ASTRO-NOT
When I was a young lad, I had dreams of being a fire fighter, an astronaut, and a soldier. One of these dreams came true but it turned out to be a nightmare. Looking back on it, I could have accomplished and gotten so much more out of the other options. Oh, how honorable it would have been to risk my life for science. For the better good of the human race. For the well-being of my family, friends, and all of the fellow beautiful people that reside here with me on planet Earth. Instead of raining death and destruction, I could have been saving communities and rescuing cats from trees. Instead of causing harm and being harmed I could have helped heal. Instead of becoming educated on artillery, bullets, and beer; I could have been learning about sustainability, communication, and love.
Our young children today growing up will not dream of being astronauts because we don’t send people to space anymore. We don’t have the money to. They will not dream of being firefighters, as America doesn’t seem to need to put out fires. We just need to start fires. After all that’s the American way, right? What our young men and women of this country will dream about though, is about being a soldier. Because this is what their parent, siblings, or relatives have done. For a young girl or boy in today’s world, war is just a normal occurrence.
It’s a thing that we have just accepted and live with on a daily basis. Our economy has crashed partially due to this war that we view as just something that needs to be done. As America continues to fight in the longest war in U.S. history, you ask yourself, "Will we ever be out of Afghanistan? Will our leaders continue to tell us that we are pulling out and bringing the troops home, just to deploy them again the next year?"
Want a brighter future? Want a better economy with productive jobs instead of destructive jobs? Want a happier, healthier, and more sustainable planet Earth? Then let's leave Afghanistan. We’re sick of Afghanistan. We’re wasting our time, money, and resources there. Help me bring my friends and our loved ones home today!
Shawn McMurtrey
Eugene, Oregon
LAND
Kudos on the land issue (Vol. 29 No. 3). I have supported WRL for probably 40 years and have always been discouraged at the lack of conversation about the land that sustains, feeds, and nurtures our hearts as we work for peace. This issue, I hope, begins the conversation!
I liked, in particular, "Andean Campesinos Stand Up to Mining Companies” because it reviews so many of the places where mining is impacting health, ecosystems, water, and life ways. As someone dedicated to Andean cosmology, a frequent visitor there, and an environmentalist, I have to say that I’ve never seen such a good synthesis.
Meg Beeler
Sonoma, CA
ERRATA
The photo of Sr. Anne Montgomery on page 7 of the previous issue (Vol. 29 No. 3) is by Ed Hedemann.
