Memorial Day 2007

A day of remembrance, a whole day off of work to recognize those who died in battle to protect our country, our constitution, our people... that's a good thing, in my opinion.

But a "national moment of reflection"? a "national moment of prayer"?

That's way too micromanaged for me. Way too Orwellian. Telling everybody that at 3pm (which times zone?) they are to stop for a moment, on command of the government, and "reflect" or "pray".. that's really over the top.

I can understand a bunch of infomercials about the real meaning of memorial day, to remind everybody that the day isn't about grilling hot dogs and steaks, eating corn-on-the-cob and sleeping in, that while those things are nice, the real reason most people are getting the extra day off is because our government wants to recognize what our soldiers have given.

But a national moment of silence? That's too much like mandating that people fly flags in front of their house. It's nice if we do, but when it's mandated, it loses all meaning. It goes from being a patriotic gesture to being a nationalistic requirement.

Ya know, if the government really appreciated our soldiers, they would take some of those funds for the military, and rechannel them into higher salaries for the enlisted, so their families wouldn't have to go on food stamps. Better medical care, better body armor, better communications.. instead of bigger bombs and pork for the big corporations with sweet military contracts.

I'm not even going to get into sending them over to start a war over lies, to a place they can't win, and shouldn't be. Because I could be mistaken about that. I don't think I am, but even if I'm not.. I still respect and thank the soldiers who are going over there, the ones who agree with me as well as the ones who don't.

So, while I disagree with our government, while I think a mandated "moment" is ridiculous, I support the day of recognition.

“They stand on a wall and say nothing’s gonna hurt you tonight…not on my watch”.
~A Few Good Men~

Thank you, warriors who stood on a wall.

Thanks.

So my son was watching Robin Hood (the disney animated version) on Disney, while eating froot loops and waiting to go to work.

I mentioned that I watched it in the theater, and when I was a kid I had a vinyl with the entire soundtrack, dialog included, and I used to play it all the time.

he said "I keep forgetting how old you are."

No. No,no,no,no,no!

My husband forced me to get an SUV. well, he didn't force, but it turned out to be the best car at the time for our needs. It's a small SUV, more like a miniSUV, but an SUV nonetheless. So, I drive an SUV, that is established. FOr Christmas this year, my in-laws got me a cell phone. I have resisted getting one for years, but I am now a certified, cell-phone totin' Suv drivin' mom. So oldestboy calls me on my cell while I'm trying to drive in bad weather, and because there is no place to pull over, instead of telling him to knock it off, because if I don't pick up, he keeps calling back till I do anyway, I am talking on my cell while DRIVING in bad weather. driving an SUV while being a mom, nonetheless. I am a cellphonetalking whiledriving an SUV mom.

babyguy brought home a paper from school that listed a bunch of extracurricular activities he could join. He wants to play soccer.

my head asploded.

revelation

If I amuse myself, that's half the battle won right there. Amusing anyone else is purely bonus.

Thoughts on Hussein's execution, & the mess in Iraq in general.

As I understand it, he was tried by an Iraqi court, judged by Iraqis, and executed by Iraqi order...

And everyone will still blame the US and there will be reprisals on any American who is in the area.

The execution will make a remarkable scapegoat for attacks that would have happened anyway.

I was under the impression that the US Gov put Hussein in power in the first place, and supported him for a while. So there's quite enough blood and blame to spread around as to who is at fault, who is responsible, and who should bear the brunt of the fallout.

It's my belief that when you have fucked something up beyond all redemption, that further fucking with it will only result in a bigger mess. Sometimes you have to just step back, admit that the mess is yours and that you can't fix it, and give someone else a try at fixing it.

What a way to end the year, huh?

As for the snuff film going around:

If it gives someone peace and closure, hell, let 'em watch it. The man's dead now anyway. Just remember that those on the other side are people too, and some of them may get the same closure watching our soldiers and citizens die, because they have been told over and over again how everything bad is our fault. If a mother has seen her child killed by an American soldier, it may be that watching an American soldier get his head cut off will aleviate her grief. If a girl has seen her entire family killed by American soldiers, been raped by them, it may help her to see American soldiers tortured and killed. Just somethihg to think about...

Happy 2007. Two more years to go, may the Gods help us.

Oldest Boy

today's post written by Oldest Boy, on the subject of the moron who put her baby in a microwave.

I don't take kindly to people who put their babies in microwaves. Microwaves are for food, not babies. As far as I know, people don't wake up and say "MMM, I want some tasty baby!" The woman who put her baby in the microwave should get in a blimp and float to Antarctica; but she can't go to see Happy Feet. I also think that she should be forced to become a Sceintologist, because like Tom Cruise, she must be insane. Furthermore, I'm hoping that they will add a "no baby" symbol on the microwave safety label now so that people round the world will know how dumb she truly is. On that note, should baby ever be added to the American diet, I will be forced to move to New Zealand and chill with Gimli the dwarf.