remember to vote every election

immediate way of making charlie feel slightly uncomfortable.

"why did you want to do the whole military thing?"

there is no good way to answer this question
there is no simple answer i can give you
there are so many reasons

have you ever spent time
trusting the person next to you
with your life
while also knowing
you want to beat them
to be better in everything
you both do?

have you ever grabbed hold of a community
this elite club
of experiences most people never have
some people never want
many people couldn't handle?

have you ever risked your life for something you didn't believe in,
follow a leader you didn't trust,
but followed anyway still feeling you've done the right thing?

have you seen man create thunder and fire
bring down destruction upon mother earth
and know at the end of the day
the men responsible
just pray to finish this?

i haven't yet...
i am not some kind of phony
playing like i know these hardships
these are just some of what i'm trying to prepare for

education... supported, encouraged, to use the benefits
there are many
smart soldiers are better soldiers
they can think
problem solve
get outside the box

i want an education
it's a secondary thought
but there all the same


uniform... admired, honored, to be part of history
mine will be sexy
but eventually will hold a living memorial
for all those lost before
blood stripe

history doesn't remember many of the war heroes
there is no single man running forth
stupid brave
trying to do what he thinks is right
perhaps paying the price of his actions

i want to be there
if not in his place
then to tell about it
to let people know
that man was a hero
we should remember him

i cant do that from home...


"You realize this is a time of war, a war about oil."

we have been in a state of war since i was 10 or 11 years old
we were attacked
then started a war on terror, an emotion
started a war you cant win
because there is no land to conquer

it is foolish for me to say
war is ever about anything more than money
whether it is gaining freedom from unfair taxes
protecting our trade routes
getting foreign powers to owe us
or retaliation
our country works well in war.
it's such a part of our history
this is how we became a power
everything else was so destroyed you could barely live
could barely function
we were fine.
loosing so many soldiers but not an inch of land
not an inch of natural resource stripped away by foreign hand

but sometimes war can save people
sometimes atrocities are being committed
there are victims who need our help
we put ourselves as a world leader
that's our job...

you demand the end to genocides
you demand the stop to tyranny
you want it done without bloodshed
but we've lost are bargaining chips

i hear of children being forced to fight
to kill
to rape
to murder
all for the hopes of staying alive
to see the end of this atrocious warfare

i hear of rulers having utmost control of their people
of freedoms we take for granted stripped away
of equality being a fleeting dream instead of a fight

i hear calls for action
are you willing to go yourself?
those of you who wish to see change
who among you is prepared to fight for it?

you don't have to.
this is why i want to fight
not for some war in a desert over oil
not for some idea of revenge

we're currently in a recession
bordering on something far worse
the last time this happened
a country with all the costs of a world war
held above its head like a noose
rose up with an insane madman
who grabbed control to the fullest
abused every power
the last time this happened
revolutionaries became corrupt
weeding out their own intellect in paranoia
shedding blood
switching the sides of war to better choose a winner
the last time this happened
there was a war
from sea to sea
battles raging from island jungles to city doorsteps

i'm ready to fight that war
the next war
the war that brings fear home
that makes you remember what we have
makes you grow a victory garden
shed your nylon stockings to make sure we have parachutes
donate blood as often as you can
the war that makes you glad to have rationing
ends american obesity because winning this war is more important than indulging, there are hungry who need that food more elsewhere
ends american ignorance because the enemy you understand is the enemy you create peace with, peace is the aftermath of war
ends american stupidity by making the unemployment rate drop
those who work, are not stupid
they have a skill
those who cannot work, have not found a job they can do

i want to be ready for that war
the war that even those who feel they can do nothing
get told at last they are useful
get told at last they can help
no matter what condition they are in
"send them letters of support...
just help your neighbor...
just read these books...
just look and listen...
tell us your thoughts...
pray...
we're all in this together.
equally responsible
equally valuable
every man woman and child
no matter the race, orientation, or class."

yes i want to be ready for the next war
the big war
the one fought with more planes and robots than men with guns
the one fought like operating on a surgical slab with a million scalpels
instead of playing red rover

i live in this idea
that war could come in my lifetime

part of me wants it to come
because at least it would bring change
big wars always do...

part of me wants it to come
i would not want to have my progeny fight battles
that i would gladly fight for them



i know you don't ask these questions attacking my choices
even when sometimes... you do...
i thank you for you're support and well wishing
i'll be ok

just remember that we live in America
please vote...
there is a civilian in charge of our military
you elect them
we elect them
choose leaders who know how to handle war
not just make promises of removing troops
not make promises to "get our boys home"
they know their job
they know the risks
end the war
by winning, or quitting
elect leaders who end wars
not ones who maintain them

i'm willing to fight the battles
you should be willing to get leaders
who pick good ones.