The Kids Are (Al)Right
A friend of mine teaches third grade in a western state of these United States. Still reeling from the trauma of September Eleventh in the classroom, and my friend struggling to balance (1) the aftermath of three thousand deaths, fear, paranoia, outrage and the frightening images that bombarded and overturned the students’ lives with (2) the hope to teach lessons regarding the consequences of overreaction, stereotyping, and blood-thirsty revenge, all against the backdrop of Red State parents and communities loading up on weaponry and supplies, the crackle of the principal’s speaker box invaded the classroom.
The principal solemnly announced over the loud speaker to Nimitz Elementary School: “Students, as of 8:15 this morning, the United States military has begun bombing Iraq.”
One of the students, slightly hysterical, blurted out: “What, they’re bombing the bike rack” as the entire classroom moved in unison to the window to watch as their first taste of freedom was to be obliterated by a bevy of Massive Ordinance Air Blasts (MOAB) and CBU-97 sensor-fused bomblets. And my friend laughed, and waited a moment before correcting the mistake.
[For this entry, I am not even entering the discussion about what could have possibly motivated the principal to make this announcement, but welcome any comments]
Yet, was it a mistake the students made, or really the exact question no one was asking Washington leading up to our war? Our country’s foreign policy has been led by a desperation (masked by righteousness) since its inception, so the arbitrariness and absurdity of our entrance to war has been successfully hidden time and time again. Bombing a bike rack or impoverished countries for the last fifty years, both are just as random and now just as likely. Maybe the kids should be worried, there have been Chaney / Rumsfeld sightings at public pools, local malls, and ice cream shops throughout New Mexico.
The principal solemnly announced over the loud speaker to Nimitz Elementary School: “Students, as of 8:15 this morning, the United States military has begun bombing Iraq.”
One of the students, slightly hysterical, blurted out: “What, they’re bombing the bike rack” as the entire classroom moved in unison to the window to watch as their first taste of freedom was to be obliterated by a bevy of Massive Ordinance Air Blasts (MOAB) and CBU-97 sensor-fused bomblets. And my friend laughed, and waited a moment before correcting the mistake.
[For this entry, I am not even entering the discussion about what could have possibly motivated the principal to make this announcement, but welcome any comments]
Yet, was it a mistake the students made, or really the exact question no one was asking Washington leading up to our war? Our country’s foreign policy has been led by a desperation (masked by righteousness) since its inception, so the arbitrariness and absurdity of our entrance to war has been successfully hidden time and time again. Bombing a bike rack or impoverished countries for the last fifty years, both are just as random and now just as likely. Maybe the kids should be worried, there have been Chaney / Rumsfeld sightings at public pools, local malls, and ice cream shops throughout New Mexico.
posted by Auditus at 11:34 AM
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