Fight Songs
Talking about war and death, together or separately, can be difficult if you have not experienced it first hand. I never served in uniformed service, but I did work in a small capacity as a civilian employee for the Navy. I learned a lot and was appreciative of the friends I made both in and our of uniform. I worked a security guard also, after college, and met a number of ex-military, along with ex-cops, current cops, and cops to be. You learn things. You get accepted into the group even though your experience is different. I have experienced the thrill (its no that thrilling, actually) of having someone try to kill me. But that was a hazard and only happened a couple of times. No hail of bullets or missiles or bombs.
Writing about these things, even as they go on around you, is just as difficult as talking about them. Journalists cover war and they cover criminal activity. But these are things many of us have no real experience with. And we forget there are two sides to every story. We forget that terrible things like the Tulsa Massacre and war against the Indigenous people of this continent happened here.
I guess what I am trying to say is that war, battle, killing, and murder are not easy subjects to write about. But we should not be afraid to write them and to do so badly. Get advice when you can from those who have seen these things first hand. But never be afraid to tackle the tough subjects and ask questions. Careful about glorifying it, however. Because many real people live these tragedies on a daily basis. And even your fictional characters will represent people who may have lived and died under similar circumstances.
Just be mindful.
~SMH
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