iraq tragedy destroys a local life
it is difficult to describe how terrible it feels when global events spinning out of control reach out and hurt someone you know. last week we were shocked to learn of a local casualty in the despicable bush war on iraq. manuel mendoza, a local boy who my kids grew up with in anderson valley, was critically injured while serving in the u.s. army in iraq, losing both his legs. he is now at walter reed, where a year of rehab awaits him as a double amputee. when i told my daughter about it she said, "what! i just hugged him when he was home..." and her voice trailed off. i remember buying 50:50 raffle tickets from manuel during high school sporting events in 1998.

as if i needed one, this is another reason to vote bush out of the white house. and let's not stop with the executive branch. i respect honest conservatism, but i don't respect the corrupt and mean-spirited special interest neocon fools who have siezed control of the conservative wing of american politics. they don't represent the america i grew up in, and i refuse to let them represent the america i live in.

i wonder why manuel's tragic sacrifice for bush has not made the local media...
posted by Will Ross at 13:23