A Tale Of Two Mourning Mothers, One Against The War, The Other In Denial

Two mothers, Diane Ibbotson and H. Elaine Johnson, who have lost sons in Iraq, will be at the Peace Demonstrations in Washington today. Johnson, will protest the war, while Ibbotson will speak out in support of the military action. “There are families who lose children in accidents, in tragic illnesses. Young people die and it seems without a purpose,” said Ibbotson, whose son was 21. “My son gave his life for a cause that he believed in. He fought and died for God and country.” I only hope that when Ms. Ibbotson finally comes to the realization that this war was just a farse, a political move of George Bush, that she will be able to hold it together like she has so far. One of the first stages of grieving is denial. I am afraid that Ms. Ibbotson is still in that stage, trying to explain her son's death by rationalizing the war as just. I hear so many times people of soldiers killed in Iraq saying they died for our freedom, for God and country. I respect those opinions, and I respect the soldiers for doing the job they signed up for, but I am sorry to say nobody in Iraq has died for my freedom. That may sound harsh, but I was just as free before Iraq and I would have been just as free if the US never invaded Iraq. Organizers of today’s anti-war protest predict about 100,000 people will crowd the Ellipse near the White House for a rally and march. Among those expected are Cindy Sheehan, the California mother who drew thousands of protesters to her 26-day vigil outside President Bush’s Texas ranch last month. I applaud all who will be there protesting, whichever "side" they're on.