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LOCAL Review :: Peace

Quick Review & Photo from Vietnam Veterans Memorial

11 November 2005. 11 AM. Wabash & Wacker
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Event
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial event took place during a beautiful sunny morning on Wacker & Wabash at 11 AM. Military persons wearing an array of uniforms and Veterans were present. Many civilians was holding the American flag. Vietnamese people had the Vietnamese and American one as well. The event started off with a number of speeches, a few came from politicians that were were not present but gave a speech anyway. Most of the people there stood still and listened.

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There was a band which included organ pipes that played Taps and Amazing Grace-after which several shotguns were fired into the air and four airplanes with smoke trails flew over the river.

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I was weaving through the crowd and saw a peculiar jacket that caught my attention. On the back there was a Bald Eagle holding dog tags in its beak. It was encircled with barbed wires which was imposed over an American flag. Its title read, “Freedom isn't free.” Immediately several meanings came to my head. I leave the discussion on the price (if there is one) of freedom open.
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Then I came across a banner that inadvertently answered the statement “Freedom isn't free” literally. But I could not get the exact figures of “US Funding, Troops and Iraqis Killed” right away as a couple of Chicago Policemen stood in front of the banner, blocking the public from seeing the numbers.
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Finally, after fifteen minutes of shuffling and neck extending, I was able to get a clear view of the figures on the Iraq War. $218 Billion plus have been spent. 2,060 US Troops have been killed and 128,000 Iraqis.
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I walked toward the Washington Sculpture where people gathered to listen to a female guitar folk singer perform a song about the wall. A couple of people gave speeches. One gentleman talked about war opportunity costs. He mentioned that we would be paying property taxes in half and still receive double the city service with the money allocated to war (Further clarification and factual additions welcomed.)

The most memorable speech came from an Iraq Veteran that served from March 2003-2004. I only remember half of his name which is Cody. He is pictured here wearing a hat and a tan coat. His voice was shaky-either filled with stage fright or raw emotions, I am unsure. He told the crowd that he was there and witnessed the torture in Abu Grahib that “they” claimed didn't exist. He thought that he was joining the Army to gain benefits, and not to deal with many sleepless nights which he alone shouldn't go through. What he experienced was real and ugly, untrue to video games and th media's portrayal of war. The Army counselors told him that it was just a “mind game.” He said that what had happened was worth dying for fellow soldiers, but not worth killing for them, and we should focus on the “war mongers” sitting in their rich chairs. For him, being a Veteran meant taking on new responsibilities-one of which is to help new Veterans. In which way I do not recall so precisely. That statement would probably be best understood by fellow Veterans.
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The official event ended peacefully. People walked off in an orderly fashion.

There was still a peace presence as I left the event.

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