In a nutshell, Pfc LaVena Johnson's parents were notified of her death in Iraq in 2005 --- they were told that she died of a gunshot to the head that was or wasn't self inflicted, no definitely it was suicide -- and by the way, just ignore the signs that she was raped and beaten.
I thought I had a lot more to say about this....but just recapping the story turned my stomach.
Read the articles, listen to her dad on Tell Me More and then tell me what you think.
I understand that war is hell -- but I cannot imagine that anyone thinks this is ok -- I cannot imagine how the military powers that be sleep at night knowing that they have created a situation where young women serving their nation turn into punching bags -- and that's ok, we'll just call it suicide.
Ugly, depressing, disturbing and not inspiring any flag waving notions for me.
We need to get the hell out of Iraq.
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True dat, sister. I think even the people who were die hard supporters in the beginning have got to be wondering what the hell's going on.
ReplyDeleteI wish leaving Iraq would make women in the military safer. When Lisa Bryant was murdered, she was stateside and in her barracks.
ReplyDeleteI agree that making women safer in the military is not only a function of leaving Iraq. And Lisa's murder was a horrific act that should not have happened. At least her parents weren't told that she had committed suicide.
ReplyDeleteSimply leaving Iraq won't keep obviously unstable people from killing their comrades, that's true. But leaving Iraq may mean that fewer people who weren't previously unstable won't be pushed over the edge... and the armed forces won't need to recruit quite so many questionable or obviously unstable people to keep the enterprise going.