WAR! What is it good for?

Absolutely NUTHIN'! Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Okay, today is Veteran's Day and I thought it would be appropriate to throw a number out there: 89,457.

What is the significance of this number? Oh, well that is just the number of US casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan since Oct. 7, 2001, which is when the war in Afghanistan began. Of course the number of casualties on the other side (but who cares about them right? I mean, they don't count as people) is much higher and includes many innocent men, women, and children.

Will we ever know peace? Is it too much to ask of people to treat others with respect and dignity? I guess all I'm really saying is, can't we all just get along?

I think that even a five-year-old can tell you that the more hate, death, and destruction that you spread, the more hate, death, and destruction you will spawn (maybe not in those terms, but they would agree that if someone took a toy from them or hit them, then they are more likely to retaliate violently than they would have been otherwise). How different would the world be if we all recognized this?

You still have to be optimistic about the future. We may not have the numbers and the musical talent of the anti-war movement in the 1960s (mainly because there was a draft then and there is not one now), but we are here! It is important for all the lovers of peace out there to continue to speak up against the actions of our government, not just for our own safety, but the safety of the entire world! Who knows what kind of future death and destruction that the US's actions in the Middle East will cause?

Peace is NOT unattainable. It is NOT unreasonable.

Yours in Liberty (and in Peace & Love),

Andy