A Moment for Reflection

I participated in a candlelight vigil last night in memory of the 1,000 soldiers who have died in Iraq. It was held at the statue of Santa Monica, right off the beach (which is a hell of a place to try and keep a candle lit, given the winds that whistle across the shore). There were about 100 of us there; at the end, a woman read the names of every soldier who has been killed in action. Many passersby on Ocean Avenue honked their horns in appreciation, but one person driving by yelled "Bush!" from his car. And it occurred to me that we are so overburdened with labels and false impressions in this country. There is nothing more patriotic than pausing for one moment to honor the soldiers that serve for our country. It shouldn't be Democratic or Republican. The man that yelled "Bush" puts politics on top of legitimate reflection. He blindly takes up his chosen side, no matter what is being said on the other side. Not that politics doesn't often do that; I'm just saying it shouldn't.

It felt very good to share common ground with those 1,000 soldiers, who lost their lives for a war that many (including myself) believe to be unnecessary. I was honored to stand with them, if only for a moment.