98

98 rose petals were dropped into the reflecting pool at Arlington National Cemetery. One for each woman killed in action in Afghanistan and Iraq.

May their families find comfort and joy in their memories.

Which brings me to a sad question: How many roses would we need to remember the total number of dead in this war when a full count is done?

Meanwhile, our President is obsessed with Code Pink.

My thoughts on this beautiful sunny day are with the men, women, children and creatures who have died because of this war, and also with those who are home, and trying to heal, without the full support and help they both need, and damn well deserve.

Excuse me, I have to go hug someone.

While I do that, you might care to read Hecate's post titled The Peace of Wild Things.

Sia

Molly Ivans on Code Pink:
(Gods, Molly, I miss you)

Excerpt: "Women peace activists, as rule, have totally solved the gnarly old dilemma: What do you do about hating the haters? If you’re a woman peace activist, this is Step 101—you spill love and calm and reassurance and, well, peace all over them. (Which is why it’s especially funny that George Bush is so afraid of Cindy Sheehan.)

For those of us who have not mastered this advanced technique, a Revolution in Favor of Kindness and Libraries seems like a nice idea. Anne Lamott, one of the funniest people in America, has developed a scenario for a Revolution With Good Manners, in which we are all extremely nice to one another. Good manners never hurt anything. “Our Revolution decrees that we will fight tooth and nail for these things, politely.”

I am still lamentably stuck in the middle—not that I hold with hating the haters ... we can all see where that leads—but I am always tempted to shout them down. “One, Two Three, Four: We Don’t Want Your F-ing War.” Now does that repel more potential supporters or attract more people who really need to sound off?

What I learned from Code Pink is that this is not an either-or question. The peace movement is a matter of And and And and And. You just keep adding more people, from those like Sheehan, who lost her son Casey in the stupid debacle, to the Iraqi Veterans Against the War, easily the strongest, most moving group of young people in America. They have learned in the hardest way what politics is."