And so it begins. I've had a lot to say over these past few days, or at least a lot that I've been thinking about but too busy to post. Now it all seems so much more trivial, so much more pale in the face of war.

I watched W's speech last night with a heavy heart. It's been obvious for some time now that it would come to this, and yet I've been hoping against hope that it wouldn't. I read someone's diary where she mentioned that she was ashamed to be a Canadian because Chretien does not support the war, because she feels that the Americans have always protected us. Of course, she didn't actually spell his name correctly, so she might have been talking about someone else, but I disagree entirely. Where were they during the FLQ crisis, may I ask? Even in other events, it has always been self-interest--not the protection of others--that has motivated American involvement, and I fear that is the case in this war as well.

I openly admit that I am very scared by what will be happening in the next few weeks--months--years. War is finally becoming real for me in a way that I never could have imagined, and it frightens me to no end. My heart goes out to those who are overseas currently, and to those who will be moving there shortly. Though I do not believe what you are doing is right, warranted or necessary; I know that you must, and I am sorry that you are being put in this position. I hope for a quick resolution, however unlikely, and that the lives of as many as possible are spared.

There is so much more that I would like to say here, but it is not the time, nor the place, and I don't feel like provoking heated discourse with anyone over what I've written. It's probably already too late for that.

Today I wore a t-shirt to school that said "PEACE IS PATRIOTIC TOO". I stand behind that. Someone at school told me upon seeing the shirt that she felt there was too much that the public didn't know or understand, and if we did, it was more likely we'd support the war. I disagree. There is much that we do not know or understand, to be sure, but that does not mean we should accept the decisions of the people in power unquestioningly.

PEACE IS PATRIOTIC, TOO.

{ prev & next }