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9/10/06

After the show Friday night at Camp Democracy I met a man named Carlos Arredondo. Carlos lost his son Alex in Iraq and was so overwhelmed by the grief that, when the Marines came to his house with the news of his son’s death, he attempted to immolate himself.

(http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060508/richards) Carlos had been so moved by my song “Dover” that he presented me with a copy of the last letter his son had written home before his death. Reading Alex’s words brought tears to my eyes. His loving, generous spirit, his pride and patriotism, even his thoughtful questions about the warrior path to which he’s committed himself –questions he saw as a natural part of a reflective life – brought home the enormous human cost this country is paying for having blind faith in its leaders. 

I’ll return to Camp Democracy tomorrow afternoon where I’ll perform and emcee the September 11th Memorial Concert.

 City of New Orleans Journal

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