PLEASE READ: a grassroots memorial - Democratic Underground

slybacon9

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Thu Feb-16-06 09:31 PM
Original message

PLEASE READ: a grassroots memorial

Dear DUers,

Two years ago my girlfriend began a simple memorial to US soldiers that had lost their lives in Iraq. We had no idea at the time that it would turn into a vital part of our city. I have come to you as a member of this community to share a story and ask for your help. Please read and enjoy, and help if you can or see fit...

We are artists living in the military town of Oceanside, CA next to Camp Pendleton, one of the biggest military bases in the country. After 9-11 and through the start of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, military towns like oceanside begin to live under a dark cloud. We listen to the practice runs as bombs beat the drums of war, and then we watch and feel our city empty. The soldiers ship out. The sad statistics return (Camp Pendleton last i checked had suffered more casualites in Iraq than any other base). Small businesses shut down. New, fresh faced recruits meander about town, as do the longing spouses of soldiers abroad. Everything is a gnawing reminder that something is wrong.

A local gas station went out of business soon after 9-11. It closed so fast that even the 9-11 Remembrance signs were left on the pumps. A chain link fence was put around it to mark its death, the first casualty of many to follow. My girlfriend and i walked past it everyday on our walk to the water. One day she mentioned to me that we should decorate that fence to spruce up this eyesore in our town. We began to collaborate and dig deeper into what we felt the community really needed.

We were angry about the war, and in what started as an act of protest, we came up with a way to make a statement. Here, around this dead gas station, we would attach dog tags of all the dead soldiers. We found mail order "write-on" tags that are used for cattle that are made of thin metal and can be embossed easily. We took to typing out all the names and the date they were killed. At the time there were only around 400.

Soon the names became too many, and we had to start handwriting them. We would go in "night missions" at around 2AM and begin hanging the names with zip ties while watching for police cars. We had no idea if it was illegal, but we didn't want to be seen.

Over the next few months this thing we had started grew beyond our initial vision. Our "act of protest" was not recieved as such. People attached flowers. And then signs and flags. And more flowers and signs and flags. (the photos i have attached are from the very beginning before the community response). Until the fence was covered. Weather would come and the flowers would die and the flags would shred and it would all start again. It became obvious that Oceanside just wanted to mourn.

We realized quickly, that this was no protest, it was a memorial. We had already decided to remain anonymous at all costs, and still have, figuring that no one should know what kind of person did this. And we have not done anything else to the fence but attach more names. It has received lots of press from newspapers and even KTLA news. Funny note: we just happened to be walking past the reporter as he was doing a piece on it, and he interviewed us without knowing that we were the ones responsible!

We had many interactions regarding the fence, but the greatest moment came when we were out late one night in the cold trying to get the names up as fast as possible. We were already grumbly that we had to be doing this right now (as any artist will tell you, art is NOT always what you want to be doing). As we worked, a huge noisy semi came rolling in behind us to the intersection (the gas station is at a main intersection in Oceanside...PCH and Cassidy). I thought it was going to move on but the noise just continued. I turned around and could see the driver waving us up and yelling. I walked over and hoisted myself up to his window.

"Thank you so much for doing this," he said. "My boy, my only boy, he's 18 and he is over there now. I never get to talk to him and he doesn't know when he is coming home." He was starting to tear up as he showed me the crude computer print out of his son's photo on the dash. He repeated himself and his thanks and i told him i will pray for him and returned the thanks. I stepped down and my grilfriend and I held each other in tears. I still get choked up when i think about it, and it always serves to remind me of why i am an artist.

So now you are wondering where the help part comes in... I'm sorry to have made that so long, i didn't mean to go on so much! Well, the new part of this story is that in what i guess might be the perfect twist, i have lost my job thanks to this bullshit economy and i'm having trouble finding a new one. My girlfriend also is not working since she is a full time student now. We are 900 names behind (and sadly, growing) and the tags are expensive at around 50 cents a tag. I have funded this operation until now with my own money, but i can't afford to anymore, at least for awhile.

I'm not asking for tons. A buck sponsors a couple names... So if you have a PayPal account, and would like to donate to this cause you can go to your account and log in and click on the send money tab. All you do is enter the amount and my email address (slybacon9@cox.net)

I promise you I am legit. The only way i can think to prove that to you is say that i was responsible for the photo essay post "This is what democracy looks like" that included the photo of the blind man below. That post received nearly 200 recommendation votes, one of the most i can remember.

Please note that i am humbled to have to do this already. I don't need to be accused of anything, or have this project critiqued. I am vulnerably putting myself out here, so please be respectful. If you want to participate please do and i thank you in advance with both hands cupped around yours. If not, no worries and thanks for reading anyway...

With love,
G