America at a Crossroads

AMERICA AT A CROSSROADS on PBS

WOW. . .that got my attention. If you didn't watch the two episodes on last night, find someone who recorded them and WATCH. The bloggers' stories that were "documentarized" were incredible. The drama of computer animation, perfection in narration, and the depth of each situation were so "eye opening" that I was unable to sleep until 4:30 a.m. (and be at work at 8--ok, 8:15).

These are gritty, grizzly, unsettlingly true stories originally written in blog form --- some of which we read daily. To be eerily familiar with a "documentary", putting faces, families, and lives with previously "anonymous" writers has brought this war even closer to my own life and further into my (broken) heart. In fact, I am now more terrified than ever over what my sons are going through and the living nightmares they will experience.

"In Memoriam" flashed split-second images of those who have died and while most went by too quickly to be certain of each branch of service, it was obvious they were mostly young Marines. At each flash of a gray wool collar with brass buttons I could literally feel adrenaline rush through my body; the West Point grads -- I have one of those. None of us pre-9/11 WP parents ever imagined our spit-polished, "squared away" cadets would one day be wearing digital camo, dirt, sweat and blood; and dying. It was all about pride, accomplishment, tradition and the "ideals" of duty, honor and country. The only "enemy" was Navy.

As soon as the credits rolled I started a post that became TOO INTENSE to publish here. I sent it to LAW instead -- I really needed an audience and she was a good one. Thank you, my friend.