Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

A Simple Tale

by spiderleaf
Fri Oct 20th, 2006 at 04:14:20 PM EST

Inspired by ejmw's excellent "A Simple Reminder", this is an imagined conversation that could be happening anywhere in Iraq or Afghanistan now. And my heart is breaking.

"Mommy, can I go play outside today?"

"No dear, it isn't safe."

"Why mommy, are the bad men back?"

"Yes honey, they are. There are men with guns on the roof honey because one of our neighbours is suspected of being part of the resistance."

"Just like daddy?"

"Yes, just like daddy."

"When is he coming home mommy?"

"Sweetheart, mommy explained to you already that daddy isn't coming home. Daddy died in the market baby. You know that, you were there. In the car."

"The bad men did it. With their big bomb. I hate them."

"Me too baby, me too. One day we'll be free again and then they will pay."

"I want to help mommy."

"When you're bigger you can."

A Simple Tale | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: A Simple Tale (4.00 / 13)

I once read a wingnut 'debunking' the 'idea' that terrorism targeting the United States is in any way a result of our foreign policy.

It was all I could do not to shout WHAT THE FUCK PLANET DO YOU LIVE ON?!? IT'S SIMPLE CAUSE AND EFFECT JACKASS!

(Oops. I guess it's more than I could do not to shout.)

Tengo un sueño.

by ejmw (ewitham (at) umich (dot) edu) on Fri Oct 20th, 2006 at 04:35:30 PM EST

Re: A Simple Tale (4.00 / 11)

No worries, it's worth shouting about.

Better than curling up in a ball or banging your head against the wall, that's for sure.

by spiderleaf (spiderleaf at gmail dot com) on Fri Oct 20th, 2006 at 04:39:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A Simple Tale (4.00 / 12)

If Ductape Fatwa were here he would not so gently remind us that one day we'll reap what we sow, and that these could be an American child and an American Mommy talking about an occupation. I don't believe anymore that it's impossible.

"green grass and high tides forever"

by supersoling (colorsplash62@optonline.net) on Fri Oct 20th, 2006 at 06:52:50 PM EST

Damn straight! (4.00 / 10)

Even if DTF isn't here to make those reminders, we can still do so (gently or not so gently as the spirit moves us). :-)

The Mahatma X Files. Peace With Attitude.

by James Benjamin (the_bokononist at yahoo dot com) on Sat Oct 21st, 2006 at 12:58:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: A Simple Tale (4.00 / 2)

Reminds me a bit of what Danni asked me at the start of this "WAR".

She asked:

D: Why are we going to attack?
Me: Because they think that's where the terrorists are.
D: THINK!?! Shouldn't they be SURE?

and

D: But won't the bombs kill kids?
Me: Yes.
D: Won't the Iraqi kids call us terrorists then?

And now we have Marines raping and murdering kids... we have over half a million Iraqis dead and they are fighting back.

When 9/11 happened the entire globe was ready to help us... now the entire world sees us as murdering bastards who slept while the Emperor shredded the Constitution (among other things)

Yes some of us do fight against this ... but when it is all said and done... Americans didn't stop the attrocities. We ALL have blood on our hands.

And one day our children and their children will be attacked for the apathy and laziness we displayed towards all the heinous crimes Bush and his supporters committed.

Our soldiers don't care if an Iraqi was a Saddam supporter... so why should anyone else care if we supported Bush or not.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. - Jimi Hendrix

by Damnit Janet on Tue Oct 24th, 2006 at 12:38:19 PM EST

A Simple Tale | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Go to: [ Booman Tribune Homepage : Top of page : Top of comments ]

. Home
. About
. Contact
. Advertise
. FAQ
. Search

Username:
Password:

. Make a new account
. Reset password

Gift Cards * New Arrivals

NOTE: Overstock bests Amazon's prices and is "blue."

THE BOOKS WITH "BUZZ":
______________

Learn the real story behind the WMD in Iraq:

The Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism
by Ron Suskind

Read Barack Obama's vision for America:

The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
by Barack Obama

DaveW recommends:

I Am a Strange Loop
by Douglas Hofstadter

Need some laughs?

I Am America (and So Can You!)
by Stephen Colbert

rae recommends:

Dark Ages America: The Final Phase of Empire
by Morris Berman.

On BooMan’s shelf:

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

This looks interesting:

Adventure Divas
by Holly Morris

Here’s a good one from
Elizabeth Gilbert:

Eat Pray Love
by Elizabeth Gilbert

"Crash" * Best Motion Picture, Academy Awards * Only $11.79 at Overstock * 2006 SAG Winner, Best Ensemble

Check out
Powell's new section:
NEW FAVORITES
Selected new arrivals at 30% off

Recommended by Indianadem and ejmw:
The Conscience of a Liberal
by Paul Wellstone

From northcountry’s bookshelf:

The New Golden Age:
The Coming Revolution Against
Political Corruption and Economic Chaos by Ravi Batra

A novel about contractors in Iraq from the woman that runs The Spy That Billed Me:

Outsourced: A Novel
from RJ Hillhouse.

Download Sleeper Cell on iTunes

(Better than "24") Download Weeds on iTunes

(Hilarious 1/2-hour adult comedy starring Mary-Louise Parker) Download Late Nite with Conan O'Brien on iTunes

Download South Park on iTunes

James Hunter - People Gonna Talk:

Great Deals
----- * ^ * -----

Find mystery novels by Nancy Pickard ("Kansas")

Challenging Empire: How People, Governments, and the UN Defy US Power by Phyllis Bennis (interviewed on DN!)

Featured by Keith Olbermann, New (Powell's Sale): Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower by William Blum (whose other books merit serious consideration)

"Explosive" State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration
by James Risen

The book the CIA doesn't want you to read: Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander
Larry Johnson's review

BT's all-time best seller:

PERMACULTURE:
A Designers' Manual
$79.95 * Sale: $59.95

Unequal Sisters: A Multicultural Reader in U.S. Women's History (Third Edition)

The Undercover Economist: Exposing Why the Rich Are Rich, the Poor Are Poor And Why You Can Never Buy a Decent Used Car!

The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
by Timothy Egan

Green Press Initiative
----- * ^ * -----

Journalistas: 100 Years of the Best Writing and Reporting by Women Journalists by Eleanor Mills * NYT review

Bury Me Standing: the Gypsies & Their Journey

1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus

Brokeback Mountain
by Annie Proulx
----- * ^ * -----
Check out Powell's
"At The Movies"

Imperial Ambitions: Conversations on the Post-9/11 World by Noam Chomsky (Power & Terror: Post 9-11 Talks)

The Price of Privilege:

How Parental Pressure and
Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of
Disconnected and Unhappy Kids
by Madeline Levine

Save 35-70% on
name brand clothing,
footwear, and outdoor gear
at SierraTradingPost.com
:

We listened to PEN American Center's "State of Emergency" and found 1940s books by Curzio Malaparte only at Alibris. (Selection (MP3) excerpted from "The Skin.")

Banned Books * Are you a fan of Film Noir, Art House, Documentaries or Hong Kong Action? * Searching for a long-lost children's book or a first printing of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue on vinyl? Find it at Alibris!

:
:

Booman Tribune Homepage
admin@boomantribune.com
powered by Scoop

More blogs about Blogs at Technorati.