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Why?
A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Gene Winters
It happens every night.
Small town in Maine.
Big city in Texas.
A steel town, a hunting village, an Indian reservation.
Death knows this country as well as Rand McNally.
There is nowhere to hide.
Death travels in a pair, looking snazzy in their dress whites.
Creeping down a darkened street at 2 in the morning, looking for a house of restless sleepers.
Their job is not to take souls, though it does happen.
Their job is to change lives.
Just as a person's life changes when they hear "You may now kiss the bride,"
so does it change when these words are spoken;
"We regret to inform you..."
People know, they always know.
A young lady, carrying a baby who has yet to see his daddy,
opens the door in the middle of the night. It is her first official duty as a widow.
She knows.
So does her son.
Too young to even recognize Big Bird,
he feels a part of his heart die off.
It may be parents who answer that doorbell.
They know.
If you look deep into their eyes, you can see their heart break.
The mother will scream, as neighbors lights blink on.
They all know.
The father will curse that it wasn't him.
In the blink of an eye, lives change.
They will be hailed as a hero.
Though they were doing nothing heroic.
They were killed by people defending their country.
Why are we there?
Why will no one answer that?
Why?
The Grim Reapers in their fancy suits will say it's their job.
Someone has to do it.
How about we change the rules.
In cities across America, a car pulls in a driveway.
Three people are in it.
Two in their dress whites.
One in their camouflage pants and shirt.
When the door gets answered in the wee hours of the morning,
A proud veteran is returned home.
A wife answers, to see her husband, her best friend, standing there waiting for the biggest hug he has ever received,
A mom and pop, eyes half closed, explode into laughter, seeing their brave boy or girl standing there.
Enough with the flag draped coffins.
Let's have some flag draped vets coming home.
Surely we can reclaim the flag back from our PR loving "president"
He's too occupied with men loving one another than he is us patriots loving our country.
I say let's put the guys in the dress whites out of business.
Mr. Bush can make those trips in the middle of the night.
He has all the answers.
Well, almost all the answers.
There is one he has yet to answer.
Why are we there?
Why will no one answer that?
Why?
Gene Winters
Independence, MO
A BUZZFLASH
READER CONTRIBUTION
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