There was a memorial vigil at Fort Hood tonight, but I didn’t get a chance to go. I have been thinking all day about who might be mourning the soldiers who died.
Do you know this song? The girl who is mourning the dead soldier (from the Vietnam War) is mourning alone under the stands at a HS football game, and no one even knows that she knew him, that she fell in love with him.
President Obama and everyone else has sent their sympathies to the families of all of the people who were killed yesterday here in Texas, but I wonder if there’s anyone else mourning who is just crying by themselves under the stands.
It’s a real tragedy. I don’t think we understand enough about what happened, but we know enough that it’s time to end all of the wars.
Lyrics:
Tags: Fort Hood“Travelin’ Soldier”
Two days past eighteen
He was waiting for the bus in his army green
Sat down in a booth in a cafe there
Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
He’s a little shy so she gives him a smile
And he said would you mind sittin’ down for a while
And talking to me,
I’m feeling a little low
She said I’m off in an hour and I know where we can goSo they went down and they sat on the pier
He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don’t care
I got no one to send a letter to
Would you mind if I sent one back here to youChorus: I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin’ for the love of a travelin’ soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin’ for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone when the letter said
A soldier’s coming homeSo the letters came from an army camp
In California then Vietnam
And he told her of his heart
It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
He said when it’s getting kinda rough over here
I think of that day sittin’ down at the pier
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
Don’t worry but I won’t be able to write for awhile[Chorus]
One Friday night at a football game
The Lord’s Prayer said and the Anthem sang
A man said folks would you bow your heads
For a list of local Vietnam dead
Crying all alone under the stands
Was a piccolo player in the marching band
And one name read but nobody really cared
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair[Chorus x2]
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That song always makes me cry when I hear it. I was your age during the Vietnam War. I could have been that girl. I know a lot of guys who made it out of there alive, but were damaged forever.
Thanks for this Cassie. This is one of my favorite Dixie Chicks songs, and, like Gnome, it makes me tear up a bit to hear it. I was too young to remember much of Viet Nam, but this song always kills me.
FWIW, the Chicks have never really recovered from the slander after their comments about Bush, and it’s a damn shame. These are three very talented musicians and singers who spoke the truth and got kicked in the teeth for it.
Very nice post, Cassie. Very appropriate song choice. I adore the Dixie Chicks and this is one of my favorites.
Excellent post.
And thanks for donating blood yesterday and asking your friends to donate as well.
@ madmommy:
They might not have recovered commercially, MM, but they’re taking names and kicking ass. Not Ready to Make Nice is fantastic. I’d love to hear their thoughts about how now it’s suddenly ok to trash the president.
Cassie: “It’s a real tragedy. I don’t think we understand enough about what happened, but we know enough that it’s time to end all of the wars.”
Amen.
@ Lea:
Oh, wouldn’t I as well!!! Natalie’s never been one to watch what she says, damn the consequences. Her dad is playing in the “Traveling Soldier” video, he’s a very sought after session player. He’s standing behind Martie (the brunette) playing guitar.
When I first saw the video for “Not Ready to Make Nice” I was blown away. The Chicks rock.
@ Lea:
Some comment was made when Sarah Palin went to Hong Kong (i believe) and said negative things. IOKIYAR.
And, Lea, the first day Not Ready to Make Nice was released I made sure I went out and bought it so the numbers would show up.
I think it is time to turn to my
I just finished reading the NYT Book Review of Mary Karr’s new book Lit. Gnomica just discovered Mary Karr. In case any of you want to understand Mr. Gnome’s childhood – read her first memoir Liar’s Club. Gnomette and I loved the book, but poor Mr. Gnome could not read it. It was too close to home for him.
See y’all tomorrow.
@ sharonlee:
Me too. As well as a few others of theirs. I think I’ll go find my iPod right now, in fact.
End these damn wars, Mr. President.
Night, Gnome. I am going to head out, too. Another unplanned weekend, so means I will be sleeping until I wake up. No alarms.
Good luck with your new shift, ndfg.
Betsy, don’t trip over your new snazzy canes.
Time for bed here as well. Couple of big football games tomorrow and SUnday, plus the usual groceries, laundry and drudgery
Sleep well Sharonlee.
Texteen couldn’t get a ride home from the game so he’s navigating the city bus system at midnight.
All those years of karate lessons and the height he inherited from his father are all a good thing.
Also good night to Gnome and madmom.
Since when is Sunday social drudgery?
OK, Texteen navigating is actually me using trip-planner online and texting him the names of the intersections and telling him which side of the street to stand on.
I can barely keep my eyes open, so I’m going to bed. Night all!
Sleep well Lea.
Teen is on the correct bus facing in the correct direction and it drops him off right in front of the apt complex.
How responsible is THAT?
New blue bed and bedroom to go with the new canes and glasses.
Cause you never can be too coordinated.
the guy definitely gets a big ATTA BOY.
I want to post something to your site. How do I get in?
Duncan Cunningham
Redding California
I’m just caught up here, and everyone is
Sleep tight, sweet no alarm dreams. 
me up with some of your stuff. Not the least of which was the funeral with Rev. Hagee 
What a crowd to run with, Gnome! 
Good for TexTeen on his journey home via buses! Good job!
You guys
I need glasses too, so I went out and upgraded to a new phone
Droid Does
It came out today. I figured I’d get a Blackberry since my current phone is quite nice and I’m really spoiled anyway. I found this one, and liked it, only to find out it has been eagerly awaited! So cutting edge… that’s me
And Kidlet3 “is not my friend”
Guess he knew all about it and wants one… guess I’ll check and see if I can get the same special I got, he is due for an upgrade too 
News has been full of Fort Hood, Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, and teabagging idjits. Sigh.
The Middle East Wars are destroying so many people. 
We must stop now.
About the song – it is very personal. I wonder if it is about someone they know. They are too young, but their mom’s aren’t.
A few of my high school pals went over, and never came back from Vietnam.
A couple, came back and were not the same.
My home town has 6 or more names on the Vietnam Wall.
I’d bet they all had women/girls who thought about them, and mourn their losses.
Not much has changed, Cassie. In love or war.
Donovan Leitch Said It Well, Long Ago.
Phil Ochs also said before Donovan.
But Buffy St. Marie Wrote It. (bless her)
These are people you should get to know, they are antiwar heroes.
Here’s The Song.
Universal Soldier
He’s five foot-two, and he’s six feet-four,
He fights with missiles and with spears.
He’s all of thirty-one, and he’s only seventeen,
Been a soldier for a thousand years.
He’a a Catholic, a Hindu, an Atheist, a Jain,
A Buddhist and a Baptist and a Jew.
And he knows he shouldn’t kill,
And he knows he always will,
Kill you for me my friend and me for you.
And he’s fighting for Canada,
He’s fighting for France,
He’s fighting for the USA,
And he’s fighting for the Russians,
And he’s fighting for Japan,
And he thinks we’ll put an end to war this way.
And he’s fighting for Democracy,
He’s fighting for the Reds,
He says it’s for the peace of all.
He’s the one who must decide,
Who’s to live and who’s to die,
And he never sees the writing on the wall.
But without him,
How would Hitler have condemned him at Dachau?
Without him Caesar would have stood alone,
He’s the one who gives his body
As a weapon of the war,
And without him all this killing can’t go on.
He’s the Universal Soldier and he really is to blame,
His orders come from far away no more,
They come from here and there and you and me,
And brothers can’t you see,
This is not the way we put the end to war.
Nope, this is not the way we put the end to war, people.
Still.
@ madmommy:
The Dixie Chicks have recovered very well MM.
Google them up.
They got gold, platinum, and more, since.
They have moved on, quite sucessfully, money wise, and career wise.
Really.
@ Pellora:
It was written by Bruce Robison in 1996. Bruce’s brother Charlie Robison was married to Emily until recently. Bruce is married to Kelly Willis, who is also another kick-ass singer.
@ larue:
Compared to before the controversy, not really. They will always have a following, and their type of music defies catagorization, but generally fit into the country radio playlist. I listen pretty much exclusively to country music on the radio, and the Chicks are still pretty much banned. Clear Channel specifically will not play their songs, and CC owns a hell of a lot of radio stations.
Welcome Duncan. Sorry no one was here to mod your comment. Some nights I turn over the keys at midnight and some nights I just fall asleep in the most coordinated bedroom available.
Please join us for breakfast.
Just made you an account and emailed the password. Feel free to change the password.
Morning Bumz. Busy morning at the Gnome House. Gnomette stayed over, Cactus Pete is here and we got a new wireless router from AT&T. Gnomette is out to run her allotted ten miles today and I’m trying to figure out whether to run out to the Orchid Ranch and do a quick watering, or not. I missed yesterday for all the funeralizing.
This will improve your mood Gnome.
Via Think Progress.
O’Reilly Goes After Sesame Street: ‘We May Have To Ambush Oscar’
@ Texas Betsy:
Oh good grief. I am sorry, but I will not deign to watch FOX even on a clip. (But unlike Pellora we will watch sports on FOX sports affiliates. Mr. Gnome has the Texas game on right now.)
lunch break!
it is very strange working such a different shift
gnome, look on the bright side. Maybe you are ruining her day. Think of her gritting her teeth and “doing her Christian Duty” by visiting heathen relatives.
yeah, really, she shouldn’t bother.
I just saw the google picture for the day. I wonder if it has to do with the above mentioned “controversy”? Pretty funny, Google.
@ newdealfarmgrrrlll:
Nah. SIL doesn’t have any kind of “Christian duty” gene. They have all been burned out by alcohol and cigarettes. She is a loud, sloppy, blubbering drunk, just like her mother was. (Sorry if I offended anyone with that description. I am not allowed to voice those observations out loud in this house, if you know what I mean.)
@ gnome de plume:
Nah, they’ve been doing Sesame Street characters all week. I think it’s in preparation for SS’s 40th anniversary next week. I love it and wish they would do it all the time!
Nope Gnome. 40th anniversary of Sesame street this week.
In other news, take your phones.
Abortion in health care reform is at risk. Call NOW. The House of Reps is debating abortion in health care reform right now in Congress.
From Planned Parenthood Action Center:
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops met with leaders in the House of Representatives in their bid to eliminate women’s access to abortion care under health care reform. Their efforts are working. Representative Bart Stupak has introduced an amendment to the health care reform bill that will result in women losing health care coverage for abortion. Now, Congress is considering the Stupak amendment to the health care reform bill that will eliminate choice for millions of women.
We need you, and your friends and family to call your representative now at 202-730-9001 and ask him or her to oppose the Stupak amendment.
gnome de plume wrote:
You cleaned the house for HER?
Texas Betsy wrote:
No. For Mr. Gnome. So he didn’t feel bad.
@ gnome de plume:
seems to be the same. I’d venture to say all the Bumz are that way. When a conversation like this arises, I usually say “you have no idea how many people I don’t really like, and those people don’t know I don’t like them either”. Usually I see 
right after that. 
You are a good and caring person – I think you believe in treating people nice. That doesn’t mean you have to like them, or love them, but being nice nonetheless is important. Even Betsy, who snarked
@ Pellora:
Who me? Nice to people? Sez who?
@ Texas Betsy:
Yeah, about that. My rep is Dana Rohrbacher. I have about as much chance of changing his mind as I do of becoming Michelle Obama.
I did what TBogg told me to do instead.
Lea wrote:
Don’t know ? Are you even tall enough?
If you’re tall enough – you can just beat on Dana and make him change his mind!
@ Pellora:
I’m only two inches shorter than her. I wouldn’t want to touch him in any way though.
Texas Betsy wrote:
1. Next week, on Tuesday I believe, Michelle Obama will be on Sesame Street for the 40th Anniversary show, about gardening and other stuff. I heard a clip on NPR – sounds really cute! I loves me some Sesame Street, though I really only watched it when kidlets arrived, and only a little before. I was a Senior in High School when it came out –
2. It is my understanding, again from news stories yesterday, that the point of the discussion on abortion within the health care insurance reform debate is that there would be NO FEDERAL FUNDS USED TO PAY FOR ANY ABORTIONS. Not that the choice was being taken away, but that the woman would pay all of the cost. Those being subsidized would also have to pay all the cost of the procedure, while the federal money that woman would be entitled to would be used to subsidize other health care costs.
Now, admittedly, I have a problem with this. The poorest women are being discriminated against with this – and all women in general. But it isn’t the choice being taken away, just the payment and who would foot the bill.
I do see this as another erosion of the right to choose, but I think if I understood what I think I did, and that the information is correct, then I’m okay with the amendment. I guess I’ll have to check.
And like Lea, hell will definitely freeze over before my Rep. Dean Heller changes his mind – he’s a rightwingnuttiarubberstamp idjit. He makes me
and I really wanted him gone from this job. IF the national Dems had just given his opponent Jill Derby some support, she would have won. That they didn’t do much of anything still sticks in my craw 
and I haven’t given them much $ support as a result. Same with the opponent to Senator Adulterer Goodhair Ethics challenged Ensign, who is not looking too good here these days. While the repugnants are focusing their attention on Harry, they are ignoring the very real problem the shitty other senator from Nevada is facing. I think Harry will do okay – but I’ve already seen some ads run by Harry and some ads run against him. Already. 
Lea wrote:
Made three attempts. Their damn website won’t remember my information every time they tell me to go back and change some info.
Lea wrote:
You’re tall! not me
Lea wrote:
@ Pellora:
I am at least 3 inches taller online than I am in real life.
@ Pellora:
There is always something that stands in their way of change. Additionally, they are magnets for trouble. Or they make the trouble themselves if it doesn’t find them 
Thank you for that comment. I am a good and caring person. It is just that I lose patience with folks who carry on about the same problems for 30 years and don’t do a damn thing about it.
new post upstairs. y’all seem to have used this one up pretty good.
Another favorite ant-war song.
Turn Turn Turn
To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time of war, a time of peace
A time of love, a time of hate
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing
To everything – turn, turn, turn
There is a season – turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time of peace, I swear it’s not too late!
gnome de plume wrote:
You are very welcome. All you say is correct – we all have different lessons in Life, but one must want to deal with those lessons to get past the problems of that lesson. Some folks just don’t get that or want to do the work. I call it taking a good long look at the ugliness in the mirror. But that is why I am nice to people who I don’t like, see no point in being ugly. Also, and importantly, I choose to spend as little time as I possibly can NOT being around that person. I don’t want their energy around me, or them stealing my energy. I will provide Light always, but I don’t allow energy stealing. I’ve talked about The Mirror before here. What you attract is something you have within you – unless you are attracting people who want/need/wish for your help. But it is still a lesson for you even then.