In Memoriam: Iraq War Dead

Ten years ago today, the worst president in U.S. history, George W. Bush, declared war on a country that had nothing to do with the 9/11 attack on America. Yet Bush, Cheney and other neocons tied their desire to invade Iraq to 9/11 to get support behind the war that has killed almost 200,000 military and Iraqi civilians and cost our country trillions of dollars.

There is so much more to write about this horrible crime, but for today I just want to say that those who volunteered to go over there did so with good intentions. I want to express my sympathy to their families -- also to the families of the Iraqis killed. I'm very sorry.

My Heroes -- The Dixie Chicks

From time to time, I will be talking about those people who are heroes in my mind. Today, it's the singing group, the Dixie Chicks. What a bunch of brave women.

While Americans were throwing themselves at the feet of King George The Second (President George W. Bush) for starting the war in Iraq on the heels of the Afghanistan war, the Dixie Chicks, led by lead singer Natalie Maines, said they were against the ill-fated venture, against the violence and bloodshed. For that, they were ridiculed -- blackballed -- and their careers faltered with country music fans, who are some of the most fervent warmongers and Republicans to the core. The Chicks received death threats and one of their homes was vandalized in 2003, when the war was in its shock-and-awe days. 

Soon after the comments from the Dixie Chicks, which they later wrote about in their song, "Not Ready to Make Nice," George the II, in his flight suit with the codpiece, waltzed across that ship off San Diego to declare the war was won, mission accomplished. We know how off the mark that stunt was, don't we? 

To this day, the Dixie Chicks haven't recovered in terms of shows and fortune. When they do play concerts, it's outside the U.S., with their next tour in Canada. 

Does this say how crazy people have become, wanting war and more war, killing brown-skinned people, and supporting the likes of Bush and that evil Dick Cheney? Enough has been written about their wars so I'll leave that subject for others to write about.

For now, I'll just say how much I appreciate the courage it took for the Dixie Chicks to say what some of us in America didn't say 10 years ago. They had the fame to get the attention and they courageously took it. Thanks, girls. You're my heroes.