The rest of the debate was nothing special. Shortly after it ended, Alexandra called me from a pay phone. She seemed a bit rattled. I told her I was holding the fort, and she should just relax at a local hotel that night instead of driving home. She drove home anyway. I was a bit surprised to meet her at the door.
"You did great. Don't worry about the press conference. We'll figure something out. Let's just go to bed and get some rest."
The next day at work, my boss called me in.
"Hey, Tom, given what's been going on, I think it's best you take a leave of absence til the campaign is over. Don't worry. You'll keep getting paid. We'll leave your desk just like it is. When it's over, you pick up right where you left off."
"I'd prefer to keep working, but I see your point. I need to get ready for that press conference."
"Exactly. Off you go then. If you need anything, call me. I'll see what I can do."
I returned to our kitchen. Alexandra was there cradling and singing to Catherine.
"Honey, what should I say at that press conference?"
"Sit at the typewriter and write whatever comes to you."
So I did that. And this is what I wrote:
***
Many people have had intense, painful experiences. War veterans like me have had many of them. We often don't know what to say about them, because we do not want to relive the experience, or we are scared that we will not be believed or that we will frighten people. So often instead, we just say something like "I don't want to talk about it."
But we do want to talk about "it", at least on some level. I chose to go to war for my country because I believed in its cause. Many others were forced to go, which is cruel and unjust. Some of us were forced kill to stay alive. Others were killed or wounded. Even those of us who did not get hurt at all are tormented by the memories of what we heard and saw.
All I ask is that if there is another war, I hope all my fellow citizens will think long and hard about whether it is worth the death and suffering of so many young men in the prime of their lives. And let us not forget all the people on the other side who will surely be killed or wounded, same as every other war.
A long time ago in school, I learned that our country was founded on the ideas of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. War runs contrary to all those things.
For that reason, I believe we should never go to war unless attacked. It's fine to help people in trouble and we should, but we should just stay out of any wars that don't concern us.
It's much better for us to give the world an example of how to have a free and prosperous society than to try and force them into being like Americans. Every country is different, and what works here might not work somewhere else.
As for my actions in Amity, Washington, I see no reason to elaborate on what my wife said about them. I am thankful to my family, the Army, and the American people for all the support they have given me. In the end, I hope it was worth it. Thank you and God bless America. I am ready for any questions you have.
***
"Here you go, my love" I said as she perused the paper.
"Don't change a word", she said after reading it.
The day of the press conference came. I wore my old Army jacket for it and said what I had shown Alexandra earlier. After I finished my statement, I called on a few reporters.
"In your opinion, what is the biggest problem with the US military?"
"The dilemma all soldiers face sooner or later is what to do when you get a stupid order. In my view, the solution is to promote soldiers on the basis of standardized intelligence test scores rather than other criteria."
"Do you think more countries will fall to communism or that communism will eventually take over the world?"
"Some more countries may become communist, but in the long-term, communism is doomed. As an economic system, it simply can't provide goods and services as well as other systems which allow free markets and private property."
"Should we fight communist forces directly or aid the countries that do?"
"On the whole, I say no. We do not have a good track record when it comes to fighting communism and doing so is not cheap."
"Do you yourself have any plans of running for office?"
"No, I'd prefer to stay out of the limelight, though I may publish a book later if I ever finish writing one. I'll answer one more question. How about you there in the back?"
"You have an unconventional look. Is it a political statement and how does your wife feel about it?"
"I got tired of shaving and having short hair in the Army, so basically went the opposite way as soon as I could. It's not a sign of solidarity with any group and while I'm not a hippie, I have nothing against them. My wife I think would prefer a more conservative or traditional look. It certainly helps in politics."
I got a few laughs with that response and felt the conference ended well. Off I went.
We were doing well in the polls and as the weeks and months went by, I became increasingly confident that we'd win the election. There was a chance of a runoff election, but hopefully we'd 51% of the vote in the first round. Regardless of the outcome, I was looking forward to getting back to my old office job. Though if we did win, we'd have enough money that I wouldn't need to work anymore. That was an intriguing possibility. I could stay home, take care of Catherine, and write.
No comments:
Post a Comment