What's the magic number for the American people? It wasn't 249. My son was the 249th American killed. He was killed in July 2003 when over 70% of the American people still supported the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Since Evan was killed 2,806 more American men and women have died in the "war on terror," according to the conservative estimates of the Department of Defense.
When Evan was killed no one suspected the enormity of the loss we were going to experience. The enormity of our loss remained within our family and grouping of friends. Everyone assumed that only a few hundred soldiers would die and that the loss of a few hundred soldiers was going to be just a drop in the bucket. My son's life was valued as that - a drop in the bucket. After all, what's a few hundred, or as of today's body count, a few thousand American lives when it comes to keeping America safe in the "war on terror?"
My question to the American people is this: when is enough, enough? At what point do we, the voters, taxpayers, consumers and owners of this immoral occupation bring a halt to the carnage?
Because of the deaths that occurred this weekend 27 American families will have one or two uniformed military personnel show up at their door. If the messengers have not already met with the families they will do so some time today. Mothers and wives will scream, "No, it can't be, it's a mistake" as they fall to the floor or bend over double in pain, excruciating pain.
And then you have the 140,000 or so other families who still don't know if their son, daughter, husband, wife, father or mother are one of the 27, or if their family member has dodged death this time, only to face it again the tomorrow. The families of the living will feel relief that it was not their family member who died, only to then feel guilt because that means another family will suffer the loss and mind-numbing pain.
I wonder sometimes what galvanizing event will bring Americans out of the malls. When will the body count of dead Iraqis, dead Americans and wasted treasure supersede basketball and football scores and the latest Hummer. I wonder when the killing off of our next generation of leaders will be the topic around the water cooler, rather than which teams will play in the Super Bowl.
Americans are not helpless, nor are we ignorant. We know we have been deceived over the reasons we invaded Iraq and we know there is no exit strategy to extricate us from this morass. I ask myself and I ask America, what number is the right number of Americans who have to die, whose son or daughter will be the final drop in the bucket, before Americans say "Enough, Enough."
Jane Bright is the proud mother of SGT Evan Ashcraft, KIA July 24, 2003.
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