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It is about listening actually...and keeping an open mind. All of us.

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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What you say is true. The military can be a very non-noble affair. There is taking of life, many times innocents and non-combatants do die. And there is no, no reason for that....because nothing in that sentence can be justified.

But at the same time, what would the world look like without any militaries. Good I suppose, less organized violence, no mass death...it would be a good world and if you ever find that world could you please send me a post card so I can go live there.

Simply put that world does not exist. And a world without organized violence or protection from violence is simply not feasible. Its not within the limits of human nature or systems at this time. And if you believe that it is feasible or possible the way world is...well that's one hell of a fairy tale and I challenge you to prove it on a large scale.

The point is militaries exist...for many reasons and they will continue to do so. As far as the current military, yes I agree that an army should be evaluated by its current mission. The obvious question there is who creates that mission? The military is an extension of the political arm which is supposed to express the populations will. So if our mission is not valid, the who's fault is that? Or is that fault shared amongst all of us?

And if there is a fault in the mission and that fault is shared should we then dump all the blame for a "wrong" mission at the military's doorstep? Or even the politicians? Are we not all complicit?

Ah, but you say..if people didn't join the military, then they wouldn't go after a "wrong" mission. By that logic if no one joined the American military then everything would be alright. If we had no military everyone would leave us alone. Again, fairly faulty logic since that is not in human nature...and there's a million other reasons that wouldn't be true.

Your saying people worship soldiers or veterans?  As a former soldier and a veteran, I can tell you I've never been worshiped, rarely treated like I was normal, it happens, oh well. 

And no one ever asked you to put on a yellow ribbon or give your blessing. At least I sure as hell didn't. And as long as this country, as long as we as people, sends folks to war, in the name of this country and the name of this people, even if you don't agree with it, if you can't stop it from happening, then yeah I think you should listen, you could at least listen as a human being. You might learn something.

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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