Pick Yourself Up, Dust Yourself Off, Start All Over Again

In the make-believe world of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire in a black and white film called "Swing Time," a song became famous- "Pick Yourself Up." The film came out in 1936, quite a few years before I was born. But the words of the song came to my mind as I read an article in the Boston Globe today. You may think I have a strange mind, which would probably be true, but the words of the song were there nonetheless. It's as if there are two worlds. The real world where people are being killed every day and where violence and rage increase versus the Bush world of make-believe where these deaths are for a good purpose and will lead to peace.


In an Associated Press article today, Sam Hananel tells of a fabulous rehab center opening next year at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Now amputees will be able to return to the battlefield in greater numbers than ever before. Soldiers will now be able to learn how to operate tanks and trucks, inspite of their disabilities. It used to be that a mere wandering eye would disqualify one for the military. Now even missing limbs will not stop the most determined soldiers. I am not finding any humor in this- just the cruelest of ironies.

Our wounded soldiers often feel guilt about not being back with their buddies. They feel responsible for each other. It is poignant when a soldier who has just sustained the loss of a limb (or more) dreams of the day when he or she can return to battle. This "band of brothers" is something those of us who have never known combat will never fully understand. A young man or woman who strives to learn how to continue doing his or her job in combat is to be supported and applauded. Not too many have actually returned to their units, but at least they are given hope for the future. It's the least we can do as a nation. From what I hear, however, our military is sorely lacking in funds and services for our wounded, both in body and in mind, but that is a subject for another blog post.

Can we just stop for a moment? Could we put $10 million dollars, the cost of this new Military Amputee Training Center, into peaceful projects? In some churches, the congregation puts a stipulation on themselves. For every dollar spent on themselves, they insist that a dollar be spent on outreach- helping others outside their own parish. This seems to me to be a good rule of thumb for our government. For every dollar spent on the military, money well spent let's argue, let's appropriate a dollar for education, the environment, healthcare, prescription drugs for those who need it.

The U. S. budget for 2004 appropriated:

• $343 billion dollars for the Pentagon (NOT including Iraq and Afghan wars!)
• $39 billion for children's health
• $31 billion for K-2 education
• $6 billion for Head Start
• $2 billion for reduced reliance on oil
• $1 billion for world hunger

While we certainly honor those who sacrifice their own safety to defend us, we have an equal responsibility to them to send them to war only as a last resort and to provide the equipment needed for their safety in combat, neither of which is happening under the Bush administration. I am willing to say that this is not just Bush's fault. But somehow, he has been allowed to get us into this terrible mess. The Congress must also bear an enormous responsibility for our present dilemma. The news reports now talk about Iran. What will happen next?

[Click on the blog title to read Sam Hananel's article in full as it appeared in the Boston Globe.]

[To read the complete lyrics of "Pick yourself up," click here: http://www.reelclassics.com/Teams/Fred&Ginger/lyrics/pickselfup-lyrics.htm.