Ordinary Strangeness

Army Cook, City Point, VA – War Between the States

—————————————————————-

I’m sure I speak for all the OS staff in thanking all of our Veterans for the service toward which they were either called or compelled.  Freedom, among all things, is worth protecting, and personal sacrifice is deserved of the highest honor and respect.  So, thank you, Veterans, for your service in defense and support of liberty.

“It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy. But this much we do know — no faith justifies these murderous and craven acts; no just and loving God looks upon them with favor.” – President Barack H. Obama @ the Memorial Service for Fort Hood

“No just and loving God looks upon them with favor.’ Well that line specifically sent me down a road, already today,  a road I didn’t expect to travel, yet one I go down whenever it calls.

I immediately thought of a verse in the Tom Waits song, “Day After Tomorrow”.

‘You can’t deny
The other side
Don’t want to die
Any more than we do
What I’m trying to say,
Is don’t they pray
To the same God that we do?
Tell me, how does God choose?
Whose prayers does he refuse?
Who turns the wheel?
And who throws the dice
On the day after tomorrow?’

This song, written from the point of view of a soldier, though one distraught, may well be the most astute and underrated anti-war song ever.

One can be thankful, daily, for the service of Veterans in this country, and at the same time be vehemently anti-war.

I’ll return to update this post throughout the day.  I have other things of interest I wish to share.

——————————————————————————————

In other mentions of Veterans on this Armistice Day, there is a fascinating new documentary out by the name of The Good Soldier.  I was lucky enough to catch an hour of it on PBS the other night.  It also is being screened this weekend at a local theatre.  From the synopsis on the website, The Good Soldier follows the journeys of five combat veterans from different generations of American wars as they sign up, go into battle, and eventually change their minds about what it means to be a good soldier.

Weaving in and out of this film is a haunting score written by first time score writer JJ Grey.

The Good Soldier

—————————————————————————————–

And now for my gripe of the day, hell, you could say its my gripe of life.  I’m not a fan of the United States National Anthem.  And especially not a fan of the first verse.  You know you’re only reciting the first verse to the poem, The Star-Spangled Banner?  Ok.  Good.  Just thought I would remind you.  This verses greater meaning, in my opinion, is about triumph after a perilous fight.  It speaks of war, bombs, rockets and such.  A great framework for a country to rally around before every major event which may kick off any day of any year. You think?  Let’s all sing about winning a war.

No thank you.

I’ll sing about this land and its glory, its tolerance, compassion and kindness, even through the grit and grind.

I’ll sing the songs of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

I’ll sing about how “this land was made for you and me”.

——————————————————————————————

Finally,here’s just a splattering, musically, of the thoughts which have surrounded me today.

Thank you Veterans for all you give.  Cheers to you.

“I’m not really a pacifist. If an army invaded this land of mine, You’d find me out on the firing line.” – Pete Seeger