those who serve

This veterans day, I would like to honor those who served. Not because they traveled to war torn countries and protected the US from threatening forces by systematically eliminating the enemy, but because they were willing to risk so much for an ideal of homeland and freedom. What is appalling about this sacrifice, is that their patriotism was used as a foil by rich and powerful men to preserve their own wealth at the expense of those less fortunate.

Someday, peaceful missions will not entail the deployment of air and ground troops, but rather healers, teachers, engineers, and social workers who seek to mend the wounds of the world, not throw salt in them. Until then I urge you to serve as independent emissaries to the struggling families and individuals of far-flung corners of the earth, where little is known of mercy and hope has not been imagined for many, many years.

Call to Arms

Young men have been running off to war since men filled the valleys and rubbed shoulders with another sort.
They have been called by men of power with voices of fervor and admonition.
They have been promised honor and glory and the reward of the righteous.
They have been taught to hate and kill and set fire to the land.
They have been average men, not murderers.
They have been seeking meaning in their lives.
They have been mourning the loss of their homeland, their bright futures, the love of family.
Will you also join the fight and kill other young men?
You seek to protect the innocent, but when you fight, kill the real enemies of men:

• prejudice,
• injustice,
• poverty,
• intolerance.
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If they were white

Watching the videos of police responding with lethal force in traffic stops and simple pedestrian violations, it is hard to believe that grand juries fail to convict officers of illegal conduct and that federal investigations also fail to indict the officers of violating citizen rights.

They say that procedures were within the law and that the actions taken were justified. You just wonder if things escalated so quickly because there is no policy in place to provide for a calmer treatment of circumstances. Was the suspect about to kill someone or was he just not paying attention and went through a stop light?

You have to wonder if the police are so quick to rush to judgement when the person stopped is white. You just wonder if the person would not have even been stopped if the person was white. White folk do not have a monopoly on lawful conduct. Black folk can drive their cars from one side of the city to the other, but they better not look cross-wise at the man, because then they're guilty from the get go.