Distinct Men, Bound Now at Arlington

[bufffbison]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30242-2004Dec2.html?nav=rss_world

Distinct Men, Bound Now at Arlington

By Rebecca Dana
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 3, 2004; Page B06

The medals and the American flag were almost too much for Kiona Bryant to hold as she sat yesterday at the grave of her high school sweetheart.

So she bundled them together, the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star and the flag that once draped the coffin of her husband, Jack, and turned her head away from the scene. It was almost too much to bear.

[NEOBuckeye]

1. One More Parade, Don't Be Afraid

One More Parade -- Phil Ochs

Hup, two, three, four, marching down the street
Rolling of the drums and the trampling of the feet
The generals salute while the mothers wave and weep
Here comes the big parade, don't be afraid, the price is paid
One more parade

(Chorus)
So young, so strong, so ready for the war
So willing to go and die upon a foreign shore
All march together, everybody looks the same
So there is no one you can blame,
Don't be ashamed, light the flame
One more parade

Listen for the sound and listen for the noise
Listen for the thunder of the marching boys
A few years ago their guns were only toys
Here comes the big parade, etc.

Medals on their coats and guns in their hands
Trained to kill as they're trained to stand
Ten thousand ears need only one command
Here comes the big parade, etc.

Cold hard stares on faces so proud
Kisses from the girls and cheers from the crowd
The widows from the last war cry into their shrouds
Here comes the big parade, don't be afraid, the price is paid
Don't be ashamed, war's a game, the world in flames
So start the parade

[NEOBuckeye]

2. Don't get me wrong.

I really do feel for this soldier's widow and his family. But as Phil Ochs suggested in his song lyrics above, it's all a never-ending cycle of bravado and bereavement that we never seem to learn from, and so it goes on and on.

It's like we're addicted to pain, sorrow and death. Why do we keep putting ourselves through this nonsense time and time again. Where will it finally end?