Comments

Very moving tribute, TP. Godspeed to each and every loved one...indeed.

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 13, 2008 4:36 PM

It's true - 'A picture paints a thousand words.' Thank you for reminding me of the human cost of conflict. When I think of the millions of my fellow proud Brits (not to mention our allies) who have given their lives for me and my freedom (and of course continue to do so) I am in complete awe. In the words of the prayer ‘We will remember them’

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 13, 2008 5:27 PM

My generation: people who burned draft cards, fled to Canada, enlisted, went underground, got drafted, got wounded, returned irrevocably broken, died, came home whole. God bless them all.

The Memorial brought me to my knees the first time I visited. An awe-inspiring tribute. I trembled for hours.

Posted by Peg at May 13, 2008 5:38 PM

TOM... The pain of it.. I played football with a gifted athlete - he went to Vietnam and came back with only one leg... He was a gentle guy, full of energy, fun, and good cheer... He lost a leg in a war he did not believe in.. Others I knew did not come back from that same senseless war... My brother served two terms with the engineers in that place - I know that he was offered medals by your Government at the time but I also know he turned them down... I sense he still carries deep wounds from his time there BUT he never speaks about it! If I ever come to believe in the notion of a personal God again (highly unlikely) then I would ask him or her one simple question - "why?" Richard.

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at May 13, 2008 6:09 PM

My father was soldier in Croatian war for independance. Today, they all suffer from PTSP.

Love, lot's of love is the only way to heal this wounds.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GdWhlo9b9zg&feature=related

Posted by Ina Matijevic at May 14, 2008 1:47 AM

"I stop by, pat the marble, salute, and say hello to old friends."

I can not think of a better or more fitting way to honor our brothers in arms, past or present. It brought a tear to my eye and prompted me to have a conversation or two of my own. Thank you sir for your service and a powerful reminder that the freedom we take for granted isn't "free" by any means.

Posted by Dave Wheeler at May 14, 2008 2:50 AM

I really don’t want to take this fantastic and very moving tribute from Tom Peters down a religious route (forgive me Tom) but as a Christian I feel I have a duty to respond to Richard’s comment. The wonder and joy of God is that He gives us freedom to choose the road we take. It is NOT God who starts wars - it is we humans who are given that freedom to choose the road we wish to take. For instance Mr Bush may also like to pretend God ‘told him to go to war in Iraq’ but that is simply a convenient cop out to 'blame' God for human actions.

Richard - I suspect in fact that God is also wondering about your valid question ‘Why?

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 14, 2008 8:00 AM

Hey Dave, despite my advanced age, I can break off a sharp salute as well as I could at 23!

Posted by tom peters at May 14, 2008 9:56 AM

Trevor... People start wars, participate in them, justify them in all sorts of ways... I respect your faith and your belief BUT I simply do not share it! Tom is a gifted story teller... He is good at taking our thinking down a certain pathway - sometimes I might choose to challenge elements or all of the storyline by putting in some 'facts' of my own. The fact is people make bonehead decisions - I do not have the faith or belief that you have to help me sort out 'why' so I have to make do with what I have... I have to make my own sense of our (collective) senseless decisions and the consequent misery it causes both us and them. You have a set of beliefs and ideologies that I do not share BUT we are 'good friends' despite those differences... My only question then is 'why?' can't we all be friends on this planet and get into fixing the more complex issues we all face - hunger (rising food prices increases it), sickness (immunization, medical knowledge, drugs), poverty (transparency in trade, fair trade, equitable dealings among nations), etc. Finally, yeah I can honor my mates at a tomb of remembrance too BUT that is what I know my mates would not want me to DO! They would want me to have a good life and if I can to make this world a better place right here and right now - rather than look back at what they had to do nearly half a century ago.... Let's do good things now - that is the way to honor my mates, their families, and their sacrifice...Richard...

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at May 14, 2008 5:07 PM

Even though I worked in DC with clients for years, I couldn't bring myself to visiting the wall. Three friends, one 18, two 19 from my tiny town on the wall...I finally visited them on the wall. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, in DC has affected me like that visit. I miss them..and at 56 I realize they were only babies...And there but for fortune may go you and I.

Posted by Mike Neiss at May 14, 2008 5:21 PM

Great exchange Richard – thanks.

‘My only question then is 'why?' can't we all be friends on this planet and get into fixing the more complex issues we all face - hunger (rising food prices increases it), sickness (immunization, medical knowledge, drugs), poverty (transparency in trade, fair trade, equitable dealings among nations), etc.’

I am with you 1000% on that Richard. I have often written on this Blog and in many other places how I just cannot understand how our western culture allows worshiping the God ‘money’ and seeking to increase personal wealth whilst at the same time allowing 20,000 people – mainly children – to die every day because of extreme poverty on our one planet.

Mahatma Gandhi summed it up perfectly when he was asked what he thought of civilisation and democracy in the West - he replied; ’I think it would be a very good idea’

‘Why can’t we all be friends on this planet?’ - I believe God wants that more than you and me Richard. It is about human greed and selfishness and the lack of worldwide justice as Bono describes it. This is not a religious issue, nor a charity issue - it is a justice issue.

The brilliant thing that unites you and me Richard is not about a belief, or not, in God but that there is a simple solution to the problems and we refuse to grasp it. That solution is giving up the money we don’t need in affluent parts of our one planet and GIVING that same money to support those people who will die tonight because they cannot afford to eat.

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 14, 2008 5:54 PM

Tom, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that your assessment of your salute is a true statement. I'm thinking that a man who knows and understands excellence as you do, who cares enough to honor and respect his unit and those who served in it in the way you do...would not allow himself to settle for less.

Posted by Dave Wheeler at May 14, 2008 6:15 PM

Trevor...your soapbox causes me some weary. Stating facts continuously about poverty in underdeveloped countries do not change them, nor does beating western culture with a whip of condemning words, as if, while we are indeed our brothers keepers, our brothers have no responsiblity for keeping themselves.

Such issues, as sustained poverty, are indeed complicated and will not be solved on this or any other blog. Perhaps, a better use of time would be to align with such organizations as Rosabeth Moss Kanter's. Did you read her Cool Friends interview? I'm sure that there are such organizations in England. Anyway, I do honor your kindness and gentleness of spirit.

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 14, 2008 11:09 PM

Judith - thanks for your feedback - genuinely valued.

*Apologies for causing you ‘some weary’
*Those that CAN help themselves are doing so
*I AM aligned with more than one organisation trying to do practical things to help
*Through my Church I’m working directly with one family that needs help as a personal way of DOING something practical – this keeps me grounded in reality and may explain my ‘soapbox’ that makes you weary
*I clearly need to target my 'soapbox' less often and to other audiences - thank you.

Posted by Trevor Gay at May 15, 2008 2:44 AM

No apologies necessary, Trevor. I repeat: I honor your kindness and gentleness of spirit. I also honor the work you do. Thank you for making a difference. If we do not do so, who will?

Posted by Judith Ellis at May 15, 2008 5:04 AM

Tom

thanks for the thinking you have provoked in me

Patrick

Posted by Patrick at May 15, 2008 7:25 AM

Tom -
Isn't there a quote that says "Those who don't learn from history are destine to repeat it?" Did our whole generation miss it despite the protests, etc? I grieve everyday for the young people who are our generation's sons and daughters who are giving their lives for another political war.

Thank you so much for your rememberance. I have not been to the wall yet, but I know when I do, I will fall apart.

Posted by Al at May 15, 2008 11:21 AM

To change the subject/tone a bit, and respond to a picture caption here... Dang me, Tom, I had always thought that smoke signals and drums were America's Internet 1.0. Or did Davy Crockett (king of the wild frontier) speak with forked tongue on all those Saturday afternoons so long ago?

Posted by Rob at May 16, 2008 2:18 AM

"Dang me, Tom, I had always thought that smoke signals and drums were America's Internet 1.0."

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by tom peters at May 19, 2008 4:40 PM