Friday, July 22, 2005

Des Moines

This note comes from Celeste Zapalla, a mother who lost her son Sherwood Baker in the Iraq War. Sherwood was the first National Guard soldier from Pennsylvania killed in war since WWII.

"I was in Des Moines, Iowa with other military families during the National Governor's Conference. The American Friends Service Committee sponsored a display of the empty boots of the 233 National Guard who have died thus far.

The hope of the event was to get the Governors to focus on the terrible conditions the Guard are experiencing and the fact that these decent people who signed up as the homeland guard are being used up by this war based on deception. Good and decent people, all ages, races, men and women young kids and grand-dad -- their names attached to the silent boots spread on the nearly treeless side walk
in unforgiving heat.

A Mom and her two daughters, aged 8 and 17 whose Dad is in Iraq from Military Families Speak Out was there, the little girl braved the heat all day, with such devotion to the picture of her Dad that she carried, alternating between her little girl courage and her deep sadness. Kids should not be in such a position, her wonderful Dad has made it very clear that the pretenses and conditions of war in Iraq are betrayal to him and his fellows. Little Mary was his witness.

We had invited the Governors to join us during the two day event, to pay respects or to read the names of the fallen. We were grateful for the fine people who came out to support us and the press coverage was pretty thorough.

However, the only governor who attended was our Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. I was surprised and grateful that he came on Saturday to pay respect, and to tell us that no matter how anyone feels about the war, the consequences -- represented by those boots -- have to be recognized, reckoned with and accounted for. We stood together and stared at the boots with Sher's name and the last picture of our family with him alive. In that hot silence the anguish of all the families was overpowering -- and All of us are witnesses to that great sadness..."

with peace and hope
Celeste

This is the story from the Des Moines Register, with Mary's picture.

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