Thanksgiving Memories

Let me first begin by saying I hate the holiday season. I truly do. And I always have. This time of year has never been a happy time for me and it has certainly never been filled with the happy happy joy joy feelings that we are "supposed" to have during this season.

But, I have gone through the motions of the holiday season for my children. While they were growing up, we sometimes spent the holidays with other members of our family or traveled to visit grandparents from time to time, but because we usually lived so far away from family, Thanksgiving and Christmas was usually a quiet affair at home.

Over the years I taught my daughters how to cook a turkey. They each learned to make deviled eggs and sweet potatos. Jaime, especially, has always loved the traditions that come during the holidays. The day after Thanksgiving our tree usually went up and the kids helped to decorate it.

Their father and I did our best to make the holidays good for them, the kids. Their father loved Christmas, as well, and insisted on buying the kids as many gifts as we possibly could. There were years when we couldn't afford much of anything, but they always got gifts from Santa.

This is the time of year when we are supposed to give thanks for our blessings -- and I have been blessed. I am grateful for my two daughters, Dani and Jaime, and for my stepdaughter, Aimee. I am grateful for the three beautiful grandchildren I have, Madison, Logan and Aiden. They are a true joy in my life. I am grateful for my sweet, kind husband, Maxx. I am grateful to have a warm home, a job, and a few friends. I also give thanks for my cats, but most especially the newest one, Raven, who is a wonderful companion to have and keeps me laughing.

My thoughts wander back to Thanksgiving 2003 in particular. It was Jeremy's last Thanksgiving and also his 22nd birthday. He was to spend the day with his dad, who had come to Houston, and I had to work. Because of this, Maxx and I did not plan anything special for Thanksgiving that year, just a quiet day at home. But Jeremy called that day and wanted to come over. The day was not going well for him.

Jeremy arrived at our house upset about something that had happened that day. I welcomed him with open arms, hugged and kissed him. Because it was too late in the day for a special birthday dinner, we had spam and potatos (comfort food for me and Maxx and what we had planned anyway).

I'll always feel bad that I didn't have something better to help Jeremy celebrate his birthday and Thanksgiving. He didn't complain, though. He was just happy to be with his mom and stepdad.

Two days later, on November 29, 2003, Maxx and I took Jeremy to Huntsville, Texas, to report for active duty.

God, I miss him. Most of all, this Thanksgiving, I am grateful to have been Jeremy's mom.

Reinstating the Draft

I am a peaceful person. I do not believe in unprovoked war, but I do believe that there is a time and a place for war and a need for the military. Let's face it, there are some people in the world who are not very nice and we do have a need to defend ourselves from time to time. In view of this, I am in support of reinstating the draft. Let me tell you why.

The war in Iraq is not and never was the time and the place for war. The reality is that we are at war in Iraq, whether we like it or not. Unfortunately, those servicemen and women who are fighting in this war have been called time after time to go back to Iraq. Some are on their third or fourth rotations there. These men and women are tired. They want to go home to their families and the homes. They want to go back to their former lives. They should be able to. But Uncle Sam keeps calling them back to duty. Quite often, their service is extended beyond that which was originally agreed upon. Now they are called back through the IRR (Individual Ready Reserves) after their terms of service have been met. This is unacceptable.

The U.S. military is recruiting people from other countries to serve. Heavy recruitment has been going on in the Pacific Islands as well as South and Central America. We have been using mercenaries to fight this war to take the place of our own citizenry who will not.

The reason this has been happening is because, quite simply, there are not enough troops to serve. So the same few must go time after time.

In Washington the President and his advisors are not backing down from protracted, endless war. They continue to insist that we must stay the course in Iraq and not leave. There are no plans to start withdrawing our troops (my preference -- I would like to see this done immediately). The reality is, my friends, this war is not going to end any time soon.

There are some who still support the President and his illegal war. Until we can get those people to quit riding the fence or until they have a personal stake in the war, things will not change. I don't care who is in control on Capital Hill. It is we, the people, who are going to have to end this war.

So, let's fight fire with fire and call their bluff. Let's reinstate the draft. Let's give those soldiers who have been taking the brunt of the fire a break and bring them home while they are still alive. Send fresh troops to the battlefront. Take those kids of the neocons who support this war, but will not send their own sons and daughters. There should be NO exceptions for any able-bodied person. The wealthy and the poor alike should fight together in battle. If they have to do this, maybe we will all think twice the next time. We must, as a nation, share this great burden.

We, in the peace movement, have been calling for quite some time now for an immediate end to the war in Iraq. Few in Washington are listening to us. Our protests, calls to action and marches get little or no attention. There are still people in this country who are not aware that there is a war going on!

I do not want to see any more death, violence and insanity. My family gave that which was most precious to us, our only son and brother, to this war. I don't want to see anymore families suffer the way mine has. Believe me, I know more than most the human cost of war.

However, I do not see any other way to end all of this until We, The People as a whole take a stand and demand an end to the war. It's time to stop pussyfooting around and get serious.

I know it's a hard line in the sand. But we don't have time to play games and be gentle anymore. Too many are dying needlessly.

Veterans Day in Houston by Mikal Hutto

An account of the Veterans Day Parade from my friend, Mikal, who is a member of MFSO in Houston...
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November 11, 2006 Veterans Day in Houston, Texas

Jim Rine with Veterans for Peace invited MFSO to march with them as a protest in the Veterans Day Parade in Houston. Margaret Davis graciously agreed to march with me to hold our banner, and wear our Tee Shirt, even though she left our ranks a few weeks ago to pursue other peace avenues.

People from the Progressive Action Alliance showed up, as well as a few people from the Democrats of the Heights area, and Suzette Mouchaty, with Code Pink was also there in a VfP tee shirt. Hank Woji, the musician showed up with a HUGE drum, and marched in the front line with Vets for Peace. All in all we had around twenty five people, some I did not know. All wore Vets for Peace tee shirts, except Margaret and I wore MFSO shirts, and carried our banner. Vets for Peace carried their flag and all the people carried various signs and banners, to make statements about getting out of Iraq, peace, supporting the troops, Veterans benefits being cut and Depleted Uranium. I was proud of our little group and proud that Vets for Peace had included us. I thought we made a good show, thanks to all the dedicated people, even though a little apprehensive about the crowd’s reaction. It was a HUGE crowd; there were thousands of people on the streets.

Before the parade we all talked to each other about how we thought we would be received. Mostly the consensus was that we’d be booed, maybe have things thrown at us, and generally not appreciated. The weather had turned cold and windy; we had a long wait standing waiting for the parade to move. Poor Margaret had not realized the weather, and was dressed skimpily but refused to don her jacket as her tee shirt wouldn’t show up, and the information on the back about the website would be covered. I so admired her. I do not know how she stood that cold for so long in nothing but a tee shirt, capris and sandals. We were a little tense wondering how we would handle the crowd’s reaction. The wait seemed endless to get started. We joked around a little with each other and talked some to people that were on the street. The wind was so strong Margaret and I had to fight to hold on to our banner many times.

At one point a little group of ROTC children showed up beside us in formation. These children looked so tiny and innocent; it was hard to believe they were old enough to belong to ROTC. It was shocking to see them all in uniform, yet looking so innocent. It brought tears to my eyes, thinking how they got there and why they were there. We all turned to them smiled, and displayed our signs to them, hoping it would make some kind of impression. I watched their faces for some kind of reaction, but they were good little soldiers and displayed no emotion even though you could see their eyes reading. They marched away without any real sign that they understood. It was a sad moment.

Two people in Army uniform came over and decided to march with Vets for Peace. I think they were active reserves, but not sure. It was an awesome moment though, and I thought it added validity to our little group. They were young and brave to march with us in their uniforms. They could have repercussions for doing so. We all realized that.

Everywhere you looked there were people in uniform. At one point, one distinguished man in an Army uniform, with a lot of medals that was directing a group of men in uniform looked at Margaret and me, and said, “You ladies keep speaking out! Don’t stop!”

I smiled, and replied, “We don’t intend to. Thank You!”

He replied, “Thank YOU!”

It seemed like a sign. I relaxed a little bit. I thought in my mind no matter what happened I was going to smile and have my hand raised in the peace sign, after all it was a celebration for brave men who had given their all to our country, most with pure motives and they deserved respect. We were there to try to keep more from dying.

Finally, we started moving, slowly and got into a good formation, Margaret and I were at the back keeping a little distance to make sure our banner could be read. We were so lucky, a wonderful band, The Thurgood Marshall High School Mighty Stampede Marching Band was right behind us. They were decked out beautifully in purple and played a wonderful cadence. It was impossible not to march to it, as I spent four years in band in high school. My feet just wouldn’t walk normally, so I gave in to it, put a smile on my face, raised my hand in the peace sign and Margaret and I held the banner up. All of a sudden I was watching people’s faces, it was amazing. Almost everyone’s face on my side lit up with a smile when they saw us! I could not believe it. People started giving me back the peace sign, saluting me, throwing kisses. I turned to Margaret, and watched her side, and her. She was also smiling, there was no way not to. The people were doing the same on her side. I was in total disbelief; it was NOT what I had expected at all. Tears came to my eyes, as I realized it was TRUE people want peace and they DO appreciate those of us who stand up for peace. At that moment, I felt our dead and living veterans would be proud of us, and what we were trying to do.

Every now and then you’d hear booing, or someone would say something negative or give you the bird, or thumbs down, but they were definitely in the minority! Some uniformed men seemed negative or just stone faced, but this was the exception.

I watched the people’s faces as we came with our signs and they read them, their faces lit up and they smiled, saluted, gave the peace sign, cheered and whistled. I could not contain my enthusiasm. It was a rare moment in the peace movement. I was so wishing that all my fellow MFSO members could have been there to experience this moment with me and Margaret. It made everything worth it. All the long hours, the hauling yourself out of bed early in the morning, trying to find out where to protest with a few people, the sadness when you give an event and invite hundreds and only thirty people show up, and the times you have to dig into your own pockets to cover your costs for an event were all out the window. My heart was full of pride to be there for peace, and to know that the people in America DO want peace. Even as tanks and uniforms rolled down the streets, and knowing the thousands were actually there to honor all the dead men and women of past wars, I could not help being happy. It was a good day. I will never forget it.