For the past couple of weeks, when I would drive by Pepperdine University and see all of those United States flags which represented those killed on September 11, 2001, by an act of war masterminded by a terrorist organization, I could not help but think of the repercussions of that action.
I wonder if I am the only one thinking that it would be quite profound if they would add to that display 5,200 more flags representing American soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan and 32,175 flags representing Americans seriously wounded in those wars.
And wouldn’t it be amazing if they also put up Iraq flags and Afghanistan flags for each of the civilian casualties killed in their countries, numbered to be at least 919,967 (lowest credible estimates) with close to 2 million people seriously injured since the United States and Coalition forces invaded.
The Afghanistan War, which is the longest war in United States history, and our continued presence in Iraq brings to mind Martin Luther King, Jr., who during our war in Vietnam, said, “We must move past indecision to action. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality and strength without sight.”
Valerie Sklarevsky