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September 15, 2004

The Healing Field

I'd been meaning to blog about this, post some photos, etc. previously, but today was the first opportunity I had to stop by the Healing Field that, until September 19, is located in Northglenn, Colorado.

Spread out over three areas of the EB Rains Park are thousands upon thousands of flags, one each for each innocent murdered in the September 11 attacks and one each for those coalition soldiers who have served with honor, and made the ultimate sacrifice, in the war that continues to this day.

"This field continues to grow so that the 9/11 field does not."

There might be a similar field in your area (you can check online from The Healing Field website). I would think - hope - that, no matter on which side of the war debate you happen to fall, a display of this nature would be moving.

Of course, if you're one of those extremist kooks who hate America, or who don't see the irony in voting for a Communist party candidate, or who think that vandalism and anarchy are convincing tools for social change, well, then you're a dipshit and we shouldn't bother ourselves with you any more than I already have. Let's move on.

Those of us who support the war see the ugly price that is being paid to defeat terror where it hides. Those of you against it will see a visual demonstration of the high cost of a misguided endeavor. We'll both see a reminder that they were real people - sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, lovers and friends to someone somewhere - that the effect is so much more than one life taken, but numerous lives shattered.

The loss is much more tangible this way than in any agenda-driven media headline or maudlin patriotic bumper sticker.

The loss is great. And tragic. And saddening.

And necessary.