset.
Now, very few Americans seem happy about the war. Many of my customers--I teach and sell pianos and organs-- have sons in Iraq or just returned from Iraq or going to Iraq. Many going are middle aged--40s and 50s.
One customer--who went to George Bush's Inauguration, so she is a Republican-- said her 70 year old husband received a letter from the government requesting that he go to Iraq to train policemen. Her husband is a retired policeman. When they look for 70 year old men, the war is not so popular. But will it ever end? What will be left of Iraq? the people? the land? American democracy? Ignorance is everywhere.
The US had an election, it was all legal, George Bush won.
I just spoke to a customer-- the husband is Palestinian and they are moving to Canada. They have lost hope.
Some days, I have hope for peace--from individual people --then the government and the media whip up emotions and everyone is a "terrorist" that needs to be killed.
Ignorance is the villian and the worst ignorance is not just in the head, but a closed heart. A child is ignorant because he does not know; adults are ignorant because they refuse to know.
Pray for Peace.
Kathy
Two years ago the thought of impending war made me ill. No one here seemed to care. My brother and a few others, yes, but most just thought I was crazy to be so upset.
Now, very few Americans seem happy about the war. Many of my customers--I teach and sell pianos and organs-- have sons in Iraq or just returned from Iraq or going to Iraq. Many going are middle aged--40s and 50s.
One customer--who went to George Bush's Inauguration, so she is a Republican-- said her 70 year old husband received a letter from the government requesting that he go to Iraq to train policemen. Her husband is a retired policeman. When they look for 70 year old men, the war is not so popular. But will it ever end? What will be left of Iraq? the people? the land? American democracy? Ignorance is everywhere.
The US had an election, it was all legal, George Bush won.
I just spoke to a customer-- the husband is Palestinian and they are moving to Canada. They have lost hope.
Some days, I have hope for peace--from individual people --then the government and the media whip up emotions and everyone is a "terrorist" that needs to be killed.
Ignorance is the villian and the worst ignorance is not just in the head, but a closed heart. A child is ignorant because he does not know; adults are ignorant because they refuse to know.
Pray for Peace.
Kathy
# posted by Faiza Al-Araji @ 3:32 pm 
