[Leica] The Horror, The Horror

[Teresa299 at aol.com (Teresa299@aol.com)]

In a message dated 5/28/04 11:49:59 PM, daniel.ridings@muspro.uio.no writes:

<< 
My experience too, Adam. Something has gone far amiss. I grew up with the
American military. Sure, mistakes have always been made, but to this
extent? No, something went terribly wrong. "Reserves" comes to mind. What
scares me is that the reserves come from a slice of life in the US. Have
things become so hard and insensitive?

Best,
Daniel >>


Yes.  We have.  Under the name of fear.  Under the claim of patriotism.  With 
the desire to protect the "homeland."   Just listen to the chatter on the 
airwaves.  I don't think it's just the "reserves" who are pushing the envelope.  
It probably went up higher.  

I love my Leica lenses and surely think digital can pick up things as well, 
but it's too bad we don't have a camera or a lens that can capture the subtle 
emotions that haven't been physically acted upon such as fear, anger, hatred, 
cynicism, contempt and so on.  If one could, I think it would be eye opening to 
see the inner world of the people around us.  Forget the cute PAWS of yawning 
babies, sleeping kittens, or a bucolic landscape, give me a lense that lets 
me capture the rot within.

I wasn't for this war to begin with.  I was one of those out there tromping 
around on the streets, protesting something that deep down I knew was going to 
happen anyway.  Come on, the bush empire is at the healm and they get what 
they want and paint those who disagree as unpatriotic, or worse.  But what was 
troubling to me, and still is, wasn't just the amount of people who were for the 
war, but the number of US citizens who did care either way.  War or no war, 
it  seemed of little consequence.  Just another programing note on the tube.   
They didn't care the amount of money to be spent to wage a war, they didn't 
care about the logic or lack there of as a reason for war, they didn't care 
about how we went in (without world approval), or how we were to get out (a 
so-called exit strategy), they didn't really care about sending soldiers over there 
and they certainly didn't care about Iraqi citizens who might die as a result 
of it.

It seemed (and still does) that in many ways, the war, as received from the 
glowing tube in the middle of the living room was nothing more than a variation 
on Playstation 2.  Operation Eduring Freedom, only $29.99, oops, make that 
$39.99, no, I meant $69.99 at your local store.  Buy it, play it and expect to 
get another bill for it next month....   

Yes, I find the behaviour and photos from Iraq troubling.  But on this 
Memorial Day weekend, what disturbs me as much, are all the "reserve" citizens of 
the US who treat the consideration of both past present and future lives with as 
much thought as what kinda of mocha cafe decaf fropaccino they're going to 
order at Starbucks tomorrow.

Kim