Last Class

I don’t know what we’re all doing by blogging our opinions or discussing whether or not opinionators are worth their salt for merely blogging in the air conditioning and drenched in filthy sweat in combat boots. I just know that one way or another the war affects every American. Hopefully the affected understand this and face it, and qualify it, and process it.

My brother just returned from being a deck officer (Lt JG) on the Vicksburg in the Persian Gulf. My half brother is a LT who is always on submarines. My grandfather was a captain in the Navy. He worked at the Pentagon in his final days before dying of a heart attack at 48. My mother was teaching in France when this happened. She was my age.

I am so unbelievably proud of my brother and my family that I don’t know how to express it sometimes. I am not a neocon or even conservative. I’m not even sure what that means anymore anyway because everyone wants to expound on whether or not Bush is this or that. I don’t care (ok sounding apathetic in that regard). I just know that I can’t possibly do ANYTHING else except support my country and be a responsible consumer and citizen. I sent Robbie some care packages and indulged him in his phone calls at odd hours of the day for 6 months. I listened to the stories that haunt international waters. I listened to his voice and his maturity and his soberness. I know… I know…. I’m SO patriotic.

When Robbie returned to Fl his girlfriend broke up with him. She waited ’til he returned and I give her partial credit. Instead of my brother being devastated (he has a heavy heart), he flatly explained that: 1. he was gone for far too long to be completely heart broken and 2. he is back in the U.S. and that is a reunion that cannot be diminished by Jami’s infidelity.

I suppose (responsible) expression of opinions in support of the war resonates with people who have military family. I cannot speak for those who are in the military but I know that I have insurmountable respect and a deep love for people who support our country. And this is a good thing because love is a good thing to have.