Saturday, April 07, 2007

"Be all you can be." - Be what? A fool?

"Be." Be WHAT? All you can of what? That doesn't say anything. Killer? Fanatic? Sucker?

Does that mean neurosurgeons, inventors, astronaut scientists, aren't being all they can be, and they should be Marine-trained killers, ready to die for George W Bush and Exxon?

What nonsense. And most people are too blind or afraid to question it - because it is military nonsense, and anything military is good, they've been told.

I'll tell you how many ways a kid who gets his ass kicked by a drill sergeant and beat up by military buddies is no genius, just a fool.

The military and "his country" don't actually give a damn about him, his life, or well being - it's all just blah-blah, empty speech and lies, so he will go, and everyone else will be in favor of it, and help too, asking no questions.

Wars are all fought full of lies, and the truth is usually known, but not recognized widely. Iraq? What could it be for? Bush & Co. is oh-so-concerned with the Iraqis, who don't have a functioning democracy? Really worried that country will invade the US, but not so much worried about the billion other Muslims they verbally abuse in the press, daily?

And these kids are told they are giving their lives for "patriotism", for "freedom", and similar lies. It's not- it's for corporations, worse actually, doing the bidding of the rich people that run and own them.

And they are told they will be taken care of. In fact they will sacrificed - the only concern with keeping them alive is for the press, public opinion. Once they're alive and on US soil, most are quickly discharged to get them off active duty benefits and treatment, making them veterans, pleading for help, and dumped in a nursing home, with their oh-so-honorable wartime head injuries making them into slobbering brain-damaged diaper wearers. Statistics: one less dead, merely another wartime injury. He's almost as good as dead, though.

If he's not that bad off, having merely lost a leg and an eye, he can now put out his resume and look for a job. If his post-traumatic stress isn't making him rant and beat up everyone from his boss to his girl.

There are some 3000 American kids dead, some 30,000 injured. About 700 Billion dollars spent. As if they didn't count, as we are always told, merely some 600,000 Iraqi "war casualties" dead.

For Exxon. Oh, and we must not forget to give our respects to the soldiers who sacrifice so much to help in all this.

Sorry, but they are mere fools, pawns in a giant geopolitical game, sacrificed and forgotten at the feet of God for Corporations - money.

They don't deserve respect for heroism - at best, pity for being such foolish suckers, and having their life stolen from them. At worst, disdain for helping pursue the death and violence of others, for the own benefit, profit, agenda, or sick pleasure of violence.

No, I will not "respect" military. Americans, like any country dominated by military methods and agendas, are fooled into thinking their military people or establishment is somehow grand, prestigious, and deserving help and respect. There are hundreds, thousands of examples in other countries and in history, where people see clearly their own and other military groups represent violence for all, not much better. There are a few examples where they actually do what they claim - defend peace, rather than kill it. But these examples are the exception.

People who want peace say just that - I want peace. That may be complex to achieve, but the objective is not.

If you say you want peace, but first you want war, so via some circuitous twisted path you will eventually arrive at something which you say is "reasonable peace", "possible peace", "pax americana", "balance of forces", or some other such confused, twisted propaganda and lies, you simply don't want peace, but rather, war and violence. And most likely you believe it's somehow in your own benefit and interest, and at someone else's expense.

In truth, it is more likely you are simply foolish, naive, or cowardly, and aren't capable of just saying you'd rather have peace.

Ask a few soldiers who lost their legs and families who lost people. Perhaps you will build some courage to say you'd like peace.

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