I’ve just received the sad news that the second son of a Gold Star Family for Peace has taken his life. A Gold Star Family is one who has lost a family member in the line of duty and those identifying themselves as “for peace” are explicitly anti-war. The older son was killed in Iraq early in the war. The younger did enlist as well, but accounts are that his unprocessed grief over his brother’s death drove him to despair.

News of this is circulating on peace movement listservs and social networks. If you belong to one of these, chances are you’ve heard. Until I see public notice of this I will refrain from identifying the family. But I did want to say that my heart is broken, and that this war of choice that did not have to be will never be over for some.