Thursday, May 17, 2007

Contemplating Memorial Day 2007




"Freedom Never Cries"

I took a flag to a pawn shop
For a broken guitar
I took a flag to a pawn shop
How much is that guitar
I took a flag to a pawn shop
I Got me that guitar
What's a flag in a pawn shop to me?

I Saw a man on the TV
In a mask with a gun
A man on the TV
He had a ten-year old son
I Saw a man on the TV
His son had a gun
He says that he's coming for me

I never loved the soldier until there was a war
Or thought about tomorrow
'til my baby hit the floor
I only talk to God when somebody's about to die
I Never cherished Freedom

Freedom never cries.

I Wrote a song for a dead man
To settle my soul
A song for a dead man
Now I'll never grow old
I Wrote a song for a dead man
Now I'm out in the cold
What's a song to a dead man to me?

I never loved the soldier until there was a war
Or thought about tomorrow
'til my baby hit the floor
I Only talk to God when somebody's about to die
I Never cherished Freedom

Freedom never cries...

You can cry for her
Die for her
Lay down your life for her
Kiss and wave Goodbye to her
Anything at all

You can cry for her
Die for her
Make up your mind to her
Anything at all

There's a baby on the doorstep
Wailing away
There's a baby on the doorstep
Longing for the day
There's a baby on the doorstep
Who'd give his life to take
A flag to a pawn shop
A flag to a pawn shop

May he forget why he is crying some day



Only when you leave America for a length of time can you understand what it means to be an American.
In Canada I hear it all the time just what the world thinks of America and I will not use these words to debate other people impressions of my homeland. It's not perfect by any means and it never claimed to be. In fact America is a country made up of millions of people who have come to its shores to make a better life for themselves. Millions of people still want to come to America even with its history of slavery, even with its treatment of minorities they still want to come. Over the past few years there has been many reasons to question what is America about today. We prosecute a war in a land where we are not wanted while simultaneously asked not to leave. We have had a picture painted that this war is about preserving our higher ideals, that we are preserving our freedom, bringing freedom to their part of the world, regardless of their beliefs and culture and in return have put our people between a rock and a hard place. Most Americans recognize that we have no business in Iraq, that we have been manipulated into a war for reasons beyond our own comprehension. We want our soldiers to come home... We want them to come home with dignity. Some in Washington think this can only happen with a victory that the rest of us realize is way past possible. With all good intent we have lost this war, and its time to come home. For the men and Women who serve we should give nothing but thanks for their service as they have served with honor and dignity, they didn't go on their own they followed orders and can not be faulted for following those orders. Let us not do what we did when they came home from Vietnam. It is a time where our pride has and will be tested. I have suffered watching from the outside, but I still love my country, its many contributions to the world, and its people who for better or worse have made the idea of America work.







Note: All images and text (not specified) is copyrighted by Christopher Cushman. The images are from Memorial weekend 2003 in Washington DC with the exception of the Arlington photograph which was photographed for the Not Just Numbers Project. Lyrics are from the band Five For lighting's album Two Lights...2006

1 comment:

Morisset said...

Beautiful post Chris!

I was in the first gulf war, Operation Desert Storm. I know what it's like to be in a war you don't believe in. I feel for our troops. As much patriotism the government tries to force feed us, I know these brave young men and women want to be home with their families. I know that feeling, and it hurts. I can only pray that this war doesn't get worse, before it gets better.
Thanks for the post...

--Ocean