Let Me Refer You...

Political topic below:

Whatever your position on the war in Iraq, it's o.k. with me. I don't mind if you and I don't think alike, but here's my experience. You can consider it if you wish.

Some months back my support for the war, which was not even totally defined, went south. It was like I awoke suddenly and realized how many people were dying and that was it for me. I was against the war. I was against Bush for suggesting that we stay there without a pull-out date.

Then, listening to NPR, I heard a story from several Iraqis' points of view. It opened my eyes a little bit to their struggles, their hopes. I realized that I had only been hearing one side to the story. Soon after that I heard an interview with a high-ranking military officer who talked about the details of what pulling out of the war suddenly, or even soon, would mean from a military perspective. I can't remember the details of either of those stories, but my views were definitely impacted by both. Then, I followed a blog trail to this blog by a military officer named Jeffrey Denning. I have been following his story almost every day since then. I've been so grateful that he is sharing his viewpoint. Very personal and very real. Hard to read? Yes. It's worth it to me for the greater understanding I now enjoy.

As I've been reading and listening more to political and ethical debate, I'm realizing just how complex these issues are. More often than not, I can't even imagine what it would be like to be in somebody else's shoes, much less make decisions that affect their lives (Joseph deals with this issue on a daily basis!) I'm reminding myself here to hear the story from different angles before I take a stance, pass a judgment, or say something I will regret.

P.S. I'm referring you to Jeffrey Denning's blog. He draws you, the reader, in and makes you think! If you don't have time to read through many blog posts, here are two of his recent posts that caught my attention:

Military Appreciation
A Tribute to my Brothers-in-Arms, the Marines