History Lessons

I can't begin to imagine what Ann and Bill Byers of Schleswig, Iowa, must be going through right now.

One might think there could be nothing worse than losing a young son -- with an infant daughter of his own he's never held or even seen -- to a war launched under false pretences. But there was: losing another -- the only remaining son and also a soldier -- two days before the first son's funeral. And on top of this "double tragedy," having the second son's death initially ruled as a suicide only to have that decision reversed and then ruled as an accident.

The story of Casey and Justin Byers carries an unspeakable amount of grief. Like many other Iowans, I was both stunned and saddened after learning of Justin's death (and asking all the endless "whys"), but it took Bret Hayworth's beautifully written and moving article in the Sioux City Journal on Casey Byers' funeral that finally unleashed the anger and tears.

The verbal image of Spc. Juan Ramos (Byers' friend and injured comrade) falling to his knees and wailing gripped me by the throat and wouldn't let go. Through his words, Hayworth presented an all too real portrait of the devastating toll this war has taken -- and continues to take -- on family, friends, comrades and entire communities. It's an emotion few reporters are willing to get close enough to touch.

How I wish Mr. Bush would have attended this funeral. Then again, Bush won't attend any of these funerals, nor will he answer to the countless military families demanding answers as to why he knowingly lied - and continues to lie - about t(his) war.

Sadly, I believe the answer lies in the words Justin Byers wrote shortly before his own death, which he'd planned to read at his brother's funeral. In stating why both he and his brother supported the war on terror, Justin wrote:

"If we don't go over there, they will come over here and take our freedoms."

This is what makes this story so terribly heartbreaking. It isn't that these brothers died at such young ages, but died believing they were making sacrifices in the name of freedom.

I couldn't possibly be more proud of Sgt. Casey Byers or his brother, Justin Byers. They were brought up and raised to believe that one could -- should, in fact -- be able to trust their president. Isn't that the way it should be? Isn't that what history teaches us? After all, what kind of shape would a country be in if people couldn't trust their own leader? Wouldn't that make us - God forbid - "unpatriotic?"

Hmm. I'm guessing lots of people from Iraq and Germany knew the answer to this question and knew it well. The only thing is, we can't ask them because they're dead.

Then again, someone knew, and answered it better than anyone:

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." -- Theodore Roosevelt

Before it's all over, each and every American will have to answer to themselves: "At what point do I start trusting my own eyes and heart and soul?"