By Linda Winsh-Bolard
Tomas Young was 22 years old when , touched by the image of President Bush standing on the pile of rubble that two days prior was the Twin Towers, he signed up for the Army to fight for his country.
Young thought that he was going to Afghanistan to chase Osama Bin Laden; he was send to Iraq, chasing women and kids who run away when they saw Americans.
Five days later after he landed there, he was shot. The shot paralyzed him from chest down.
Tomas Young was shot because the Army vehicles had no armor, and the soldiers were clearly visible. He said that they were “like sitting ducks”.
After spending less than three months in army hospitals, he returned home to Kansas City, Missouri.
His story is intercut with Senator’s Byrd reading of the Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Forces against Iraq. This is the Resolution that gave President Bush the power to go to war at his will, taking away the powers granted by Constitution to the people’s representatives in both Chambers. Byrd’s commentary on that resolution, sound bites from various senators and congressmen, either supporting or opposing the war, and slow count down of the voices for and against the resolution divide the film.
Only 23 Senators found the courage to oppose the resolution. Only 133 Congressmen did.
While Tomas tries to gain some independence learning to live with his non-cooperating body, the senators repeat Bush's comments over and over again, creating a net of cooperation within the Republican Party that many would despise.
Tomas gets married to a young, sweet, dedicated woman, Brie Townsend, who, just like himself when he signed for the Army, has no idea what she really is in for. About a year later he leaves her, and all she has to show for her tireless devotion and administrations is a tiny, empty studio. The film also leaves her at this point, which is unfortunate. I thought of the jobs that would be created if a nurse and a house aid came to their home twice a day, giving them chance at better life.
The Congressmen also repeat Bushes’ calls for war while Tomas joins first Cindy Sheehan’s crusade, then Veterans of Iraq against the War. While the Senators go on crying for action, Tomas fights to get the promised healthcare he needs.
It is as if the representatives of Republican Party had created a net in which all these young men, and the largely unseen young women, are caught.
The film names no reasons why this should have happened.
And that is the weakest point of the story. If it was worthy all this effort to deceive, as well as all the machinations current administration performed, to go and stay in Iraq, there must be a very good reason for it. Generally, such reason is money. In this case, shamefully, the entire, unsurpassed profits that the war brings every single day for the deep pockets of handful of people. Many are in the administration, or closely connected to it.
Simultaneously, the cost of the war, borne almost entirely by working Americans, robbed many of them of any chance to own their home, get education and healthcare. It reduced their lives to drudgery of underpaid efforts.
After all, Tomas Young, like thousands of others, joined also because he worked in K-Mart and the Army promised him college education. The promise was as inaccurate as the promise to get him all the healthcare he’ll ever need.
By choosing to omit those connections, while concentrating chiefly on the human suffering of Tomas Young and his Mother Cathy, with some additional footage of his uncomplaining wife, fellow soldiers and their families, the film limited its ability to bring out the core problems underlying current situation, as well as the ability to truly engage.
We understand, as much as we ever would, the unfairness and horrors Tomas is suffering, early in the film. The bodily functions are graphically shown and accurately described. We can easily understand why he, and his Mother, are trying to stop this senseless war against people who were not involved in the 9/11 attacks
Few understand how absurd are the accusation that Saddam Hussein’s secular government aided Al Qaeda- militant Islamic movement that was as dangerous to Saddam as to everyone else. Fewer still will connect the fact the Shia Iran also will not aide the militant Sunni under any name, even Al Qaeda’s, unless it desires complete self-destruction.
These points should have been made. Tens of thousands died in both wars; they did not die for nothing, they died for immense profit of very few. Making a documentary about suffering requires showing the reasons for such sufferings.
A Phil Donahue Enterprises, Mobilus Media production. (International sales: The Film Sales Co., New York.) Produced by Ellen Spiro. Executive producer, Phil Donahue. Co-producer, Karen Bernstein. Directed by Ellen Spiro, Phil Donahue.
