I am writing in regards to the Iraqi War display created this week. I am hoping that the intention of the contributors to this project was to create a visual representation of something that is only merely a concept in the minds of most students. If this is the intent, then I applaud the planning and presentation of such a work of art. As this project was created in such a large scale, nearly all students and faculty on campus were able to take in the numbers of flags that represented death in large proportions.
As an Operation Enduring Freedom and an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, I respect the fact that the American soldiers who have died in both of these operations were represented in this display. I also respected that there were signs noting that it was both soldiers and civilians that have been killed in Iraq.
As a former war-fighter, and a protester of the war in Iraq, it is good to see civilians using their hearts and minds to contribute to acts that promote peace. It is these efforts that promote progressive thinking and, hopefully, a more peaceful world.
While I respected and appreciated most aspects of this display, some important questions came up while I was passing some observers, the first of which is the psychological effects of the display on veterans. There is a large group of veterans who attend the University of Oregon who were involved in combat operations against many of the people represented by the white flags (those reflect dead Iraqis). These include members of Saddam Hussein’s regime, and if we are being realistic, Saddam Hussein himself. These white flags represent people who have tried to kill many of the veterans who saw this display, and many of these flags represent people who have been killed by these veterans in self-defense. The red flags, representing dead American soldiers, are faces, friends, and family to many of the veterans on campus. The psychological impact of a display like this on a veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder could be damaging, which would not enhance their learning experience on campus. Those walking around with bullet scars from an Iraqi’s AK-47 might not appreciate this display as much as a student who has never experienced war.
The second question concerns the presentation of the flags. The immediate reaction to the clash between the thousands of white flags (Iraqis) to the relatively small portion of red flags (Americans) is that of a large scale imbalance. To those students not well informed, a large number of Iraqis killed in the Iraq war were and are, victims of murder by other Iraqis. This is largely apparent in the clash between the Sunni and Shiites. In this way, this display could cause emotional reactions in visiting Iraqi Nationals to our campus. An explanation of this information would be very helpful in the interpretation of such a large-scale display. It is a sad fact that many Americans do not know the destruction and death that is occurring in the Middle East at the moment.
Again, efforts such as this display are important to inform and inspire us to promote peace; however, part of learning fully is to experience events from both sides. Awareness and education of the fact that there are people on this campus who continue to relive these traumatic events is essential if this is to be a complete and unbiased presentation.
Shannon Smyth is a former Senior Airman USAF and a University student