In the heart of Boston Common, amid the sunny sky and the neatly manicured lawn, one can find reason to pause during this week’s hectic Democratic Convention.

The American Friends Service Committee has created a poignant exhibit titled “Eyes Wide Open.” Displayed over acres of land are 900 pairs of combat boots, which represent the growing toll of American soldiers who have lost their lives in Iraq.

On both sides of the exhibit, one will also find a chilling reminder of the civilian death toll of this war. Two mountains of shoes have been erected to symbolize the deaths of over 10,000 Iraqi civilians, most of whom remain nameless.

It’s a stark reminder of what’s been lost over the course of this
devastating war. As the death toll mounts, people become accustomed to hearing new casualty numbers. We begin to expect this, and in the midst of it all, the human face of each and every valued life becomes blurred in those who have already met their death, and those who will inevitably face it. It’s a poignant reminder to remember the dreams lost and the lives cut short of each and every individual.

The plea is simple and it is hoped that its meaning will resonate at a time when the Democratic Party is showcasing its revitalized image to the American populace. With Senators Kerry and Edwards and the Democratic Party urging that more troops be sent to consolidate U.S. control over Iraq, the American Friends Service Committee and its supporters say: “Stop the Killing. Bring Our Troops Home. Fund the Dream.”

Noah Merrill, 25 and program co-ordinator for the American Friends Service Commitee, feels that this display higlights the human suffering of the war. “It touches people on a very visceral level — on a very emotional level. This transcends politics. I hope that some of the representatives of the Democratic Party take this opportunity to see this and to comment on it.”

Steven Lester, 28, who was taking a stroll through Boston Common, was moved by what he saw. “When you see each pair of boots, you imagine a person standing there. It’s a startling reminder of the fact that each of these represents a person who was a living being and is now dead.”

Mary Massie, 48, who came to see the display, thought it had a special significance during this week’s convention. “I think this definitely has a place here at the convention. It’s very moving and it really brings home the fact that it’s a real thing and that we’re going to have a whole lot more boots here if we re-elect Bush.”

In The Fray Contributor