Ignorance of Feelings -- Under the Radar

Tomas Young, an Iraqi veteran, has worked hard to stand up for the rights of soldiers traveling to Iraq. The amount of mixed feelings that come across from being thrown in with the reality of the war seem more than overwhelming. "I joined to fight...we all did. In our faith and free will," says Young. Joining the army was not about fighting the war, it was about doing something they thought was right. Their preconceptions of war and battle were proved wrong quickly when death and fear surrounded them. The lives and reality of these soldiers is something that is not greatly recognized. At home, here in the United States we act like this war is not a part of our life...it is. It is a part of so many people's lives. So many families, every day, fear to wake up to a phone call or a doorbell reporting the death of their loved one. The impact of this war that is taking place so far away seems minute to those who are not involved in the fear and estranged feelings of it all. Young's group, Iraq Veterans Against the War tries to show through music and protest the reality of the war. They try and make visible to the world what they experiencing...they also try to make it clear that they do not want to be there...they want to come home.
Music has been a large part of Young's protest, and with the help of many musicians such as Bruce Springsteen, Bright Eyes, and Public Enemy, he has created 2 full CD's of music that portray reality beyond what the media covers. It is terrifying and real. Young's hope of spreading the beliefs about war through music has come true. "I heard that guys had been inspired by it. They knew they could get by on their own, they knew they could make it." Young's plan to bring recognition to world about reality and also comfort to soldiers that they are not alone, has been strong and intimate. This reality that he was "forced into" should be recognized but never experienced.