The Eyes Wide Open exhibit (sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee) came to my campus today. I'd hoped to help with set up, but forgot how crowded my morning calendar was with meetings. However, I was able to spend some time walking through the exhibit, which moved me to tears.
What was the exhibit? Shoes. Thousands of pairs of shoes. Combat boots represent U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq. Civilian shoes represent Iraqi civilians killed.
The boots were set up in formation in the grass. All were labeled with the name and age of the soldier they represented. 
Many of the boots were accompanied by letters from family, photos, or news clippings. Many had been decorated with yellow ribbons and flowers. The soldiers were so young--between ages 18 and 22.
Along the edge of the field were American flags that had been decorated with photos of the soldiers. 
Civilian shoes represented only a fraction of the Iraqi dead. They were lined up along the pathways, two rows deep on both sides, and heaped on the benches. Children's shoes were mixed in with adult shoes.
I hope many people were able to see this exhibit. Those who support the war, especially, have a responsibility to stay acutely aware of the cost.
Abstract numbers don't have nearly as much impact as all those empty shoes, standing in silent testament to the costs of war.
Hi. I am doing a report for my class and I just need to know if you know how many people were killed ages 18-22 in Iraq. Please email me to let me know. Thank you so much.
Posted by: Tammy Jones | April 25, 2007 at 06:07 PM