My first diary entry so go easy on me :)
Tonight in Boulder, CO - I just attended an interesting public event called: "Iraq War: Soldiers and Doctors Speak Out." (Link below)
The program included a short documentary film, "Ground Truth: The Human Cost of War," and the basic premise wasn't a protest to war, but focused on the issue of how the US government isn't adequately providing health coverage to returning war veterans.
After the film, many veterans openly and emotionally told their stories about their experience in Iraq, and, more importantly, their experience when they returned home. Stories of denied coverage and bureaucratic nightmares were common. It was hard to watch these grown men and women veterans cry as they opened up in front of a large group and shared their experiences.
The underlying and shared problem all of them experienced was war trauma. This trauma, as explained so well by Dr. Charles Clark, is not something which can be cured and has a very long term impact. It was also made clear in the movie and in the testimony of the veterans that the government was not diagnosing the trauma which was resulting in suicide and other terrible consequences. The film interviewed a family who's son had killed himself shortly after his return.
Dr. Clark also made an exceptional point that if you were to visit a VA hospital, you would find them filled with WWII veterans. This point illustrates war is not a short term game - as a nation we will have to care for these returning Iraq veteran's for up to eighty years - if they live that long.
The central argument made was a simple one and one we should pay attention to: Health care and benefits for veterans needs to be a priority and no veteran should be denied coverage after risking their lives.
The DNC should make this one of their priorities now because it's an issue most everyone can and should agree upon. It's a great neutralizing issue. Take ownership of this issue and make the Republicans and NeoCons look like they are against the welfare of the veterans. From what I saw tonight, veterans are eager for leadership in resolving this issue.
http://www.bouldertheater.com/cgi-bin/theater/dbman/db.cgi?db=default&uid=default&sb=5&s
o=ascend&view_records=1&ID=*