in the valley of elah
in 2003, bush invaded iraq. i was living in santiago, chile. i remember bush asked for the approval and support of the chilean president at the time, ricardo lagos. lagos refused. the chilean public, myself included, rejoiced — they didn’t want to be a part of this “war.” isn’t it amazing that, five years later, we’re still in iraq? 
in fact, i hardly think about it. i live my days completely oblivious, i never even consider the atrocities that are occurring at any given moment.
last night, we watched ‘in the valley of elah.’ i could ignore it no longer. the terrifying reality of iraq and this occupation was thrown in my face and in many ways, i welcomed it. i don’t want to ignore or forget. but what can we really do about it? what kind of action can i take? i think this sense of helplessness is what pushes my head back into the sand. i often prefer to hide for awhile before i confront.
the movie wasn’t perfect — there were simple flaws, and obviously the story has been done, in one way or another. but it addresses that which many of us tend to ignore, and for that, i am thankful. rolling stone said it well: It’s about the humanity being sucked out of the soldiers we send there, and how that process reflects on us as a nation. Yes, Haggis stumbles and loses focus. The haunting, heart-piercing Elah isn’t perfect. It’s something better: essential.
2 responses so far
Essential, indeed. Especially for those who don’t know anyone over there. Again, the issue isn’t politics. It’s support for our troops, whether you agree with them being there or not.
Well done.
Karen — Thanks for this comment. I also appreciated your recent post on the film. I personally don’t know anyone who is over there. Hearing about your friend really brings it home, as did this film. I cannot express how important that is. Thank you.