John Wayne Miller..R.I.P

July 7th 2005
The Japan Times newspaper I daily pick up from my local Lawson convenience store has recently been filled with news stories of Iraq.The elections,suicide bombings,the mounting toll of American troops and civilians..opps collateral damage.
Its hard to get ones head round all those numbers.Hard to identify.Hard to empathize.
Till May 27ths edition.A page length article from THe Washington Post.All about the death of one soldier.John Wayne Miller.21 years old.Just another death.Killed by a sniper.Played video games.Loved pranks.Worked for Walmart.Night-shifts.Joined the Iowa National Guard.
All those figures.Humans.Flesh and Blood.Raised and loved.Grieved over.
All that lost potential....mottonai