Please don't turn away from the realities of war.

I write this on Memorial Day 2008, as we honor the men and woman who have given their lives for our country. I am reminded this day that it is far too easy to believe we are doing our part simply by saying that we are honoring these brave men and women, and far to easy to let it stop there. Without demonstration, our words of respect mean nothing.

One of the ways that we are able to duck the responsibility of standing behind our words of respect (by the way, I write this to myself too --- I'm including myself in my finger pointing) is to protect ourselves from the down-and-dirty realities of war. As long as we can think of the war in Iraq (or any war) in abstract, political terms, we can enjoy our Memorial Day cookout without discomfort.

I am not suggesting that we not enjoy our cookouts today, that we not enjoy the fellowship of friends and family. Far from it. We are, after all, enjoying the freedom for which the brave men and women we honor today gave their lives. (I do think that they fought and died for a lot more than holiday cookouts, however.) What I am suggesting is that we make a commitment this Memorial Day to do more to lift ourselves out of minimization and denial of the realities of the violence that continues even as we munch on our hot dogs. Toward that end, I want to recommend an important book: Breathing the Fire: Fighting to Report -- And Survive -- The War in Iraq by Kimberly Dozier.

Dozier is a CBS correspondent who was, along with her colleagues and military escorts, hit by a car bomb two years ago ---- Memorial Day 2006. Not one of us can read this book and remain in denial, or keep ourselves at a safe distance, from the reality of the Iraq war ---- you know, the war that we won so long ago, and that continues to kill real human beings, like you and me. In spite of road blocks of public opinion and in the publishing world, Dozier has persisted in telling her story ---- and her story needs to be heard. So please purchase a copy of Breathing the Fire, and please help spread the word about Kimberly Dozier's story.

Here is the amazon link for this important book: BREATHING THE FIRE by Kimberly Dozier

And finally, I want to specifically say thank you to Ms. Dozier and her team for their unimaginable sacrifices.

This is about doing our part to get our heads out of… the sand (What did you think I was going to say?), not about basking in our guilt and shame. So order the book, make a commitment to read it when it shows up, and to tell others about it, and then get back to the cook out. Munch, munch, pass the relish please.

Thom Rutledge / May 26, 2008