As I reflect on Beck/Palin speeches last Saturday,I began to think about my feelings concerning young men and women who enlist in our armed services.As a high school teacher,I'm always asking seniors what they are going to do next year after graduation.Many state they are going to two year colleges or additional vocational training in their field.I usually say the typical, best of luck and I hope your successful.When a student tells me they are going to join the Army or the Marines,it usually stops me in my tracks for a second.My first thought is for their safety and I undoubtedly say be careful because the war is so dangerous.They shake their head and say I know.I don't give a speech about my opinions.I just look at them and repeat my initial reaction.
These kids are heroic in battle.Fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq takes tremendous courage .The vast majority want to get home as soon as possible and return to civilian life.They leave behind family and friends and can't wait to get back to love ones.They usually are over their heads like most young soldiers who are in combat within a year of graduation.Unfortunately,many return for additional duty within the year of coming stateside.I believe it gets harder and more dangerous every additional year they serve in the war zone.
I also feel these soldiers are pawns.Many of the young soldiers are encouraged by family to enter the service to secure a good economic future.Many employers love ex soldiers when they retire from service.The military training and experience prepares them for any stateside job. They learn important skills that can be used in our economic system.Unfortunately,they aren't the right reasons to enlist and fight in a war.Many of my students don't have the knowledge and experience to make an educated decision concerning the different political perspectives given in debate about international affairs.They aren't well read concerning the engagement they will risk their lives with.They seem to make their decisions on weak foundations and can't articulate why we are fighting in a given nation.They regurgitate what they hear on television and it usually is militaristic in nature.
These young soldiers are nice kids that want to do what is best for themselves and the country.Many can't handle the trauma and destruction.The RAND Corporation has reported 320,000 soldiers with some form of brain injuries.The Dept. of Veteran Affairs have diagnosed 120,00 with mental problems(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).4,416 have died in Iraq with 31,911 injured while 2052 died and 4000 injured in Afghanistan.It has also been reported that 18 vets try to commit suicide daily from both wars.
Beck and Palin want to honor the vets but at the same time feel someone like me doesn't really understand what America stands for and the place designated for the military.They juxtapose God and the military as if they are one and the same.They seems to glorify war as part of good overcoming evil and connected by God through some unique American covenant.They want to separate America from the world as an entity that's special in the eyes of God.They don't feel I care enough about our soldiers but maybe I care more and want peace between countries more than honor and heroism.
although not agreeing with everything you said , i was at least understanding of your position ... until the last paragraph , mr. goonan ! were we listening to the same speeches ? at what points did they juxtapose God and the military , or glorify war through this secret covenant of which you speak ? or are these just the only observations that your boxed-in progressive mind is capable of hearing ? war is as inevitable an evil as death and taxes ... and i seriously doubt that either mr. beck or mrs. palin are happy that it does exist , much less "glorify" it . however , given the FACT that it has always been around and always will be , and that at this stage of world civilization America stands in the forefront of the battle for the individual's right to basic freedoms and liberties , i , for one , DO agree with them in their conviction that America is unique ... in the eyes of both God and men !!! it's the reason that SO MANY people want to immigrate to the u.s.a. each and every year ! shalom , sevil adaeb
ReplyDeleteBeck et.al.are playing on the fears of most Americans who believe God. country and apple pie. To be truthful, I was surprised that one of the sponsors wasn't Wagner pies. It is not a belief derived from complex thought. However, it is effective and has been in other countries through out history. God and country has been powerful but god alone has been a greater driving force since old Pope Urban II told the ignorant masses that "God Wills It!". Off they go to fight the Infidels and of course we know what happened. I guess their god was stronger.
ReplyDeleteHeroism, that strange mix of honor, respect and sometimes death. So you die in a war and voila you are a hero. All too often, some years later, the enemy is now our friend and some old friends our enemy. There were too many dead heroes in Viet Nam, too many in Korea, too many in the Gulf War and too many today. For what? As the young recruits are fond of saying, "To defend Freedom". They have had this idea pushed upon them just as the young German students had their ideals told to them by the teacher in All Quiet on the Western Front.
The youth of today are more unsophisticated than previous generations and are easy prey for the flag waving and talk of bravery and freedom. I went through basic training at a relatively older age than most around me and saw the way that the younger trainees bought into the brainwashing. It is not hard to see them talk about killing and winning medals and being heroes. I knew a few of them who gave their lives and I wonder today what purpose did it serve?
This war was perpetrated on falsity, lies, misinformation and personal agenda. I would sooner chain my son in the basement than have him go off to fight in a war that should never have been. Old men make wars and young men die in them. We old men have a duty to the young ones not to use them as canon fodder. Their lives are much too precious as the life blood of this country and society to have it shed for reasons that are obscure and personally engendered.
I care about this country, I care about its future but I fear that as long as it continues to be run by agenda driven politicians, we are at the mercy of those global factions who would see us fail.
BRING THE TROOPS HOME TODAY!
What can I say..Willie 1470..you're an inspiration to everyone who wants to stop the madness..Beautiful response..please continue...as for beadabgood,I can only say immigration is something that happens around the world.We are not unique and special.People come because we are democratic and stable...most of all, we have resourses that reward hard work where many countries don't.I read Palin and Beck's speeches(see previous post)in full and they want to discriminate against citizens in America by being righteous and self-serving.The majority of their examples about great Americans were soldiers and how God was always on America's side.Do you really think God would select sides in a war?
ReplyDeletea) the madness will NEVER stop ... world utopia is a fantasy ... get back to reality so we can resolve the REAL problems that face us ! b)how many people are immigrating to iran , to north korea , to somalia , to mexico , to any other country in the world compared to thr united states ? how many countries have you spent time in during your adult life ? i've been to about 25 + ... and you are absolutely wrong ... we most definitely ARE unique and special ... for example , mr. goonan , just compare the amount of aid and aid workers that arrive at every major catastrophe site throughout the world ( haiti , indonesia , africa etc . ) in recent history ... stop focusing on the small amount of negative that is a part of the american culture and , instead , try opening your eyes to the overwhelming amount of positive ... the glass is 95% full ! c) the reason that the majority of their examples were soldiers was because the event was held to honor our troops , or in your liberal blindness were you unaware of that . d) if you believe in God , then you believe in the devil ... the forces of good versus the forces of evil ... YES , i believe that God would select sides in a war ... that he would choose good over evil ... much as jesus did when he chased the moneylenders out of the temple ! shalom , sevil adaeb
ReplyDeletebtw, the youth of today are by far more sophisticated than any previous generation, with a wealth of information at their finger tips. if anything, they were easy prey for a smooth talking speech reader with zero executive experience to become our leader and then concern himself with everything but jobs for the very people that naively voted for him.
ReplyDeletePatrick, I must say that I wholeheartedly disagree with your opinion that the youth of today are far more sophisticated than previous generations. I have been teaching for many years and students have become more insular year by year. Their disinterest in world and domestic affairs is underwhelming. Exposure to information does not mean that they understand or value it. It simply means that it is available.
ReplyDeleteBeadabgood, I think you are confusing the amount of private aid with government aid. Too often we are down on the list of material and aid sent by the government, compared with other countries.