Wow. I guess I’m the only Philly correspondent holding down the fort today. For some great Live 8 reading, I recommend checking out the links over at Technorati. I’ve got something other than my Live8 wrap-up to share.

On the way home, I get off the Blue Line at 5th and Market to switch to the 57 bus. Simple enough.
On Independence Mall (between 5th and 6th), there is an exhibit put on by the American Friends Service Committee called Eyes Wide Open. The idea is simple: mourn the 1000+ soldiers killed in Iraq while making their deaths a reality to those of us stateside.

To be honest, the AFSC manages this with a whole lotta dignity. Every pair of boots on that field is a mini-memorial, and the solumn tone of the whole occasion makes it very clear that there is respect for each and every person represented on the field.

I stopped by, just to see what the exhibit was. Walked by hundreds of pairs of shoes from Iraq. Civilians. Let the quiet gong after each name echo in my heart. Started walking the rows, mostly looking for Mississippi boys. Did you know that most of the people represented on that field are 30 or younger? Most of them are my age. I’d be willing to bet that half of them weren’t even old enough to legally drink when they died. Found a friend from high school. We had a nice chat; he let me do most of the talking.

The boots will be up until the 4th, so I recommend dropping by.
Exhibit hours:

Monday, July 4: 8.30a - 4p