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There are reportedly an average of two to three thousand muggings in New York City every week. In a sense, this doesn't sound like much in a city of nine to eleven million. However, if you are one of those mugged, it is one hundred percent.
I've been thinking about this for a long time. With all the controversy and different opinions about Iraq, the war on terror, and all that is related, somehow the death of the individual soldier becomes just another statistic. Sad!
Not far from my consciousness is the realization that, unlike the individual soldier, most Americans make few sacrifices.
And, I think that the recent deaths of twelve miners, so tragically chronicled in the news media, makes me aware that death is extremely personal. For instance, the miners are in the headlines for a few days, but quickly America moves on. For those involved, however, the grief stays!
I look at the baby-faced picture of young Robbie Mariano, age 21, of Stockton, CA., recently killed in Iraq and think of his family. Each family member will deal with Robbie's loss differently. For some, it will be unbelief. How could this happen? With the miners, for instance, one of their questions had to do with the whys, especially with a perceived miracle turning into tragedy. There are no real answers for the miners families, or, for that matter, young Mariano's family.
Young soldiers really don't think of death. Even when they are surrounded by it. My experience is that they still maintain that air of invulnerability. And, this is good, because how else could they deal so evenhandedly with war. But, it rests with the family to handle, fight, or succumb to the heartbreak and resultant grief.
It was so unpalatable with the miners' families; that, when told of the deaths, a fight broke out. It was the anger of grief.
When I was a young chaplain delivering next of kin death notices to young soldier's families during Vietnam, the almost universal emotion was anger!- How could this have happened? I want to punish the one who is responsible for this.
The tragedy of the loss of a family member to war so early makes everything pale even amidst the world headlines: Ariel Sharon, the Israeli/Palestinian crisis, the death of twelve miners, global warming, the two wars we're fighting, disaster relief after Katrina; the Pakistani earthquake. Need we go on? But, all of it takes a backseat to the family of Robbie Mariano.
All that exists for the Mariano family is this overwhelming personal loss. They wait for his body to return home in a
flag-draped coffin. To them, this is the focus of their lives. Their loss will consume them and we grieve with them. God bless the Marianos and God bless America and God bless everybody. jhl
Robbie Mariano died Thursday, January 5, 2006 when his humvee hit a roadside bomb near the city of Najaf, Iraq. Robbie was thinking about a career in law enforcement and loved the rock band Green day."Wake Me Up When September Ends." was one of Robbie's favorite songs by Green Day. Robbie was a "jovial skateboarder and loved partical jokes".(Source: San Francisco Chronicle)
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