She entered our system the same day she was discharged from the local V.A. hospital. Drinking alcohol, opiates when she could get them, pot as available, tranquilizers when her friends or donators allowed purchase of same... well, that was something an insider could glean from her urine drug screen.
This is how I see it: She was perfectly normal. Then she joined the American military, and they ruined her for life.
This began before our country was even founded. The men who wintered through Valley Forge and Morristown during the abysmal months of the Revolutionary War were disaffected youths, conscripts, and low-lifes who had few options. In other words, the same people who now are attracted to the abuse, failed promises, death, disfigurement, and neglect that we offer those who choose to serve militarily in the name of United States citizens.
I am sick of it. I am sick of it.
"Sally" said that she had no place to go. She'd been a sailor who now at the tender old age of 45 had served valiantly under Bush The Smarter, and for that she got fucked sideways. Disabled now by recurring deep-vein thromboses and post-traumatic-stress disorder (having been repeatedly raped by her fellow Navy sailors,) she just cannot hold her life together.
Think of that. She was gang-raped by people who served beside her. America's Finest. I would personally set fire to them myself if the opportunity arose.
Were officers involved? You tell me. I think yes.
She wanders the streets. When the weather gets bad, such as this rainy past weekend, she presents to whichever emergency department is nearest. She's been down this road many times before so she knows how to work her way through a pulmonary embolism, chest pain secondary to tobacco/alcohol abuse, suicidal ideation, syncopal-episode/seizure-disorder constellation of diagnoses.
She's not a senator.
She's just another cipher who got snookered by some lyin' ass recruiter. And now she's a homeless addict. She serves no economic advantage to whatever community. She is ruined.
War is about ruining people.
I am sick of it.
3 comments:
i am nauseaous to the point of really throwing up. everything seems so hopeless when we talk about the war or about the pain that people go through, from all sorts of causes.
Hey, thought I would leave a comment, but it got too long. Made it into a post instead:
http://crzegrl.net/?p=796
Thank you for making me think which is never easy to do this late!
Shrimplate, After pushing back from my desktop, taking ten slow deep breaths and centering my chi, I have calmed down enough to feel sorry for you, to feel sorry for your ignorance, for your blatant idiocracy, your boisterous naivete. The warm wash of catecholamines sweeping my body were illicted not by insightful journalism, but by well intentioned, misguided contempt.
You hate her attackers. I do to. You hate what happened to her. I agree. But I won't blame the military. I Blame the individuals. I Blame the people responsible. Don't hate the organization. That makes you a bigot.
I know that I will not be able to open your eyes to all the wonderful things that the U.S. military does, that sort of thing rarely finds primetime limelight, and I don't think anyone would disagree that war is aweful, especially those that have to fight it. But please at least consider the notion that there is goodness in the U.S. Military, check out the link below for just one example.
http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2007/March/20070301141930AKllennoCcM0.6500447.html
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