I'm not sure how to begin this post other than to say it is in no way intended to be a political post of sorts, but rather a collection of thoughts on a highly political topic. Although in the US we as citizens tend to have the ability to make anything and everything political. If you haven't guessed yet, the picture above was taken during the Vietnam War...the picture itself is actually quite famous. Multiple books have been written about "the girl in the picture". What she's running from one of the frequent Napalm bombings in Southern Vietnam. Napalm is a thickening agent that sticks to the victims skin, burning them and making it near impossible to get off.
Saigon is home to the War Remnants Museum; a museum dedicated to Vietnam War and what its left behind. A top priority on the "must-see" lists of Saigon, the museum is actually quite cheap (about 75 cents to enter) and contains a significant amount of artifacts and information. Prior to visiting the museum I had been warned by several people that the information inside would be quite one-sided, and it was. Let me preface again by saying as of yet I do not have a strong stance on the events of the Vietnam War. I do not know enough to make any bold statements, so I wont. But regardless of what one's opinion is of the War, it is quite apparent that the Museum whole-heartedly points a finger at the US and only the US for everything that occurred during and after those 15 years of US involvement.
However that's not what I want to talk about...what affected me the most was the evidence presented concerning the after effects, mostly the exhibit dedicated to Agent Orange. "Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people being killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth defects.[1]" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agent_Orange) The entire exhibit was filled with pictures and stories of victims affected by Agent Orange during the war and even as recent as 2001. The stories and pictures really got to me...I couldn't handle it. Cruelty at its finest. Why was that necessary? To maim and created "defected" children who have no chance at life even to this day? Why?
There were even preserved defected fetuses as well...the exhibit had everything, everything to make me feel incredibly difficult. I'm not sure why I felt so guilty. I wasn't there, I didn't make those executive decisions, yet I still felt responsible and just plain horrible. I kept apologizing in my head and even out loud sometimes, I couldn't help it.
The images and stories hurt so bad I had to leave. I'm not a person who usually gets shaken up, but today did it.
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