Right now Cole is in the other room whistling "Go Tell It On The Mountain" while he is instant messaging friends on the computer. (I can hear the tell-tale alert sound of new messages and key board tapping mingled with the whistling. You don't have to be a super spy, just a mom, to know what your kids are doing in the other room). He learned this song in band practice at E.V. Cain.
Today Cole marched with the E.V. Cain band in the Veteran's Day Parade through down town Auburn. It was very strange to witness, being a peace minded person myself. Through the sparsely sifting rain, crowds on the sidelines cheered for the war veterans and the young soldiers marching through the middle of town. I clapped along too, out of respect. I couldn't help but get a bit choked up and feel the weight of the event, especially when I saw a car full of women with a banner announcing that they were part of a mothers' organization. I looked at the wrinkled faces of the men and women and wondered how many people they knew had died in a war and how it must have changed their lives. I looked at the pride on the faces of the young soldiers. My oldest son Brent, who came along to support his younger brother, kept commenting too loudly how he would never support a war. I kept reminding him to keep it on the down low, just for now.
I wouldn't have been at this parade if Cole wasn't in the school band. I am glad he gave me the opportunity to see this event and marvel at how differently groups of people can see the world.
I can still hear him whistling in the other room, and it is the best music ever.
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3 comments:
Yes, Brent needs to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Luckily, he has a great mom (not to mention Kenny Rogers) to coach him.
It always comes down to World War II. People who say they would not support any war need to answer the question: What if a madman was slaughtering innocent jews by the millions and taking over the world? If they still have the ballz to say they would lay down and let it happen, then, fine. Otherwise, the whole "I'd never support any war" schtick is tired before if comes out of their mouth.
On a more realistic level, one might ask, "If Sauron the deciever was sending his orcs to take Minas Tirith, should Theoden King come riding with his Rohirim to aid in the plight of men? Or should the pacifists rule the day, and sit at the Castle gates with their self righteous signs until the orcs trample them as well?"
Those are big examples. Perhaps too big. What if a bad man is beating up your mom? I think Kenny Rogers also put this one to bed in "the Coward of the County." (is there any problem he didn't solve?)
The sad fact is that until we live in a world with no bad guys, pacifism is for people who need to make themselves feel either a)better about a screwed up world, or b) better than other people.
For the record, when there are no bad people left, I'm totally on board with the pacifism thing. And the fact that I am in favor of killing Hitler, or any other genocidal maniac, doesn't make me a war monger.
I wish I would have been at the parade with you.
Actually, Brent and I had a discussion while eating at a Thai restaurant in Truckee where he told me how he thought Hiroshima was neccessary. I said (incredulously), really, and why don't you tell me why. . . and so he did, and we had quite a discussion for about an hour.
p.s. - I am in favor with the assignation of extreme evil doers. But then who decides who qualifies as extreme, or even evil doer? Maybe I should decide, maybe Kenny Rogers should.
as you well know, at some point in the not so distant future, Kenny will decide everything for everybody.
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