Anniversary--Shock and Awe

[Lightning Rod]

Five years ago today, Doreen and I were sitting in a comfortable bar in Virginia. Over our shrimp cocktail and beverages, we saw Shock and Awe on the television above the bar. It was the day we invaded. This event will doubtlessly be remembered as one of the most monumental blunders in American history.

Doreen was crying in public. But this is nothing new. We were both shocked and awed.

I'm still shocked and awed that Cheney/Bush (and by extension McCain) persist in maintaining that this stupid invasion was somehow a smart move.

Spring has sprung. Shock and Awe.

[stilltrucking]

I remember the post on litkicks
I think Doreen used the word "appalling"

What is appalling to me is that Iraq is just one of this administration's crimes.

[Doreen Peri]

i don't remember litkicks still being around then.

But i don't remember shrimp cocktail either.

I DO remember people sitting around in that restaurant chatting and eating as if nothing was happening.

It was DISGUSTING!

I was very upset.

I came back and blasted an email to everyone on my email list describing the bombing and the people sitting their eating their lunch and drinking their wine and chatting like nothing was going on.

I was so very upset and angry at my country. I wanted to leave. I didn't want to be part of it.

it's a day i'll never forget.

[WIREMAN]

living in the
shadow of a shrub
getting ready
for the sugarcain
it's on to iran

[westcoast]

i stayed home from work and watched it on tv. i felt sick. this was a "production" for the america audience and the larger world. crimes against humanity comes to mind

~westcoast

[Lightning Rod]

here is a glimpse of the moment.

Picture yourself in the bar with doreen and I. The television is showing Shock and Awe.
Someone has their cell phone recorder on.

it sounds like this:

Shock and Awe

[westcoast]

i wanted to pull my hair out listening to that clip. well done.

~westcoast

[Lightning Rod]

thanks, west

I lied about the cell phone recording, we did that montage after we got home. But I thought it captured a moment in history.

[westcoast]

absolutely. i was going to post something silly about is art still able to imitate life, but you nailed it btw - love your work in all genres. you and other artists at this site are true inspiration to me.

.

[Lightning Rod]

absolutely. i was going to post something silly about is art still able to imitate life, but you nailed it btw - love your work in all genres. you and other artists at this site are true inspiration to me.

.

inspiration
that's why we're all here

[ellipsis]

i remember this, but the vividness of it...

my coworker and i had been planning for weeks to leave work together for lunch one day, and on this particular day, we finally decided to just forward the office's phone lines to my cell phone for the lunch break. after lunch at a chinese restaurant we walked next door to office depot. the first blasts were fired at the exact moment i turned toward an entire wall of tv sets.

an entire wall of them.

all i remember about that sight are blurs of orange and white against dark skies, framed many times over with startlingly crisp squares, and all on very neat shelves.

[westcoast]

wow

[YABYUM]

i was packing up my shit getting ready to go.
I had the cnn on really loud.
waiting for missles to hit i remember thinking about how sad our species has become. i remember thinking tee vee.
i did not cry.
i just epiphanyed.

[stilltrucking]

Yes it was great television
Felt like the super bowl
USA USA USA
rah rah rah
Flags flying everywhere
I found my self getting into the spirit of thing
ah shit
I was born to follow
I got to keep a close watch on this heart of mine
it is so got dam red white and blue

"Lives there a man with soul so dead * Who never to himself hath said,..."
But after 24 hours of ass clenching fear
I began to wonder where the WMD's were because it seemed like a pretty good time for him to use them.

Then it dawned on me that we were the ones with the weapons that kill so nicely.

I was in and out of truck stops at the time, I was surrounded by patriots on all sides. Sitting in the TV lounge it seemed as if all eyes were on me when I questioned what Rumself was saying. Probably my normal background paranoia though.

[stilltrucking]

In all the run up to the war, I was still taken by suprise, I never thought we would invade Iran.

I was born before world war two
to a jewish immigrant family
first generation american
my earliest memories from the 1940's the american soldiers liberating the death camps, the old forty eight star flag what I grew up with.
I am a sentimental old fool

Never really been an America
Just john wayne war movies.