Saturday, January 20, 2007
it burns inside of me:
It's parochial, but I felt an acute sense of loss about Joseph D. Alomar's death in Iraq. Alomar was a Brooklynite and only four years younger than I am. Unlikely as it is, the first thought that popped into my mind was that we might have known each other. Maybe we passed each other by in Kings' Plaza, or at Beat Street, or at the Brooklyn College recreation center, or at the Junction, or on the 44 or the D (or, as you philistines call it, the "Q") train. More likely, we never knew one another and we never would have. Neither Nexis nor Google even record his life, let alone his death. I feel nauseous. To be honest, I felt nauseous already, but the cavalier way Joseph Alomar's death has been treated as the non-end of a non-person is inflaming my stomach. He died for a lie, but I'm sure he gave it meaning, and a relentless, true heart. And now George Bush wants more time for more of his comrades to die for nothing.
--Spencer Ackerman
I totally agree with your opinion and i appericate it. You may not have known him, but i did. He was my cousin, and he a good man. He left behind a three old little girl. and no one seems to know much about what happened. His was loved by everyone. Thank you for the comments in his honor.
Blogger juli_alomar | 11:30 AM

Not at all parochial. I read about every one; it amazes me how many I feel I have some sort of connection with. I was at Twentynine Palms a few months ago - saw plenty of marines off base - even got a haircut with a bunch of them. Just greeted them politely. Now every marine I read about, I say "I wonder..." .

I have been watching this young man's name, looking for a newspaper article. I maintain a website with links to photos and hometown papers. The lack of news about him is not common, but it definitely happens. Newsday had a brief note about him yesterday: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--iraq-uscasualties0120jan20,0,4348530.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork
Blogger anonymous | 8:46 PM

Not at all parochial. I read about every one; it amazes me how many I feel I have some sort of connection with. I was at Twentynine Palms a few months ago - saw plenty of marines off base - even got a haircut with a bunch of them. Just greeted them politely. Now every marine I read about, I say "I wonder..." .

I have been watching this young man's name, looking for a newspaper article. I maintain a website with links to photos and hometown papers. The lack of news about him is not common, but it definitely happens. Newsday had a brief note about him yesterday. I can't post the link here but google will find it.
Blogger anonymous | 8:48 PM

I felt much the same way a month ago when I read on this blog that one of my father's students, who graduated from the same high school in the same small town as I did, but who I never knew, had been killed. It's disturbing to see this is all playing out for my dad and my sister, who send scared young kids they've taught and know and care about off every June the past few years with the knowledge of how very young they are and that they may never come back.
Blogger Sara | 1:09 PM