The Last Post...

As another evening draws to a close, I should make particular mention of some people who said some very nice things about me today.

Insults- for whatever reason, burn me badly, & I seem to carry them around with me forever.

Compliments are too easily discarded because I'm not entirely sure I feel worthy of them.

However- if I am to learn to take compliments- I should at least acknowledge them.

So...thank you.  You know who you are.


Tonight, I am also thinking about the veterans.

I don't care whether your war was legal or not.  I have a soft spot for veterans.

Whether you see them as heroes or government pawns is neither here nor there.  The bottom line is, many of these soldiers were young men who really believed they were doing the right thing.

You know my views on war- of course it's an absurdity.

But I 'aint the one to judge.

I was a naive young man who joined the police force thinking it had something to do with justice.

More fool me.

Although the military and the constabulary cannot be compared- the choice to serve is much the same.

So, in my empathy...I feel a sense of obligation.


Next week...I will be helping out at the homeless veterans shelter.

To me...the words 'homeless' and 'veteran' do not belong in the same sentence.

I want to lend a hand- partly because I think it is the right thing to do- & partly because I want to listen.

Hear these men's stories.  Shut my yap for five minutes...Listen...& understand.

Show some compassion, & try to make a difference, instead of spouting dogma about how rotten war is, or the government is.

Humans are a war-like species.

I'm not going to solve that tonight, or even over the weekend.

Neither are you.

We might NEVER see an end to war.  Oblivion might find us first.

But in the meantime- while we wait for the big one- helping a few vets clear out their living space seems a damned sight better than bitching.

At least...until I can come up with a better idea.


To the veterans...

I know many of you feel betrayed; but I can't help but think...

We failed you, to a greater degree than you failed us.

Many of you truly did your best, to do what you thought was right.

What you were told was right.

My beef is not with you.


In any case...

Thank you for your service.


JWA