NationStates Jolt Archive

This article is well worth reading by anyone on here, especially on Memorial Day. It's about an antiwar wife and her soldier husband. It's deeply touching, deeply moving, and deeply enlightening. It's a reflection of the divisions within American society over the war in Iraq, played out in the daily lives of two very interesting people. If you read nothing else today, you really, really should read this!

She's a Pacifist. He's A Warrior.
But Even In the Shadow of Iraq, Their Love Soldiers On.

By David Montgomery
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, May 29, 2006; Page C01

One minute Stacy Bannerman is stuffing envelopes to promote an upcoming peace workshop. The next her husband, Lorin, unexpectedly appears in her office.

"I got the call," he says.

"What call?" she replies.

Does she have to ask? Don't they both know their life is poised to turn completely strange at any moment? Possibly even tragic?

"I'm going to Iraq."


[ Read the article here (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/28/AR2006052801080.html). ]

bump

again

...the old man talks, and no one listens...

I thought we only need to read the thread title.

Wow, just wow.
I think this was the bit that summed it up for me:

One day in March 2005 -- about a year after her husband left and less than two weeks after the "Hardball" appearance -- the antiwarrior was behind the wheel of the Kia Sorento, driving to Fort Lewis to pick up the warrior, home from the war. The guard at the gate stared and stared. It took a while for Stacy to realize why.

Next to Lorin's military sticker on the windshield she had propped up a sign that said "Bring Them Home Now."

How their relationship survived I'll never know, I guess it boils down to the old maxim about 'hating the ideal but loving the person'. Thanks for sharing. :)

Eut: My family has alway been a family of warriors. I myself have married into a family of pacifists. My inlaws for the most part, respect the fact that Warriors protect their right to pacifism, while We warriors recognize that protecting pacifists is our assumed duty. then there are those members of my new family who object to our service. They say very little to us and I barely consider them family. I do have the satifaction of knowing, that without Warriors like myself and others protect them, protester/pacifists would not have the right to thier beliefs. Is that holier-than-thou? Hell yes it is, from the moral high-ground, no less.

Nice and touching. Well...WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY? There is nothing I can post really except "that's nice"...

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Very nice article... So why didn't he go back?

Simply amazing.

Interesting story. Good find.

That's a great article

Yes.... because two people who are actually doing something beside sitting at a keybord and playing with themselves..that are actually showing by actions ..the strength of their convictions ..more than likely shames the hell out of the majority of this forum...it causes them to look in the mirror...

That old man has done more and seen more and has earned the right to his opinions on war the hard way .


You can go back to playing with yourself now...but my advice is ...if you leave it alone it may grow .


Great story for memorial day Eut.

Fuck thre trolls they one day may move outta mommies basement and become men / women . You can hope .

Proof that both sides can learn to peacefully co-exist... of course, that ain't going to happen.

Interesting read...thanks!

Yes.... because two people who are actually doing something beside sitting at a keybord and playing with themselves..that are actually showing by actions ..the strength of their convictions ..more than likely shames the hell out of the majority of this forum...it causes them to look in the mirror...

That old man has done more and seen more and has earned the right to his opinions on war the hard way .


You can go back to playing with yourself now...but my advice is ...if you leave it alone it may grow .


Great story for memorial day Eut.

Fuck thre trolls they one day may move outta mommies basement and become men / women . You can hope .
Thanks for bringing the level of argument to your usually low levels... You are a fine thing, my little thing...

That was a great story. It must be hard for them sometimes, being in that relationship.

Fuck thre trolls they one day may move outta mommies basement and become men / women . You can hope .

Yes, there is hope for you yet.

Good story, Eut. I guess sometimes we all need reminding that both sides in the Iraq War argument are human.

Wow, just wow.

How their relationship survived I'll never know, I guess it boils down to the old maxim about 'hating the ideal but loving the person'. Thanks for sharing. :)
Isn't that a great story! It has to be one of the best I've read in quite awhile. Glad you liked it! :)

Eut: My family has alway been a family of warriors. I myself have married into a family of pacifists. My inlaws for the most part, respect the fact that Warriors protect their right to pacifism, while We warriors recognize that protecting pacifists is our assumed duty. then there are those members of my new family who object to our service. They say very little to us and I barely consider them family. I do have the satifaction of knowing, that without Warriors like myself and others protect them, protester/pacifists would not have the right to thier beliefs. Is that holier-than-thou? Hell yes it is, from the moral high-ground, no less.
LOL! Well, I'm sure there are some on here who would take issue with that, but my hat's off to you for being so understanding of your inlaws ... mostly. :D

That was a great story. It must be hard for them sometimes, being in that relationship.
I can only TRY to imagine! My ex married me while I was still on active duty and she always supported me 100%. These two truly do amaze me. I just had to put it on here for the rest of you to read!

Good story, Eut. I guess sometimes we all need reminding that both sides in the Iraq War argument are human.
Amen.