The Gulf − 1 August, 1990
I remember being so frightened when the Gulf war broke out... The first major conflict of my generation (apart from the cold war). I was under the impression that bombs would start falling out of the sky. I'd see a jet in the air while playing outside and I'd immediately run for the house. I was 9 years old. I assumed the deadly light shows we'd been seeing on television went both ways.
Both of my parents started to attend and eventually organize Pro Troops rallies in the downtown Sacramento area, across from the state capital. Not pro war. Not anti war. Pro troops. period. Unless you come from a long line of military service men and women this is an unusual concept, but let me assure you ..it's what it was. Of course we had people on both sides of the fence turn up. Anti War protesters surrounded my mother and tried to burn her with cigarette butts and lighters. (I guess it was the first time I noticed that simply carrying an american flag had people assume things about you. That you're bigoted or thirst for blood or god knows all what else. The fact that it would make people assume anything other than that you are an american is ridiculous to me.) And there were some pretty rabidly patriotic people who threw the word "commie" around a bit too much for my comfort level. There was a whole spectrum of people that came through.. a veritable study of human behavior. The anti abortionists showed up and the pro abortionists.. The Gay and Lesbian alliances showed up. Republicans, Democrats, Independants.. All with their own agenda. Oh how something so simple can become so muddy.. It wasnt about all that. It wasnt about voter registration or pro/anti some new legislation. It was about the troops... and soon special interests groups started to realize we werent into all that.
thank god.
the group was never tremendously large, and by the end of the war there were only about 8 core members of the group that came out almost every weekend.
I'd take my roller skates.
What i knew most about those times was that my parents were together and united in a cause. in a sense it was a summer of war and peace.
Both of my parents started to attend and eventually organize Pro Troops rallies in the downtown Sacramento area, across from the state capital. Not pro war. Not anti war. Pro troops. period. Unless you come from a long line of military service men and women this is an unusual concept, but let me assure you ..it's what it was. Of course we had people on both sides of the fence turn up. Anti War protesters surrounded my mother and tried to burn her with cigarette butts and lighters. (I guess it was the first time I noticed that simply carrying an american flag had people assume things about you. That you're bigoted or thirst for blood or god knows all what else. The fact that it would make people assume anything other than that you are an american is ridiculous to me.) And there were some pretty rabidly patriotic people who threw the word "commie" around a bit too much for my comfort level. There was a whole spectrum of people that came through.. a veritable study of human behavior. The anti abortionists showed up and the pro abortionists.. The Gay and Lesbian alliances showed up. Republicans, Democrats, Independants.. All with their own agenda. Oh how something so simple can become so muddy.. It wasnt about all that. It wasnt about voter registration or pro/anti some new legislation. It was about the troops... and soon special interests groups started to realize we werent into all that.
thank god.
the group was never tremendously large, and by the end of the war there were only about 8 core members of the group that came out almost every weekend.
I'd take my roller skates.
What i knew most about those times was that my parents were together and united in a cause. in a sense it was a summer of war and peace.
Comments:
CrystallineTulip (June 7, 2007. 03:19pm)
I like the contrast here, especially after reading you other stories.