Just wondering why people buy into the notion that soldiers fighting in WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, Gul War (1991- current), Afghanistan, and others has defended the rights of Americans. What’s the logic behind it?
American War Fetishism molested into minds in government schools.
There is absolutely no logic behind it, they are idiots who gobble up dish after dish of statist propaganda.
When I voice my strictly anti-war stance, people always invoke the “they died for your freedom, asshole” line with me. It may have worked when I was 14, but now it just shows how intellectually shallow they are.
Might as well just say, “Well, I’m an ardent supporter of mass-enslavement and pledge my life to the state”.
Have you tried talking with the I’m for a limited government “conservative” lately?
I refuse to talk politics with most of my family members, they really make me shake my head and even scare me at times with what they say.
I find this post rather inflamatory and immature. I understand the libertarian position on this subject. But, never, NEVER, dishonor the war dead and their families. Those of you participating in this thread ought to consider your words carefully out of respect for those who died or have been horribly injured. I am taking an ethical stand by saying this is what you ought to do. But of course, by all means, do what you wish.
I know some vets and a went to school with a guy that died in Iraq, so I’m not out of touch with military folks. However, I also realize that nobody has come close to dying for my freedom in several generations (if any ever did at all).
There’s no use in being inflammatory or confrontational, but it’s also silly to deify military service.
Chloe, I think it’s also important to emphasize that the individuals who tend to invoke this line don’t really care how many young men & women are killed or maimed on the ground. It’s not a matter of mocking the “grunts” in the military, I believe most of us here question the institution by itself and the top brass.
I don’t think anyone here is mocking those who were killed or maimed.
I think the point that needs to be made is that some (maybe even many) soldiers genuinely believed that they were fighting for freedom. We in the armchair know otherwise, of course. There are lots of horrible nasty things that I’d feel justified in saying about soldiers who weren’t fighting for the concept of freedom or liberty (or the illusion of it), but those that were… well, it’s just an unfortunate case of ignorance.
What freedom?
The freedom to permanently pay temporary war taxes.
The thread isn’t meant to be inflammatory. It’s just that the line ‘they died for your freedom’ is bandied about quite a bit. It seems as if such a statement should be questioned. Especially consider that liberty is curtailed during wartime. I will give this to Obama and Bush Jr.; at least they didn’t round up Arabs and put them in camps or send someone to prison for about 20 years for sedition.
Why shouldn’t we? They were drones who willingly went into foreign lands in order to kill the enemies of their overlords. They served their overlords well, like pawns who are sacrificed in a game of chess.
There isn’t logic behind it. It is emotion. The alternative is too painful, so the people cling to the lie.
I don’t think most folks go in with that mindset. Not even sure if the top brass really operate with that mindset. It would be a mistake that how a good number of people here think is going to be the same as how the average guy who enters the military. If someone does enter with a non-defensive miltitary action = murder notion then there’s something wrong with him.
I don’t know the mindset of “most folks,” but I find it hard to believe that they don’t expect to aim their guns at people and fire. People they’ve never met, who’ve never done anything to them.
There’s something wrong with all of them. The only time you should pick up your weapon is when you plan to aim it at a state which directly strips you of your (god given/natural) rights.
Well what reason do you think they had/have for giving/risking their lives? Do you think they had no motive?
That’s how war works though. I’m sure after basic training they’re all aware of that. Hell, I never went through basic training, but I trained GJJ with a lot of military/police/swat guys and just from being around them (and from training under the Gracies) I learned that to feel guilt or regret or remorse in the face of battle is pure weakness and that in war, you gotta do what you gotta do. I mean they literally drilled that into my head for almost two and a half years. I came to realize it wasn’t barbaric it was intelligent. Because if it’s not you it’s them and vice versa and the enemy is aware of that too.
In other words, if you don’t kill the guy who’s never done anything to you when you get the chance, he’ll kill you.
This is it.
Couple of things wrong here. Many did not go willingly. They were forced to go by threat.
You dont see a problem mocking the misery of pawns who were forced into absolutely horrifing situations because of forces much larger and more powerful than themselves?
Few ever wanted to go to war and kill others but were put into a sitution where it was kill or be killed. Direct your anger where it belongs. The puppetmasters who pull the strings.
If they did go willingly are they criminals? Every single person who enlists by choice is a criminal?
But our military is composed of “volunteers”.
I think that he was talking about our recent wars, not Vietnam or something.