Thursday, July 13, 2006

Here's the Thing

I believe that if you want to serve in the military you absolutely should do it. I support the Troops no matter where we send them. I think they have the second hardest job in the world (after being a mommy), and I think they get crapped on a lot. I do believe it should be an informed decision to join. That especially for 18 and 19-year-olds that don't have a lot of other options, the opportunity can be a good one, but it should be a decision tempered by the reality of our situation.

But, I don't agree with this war. I don't believe the whole world wants democracy no matter how great it is. I don't believe that the Arab world can have a democracy the way we have democracy because of basic cultural differences. And I believe we need to get out ASAP.

What burns my butt is hearing about the military recruiting tactics of late. The National Guard in New Jersey landed a Black Hawk helicopter at Audubon High School and flew the Principal and some teachers to Fort Dix to show them what new recruits could expect. First of all, how the hell much is that costing us as taxpayers? Second, did they show them the movie Black Hawk down while they were there? I read the book, I saw the movie (actually I read it before it was a book when it was a series of stories in the newspaper) and let me tell you, this is war people. They may not be showing us the flag-draped coffins returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, but that doesn't make those children any less dead to their parents and friends and extended families. Third, did they shoot at the principal and teachers? Did they blow up any bombs right next to them? Cause that's a lot more like what they can expect these days.

And it used to be when you joined the National Guard, you did things in country that had nothing to do with getting killed. But, not so anymore. Oh, yeah, the military is a great deal...you get all this education, you get a good pension, blah blah blah, and you also have a higher chance of getting killed now (for what exactly I'm not even sure at this point) than in a very long time. I'm not trying to call this Vietnam, cause it isn't, I'm just saying that all this propaganda the military is doing to recruit is nauseating. It's nothing new but it's nauseating. And if the draft weren't such a politically bad idea, they would bring it back tomorrow.

5 comments:

AR said...

I totally agree with you. I am a proud American, most of the time, but what's happening right now, makes me feel ashamed.

J. Denae said...

Eleni-
The whole recruitment business is a horrible scam (in my opinion). There was an NPR story not long ago about kids who were lured in with the promise of an education but because they also accepted the signing bonus were not able to get the money for school at the end. I agree - if you want to serve absolutely sign up, but do it with your eyes open. I had a friend who signed up for Nat. Guard in Oregon thinking he would be fighting forest fires and stuff like that. His unit was one of the first in Iraq.
I'm just so tired of the whole thing.
I'm tired of being ashamed of the actions of representatives of my country.
Sorry fot the rant!!

Larjmarj said...

Preachin' to the choir sistah. It's appalling, the whole quagmire that this situation has become. It's shameful.
Yet there are still people out there who still believe that we went to Iraq on account of 911 and that we are spreading democracy. I get tired of being called un-patriotic and a communist because I don't support this war or the reasons for entering it. This country was founded on the ideals of people who dared to question their government because they didn't agree with the way things were being run.
Democracy is like sex, both parties have to want it in order for it to work, if you try to force it, it won't work.
As for the recruiting process...they are getting desperate.

Anonymous said...

Agreed. Time to get the troops out, keep our national guard-ers home, and have honest recruiting policies and tactics.

The Little (Knitting) Hedgehog said...

I'm with you on all counts. One of my husband's cousins who hadn't even been able to pass the GED last year. This is a kid with some rather severe emotional adjustment issues - lack of understanding cause and effect, really suseptible to brainwashing, some sociopathic behavior. I was hoping the military would never take him. But he just graduated from boot camp a few weeks ago. Sadly, I really doubt he'll make it out of there alive. This whole thing is just a mess.