Once I finally got out of bed yesterday I had a lovely afternoon. I tend to sleep a great deal on Saturday, my work week leaves me somewhat drained. I finally arose, put on my flannel pj's, made a pot of coffee, and chose some music from iTunes.
It was a beautiful gray November afternoon. The leaves are still there but all on the ground now leaving bare maple trunks for as far as the eye can see. I selected Harry Chapin. A few of his songs always crack me open and make me look inside. Damn if he didn't have me quietly weeping at least once.
I thought about blogging yesterday but decided to wait. Now having been bombarded by images on Facebook, I suppose I am choosing to blog about a different set of Veterans. They may not have put on a uniform, but they have fought for the cause of freedom and justice just as hard as any soldier. Their war has never ended.
I believe I can say this as I am also a garden variety veteran having served in the Navy when I was but a pup. It is not my intention to take anything away from the men and women who have served honorably in our military, but, frankly, between Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, Fourth of July, and a any other day we can stretch to include a hearty "Support Our Troops" battle cry, soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines get a lot of attention in our War Culture.
As I sat down to blog about the powerful skills of Harry Chapin among others, I began to envision a different kind of "veteran." The CDs I have include snippets of Harry talking to his audiences and/or conducting interviews. He was big into fighting world hunger and many of the audio snippets are of him talking about hunger and poverty.
Harry mentions Pete Seeger as one of his heroes - that's him at the top of the blog. I suppose that got me thinking about other artists who have used their voices to fight for peace and justice. Of course, some would argue that these individuals were down right un-American - claim they lacked true patriotism.
I am an Episcopalian (via Roman Catholicism). If I were to ask you, What is the Church? How would you answer? Would you say, it's the buildings - the parish churches, the Basilicas, the Cathedrals? Would you say it is the Liturgy - the rituals, the vestments, the incense, the hymns? Would you argue that the Church is the clergy - the Pope, the Archbishops, the Bishops, the Priests? I believe the church is the people. All those other things merely support the Church - the People of God.
In a similar way, I believe that our country is the people. Our country isn't the buildings and memorials. Our country isn't the rituals and pledges and jingoistic songs. Our country isn't the politicians or they offices they hold. Our Country is US. Therefore, those individuals who have fought the State, challenged the government, stood up to the Corporations...all in the name of fighting for justice for the people are true patriots. They are the veterans of our on going war against poverty and injustice.
So on this Veterans Day I choose to remember: Rosa Parks, Dorothy Day, Caesar Chavez, Upton Sinclair, Howard Zinn, Russ Feingold, Noam Chomsky, Malcolm X, Joan Chittister, Helen Prejean, and many, many others who wore the uniforms of Woman's Suffrage, Labor, the Habit of the Church, the humble garments of the poor. Please feel free to add your names to this list in the comments. Peace!
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