The Obscenity
I have been working as a stone mason’s apprentice for a few months now… necessity, more than anything else. Believe me, as the highs go daily into the nineties and my aching, approaching-56-year hands wake me every night with aching, this is not some weird attempt to recapture my lost youth. Just haven’t found a job. I am confronted daily with metaphors, though.
It’s physical work… as in physics… as in it obeys the laws of physics, no exceptions; and if your mind forgets that for a second, a misplaced hammer blow, a sharp edge, a dropped weight, or a sprung back will pull you out of that cerebral fantasy with a tough reminder of universal intransigence.
Sometimes stone work is repetitious. One arm, four-pound strike-hammer, three-inch chisel, five-inch flagstone… you hit, hit, hit, hit, hit… and no matter how tired your deltoids and flexors get, the stone will fracture when the requisite strike vibrations with the requisite force reorganize the requisite number of of molecules in the stone for that sudden change of tenor, followed by the break. Not a moment sooner. Then you go to the next stone.
In the last two days, more than 100 Iraqis have been killed, along with more than a dozen US troops. Children have been killed and maimed. People have lost limbs and eyes. For four years, these horror stories from this obscene and completely unnecessary war have dripped like muriatic acid into our awareness; and for four years, people here in the US and around the world have protested, written, gotten arrested, and resisted from within the military… to try and stop this deeply sinful enterprise. Hit, hit, hit, hit, hit… and still the war goes on.
On the surface of this stone are the war promoters and the war profiteers. But the depth of the stone consists significantly of Democratic Party politicians. I’ve said it before, again, and again, and again, and again… as have many others. Since the last national election, that party has had the collective power to stop this war. They have refused to do it; and for this reason it is now they whose hands are dripping in the blood of soldiers, of Iraqis, of children. So I’m hitting the damn chisel again. And I’m tired, sometimes almost despondent in the face of this intractable horror show; but the stone hasn’t fractured.
In the next election, I will not vote. I’ve already decided that. I promoted a Democratic Party victory in the last election precisely to expose them for the cynical shits that they are. They will walk over the dead bodies of children for their careers… and they are. There is now a better chance for the war to end by plain old Saigon-style defeat than there is that it will end by the will of the sovereign people of the United States… because there is no such thing any longer. At least the Republicans are more likely to ensure the Saigon option; and if that’s what it takes, then so be it.
It was Alice Walker who said, in her reflection on the life of Zora Neale Hurston, “When I have considered the enormity of the white man’s crimes … I think in perfect harmony—with my sister of long ago: Let the earth marinate in poisons. Let the bombs cover the ground like rain. For nothing short of total destruction will ever teach them anything.” The same can now be said of the government of the United States; and that includes the dung-heap of ambition that is the Democratic Party.
If I hear another politician or commentator make another “measured” remark about how it doesn’t matter how bad the reasons we went, we are there now and what a mess and we can’t just leave blah blah blah blah blah… I will projectile vomit. While this dilettante’s chatter pollutes the air and steals oxygen by turns, the obscenity continues. And the main catalyst — we can never lose sight of this, or say it too much — for the violence in Iraq is the American occupation.
There is nothing merciful abut our presence there; and the most merciful thing we can do for Iraq, for ourselves, and for the world, is to leave. Without a moment to even explain. No ifs, ands, or buts. We are the poison in this pain wracked body. Pack up, make out the passenger manifests, load the aircraft, and fly home. Now. If the most wretched right-wing Republican tells me s/he will run for Congress or the Presidency on this position — leave right by-God now — I will spend every waking hour on that politician’s election campaign. Both my sons are in the Army.
But don’t count on candidates. Opportunism is their religion.
We have to hit that chisel again… and again. Pessimism of the intellect, and optimism of the will.
So as we approach September, I want to give a heads-up on the Iraq Moratorium. Will this be the strike that cracks the stone? I have no idea. The willful cowardice and sycophancy of politicians, especially Democrats, is a thick, thick thing. I just know that we can’t stop. We can never stop. This war is too sinful, too horrible, too hopeless, too obscene on a scale of obscenity that cries out for our commitment and sacrifice to make it end.
The Freds and Rudys and Obamas and Hillarys can all go take a flying fuck at a rolling donut for all I care. I’ll put on my black arm band in September; and I’ll ask readers to take an additional pledge: no votes for anyone who votes to fund or extend the war in any way.
Sign on to the moratorium. Get a good night’s sleep. Pray for endurance.
And bring the hammer down again.
Janet W:
Wow… Stan, I just read this an hour after saying good-bye to my nephew, now at The Basic School (for Marines officers) in Quantico, and I feel close to you. I can’t even cry. I am in DC, emotionally exhausted, and one day and two nights away from the 2 weeks I have promised myself I will go to Capitol Hill and take your message, my message, THE message to Congress. This feels like a scary, wrong place to be emotionally exhausted — or emotional, period — in, as if I’m walking the halls of Congress barefoot and in my underpants.
But I will be there for hearings and office visits. I have to do it.
If I break down and cry… if I start screaming and can’t stop… well, then that’s just what it is.
And now for that good night’s sleep. You too.
7 July 2007, 10:41 pmJason Brownell:
Stan,
If you have a moment please explain why Ron Paul would or would not be a candidate worthy of voting for.
Thank You
Jason Brownell
STAN: No one will ever get the opportunity once the R-primaries are past. But - in a completely hypothetical world - it takes a vote away from the Xtian conservative base in the RP. The whole question of “worthy” of votes assumes (1) the consistent value of voting and (2) the belief that voting (alone) determines electoral outcomes and (3) that the race for the presidency is the most important race. I don’t think any of these are safe assumptions.
8 July 2007, 4:34 amMJ:
Stan,
This motivated the hell out of me. I just signed the pledge.
I also just wanted to say ‘thanks’, in general. I’ve enjoyed your work for some time now, as a regular reader of The Beast, a magazine based up here in Buffalo, NY.
MJ
9 July 2007, 1:09 pmfedupwithhypocrisy:
I already posted on Huffington, but will stop here to urge you to continue posting there–make people think.
I share your pain–these are frustrating times. I think Rice was right in comparing rising democracy to birth pangs, but not to justify their mideast policy. We are in the midst of consciousness evolution; the world is moving away from isms and pbobias, and the white, rich, middle-aged, fat-assed white men will not give up easily.
I don’t pretend to be able to follow its teachings, but the Tao de Ching reminds that we are no more significant than rocks or water. I believe individuals contribute, but I can’t say that events would not unfold as they are want, anyway.
As you suggest, sleep and pray.
9 July 2007, 9:01 pmxenia:
Many people I know had to switch from middle-class jobs to manual labor in their fifties…most of them tell me, at first it is very painful and then it becomes easier, even as you approach your sixties. It’s amazing what human beings do to survive.
So, keep on hitting, and keep on thinking and writing!
10 July 2007, 9:56 amChristopher Kachouroff:
Stan,
If you’ll add, “Vote for any candidate who’ll uphold the Constitution like RP” then I’ll (gulp) agree with you.
With respect to the stone work, I have to give you some encouragement: Suck it up and drive on. It could be worse. You could be in the black of midnight with no illumination at an altitude of 800 feet, a 100lb ruck dangling between your legs because the quick release functioned improperly, and with about four seconds to determine if you’re going to break a bone or hit some trees.
Now think of that in a hot LZ. You’ve landed, been separated for a period of days, pursued by those who wish to kill you, and now have no water. I can only imagine that this is how you formed a few Marxist principles admidst a parched throat dying for a cool drop of water from the hand of Lazarus.
Of course, you can also picture yourself as the pursuer who sees what appears to be a canopy in the sky. Her heart races as she sees a superior soldier, one trained in the black arts. She knows her odds are slim. But, she pursues with numerous others, a jaw bone in hand. Hmmm? Stone work is not that bad after all now is it?
Yeah, an old fart (red at that) like you doesn’t fool a young buck like me. You’re probably in better shape than most of your bloggers, including myself.
PS - Take some candy and reblog when you’re better.
STAN: Chris, you were bounced once, and now you are making this weird attempt at some kind of martial male-bonding. The ruck dangling between the legs is particularly strange… hey, since you’ve psychologized me (with a biblical twist), fair’s fair. We don’t do that here… that male-bonding exclusionary oooohhh-lala-I’ve-been-there-dark-arts macho thing. No mas, por favor.
11 July 2007, 7:01 pmMelissa:
My grandson joined the Marines , against his entire families’ wishes. A few weeks into basic training his shoulder became re-damaged. He had gotten a doctor to write a letter after the army turned him down. I despair when a young man wants to go into the service at this time. He is sure that Iraq was behind 9/11, he believes every word FOX news reports. It doesn’t matter what anyone says to him. How many ignorant young people are there that are so willing to become corpses and/or murderers? Fortunately for me, my grandson was kicked out of the marines, but that doesn’t help anyone else.
STAN: Send him links to Smedley Butler’s statements. Does he like to read?
12 July 2007, 2:17 amMark E. Smith:
16 July 2007, 12:11 amJudy:
Dear Stan, I also am a 56 year old person who has awakened to the ugly new world order. I feel sad, angry and hopeless. My three little grandaughters are going to feel the pain of these evil men who have changed our world so drastically.I also will not be voting again as there is little chance that it will make any difference.
9 August 2007, 8:25 pmSisyphus39:
You express this ugly truth in a beautiful way.
10 October 2007, 1:24 pmThank you.
There IS a candidate ready to bring home the troops and relieve Iraq of the horrible burden of occupation. This candidate is left out of mainstream media, mocked by the “front-runners,” and belittled by pundits as a candidate who “can’t win.” He is the only candidate I would consider supporting. He is Dennis Kucinich. He is the only candidate who supports the people, the only candidate with consistent statements, the only candidate refusing funding by global corporations (who support “forever war” because it is profitable), the only candidate with constant mindfulness of ALL the people.
The reason I mention this is not for “politics” but for your statement (and other commenters) that you will not vote. Please DO vote — but not for the “lesser of two evils.” Not voting is exactly what warmongers prefer.
I reiterate — your article is the best I’ve read against this war. It is the human and humane factor that is important!
Thomas Thacker:
The truth is true. I’m trying to maintain some spiritual equanimity, but wonder if I have the right to it knowing of the existing carnage. I’m an opaque version of a lesser man than yourself, but find that I’ve been through similar changes in understanding. Had the military experience in a real half-hearted way, used to believe Ayn Rand, loved getting the English degree, am trying to make a relationship work with a woman of color, and still want to believe in the ideal of what America might have been. The National Security Archives piece on Atomic Veterans pops up first with entering Paul Wellstone and proves that in ‘59 the gov’t dropped aerosylized cadmium sulfide on American schoolchildren. Enough said about who is the enemy of humanity. Every now and then I try to speak to my peers in Raleigh by calling the Bill Amay radio show. Three calls and his every response to factual info. is to bring up Bill Clinton. I would like to politely challenge him to have you on his show if you would do it. I heard you kick ass at the peace rally in Fayetteville and was somewhat disappointed when Amy Goodman excluded your remarks on Democracy Now. I’m pleased to have you on the planet with us. If you ever need something with which I can help leave a message for Buddy @ 387-4740. Thanks
1 June 2008, 11:42 pmADayInTheLife:
I have to agree with you, Stan. I’m 14, and I’ve grown up on a farm that my mother built from the ground up, by herself, to be Self-Sustaining, and it is. My family lives and works there, and it’s very hard to keep it going. The government has so many ridiculous statutes and regulations in place that we can’t sell our produce legally, and so we have almost no income. These last few years have been hard. in a way, it’s my moms way of protesting the dismal state of the country we live in. Neither She nor my father vote anymore. One of my cousins is MIA in Iraq, and another is in jail for protesting the war. I’m really not sure I want to grow up and live in the place the world seems to be turning into.
20 October 2009, 10:48 am