"Body of War" is a documentary movie by Ellen Spilo and Phil Donahue is about a young soldier who is paralyzed after a week in Iraq and it includes some new songs from Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Twenty-five percent of the profits from the sale of the DVD go to Tomas Young, the soldier.
The movie is the story of this young man coming to terms with his paralysis and it gives him an opportunity to voice his opposition to the war. Perhaps your reaction is that of course he's opposed to it now that he's wounded so severely but young men never think they will be wounded, that's why it is so easy to talk them into doing these things. Tell them they're fighting for God and country and they will go marching off to battle every time without the slightest serious idea of what the battle means. They will tell you they know but of course they don't; they're children.
They're all damaged when they come back and in my nephew there is no obvious sign of it ... until he starts talking and then you realise what the military sent back. He was a sweet and loving kid when he went but that isn't what they gave back. No human should ever have to face what they made him do and no humans should ever be told to do things that will shame them for the rest of their lives.
Americans say they oppose these wars but why don't they stop. But I protested on Facebook! Well, I guess that wasn't enough, was it.
Nur in Stille sind wir besiegt - Only in silence are we defeated. The majority of people do not want these wars and it's only through manipulation of the media that they continue. Until the government is again in fear of the people these so-called wars will never stop and Tomas Young will not be the last to have his life destroyed by them.
You can read a letter Tomas Young wrote to George Bush from his hospice.
The movie is the story of this young man coming to terms with his paralysis and it gives him an opportunity to voice his opposition to the war. Perhaps your reaction is that of course he's opposed to it now that he's wounded so severely but young men never think they will be wounded, that's why it is so easy to talk them into doing these things. Tell them they're fighting for God and country and they will go marching off to battle every time without the slightest serious idea of what the battle means. They will tell you they know but of course they don't; they're children.
They're all damaged when they come back and in my nephew there is no obvious sign of it ... until he starts talking and then you realise what the military sent back. He was a sweet and loving kid when he went but that isn't what they gave back. No human should ever have to face what they made him do and no humans should ever be told to do things that will shame them for the rest of their lives.
Americans say they oppose these wars but why don't they stop. But I protested on Facebook! Well, I guess that wasn't enough, was it.
Nur in Stille sind wir besiegt - Only in silence are we defeated. The majority of people do not want these wars and it's only through manipulation of the media that they continue. Until the government is again in fear of the people these so-called wars will never stop and Tomas Young will not be the last to have his life destroyed by them.
You can read a letter Tomas Young wrote to George Bush from his hospice.
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