Under the heat

Today is the 25th anniversary of the Beirut barracks bombing.  In honor of the brave Marines, Soldiers, and Sailors whose lives were taken that day, I offer only the simple lyrics of one of my most favorite songs, "Under the Heat" by The 77s.  The song was written as a tribute, and released on their 1984 album, All Fall Down.  Its lyrics seem eerily prescient today.

Like a snap of the fingers
It was just that quick
The building had fallen
And shattered and
Melted under the heat
We found a buddy
Who was covered in blood
He kept trying to get up and look
Lay down, lay down, lay down marine
Under the heat
All our lives changing
Under the heat
"Take your cameras and
get out of here"
"Forget it" said the C.O.
"You're out of line,
you're angry, I'm angry,
they're angry,
just do the job."
Under the heat
We stopped to listen for voices
And then we'd dig with
Whatever we had
Listen and dig, listen and dig,
Listen and dig
Under the heat
All our lives changing
Under the heat
Reaching through this
Curtain of fear
My arms are stretched
Beyond the limit
I take the heat from
Streaming tears
To bear the cold and
Walk out in it
Walk out in it
My plans for the future
Are a frozen picture
That has fallen and
Shattered and melted
Under the heat
All our lives changing
Under the heat

--Papers fluttered in the gentle October breeze and a page from a pocket-sized Bible lay on the ground. It was open to the book of Psalms. The passage said, "For they do not talk of peace, but against the quiet ones of the land they plot treacharies..." From the San Fransisco Chronicle Monday, October 24, 1983

Dude, it's just a shirt

When I'm either cycling or teaching spin class, I wear typical cyclists' garb: stretchy biker pants, special shoes, and some sort of loud riding jersey so I can be seen on the road.  My favorite top is a replica of the jersey worn by the 1980 Soviet Union Olympic cycling team -- it is bright red, and emblazoned with the infamously yellow hammer, sickle, star, and "CCCP" on all sides.  As you might imagine, this shirt elicits the most comments -- especially here at Camp Arifjan, where it is not uncommon to see Brits, Poles, Estonians, or any number of other coalition troops mingling around with us.  I've even had chow-hall conversations with some Eastern Europeans who have told me they speak Russian better than they speak English, as they were forced to learn it growing up.

 

Early this morning as I was warming up for a long ride, reveille sounded and as always I dutifully stopped, dismounted my bike, faced the music, and saluted.  Moments later I passed a bus stop and was flagged down by a curious Staff Sergeant who asked me if I was from Russia.  I chuckled and said no, explaining that I bought the shirt online.  He sort of cocked his head to one side and said, "Isn't that Communist?"  I realized he was serious, but I was in no mood for an argument so I replied, "You're kidding me, right?  I suppose if that works for you then whatever.  It's just a replica of a 1980 Soviet cycling team jersey."  But this guy appeared honestly offended.

After a short, dumbfounded pause the Staff Sergeant replied:  "But that represents Communism."

Eager to get on to my workout, I said, "Look bud, I was a Russian linguist in 1989.  You can think whatever you want,"  and off I rode, while the aghast soldier remained on the curb.  

When I was in Russian language school, our teachers -- all native Russians -- prepared us for the final exams in reading, listening, and speaking.  One particular assigment I remember was an oral essay in which I discussed the issue of flag burning with Mrs. Rudikova, whom we affectinately called "Rude Dog."  Instead of taking the predictable kill-em-all stance, I told my teacher, in Russian, that there should be no laws against burning flags because flags are just cloth symbols and inherently, don't really mean anything.  Flag burners are little more than attention whores and if we just ignore them, they'll probably stop.  The look on her face was priceless -- and it was hard for me to keep a straight face.

Maybe the Staff Sergeant was confused because he saw a guy in a Soviet shirt saluting the American flag at reveille, or maybe he is just too young to really remember the 80's.  Maybe he never saw "Rocky IV," which everyone over 30 knows is the real reason Communism is dead.  (For last night's spin class, I played all 80's music, and one song was Survivor's "Burning Heart" from the movie.)  Perhaps the young NCO, like most Americans, is tragically too jingoistic to understand sarcasm or satire -- or that sometimes, a shirt is just a shirt.

He would have really been confused if I'd answered him in Russian.