Santa Monica Beach

Before reading any further...... read yesterday's post again......



On the beach beside Santa Monica Pier there is a quiet, dignified protest though it would probably be better to describe it as a memorial.
No chants, no yelling or manfest expression of anger.
No, "I hate Bush" t-shirts.
Just a collection of middle aged people in shorts and short sleeves, soft smiles on their faces and sadness in their eyes. A reminder that the images on your TV screen are not a video game.

Brothers, sons, dads , sisters and daughters, of all religions and colours have gone away and are not coming back ever.
No more Sunday dinners, family battles, or silly dramas sorted out with heartfelt talks, tears and soft words.
Probably lots left unsaid and never to be put right.

The memorial sits right beside the pier and weaves around an unrelated piece of art called "walking LA "or something similar...Its a giant roller that seems to sit amongst the crosses. I don't think they picked the spot by mistake..........

Living in Europe as I do, I tend to come across a lot of knee jerk anti-american sentiments and rhetoric. I'm a Canadian/Brit, but believe me I know who I feel closest too. I grew up watching American TV, listening to American music and though I don't feel I share every piece of the American dream, I do know I believe in much of it.

I 've had the chance to travel and see much of the world and I think that from what I've seen on balance, the US is a force for good.

I supported the war in Iraq at the outset.

I never believed that it was about "weapons of mass destruction", but more about good and evil. or at least a job that shouldn't have been done halfway the first time..

'm not so sure now.

I don't really know what I think.

I do know that as I bitch and whine inside my head, about how crap my life is at the end of this mediocre, jetlagged day, whilst downing a beer and listening to music on my itunes, I'm thankful that I didn't have to pin a message to a loved one on a little protest cross in the sand in california.