Tyrannical Thoughts on War
I don't have a Tyrannical stand on the whole war thing. Quite a few blogs I've seen are very political, very anti-war, some very pro-war. Opinionated one way or the other. Discussing stuff way above my little head. I don't have the attention span to read through that stuff and make sense of any of it. I don't understand the politics, or the geography, or the history of what the real problem is today. I know what's going on now, basically. But as for analyzing what it all really means, that's way out of my jurisdiction.

Most of the news I see these days focuses on the looming war possibilities. But I find it hard to take a stand either way. I don't really enjoy the thought of war. But not ever really having been through a war, it's hard for me to picture what being 'at war' would be like. That's not to say I'd like to try it out to see if I like it or not, so I can form an opinion. It's just difficult to understand what all is involved with war. Sure, I was around for Desert Storm. But I was 15 years old or so. The war was far away, I saw it on TV sometimes. It didn't really affect my daily life. Getting my driver's license and not doing my homework held much more of my attention.

I read Tom Brokaw's book, The Greatest Generation. Great book. I highly recommend it. Brokaw tells the stories of people during a time when war was all we knew as a country, and in most of the world. War made that generation. So many powerful things happened during that time, to shape what we are today. But I'm removed from it because it was way before my time, so it's interesting to me to read about it. To me, war is history. It's hard to think of it as something real, now, in the present. This generation hasn't really been exposed to war like it has known in the past. So it's tough for me to understand what war really means, and how it could change life as I've known it.

I understand why people passionately oppose war. I'm not a fan of violence, or conflict, or forcefully exerting authority or control. Definitely, I prefer peace, freedom, and getting along. I sometimes think the anti-war groups are way too focused on the war itself and making a stand for peace, than giving credit to the issues at hand and the most effective ways to handle the issues bringing the possibility of war. When it comes to opposing or supporting the war itself, I think I'm more a fan of getting to the greater good, than actively opposing the entity of war. That doesn't mean I'm in favor of going to war. But I am in favor of doing what is necessary to achieve the best outcome.

Granted, I don't know the best outcome. And I'm not completely familiar with all the details involved with the current war/not war decision situation. But I'd think the best thing to do is to do whatever will solve the big problems. I don't think G.W. or other world leaders are jumping on the war bandwagon just because it's an option, we've got new, cool weapons and we haven't attacked a country in awhile. I think if achieving the greater good involves a war, or something resembling a war, then I'd say we should do that. We definitely have to consider it. It seems like we're getting to a point where 'talking things through' and abiding by agreements with stubborn world leaders isn't as effective as it should be. Once my sister figured out that 'time out' could be fun, singing and telling stories to the wall, it wasn't really punishment to make her sit there for longer periods of time. When agreements and authority become a joke, you have to move to the next level of disciplinary action.

But, I do know that I'm in no position to judge. I have to trust our leaders. I'm sure glad I don't have their job, and I feel they are qualified to do their jobs. They deal with this everyday. I only think about it once in awhile. Mostly when gas prices go up again. I don't live in fear, wondering if today will be the day we bomb someone and war begins. I don't obsess over the issues everyday, hoping to stumble upon the one thing that will solve the problem, as though the people in charge haven't already thought of it. It's not that I'm unconcerned. It's just a problem bigger than what my little brain can fathom. And frankly, I've grown weary of all the war discussion. Let's just do it, or not do it already.

So I'll likely continue to eat M&Ms and watch American Idol, and trust that the news will break in to the show to let me know when we've gone to war. And again when it's over. If it's all during the same show, that'd be nice.

If the road less traveled was paved with rest stops and gas stations and a Krispy Kreme, I bet people would travel it more.

C.T.