Cornelle Dwight Carney is a new social networking friend of the blog. He is currently in Iraq and his input to the blog is very important and beneficial. From him we receive one hundred percent access to the mind of a solider fighting for his country. This is his first addition (Which I think I will name his segment Voice among voices) as a guest writer to the blog and we hope to have many more.
"Making the world a better place"
11 August 2010
When I was in high school at O. Perry Walker my principal, Ms. Mary Laurie, often gave us this speech about how America is not a perfect country (because perfection does not exist), but it is the best country on earth because we have the opportunity to make it a better place. It has been about two years since I have last heard this speech, but I just really internalized it and reflected on it.
Being in Iraq helped me realize the significance of that speech. Just an hour or two before I started writing this blog I heard two bombs within 150 meters of my location. Why? Why are they resisting our help? Why are they destroying their own community? Why are American soldiers fighting for, at this point, nothing? These are questions that my battle buddies (fellow soldiers) and I discuss often and we can never find an answer.
I asked one of our Iraqi interpreters about the difference between the pre-2003 Iraq and now and his answer was “we have cable and internet.” Seriously? It feels good to know that America captured a dictator, “provided freedom to Iraqis,” and gave them cable and internet (sarcasm).
You see, America is totally different. Like Ms. Laurie said we can change America by our actions and what we do. We cannot change Iraq unless they want change. Iraqis do not want change, they do not want liberation, but the cable and internet is a plus.
What Americans normally take for granted—the ability to be civically engaged—some other countries, like Iraq, cannot be because of fear of losing their land, families or their lives. I guess the whole point of this blog is to reflect on what you have in relation to other third-world countries. Although your reflection will not be a substitute for experience, reflect and be thankful for what you have now. Our right to civically engaged is not even an option in other countries.
Thanks for reading!
Cornelle Carney
editor.cornell@gmail.com
-J.Washington via C.Carney
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