Lodging SOS [ATTN: NY folks]

Giving this plea its very own entry instead of squishing it between other things, on the off-chance that someone missed it last time:

Brooks and I are going to be in NYC Friday 10/29 through Monday 11/1 and are in desperate need of lodging. Because of B.'s dietary restrictions, it's absolutely imperative that we stay somewhere where he'll have access to a kitchen, which is really hard to find if we're not staying with people. We would absolutely fall over ourselves with gratitude if anyone out there is willing to put us up for a few days--more or less any horizontal surface will do if you don't have a spare bed. We would be fantastic houseguests and, in return for the use of your kitchen, would be more than happy to cook for you. Anyway, please let me know ASAP if you or anyone you know would be willing to host us while we're in town. Pleasepleaseplease and also thank you in advance and okay I'm done begging now.

Restoring my faith in humanity one LJ user at a time

I think this is beautiful:

Some people say, "My country, love it or leave it," and insist that that's patriotism.

It's not. These are the summer soldiers of our history, loving only what is easy to love, accepting only the acceptible, and hating complicated things. They love the big and the brash, and miss out on the small details. They see only the surface of the water, never the depths beneath, and in its surface they see only their own reflection.


This, too:

I'm all too aware that we were sent here under false pretenses: I'm aware of it every time I put on my uniform. Too aware of it. I'm sure by now the Iraqis are, too. I see all the casualties and a good number of the attacks. You do not.

The thing is, I'm also aware of something else these same lecturers don't seem to realize: we cannot abandon these people after the mess we've created in their country. The borders are open, terrorists flood in from other countries, kidnapping ordinary Iraqis every day, and there are car bombs every day. How could I not know that? I wasn't using a metaphorical device when I spoke of blood on the ballots. I've been wondering since the latest attack on the mail convoy what happens exactly during such an attack. I can't get the image out of my mind. They've had casualties on three differnet occasions. Sorry, that's a euphemism. I mean deaths. Argue about politics if you want, talk about the false pretenses of this war, but don't forget the real practical concerns: we have to clean up the mess we've made. I don't care what you call it, we have to clean up what we've done here.

If you're not reading ginmar by now, you should be.