Transported Back in Time

It's probably no surprise to any of my readers that I was a bit of a hippy in the day. I was quite comfortable marching to my own drum beat, dressing like I wanted to, thinking outside the box and listening to the music of the day. I had a room with peace symbols painted onto the wall. I had posters that glowed in the light of a black light. Jeans with a patched backside were one of my cherished possessions along with blue sued boots with a red butterfly on the toe, and I must not forget to mention my jeans jacket with a huge pie in the sky applique on it. It was transformed from an ordinary denim jacket into a personal statement. Big read buttons replaced the traditional metal buttons, peace symbols adorned the sleeves. My style of dress was a statement of what I thought too. It was an identifying mark. Folks that felt like me, dressed something like me. A uniform of sorts. The music I listened to was another aspect of what I thought and felt. Crosby, Stills Nash and Young, Cat Stevens, and songs like Edwin Starrs "War" meant more than just a catchy tune. Today I was watching Television while rocking Mei-Ling to sleep and there was a commercial program for Time Life's Flower Power music collection. The very years when music helped identify my causes, my feelings, my identity. As I sat there listening, seeing the pictures of the groups, of Woodstock, of San Francisco, I remembered where I was when a certain song first played on the radio, I could remember how I felt, what I was wearing, who I had a crush on, and all the dreams I had for myself, which I might add here have come true, except for the part about living in a log cabin in the woods of Maine, but Texas will do. The music of our youth, is special, it puts us right back in touch with how we felt at that time. I can still see my Realistic 14 transistor radio sitting in the window, playing a favorite song. When I hear some of the songs from the late 60's, and the 70's, I feel connected to the things that were "real" to me then.
I am not so blind now to see that idealism reigned supreme in my thinking in those days, but that's not always a bad thing. I know my ideals were formed with a lack of life experience. I know too, that I wasn't convinced at that point in my life that the corrupt and agenda filled politicians could not be replaced with good, kind folks that had the peoples needs in mind before their egos. I was hopeful that peace was possible and that the greater good for mankind could be in everyone's mind. Not so sure now. Its not apathy that I feel, but some sort of sad resignation that its nearly a loosing battle. I hate war. Can't find anything in the New Testament to convince me its a good thing. Christians seem to have to run to the Old Testament to find texts to support the idea of NOT turning the other cheek. I like the Buddhist texts that support non violence too. With war, mothers loose their sons, on both sides of the battlefield. Husbands don't come home and men and women have years of post traumatic stress from the horror they have seen. I think I want to hold onto that idealism of this old song, there has to be a better way to live with one another. I know all the arguments for waging war, freedom, paid at a price. But still I wish we could all just work it out with words and keep the soil free from the blood of the brave and strong. I am not being unpatriotic, just transported back in time by music to a time when most folks my age knew war was rotten and comes at a huge cost. The music made me remember that I never did much like the idea of war.
I have family fighting in this war, and in every war since the beginning of time. I know what it feels like to worry about the possibility and fear of your child being shipped off to fight. Melissa was in the Army. She didn't ship out and I count that a blessing, every mother does. No one says, "oh fantastic, my child is being sent to the battlefield to defend our freedom". No mother feels joy in seeing their child sent into conflict, but we find it in ourselves to make it right when they do. But still, war is not anyone's joy.

So today when this song came on the Television I remembered that we all knew what war can be. I know the cost of freedom, but I can never say war is good. I am not saying anyone is fighting in vain, or anything of that nature. Don't take this post to say that. I am simply saying I do not like WAR. Mennonites and Amish are non resistant, I think they have the right concept. People spoke nothing but admiration for the Amish when war came down on their tiny school and they prayed for the shooter. We speak admiration for such a reaction and action, but do we carry that in our hearts ?

WAR

sung by Edwin Starr

War, huh, yeah

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Uh-huhWar, huh,

yeahWhat is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Say it again, y'all

War, huh, good God

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Listen to me

Ohhh, war, I despise

Because it means destruction

Of innocent lives

War means tears

To thousands of mothers eyes

When their sons go to fight

And lose their lives

I said, war, huh

Good God, y'all

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Say it again

War, whoa, Lord

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing

But a heartbreaker

War, friend only to the undertaker

Ooooh, war

It's an enemy to all mankind

The point of war blows my mind

War has caused unrest

Within the younger generation

Induction then destruction

Who wants to die

Aaaaah, war-huh

Good God y'all

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Say it, say it, say it

War, huh

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Listen to me

War, huh, yeah

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Uh-huhWar, huh, yeah

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Say it again y'all

War, huh, good God

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker

War, it's got one friend

That's the undertaker

Ooooh, war, has shattered

Many a young mans dreams

Made him disabled, bitter and mean

Life is much to short and precious

To spend fighting wars these days

War can't give life

It can only take it away

Ooooh, war, huh

Good God y'all

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Say it again

War, whoa, Lord

What is it good for

Absolutely nothing

Listen to me

War, it ain't nothing but a heartbreaker

War, friend only to the undertaker

Peace, love and understanding

Tell me, is there no place for them today

They say we must fight to keep our freedom

But Lord knows there's got to be a better way

Ooooooh, war, huh

Good God y'all

What is it good for

You tell me

Say it, say it, say it, say it

War, huh

Good God y'all

What is it good for

Stand up and shout it

Nothing

Me, so long ago, 1970's a tree hugger even then !