General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Just cancelled my VFW membership [View all]calimary
(81,265 posts)Even when she went over to Vietnam, she was still trying to do good - at least as she saw it. A LOT of us couldn't stomach that war.
If you think you can, then if you're ever in Washington DC, go seek out the Vietnam War Memorial. And start at one end, and walk down the path along the front face. Where all those names are engraved in dark-colored marble. Names of the 58-some-odd THOUSAND American dead from that war. It starts with a single line of names. As you continue walking, there are more lines, and more lines and more lines of names. Getting taller and taller as you walk farther along, and deeper down into a lower level of ground. Pretty soon you can't see the top ones anymore - they're that high up over your head. When you get to the bottom and start back up, the stacks of names start tapering back down.
And as you walk, you'll undoubtedly pass other pilgrims who've come to walk that walk. You'll see families and friends making rubbings of "that" name they found. You'll see little flags stuck in the ground below someone's name, by someone who misses him. You'll sometimes see a card, a handmade paper heart, a single flower or a little bouquet of flowers, and others trying to reach up and touch "that" name that's still special to them.
I challenge anyone who does this to walk the whole length, from one end to the other, looking at all those names of those lost souls, and not be crying by the time you reach the far end. I've teared up again just writing this and thinking back. It has THAT big an impact.
I was sobbing by then. The tears just came and I couldn't help it. It gives you an idea of just the magnitude of the loss. How MANY deaths. How many tears, spouses heartbroken, children left behind with no daddy (or in some cases, mommy) who will never know that lost parent. It's one of the heaviest experiences I've ever had, and I don't even know anybody who went over there and was killed. I know of no one to mourn personally or directly. Nevertheless, it still affected me PROFOUNDLY. I wasn't prepared, and didn't expect the impact of it. Bearing silent witness - in honor of all those voices that are forever silenced. It grabs you by the gut and won't let go, even hours - or days - later.
One of the most stunning and impactful monuments I have EVER seen. Maybe THE most EVER.