Reporter: Mr. Harrison, with all that’s going on in the world today, why did you decide to focus on this (Bangladesh)?”
George Harrison: “Because a friend asked me to help.”
from a press conference for the Concert for Bangladesh
this diary is dedicated to all who suffer because of war and other disasters
we honor courage in all its forms
cross-posted at DailyKos, Booman Tribune, European Tribune, My Left Wing, and TexasKos.
image and poem below the fold
Vanessa Gamboa, an Iraq war veteran of the U.S Army and single mother, holds up her new U.S. Citizenship documents after being sworn in as a U.S. Citizen in downtown Brooklyn, New York, May 19, 2006. The 24-year-old single mother originally from Guatamala who was discharged in April, after her second tour in Iraq, returned to New York, had little money, no place to live, and became homeless. Gamboa is part of a small but growing trend among U.S. veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars — homelessness. On any given night there are 200 to 250 of them in America, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says. They are among nearly 200,000 homeless U.S. veterans, largely from the Vietnam War.
REUTERS/Mike Segar
An Inventory of an Elaborate Pile of Garbage at 2nd Ave. and 2nd St. on June 1, 2000
by Brenda Coultas
Blackened tea kettle like one I have at home, couch with living man,
eyes closed, his dog and runny dog shit on sidewalk. Cardboard boxes,
lamp shade, the filter basket of a drip-o-later, a wooden serving tray
with loose bottom. A mouse’s body with eyes open and intact.
Styrofoam peanuts. 2 balsa wood whiskey bottle boxes, thin wooden
fruit basket. Wooden construction walls with POST NO BILLS painted
gray. A piece of paper ordering the closing of the Mars Bar garden. A
man setting out 4 candles, and 2 sets of wrapped paper plates. A
junkie couple, white, late 30s, covered in scabs and tattoos with
dog, had constructed a lean-to over the couch and slept that day.
I thought about what brought them to this moment and thought
“be in the moment,” thought “be here now,”
thought “what’s the worse thing that could happen?”
Thought “shit happens.” And began to think “today is
the first day of the rest of. . .” Thought this could be the best day
of their lives.
– – –
Join CIVIC’s “I Care” photo campaign
put a meaningful magnet on your car or metal filing cabinet
read Ilona’s important new blog – PTSD Combat
view the pbs newshour silent honor roll (with thanks to jimstaro at booman.)
take a private moment to light one candle among many (with thanks to TXSharon)
support Veterans for Peace
support the Iraqi people
support the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIVIC)
support CARE
support the victims of torture
remember the fallen
support Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors – TAPS
support Gold Star Families for Peace
support the fallen
support the troops
support Iraq Veterans Against the War
support Military families Speak Out
support the troops and the Iraqi people
read This is what John Kerry did today, the diary by lawnorder that prompted this series
read Riverbend’s Bagdhad Burning
read Dahr Jamail’s Iraq Dispatches
read Today in Iraq
witness every day