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Parade of the Farmervictims
Many states organise jubilee festivals to praise their plitical leaders and demonstrate their military strength. Particularly before and after wars these military parades are a popular means of allowing men to swear loyalty to the nation and to gloss over the horrors of being wounded and dying. Mostly the first row contains the decorated war veterans who exchange friendly greetings with those giving orders on the honours tribune/stand. However you`ll look in vain for the legless war cripples in wheelchairs or those whose arms are left as stumps. They are undesired, as their presence could spoil the image of clean war made by strong, un-woundable soldiers. They want no mourning widows, crying mothers or war orphans on the side of the streets. Those who once believed in the good war, until they were taught better, should most preferably stay at home and keep their wisdom to themselves. And for sure the dead won`t rise up and share their experiences. So the truth about war is seldom expressed in words. Only very occasionally, resistance grows among the population, when government can no longer deny the number of victims and the daily increasing numbers of those missing: then the scene described in the picture really happens. It was so during the demonstrations against the Vietnam War and is happening today with desire undone for the war in Iraq. Yet the Regime won`t listen to the victims` opinions, preferring to use violent police with rubber truncheons against the protesters (on the lower left of the picture).