Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Our Takes on Moyers Memorial Weekend

Last Friday's program with Maxine Hong Kingston was interesting, though repetitive for an ex-creative writing student who's been to lots of writing workshops. Learning to write as a way to deal with memories of horrors and feelings make sense not just for soldiers but for everyone who has gone through strong emotionally draining events. War is certainly the worst of all such occurences if for no other reason than wars should be ultimately avoidable. I especially was moved by the words of the man remembering how he had to tell a family of the death of their son and ended up spending a night in that son's room and discovered how much alike they were.

But I found the D-Day revisited program that Moyers did on Sunday was more interesting because the soldiers who had participated in the invasion of Normandy were part of something Americans could not avoid. Simple courage, bravery, heroism from quiet people ended up as stronger words, written and spoken. It is amazing what people with good values can do when they have to.

What's your take? Post or comment here and on the Moyers Blog. - Bill T.

No comments: