Hope and Change 2012

Last week I had the opportunity to witness hope.  A young volunteer with Iraq Veterans Against the War stayed at our place while joining activists and IVAW members for Operation Recovery, IVAW's demand that the military allow soldiers to fully recover between deployments.  My guest carpooled from Olympia to Coffee Strong where volunteers organized to contact soldiers at Joint Base Lewis McChord to tell them about resources available for soldiers who insist on seeking treatment for the devastating emotional impact of war. During our brief encounters when our schedules intersected, she told us about her experiences:  the challenge of getting on-post, brush-offs from some soldiers but  positive responses from  trying to navigate the warren apartments and small houses that cluster around the third largest military base in America. 

What gives me hope is that this young woman, member of a generation widely disparaged for self-absorption and dependence, cared enough about helping others to come at her own expense from home in Arkansas or school in Pennsylvania.   She is not a veteran but does have organizing experience as she begins her senior year.  (I sure didn't have organizing experience at that point in life.)  And she's even from two states where I would not expect to easily encounter a progressive concern for social and economic justice. 

All that's worth some hope, don't you think?  It's likely more than I will see from this year's election.