Tuesday, Wash. U. Amnesty International and the Wash. U. Peace Coalition will host a candlelight vigil on the swamp to honor the deaths of American soldiers, allied soldiers and Iraqis who have died as a result of the war on Iraq. As the war on Iraq becomes a regular story that has often faded to the point where people don’t consider it news anymore, vigils, actions, and meditations serve to remind us about the seriousness of our situation. And this seriousness is worth taking time out of our day to think about.
The war on Iraq seems like a given, and the longer it continues, the more it becomes a fixed part of our realities as opposed to what it is-a shocking act, a war. We largely don’t feel the war at home the same way we felt wars in the past and it seems like we can continue our everyday lives without even noticing the mounting death tolls. It’s easier to pretend the war isn’t going on than to spend time focusing on it because it’s emotionally difficult to think about the realities of death, especially when we feel largely helpless to do anything to change the situation.
But, it’s still important to think about. In fact, it’s something we owe to our friends, family and fellow citizens who are spending their days patrolling a county and being shot at. We also should think about the people just trying to live their lives who are dying because of the war.
This vigil has been advertised as a remembrance rather than a political discussion about the role of the United States. It’s a time for us to reflect on the sacrifices people are making because of decisions made by different leaders around the world. People are sacrificing their very lives so that we can have a choice whether we want to think about the events happening on the other side of the world. That sacrifice is something deeper than I could ever hope to describe. It’s a sacrifice so significant that we should make sure we take time out of our days, whether we can attend the vigil or not, to reflect on all of the lives that have been lost as a result of this conflict. It’s the least we can do.