2008 Woodie Awards
War hits close to home
Ramsay Crawford
Issue date: 10/21/04 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
Lakeland has always been an isolated community. To many people here, the problems of the outside world seem to fall away, to be transparent, to not really be real. Such seems to be the case with many of today's issues, including the war in Iraq.
"It doesn't affect me."
"I'm not over there."
"My family isn't over there."
All these statements, and others like them, are used as justification when people choose not to care about events in Iraq. However, such sentiment does not ring true for everyone on campus. For Lisa Ellis, the war does have an effect. For Lisa, there is family "over there."
Lisa's husband, Christian Ellis, also a Lakeland student, is currently in the military. Just over four weeks ago, Christian completed two months of training in California for his tour of duty overseas and was deployed with his unit to Iraq.
"I didn't think I could get through it alone," says Lisa. Currently, she spends most of her time working on her musical studies and her piano playing. "I do everything to keep busy and not sit and think."
To help her cope, Lisa also spends a lot of time with family and friends. She also watches what is going on in the world around her more closely.
"I'm more aware of what's going on in my country," says Lisa. Since Christian left, she has listened to the news each day. "If Christian wasn't in the war, it wouldn't interest me."
Aside from the war, Lisa has also taken an interest in the upcoming election. "Whoever gets in pretty much changes my life," she says. "Before, it wasn't a big issue."
"I don't know if he supports why he's over there," Lisa says of Christian. "He doesn't always agree with what the government is doing, but it's his job."
Christian isn't the only member of the family to spend time in the military. His grandfather was a colonel in the army, his father was in the navy, his uncle was in the army in Vietnam, and his cousin is also
currently serving in the army.
"He's carrying on the family name," says Lisa. "He's proud to represent America."
"It doesn't affect me."
"I'm not over there."
"My family isn't over there."
All these statements, and others like them, are used as justification when people choose not to care about events in Iraq. However, such sentiment does not ring true for everyone on campus. For Lisa Ellis, the war does have an effect. For Lisa, there is family "over there."
Lisa's husband, Christian Ellis, also a Lakeland student, is currently in the military. Just over four weeks ago, Christian completed two months of training in California for his tour of duty overseas and was deployed with his unit to Iraq.
"I didn't think I could get through it alone," says Lisa. Currently, she spends most of her time working on her musical studies and her piano playing. "I do everything to keep busy and not sit and think."
To help her cope, Lisa also spends a lot of time with family and friends. She also watches what is going on in the world around her more closely.
"I'm more aware of what's going on in my country," says Lisa. Since Christian left, she has listened to the news each day. "If Christian wasn't in the war, it wouldn't interest me."
Aside from the war, Lisa has also taken an interest in the upcoming election. "Whoever gets in pretty much changes my life," she says. "Before, it wasn't a big issue."
"I don't know if he supports why he's over there," Lisa says of Christian. "He doesn't always agree with what the government is doing, but it's his job."
Christian isn't the only member of the family to spend time in the military. His grandfather was a colonel in the army, his father was in the navy, his uncle was in the army in Vietnam, and his cousin is also
currently serving in the army.
"He's carrying on the family name," says Lisa. "He's proud to represent America."