I am old enough to remember the late 70's when the Vietnam Vets came home to little acclaim. After WWI, WWII and the Korean War the troops came home to ticker parades, fanfare, and gracious praise. This time something had changed. It seemed they were almost loathed. They seemed a burden on society. They had witnessed the same horrors of previous wars. Those returning men and women were heros! Why weren't they heralded the same?
Every year on Memorial Day the local Detroit television stations would scroll the names of those who were killed in the line of duty. Those who protected us from terrible wrong had their names drifting across the tv screen. The montage of taps and the scroll went on several minutes out of every fifteen. It lasted the entire day and night. The names went on and on, never repeating. I'd watch this with my Aunt Linda who was a hippie back in the day and knew a few of the local guys that had gone to war and perished. One of them was an ex boyfriend named Ed. I knew Ed. He was kind of a bum and went into the military rather than get a job. He looked a little like Meathead, Rob Reiner when he was young and thin, on All in the Family (a show most my friends weren't allowed to watch- too controversial). We watched all those names go by so we could see his name. She was so sad. She was also extremely angry. I was a very young child that didn't understand why . I also didn't understand why the soldiers came home to such a solemn, unwelcoming home. They saved us! They fought for our freedom! They were HEROS!!! Military was in many parts of our lives. My school had us get dogtags which we all wore around our necks like the troops. People wore camouflage clothing. Rather than a Ken doll for my Barbie, I had a G.I. Joe. He had a Velcro beard and looked really tough. War coverage was the first thing Walter Cronkite talked about every night until Watergate happened. That took over everyone's attention. The war and the soldiers were soon forgotten completely.
SO forgotten that when it was suggested we go to an unfounded war this time I was the only of my friends that had any resistance to the notion. EVERYONE was saying, "We have to take them down now! They are terrorists!" My pleas about the horror of war, killing of innocent and not so innocent people and the fact that Bush SR didn't do it because there was no viable exit plan were mocked. I still remembered just how many names scrolled by in my childhood living room. It seems nobody else of my generation did.
And now. I find myself very alone in America. I still don't believe this war is right. Initially I could support the troops, feeling that they were in the military following orders. Support, but not respect someone who wants to live their life with no right to think on their own, to be handed order after order and just do it without their own will. Dog tags are well named. They are like trained dogs. Now, however, I can't even support troops. The people that are there now are there by choice. How can people not know what a huge mistake this war is? Who named the U.S. "World Police"? There was no imminent danger. No more than there was from Pakistan, India, Korea and many places around the world. Who would CHOOSE to go there???
America can't even pick a side. One year it is support Iran against Iraq. Them vice versa- a few times. What gives with that?
So Veteran's day was Wednesday and I felt alone in a country of 300,000,000. I kept hearing "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood. I hate that song. If there is a God why would it bless the U.S.A. more or less than anywhere else? Most of the true heroes are dead from old age. The Vietnam and Iraq wars were/are pissing contests. No wonder my Aunt was so sad and angered. I feel exactly the same. I can't support unthinking murderers. Rather than saving America and spreading Democracy, which is barely held on to here, much less in a country that doesn't even want it-The country is celebrating robotic, brainwashed killers. Lovely.
I'm so sad for the innocent people involved in this. There is no holiday for those slaughtered by such horrid actions. Will we commemorate them?
5 comments:
The last true war the US had was WWII. That was a war that was declared by Congress, who is the only legislative body that can declare war. All other wars, Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm, etc. were police actions by the President to further some agenda at the time.
Yes, it is ironic that we export Democracy at gun point to other nations, killing thousands of innocent people in the process, while our own democracy and liberties get destroyed.
Thank you to all the veterans that served, laid down their lives, and continue to serve our great country. Let's make it our job to take this country back from the corporations, lobbyists, and special interest groups.
I agree, say thank you "to the veterans that served, laid down their lives", but no- I can't thank people who are there now. They are causing generations of hate toward the U.S. Defeating the purpose IMO. They aren't thinking about what they are doing. They are minions following orders.
My deepest wish for this country is for people to bond together in a REASONABLE way- to stop the lobyists and special interest groups. What is being done now is extremism. I just can't get behind this. A tea party isn't changing legislation. Where there were tea parties before there was a war directly after. I don't see us having another civil war since everyone is so damned lazy. Changing legislators and campaign contribution rules would handle that. What happened to middle ground? This is just part of why I feel so alone in a nation of 300M people. To have written more would be boring. Thanks for looking.
You're not alone. Most people are just trying to get by - don't have time to concern themselves with "politics". The army is meeting its recruiting goals, because other jobs are disappearing. Heroes, support our troops - it's all claptrap. They're a low paid private security force for corporations.
Now what about the mercenaries - are they heroes? No, they get cash instead of honors.
You said, "The people that are there now are there by choice." And that "They are minions following orders."
I agree with 98% of what you said in the article. I understand your point of view, and it is well- founded. But I DO support the men and women in the U.S. Military. Here is why:
The soldiers are young and naive and brave. They sign up to do good. These soldiers signed up to follow orders and to do what ever they are asked to do. They don't say, "we are signing up to be sent over to a combat area, which by definition is not really a war, and take part in a conflict we created that we should not be in, according to the Monroe Doctrine and Nixon Doctrine, and occupy a county we have place being in".
Don't blame the soldiers. They sign up for a career to do good. They also sign a contract to follow and obey orders and not question command, because that is the only way that a military would ever be effective or useful. A military that told soldiers to do what they feel is best, would be the end of national security.
They are deceived and tricked and then put in positions where they are exploited.
I salute the men and women who are brave enough to sign up to serve. Shame on the people who put them in harms way and command them to do harm for the sake of greed. Shame on the people who vote the crooks into office that exploit these good servants. The US Military does a lot of good and is ready to help out in any kind of tragedy.
That is why I support the troops.
I appreciate your point of view as well Phil, especially given the economic climate. I'm sad people don't learn more about the world outside of America. I wish these kids knew what they were signing up for. I blame their parents.
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