Since we're small children, we're guided by our culture to respect soldiers. Kids look up to them, adults plaster 'God bless our troops' bumper stickers on their cars, towns throw parades for injured serviceman, statues are built, funerals are filmed, etc, etc. And I'm tired of it. Do any of these people really care about them? Probably not. But it's so ingrained into American culture to be patriotic and 'support the troops' and on and on, and it's all bullshit. These so-called patriots might say they want peace, but it's a lie. Because the funny thing about people who want peace is, they don't worship war. And by constant hero worship of the military, media coverage of hurt and killed soldiers and their families, and most of all by the romanticization of dying for your country, all we do is glorify war. It's not just the higher ups in the government, it's the whole damn American culture who's guilty of it. "But they're protecting our country!" No. The only two times we have truly gone to war to defend our own land was the American revolution, and when the Union invaded the south in the civil war. That's pretty much it. The rest was all pushed by the government and perpetuated by this country's love of war. And I'm sick of it. People can buy T-shirts and bumper stickers and post photos on Facebook all day long 'mourning' dead soldiers, but all that does is support the idea that war is honorable, and thus good. All the hero worship of our military does nothing but romanticize war. And people will call me an asshole and possibly a terrorist for saying this kind of thing, just like they do other people who bring up the concept. But in reality, all of your parades and bullshit aren't doing a damn bit of good for the people who are actually in our military. You may think you're being patriotic, but you're not. All you're doing is promoting a false, and deadly, idea. Hero worship of our military isn't healthy. War is not 'protecting us'. And yes, members of our military do work very dangerous jobs, but you know what? So do miners, fishermen, construction workers, firemen, pilots, factory workers, loggers and oil riggers, and they're not worshipped and exalted when they're killed on the job the way soldiers are. Are they any less important, any less brave, or any less dead than members of the military? Nope. So why does nobody care when they're killed but it's a big news story when someone in our military is? Because our damn society holds war in such a high regard. Do people really even care about the soldiers who come home in boxes? It'd be easy to say yes, but if they did, they wouldn't want them shipped into a war zone in the first place. Sorry for the rant, but I'm so tired of this mentality. It's wrong, it's borderline sickening really, and the results of this mentality send many young men to an early grave.
Personally, I'd love to punch you in the face repeatedly. I didn't read all the bullshit you wrote but I can tell you soldiers deserve a little more respect than what you give them. You think you'd be in your warm house posting blasphemous shit like this on your computer if we didn't have a military to go out and fight for you? get real dude. This is coming from an Army Infantry soldier by the way. So when I deploy to Afghanistan in November, I'll think of you when I'm shooting terrorists in the face.
Before serving your country, take a moment to learn whom your country is serving. That war is based on Hegelian dialectics and propaganda, US invading Middle-East. That being said, I respect those who have fought. But even they did not know the cause that is not respectable. You're being lied to.
You didn't read, so I'm sure your response will be just great. So let me summarize for you. There's nothing wrong with respect for soldiers, just like there's nothing wrong with respecting anyone who performs a dangerous but necessary job. But our country has a fetish for war, and blatant hero worship does nothing but feed this love of war. And what does our country's love of war lead to? More young men and women in our military being killed. But most people are too caught up in a false idea to even think about that. Nope, if you love our troops, you'll support them, and the only way to do that is to support sending them into a war zone then having a parade for them after they're killed or maimed of course! All this mentality leads to is the romanticization of death.
See,I don't have a problem with soldiers,because in their minds,they're doing the right thing. Which is also why people get offended by others not agreeing with the war,because in their mind it's the right thing to do. They don't want to think that their own government could be so fucking evil,so they turn a blind eye. I respect the courage it takes to go through with training and being deployed,but at the same time I realize the war is bull shit. I do have a problem with the soldiers who go over there to "kill some fuckin towel heads!" To me,that just means that individual is a sick fuck,who gets pleasure out of killing others.
Every soldier I know wants to go over there and "kill towel heads" You know why? Because those fucks have been killing our men for 11+ years with bitch ass ieds. They won't even fight us face to face because they know they'll get slaughtered. I can understand if you think this war is bullshit and frankly I do too. But does that stop me from wanting to bash the heads of people that killed my friends? No. If we like it or not, we're still getting deployed and we're still fighting everyday so it would nice of you to not compare me to a miner. Lol
If foreigners came to our country,with fully automatic guns and explosives,would you not try to kill them? They don't understand why the fuck all these people are over there with guns and explosives,so they defend themselves,just like anyone would.
They do fucking understand. Taliban hate Americans and they attack our patrols unprovoked all the damn time.
I think the soldiers deserve (a lot of) respect. But I don't think the government who sends them out deserve any respect. We have to stick our noses in other countries business and have these secret wars and shit over false pretense. Man, fuck that. We're the aggressive ones. Now don't get me wrong - FUCK TERRORISTS!! But we had to have done something bad in order for 9/11 to happen. Shit like that doesn't happen like that for NO REASON. So do you agree? What and/or who were we doing or fucking with before 9/11???? So, you I respect sir. A lot. But not the monkeys sending you out. Sorry, but that's how I feel. Do you really think this government is NOT corrupt? Why didn't we see Osama's body? I'm not saying 9/11 was a conspiracy at all, but something feels "off" about that Osama being killed incident...
I'm sorry for your loss but that's hardly a reason to attack anyone's home country. You're not defending anyone's freedom, you're out to take lives and that's it. One of your precious Nobel-prized leaders, Henry Kissinger, had this to say about US soldiers: "[They] are dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns in our foreign policy." Sound like a man worthy of his peace-prize? Yeah, I didn't think so either..
Great fucking post +rep. Id like to add world war 2 to the list of wars that were fought for the right reasons though.
If that's your belief,then that's cool,man. But Imo I really doubt they're all a part of the Taliban and they attack,unprovoked because they're land was invaded by foreigners. Does it not seem fishy that the Bin Laden's and Bush families had close ties and that they were trained and given weapons by us?
And also - WE NEED TO STOP BACKING ISRAEL! That's what I understand to be the issue. It's a fucking religious/territorial/the USA invading other countries situation. Israel needs to fend for themselves. There's going to be a third world war because of this shit. Us backing Israel, and the Arabs are pissed at us for helping them and being their ally. We just need to disconnect from them and let them do their shit on their own. If I'm wrong about anything, please inform me. I am here to learn the TRUTH - not the propaganda/Mainstream Media bullshit that may be fed to you.
Its not a belief bro, I've seen it happen. My platoon was ambushed in a village when we were peacefully talking to the village elders about what's been going on. They hit us with rpg rounds and small arms fire. Sorry bro I've seen what these guys can do, and they certainly are not peaceful.
Yeah,we definitely need to mind our own business. I mean look at Canada,for instance,how many wars have they been in?Less than 5,because they keep to themselves. Shit,we need to be taking care of our OWN citizens before trying to "help" another country out.
I give you respect for having the balls to do what you do,however it's like I said,would you be peaceful if the tables were turned and another country was invading ours? I mean,you wouldn't know their true intentions and in that case,it's kill or be killed.
War is hell man. do you expect us to get shot and blown up by our fucking enemies and not do shit about it? its not like we're over there dropping napalm on elementary schools. I don't really think you have an argument at all..
OMG most Afghani, while going through a hard time are WAY happier not living under Taliban rule. Oh and to the Infantry man, go fuck em up They shot my pa when he was in Iraq with the Marines in 2005. Fuckers blew up a Humvee with an IED and open fired. My dad took a round through his leg. Gonna join once I'm done with college.