Messages from the Ether

I just watched Rumsfeld's War. Basically a tag team journalistic effort combining Washington Post reporters (including Bob Woodward) with Frontline producers.

I'd love to send this tape to my Dad so that he can see how Rumsfeld turned the Army on it's head and away from it's philosophy of "Vietnam Never Again". (It's exactly why I didn't vote for Bush today.)

Funny how we seem to be right back to fighting a war we can't win. Something Colin Powell and other military leaders have spent a career avoiding.

Josh is my fiance's cousin, and he is a patriot until the end. Josh, like me, swore "to defend the constitution anagainst all enemies, both foreign and domestic." This is a soldier's and sailor's oath that we defend to the grave, even after our tour of duty is done in the military. Josh is in a position to defend american beliefs on a station that is primarily anti-American. for this, he should get the Presidential medal of Freedom, not criticized by the people whose rights he swore to and has protected.

From watching Control Room, I was impressed less with his patriotism than with his willingness to confront complex issues and to try to come to terms with his personal understanding of those issues. Patriotism can be easily displayed yet--no matter how fully felt--can seldom express the true nature or sincerity of an individual. From what little I saw of his environment in Control Room, Josh had a unique opportunity to argue issues with those who believe deeply and differently. Part of what made the movie so compelling was his willingness to immerse himself in those arguments.

I haven't yet read with any depth the recent news about him (and only had the opportunity to hear excepts from the Terry Gross interview) but I hope that he's doing well.