Veterans Day
Sitting in my sunny studio with a blessed day off, I'm reminded of the reason. The US honors its Veterans today. I am not a fan of the military as an institution, nor of its current campaigns, and I repudiate Don't Ask Don't Tell. But every day I stand before classrooms where several of my students are currently serving, or recent vets, or medically discharged. I've even taught online courses with students who were deployed, who sometimes had to turn work in late because of casualty blackouts or early because their duties would take them into harm's way. I have developed a deep empathy and respect for their sacrifice that bridges the gap between their ideology and mine, and I hope my classroom is a safe space for them as they navigate the thorny transitions they face during and after their enlistments.
My beloved granddad was drafted during WWII (older than most at 28, he was a high school French teacher whose language skills landed him, with military logic, in New Guinea). Here he is with his buddies declaring War Over (he's the one kneeling just to the left of the sign):
I was a child when the Vietnam conflict ended, but I still see the deep rifts that period carved between men of that generation. My stepdad was drafted and survived to join the Peace Corps and become a social worker. My dad was in the Navy and became one of the first cadre of active duty sailors who succeeded in their conscientious objection to the war. My uncle was career Air Force and now works for a defense contractor. Another uncle escaped the draft by living off the grid in remote locations for years -- a decision that radcally altered his children's lives. Imagine these four men gathered around a holiday dinner table, and it's impossible not to appreciate the lasting effects of a war on the life chances and worldviews of a people.
I only hope that those embroiled in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will find their way. And I hope that, in my small way, I'm helping rather than hindering their progress.
Lee xo
My beloved granddad was drafted during WWII (older than most at 28, he was a high school French teacher whose language skills landed him, with military logic, in New Guinea). Here he is with his buddies declaring War Over (he's the one kneeling just to the left of the sign):
I was a child when the Vietnam conflict ended, but I still see the deep rifts that period carved between men of that generation. My stepdad was drafted and survived to join the Peace Corps and become a social worker. My dad was in the Navy and became one of the first cadre of active duty sailors who succeeded in their conscientious objection to the war. My uncle was career Air Force and now works for a defense contractor. Another uncle escaped the draft by living off the grid in remote locations for years -- a decision that radcally altered his children's lives. Imagine these four men gathered around a holiday dinner table, and it's impossible not to appreciate the lasting effects of a war on the life chances and worldviews of a people.
I only hope that those embroiled in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will find their way. And I hope that, in my small way, I'm helping rather than hindering their progress.
Lee xo