11/11/2021

My Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            I just watched you “laying the wreath” at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier (TUS). As you know, you didn’t actually lay the wreath. You just kind of hugged it. Even so, it was moving, especially when you crossed yourself. I’m sure that Beau was on your mind, as well as all the other young folk who have died in “service” to their country.

Have you seen the footage of the 1st ceremony at the TUS? I was surprised to see Chief Plenty Coups of the Apsáalooke tribe of the Crow Nation adorned with his headdress placing his coup stick on the tomb.

This week members of the tribe came from MT to DC & visited the TUS. Elsworth GoesAhead used his smudge feathers to bless the site & then groups of men, women & children dressed in their ceremonial regalia paid their respects. Perhaps they were at the ceremony today, too.

https://wjla.com/news/local/watch-crow-nation-pays-respects-tomb-of-the-unknown-soldier-century-after-chief-plenty-coups-arlington-national-cemetery

            I find it perplexing that so many Native Americans serve in the military. I would assume that people who have been so badly treated by our government would avoid service. Apparently, they serve because they have hope for a better tribal life in the future. They hold on to their faith that the land is still theirs, so they feel compelled to protect it. It’s also a way out of the desperate poverty that many endure.

I am always ambivalent on Veteran’s Day. It makes me sad that we invite young folk with immature prefrontal cortexes to learn to kill for their country. We take advantage of the fact that their executive functions are not fully formed & exploit their delusions that they are immortal. The WW1 soldier in the tomb was probably 19 when he died, since more soldiers of that age died than any other age. Given that youth tend to make bad choices, should we really give them a gun & ask them to use it judiciously? As we move forward with BBB, let’s generate more alternatives so that young folk who want to get away from home can do something other than join the military.

            BYBS,

            RCA

Pray for Maynmar