HELIOLITH

From England’s Guardian Unlimited

At the rally, 12-year-old Moriah Arnold stood on her toes to reach the microphone and tell the crowd: “Now we know our leaders either lied to us or hid the truth. Because of our actions, the rest of the world sees us as a bully and a liar.'’

The sixth-grader from Harvard, Mass., organized a petition drive at her school against the war that has killed more than 3,000 U.S. service-members, including seven whose deaths were reported Saturday.

Clearly many children at 12 do not act without their parents’ support and approval, yet somehow the voice of a child resonates more loudly than that of any adult.

There is a somewhat crushing inertia to the persistance of war. The psychological effect of ‘getting used to it’ may help people cope on a day to day basis, but really does not help when the governed are largely disgusted with the choices of those who are governing.

Silence isn’t an option for many, why should it be an option for anyone at this point?