Maybe not yet, but he will...
Returning from my grandson's soccer game way out in the boonies, my daughter stops at a yard sale. I'm wearing my "Don't Want Refugees? STOP MAKING THEM! END u.s.ofa. WARS".
One of the older white women running the sale approaches me in order to study my shirt and figure out exactly what it says. She might think it says "I don't want refugees" because she starts talking about the border and the horrible things that are happening down there.
I agree and tell her I just returned from the Arizona/Mexico border where it is estimated now that over 7000 womxxn, children, and men fleeing to the u.s. have been murdered by border patrol, vigilantes, or the military or have died of exposure, starvation, dehydration or minor illnesses untreated.
"But don't you think they should stay out of our country?" she mumbles plaintively. I tell her I was just at a Kroger super store and all that piles and piles and piles of shit, doesn't it bother her in the wee little bit that we have so fuckin much and are so unwilling to share with those that have so very little?
It makes me sick.
"But they'll come over here and cut off our heads."
Are you fuckin kidding me. I tell her we're the ones who've killed 32 people today in Syria, mostly womxxn and children but men as well, dropping our bombs. It is obvious she doesn't consider this on the same violent par as getting one's head cut off.
Then she admits to me that her son is not just in the military but is a navy fuckin seal. She rants about how proud of him he is and what a fine job he's doing in service of our country.
Service of our corporations, I correct but after I say of course, she HAS to believe that or she would never allow her sons to go to another country to hurt someone else's sons now would she?
Now I'm just at this yard sale to help my daughter find towels and sheets she needs for her home. But of course, I'm also working.
She denies that our military is about killing or about protecting our corporations' right to exploit other people and countries.
I step closer to her and ask if she's a christian. She doesn't answer me but her face twists so I ask her again "are you a christian?"
She gets even paler and tells me she is proud of her son and she knows he's doing a great job and he intends to return home and make a career of the military.
I ask her if she knows that 25 young men and some womxxn are killing THEMSELVES EVERY DAY when they return from this great job you believe your son is doing?
"I'm proud of him", she insists, "and I support everything he decides to do."
"Even killing another human being?" I demand to know.
She steps back and tells me that her son hasn't killed anyone.
I'm incredulous and I'm sure she knows it. I say "maybe not yet, but he will."
She turns and flees out of the room.
One of the older white women running the sale approaches me in order to study my shirt and figure out exactly what it says. She might think it says "I don't want refugees" because she starts talking about the border and the horrible things that are happening down there.
I agree and tell her I just returned from the Arizona/Mexico border where it is estimated now that over 7000 womxxn, children, and men fleeing to the u.s. have been murdered by border patrol, vigilantes, or the military or have died of exposure, starvation, dehydration or minor illnesses untreated.
"But don't you think they should stay out of our country?" she mumbles plaintively. I tell her I was just at a Kroger super store and all that piles and piles and piles of shit, doesn't it bother her in the wee little bit that we have so fuckin much and are so unwilling to share with those that have so very little?
It makes me sick.
"But they'll come over here and cut off our heads."
Are you fuckin kidding me. I tell her we're the ones who've killed 32 people today in Syria, mostly womxxn and children but men as well, dropping our bombs. It is obvious she doesn't consider this on the same violent par as getting one's head cut off.
Then she admits to me that her son is not just in the military but is a navy fuckin seal. She rants about how proud of him he is and what a fine job he's doing in service of our country.
Service of our corporations, I correct but after I say of course, she HAS to believe that or she would never allow her sons to go to another country to hurt someone else's sons now would she?
Now I'm just at this yard sale to help my daughter find towels and sheets she needs for her home. But of course, I'm also working.
She denies that our military is about killing or about protecting our corporations' right to exploit other people and countries.
I step closer to her and ask if she's a christian. She doesn't answer me but her face twists so I ask her again "are you a christian?"
She gets even paler and tells me she is proud of her son and she knows he's doing a great job and he intends to return home and make a career of the military.
I ask her if she knows that 25 young men and some womxxn are killing THEMSELVES EVERY DAY when they return from this great job you believe your son is doing?
"I'm proud of him", she insists, "and I support everything he decides to do."
"Even killing another human being?" I demand to know.
She steps back and tells me that her son hasn't killed anyone.
I'm incredulous and I'm sure she knows it. I say "maybe not yet, but he will."
She turns and flees out of the room.
posted by Xan @ 3:40 PM
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