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One of my Twitters I am following is for www.ecogeek.com. Today's Twitter made me so happy and yeah, relieved, too. Very. Why? Why do I care so much?
First the link.
Lockheed Martin, the predecessor to General Dynamics, is a Fort Worth-based company. A huge employer for the area, it is also a conservative company--i.e., people who work there quite often are Republicans. This is the heavy-hitter in the Defense Industry, after all. So why do I care that this company, which has focused primarily on instruments of war, has now invested in wave farms? Because, beyond the obvious, which is fascinating quite frankly, I am and have always been a Lockheed baby.My dad joined then General Dynamics fresh out of college in Oklahoma. From the start, as an engineer, he was involved with the design teams for fighter jets. He was on the big one, too--yup, my dad was involved in the design of the F-16. As a kid, I never really understood what my dad did because he could not and would not talk about what he did. I knew he was an engineer at GD, that is it. Even when I learned what all was going on, it didn't bother me--after all, the spouse got a great job there too--until Shrub had been in office for awhile.
I still love to watch the planes fly (when the test pilots take them out) but I no longer thing it is so cool and awesome what they can do. Now I know the truth of that, and it is just horrible. Planes designed to kill. That's it, simple as pie.
Kel worked there exactly 22 years and one month. I am very grateful he did on a personal level, but part of me regrets it also. I am still a Lockheed Martin person because in a few years, I'll get my pension and the insurance. Sure not going to deny being glad of that, but it still rankles.
Now, I can have a different mindset. I can think NOW Lockheed Martin is doing something positive, very positive, for the future. Yeah, those war planes are still being built--for lots of countries. And I won't deny that I hope someday the defense industry is just a memory.
Maybe this is all a little silly to some, but this has always been a part of my life and always will be. Just like I am no longer ashamed of my Pres, I am not longer (as) ashamed of my continued connection to the defense industry. Being a Lockheed kid is I guess similar to being an Army family kid when said kid objects to war despite mom's and dad's love for what they do. It's best to just keep one's mouth shut and mind open, even when those around you will do neither.
And that is all, for now.
C (in the midst of hard-core editing of last weekend's work)
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Re: Ahem!
Date: 2009-02-03 08:02 pm (UTC)I know it is all a weird mix-up in my head. Hating war, but loving the fighter jets. Hating the killing, but believing in the kids who are out there forced to do it. My mom was always ambivalent about the whole thing, and perhaps as a result later when she actually would talk to me about it, I caught that and understood it, yet can't not be thankful.
I know I am not alone in longing for a world where fighting was only in history books. But humans are...well, darn us all. This kind of thing though, this wave stuff is fascinating and exciting! In my head anyway, my dad was always involved with one thing--war planes. So yeah, seeing Lockheed get involved in energy is really way cool.
And yet, I will never not admit that one of the reasons I love driving around 820 after work is that I drive by Lockheed, and the test pilots, when it grows dark late, are outside playing with the planes, several times a week. They are thrilling to watch.
C grinning adn wondering what you doing home? :)
Re: Ahem!
Date: 2009-02-03 08:18 pm (UTC)Re: Ahem!
Date: 2009-02-03 08:20 pm (UTC)Re: Ahem!
Date: 2009-02-03 08:23 pm (UTC)Re: Ahem!
Date: 2009-02-03 08:39 pm (UTC)Re: Ahem!
Date: 2009-02-04 06:38 pm (UTC)