Eyes Wide Open Across Pennsylvania
The Fall 2006 Tour
Bloomsburg, PA, October 15-16, 2006
People entering the exhibit room immediately hushed, as if it had been a shrine. One young student recognized her brother’s boots in the collection and wrote, “Brandon I miss you! I know your boots tread streets of gold now and I’ll see you again some day. I can’t wait to see you again! Good ride cowboy. I love you!!” and underneath these remarks she wrote, “The best brother ever.” It was one of the most poignant stops on the exhibit and many stopped to read her spontaneous message and shed tears.
Another student, a young man, came to the exhibit and asked if he could return to take photos. He had found the name of a family friend who had been killed. In the afternoon he returned to take pictures not only of the friend but of all the boots.
“My brother served in Vietnam. He saw so much killing and was forced to be part of the atrocities. One day he was ordered by his commanding officer to kill a woman and her children. After the sixth or seventh order he turned to his commanding officer and handed him his gun and said “I can't do this anymore”. He returned home and was so broken up he was placed in a mental hospital where he is to this day. When he dies I will make damn sure he is buried with full military honors. I am so glad you are doing this, paying respect to the soldiers...because nobody did that for the soldiers who fought in Vietnam”
-quote from comment book
Sponsors: American Democracy Project, Bloomsburg University Chapter, Millvale Friends Meeting
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