Three Years Into The War

Yesterday there was a memorial in MacArthur Park for the 240 California soldiers who have died thus far in Iraq. Combat boots laid out in a grid with the name of a killed soldier attached. Interspersed with the boots were civilian shoes to acknowledge the Iraqi casualties. I'd have to say that it seemed too understated, it was not attracting much attention from anyone who passed by.

Much more powerful was the smaller memorial early yesterday morning outside of La Placita Church next to Olivera Street. It was for Jesus Suarez del Solar, killed in Iraq in March of 2003. A woman who I took to be his mother held a bouquet of roses and said just a few words. I don't understand Spanish but his father spoke very passionately without once raising his voice. I learned later that its been alleged that Jesus died after stepping on an illegal US cluster bomb and that his father is now active in the peace movement.