To those of you who felt we somehow dishonored our military by demonstrating for peace outside the recruiting office on Valentine’s Day, I ask you to take a closer look at what you hold sacred.
I personally cringed when I heard a young military man give an interview about the first days of the war in Iraq. He described how they welcomed our troops as heroes. The streets were calm and the mood was one of thankfulness to those who came to “liberate” them. “It was a bit disappointing”, he said “because we joined up to see some action.”
We are sending our young vulnerable men and women into a war where it is unclear who is the enemy. They make decisions that are often immoral. They leave full of feelings of pride and nationalism, proud that they are brave enough to face the evil that is trying to destroy our country! Often, very often, they come home mentally and spiritually wounded. There are a record number of suicides among our military.
I listened to another man tell us that his remedy for depression was to join the military and go to Iraq. There he found a sense of purpose he was missing in his life. I understand this need for purpose and camaraderie. Our young people are hungry for meaning and purpose in their lives. So we send them to war to “make a man of them.” I wonder if they, we, could find that same sense of purpose helping those who need our help. I say we can find meaning and purpose in our lives by building others, not destroying them.
In the United States of America we are experiencing problems of the heart. They are problems of priority and justice and they are an indication that we are ill. We have an illness in this nation that will take courage and a willingness to face the truth for us to begin to regain the dignity in the world we once possessed. We have allowed the corporate world and our military complex to dictate our policy both at home and abroad. We seek to control the world so we can insure that the comforts we have enjoyed will not be taken from us, and we turn a blind eye to the suffering we incur in doing so, justifying this suffering as collateral damage, both to those abroad and here at home. Our greed has brought our economy to the breaking point and our environment to ruin. Our only solution is to ask people to spend more so our economy will be healthy.
Will we be in endless war? Will we senselessly continue training our young men and women to uphold a false sense of nationalism, naming anyone who opposes us as the enemy, the evil ones, the terrorists, while our policies create terrorism and bankrupt our citizens? We must honestly look in the mirror! We must regain humility, and common sense, and a sense of caring for human beings no matter who they are, or what religion they belong to, or what color they happen to be. Please, take a closer look at what you hold sacred!
Thiel Larson
This article appears in Mar 20-26, 2008.
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“To those of you who felt we somehow dishonored our military by demonstrating for peace outside the recruiting office on Valentines Day, I ask you to take a closer look at what you hold sacred.”
Ok. I took a closer look. You still dishonored our troops. Why? Because the troops, the military that you dishonored, have nothing whatsoever to do with the Iraq war… or any war…ever…in our entire history. Our military is under civilian control. They don’t do a single damn thing, other than maintain a state of readiness, until they are ordered to do something. They do not function autonomously. Your actions make about as much sense as demonstrating at a police station because you oppose cops arresting people.
“where it is unclear who is the enemy.”
Unclear is the very nature of war. The enemy is usually those trying to kill you, as in shoot you or blow your ass up. Talk to the authorities, perhaps they can arrange a ‘clear’ war for you.
“They make decisions that are often immoral.”
Immoral people make immoral decisions. Presumably, if these you reference were living next door to you, you would have immoral neighbors making immoral decisions. Those new recruits in the military are not secretly injected with immorality serum.
“I say we can find meaning and purpose in our lives by building (up?) others, not destroying them.”
The meaning and purpose of the military is to destroy the enemy and destroy his ability to wage war. That means kill them and blow their infrastructure up. If you are suggesting no one should participate in the military, instead nurturing their lofty ideals, then we will just draft their ass and they will be taught to kill and blow shit up. We are going to have a military as long as you or your children’s children are around. Get used to it.
“We have allowed the corporate world and our military complex to dictate our policy both at home and abroad.”
Really? I thought we were a free people, democratically voting in the folks who are going about doing our governments business. Where is this dictator dictating located? In your head? There is help available for that.
“we seek to control the world so we can insure that the comforts we have enjoyed will not be taken from us.”
Oh, do you mean little comforts like our freedom? Do you mean like having your head, your children’s head, remain comfortably attached to the body? Do you mean like not living, or dying, under Sharia law? I prefer my fourteen year old daughter not be first gang raped and then hung from a light standard and stoned to death in a soccer stadium for wearing lipstick. I think I’ll go with the same old comfort this country was founded on, thanks.
“Justifying this suffering as collateral damage.”
It was collateral damage that killed about 3000 on 9/11 wasn’t it? This current enemy only uses collateral damage. We go some rather extraordinary means to avoid it. Do they?
“please take a closer look at what you hold sacred.”
I did. Why don’t you try it, Larson? Practice what you preach. Try to imagine that there is a much larger picture that you are missing that includes intellectually and philosophically dwelling in the ‘now.’ That world is filled with infinite variables called reality, not just your single issue, one track, blind alley reaction to your limited emotions.
I used to think people like this Larson, Randall, Bodden and others who hold similar views, were just irrational knot-heads who were so overwhelmed by hate that they could no longer think straight. But then, I began to realize that no one who can function in society, feed, clothe, house themselves, could be that ignorant.
So, lately I’ve been thinking about a new theory that explains these seeming irrationals real plans. It goes like this: Anyone who is anti-military and has a brain, would ask themselves the simple question, “what if we succeed?” If the proposition is to disable the military, make it non-functional, who benefits? Certainly not American citizens.
What would happen if we had a weak ineffective military? The obvious answer is we would certainly be attacked by someone. Who would that someone be? China? Russia? Or would we collapse from within and then be attacked? It’s obvious we cannot sustain our way of life without a strong military. It’s also clear that Larson attacks our way of life with statements like, “we seek to control the world so we can insure the comforts we have enjoyed not be taken from us.” She means ‘comforts’ like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which is what we are all about. Can any rational patriot view that statement of Larson’s and not get a true glimpse of where she/he/it is coming from?
Make no mistake, these folks are every bit the same enemy, every bit as dangerous to our way of life as any enemy we have ever faced. These are the enemy among us, plotting our downfall, radical socialists actively working against all the rest of us.
Take heed.
P.S. Think I’ve gone off the deep end? Read up on CODEPINKS clearly stated, often repeated, radical Socialist agenda… If Cuba is like “going to heaven” it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what direction they are heading….
People, You can chant, protest, blow whistles, form ineffective groups, sob and moan about this war or any war we have/will be engaged in…..The United States of America,good or bad, is from its inception a WAR BASED ECONOMY. This will never change. Do your homework and you will be enlightened to the dozens and dozens of wars, actions, incursions that we have been involved in. War creates dollars….get ready for the next conflict in Central America.
Bob, where can I find this “clearly stated, often repeated, radical Socialist agenda”?
The mission statement on CodePink’s website says the organization “is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities.”
Well, I guess if you think waging an unnecessary, endless war is more important than taking care of human needs, you’d consider them “socialist.”
“Oh, do you mean little comforts like our freedom? Do you mean like having your head, your children’s head, remain comfortably attached to the body? Do you mean like not living, or dying, under Sharia law?”
Oh, puh-LEEZE! Do you really expect us to believe the hairy Mooslim hordes are poised on the Canadian border, ready to storm across (on camels maybe?) and conquer the USA?
Where do you come up with this drivel?
Mooslim ?
HBM: Why don’t you read Medea Benjamin’s book I Senator,” where she freely expresses her radical agenda? Are you pretending to be that ignorant or is it real? There is a lot about the two founders of CODEPINK on another thread on this website.
Read it and weep… you win the drivel contest.
HBM: I know it’s a bit of stretch for you, but why don’t you try googling Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans and see what you come up with? Considering that their own writings boasting of their radical socialist agenda and various radical socialist accomplishments self identify them as radical Socialists, might it be considered rational to take them at their own word? Of course, you might need to look up rational first. If you need any more help doing routine research, give me a call, I’d be happy to give you some lessons…
Oh, and get yourself a voluminous drivel bucket, to catch your overflow. Less mess that way.
Is the H. for Hyperbole? Just curious.
One might consider code-pink as a radical socialist organization because the two founders are radical socialists. They admit to being radical socialists in public speech. They write books where they clearly outline their radical socialist agenda. They have both formed, and belong to, other radical socialist groups.
Whoever this HBM is, he apparently needs Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans to vomit up a big wad of radical socialism on his shirt, pants and boots before he maybe, possibly, almost, might get the big picture.
Codepink has no interest in taking care of human needs. Codepink’s goal is is to turn the USA into Cuba, where Medea spent years conducting guided tours.
HBM, do you think the statement Medea made to the SF Chronicle about Cuba, “when I went to Cuba I thought I’d died and went to heaven,” might be a clue? Or, are you so busy promoting your own obvious socialist agenda, you are just going to gloss over the obvious, or ignore it, like you usually do? It’s clear you always side with the radical socialists, just as you did on this thread, you do on every other thread with a similar radical point of view. Why is that?
Anybody that wants to end a war when they haven’t a freaking clue what the aftermath of that will be, let alone have a freaking clue how to deal with whatever that aftermath might be, and that same irrational agenda goes against 64% of his fellow Americans, is either a radical socialist who wants the bloody aftermath for purely political reasons or is just irrational, ignorant, confused and deluded.
HBM, as usual, is disingenuous with his hyperbole. The point is not hairy hordes of mooslims poised on the border. The point is, that Larson makes, is we are not supposed to defend ourselves. Larson argues against the military’s existence on principle, works actively to weaken it, while putting out socialist, remake the world, propaganda. Larson believes all our enemies will melt away like tiny popsicles when exposed to the hot wind of exalted reasoning. We have no need of a military at all! So, HBM, get a four pack of Ritilin, Concerta, Adderall and Strattera, pour yourself a big pilsner glass of one of them, and ponder for a moment where that warped thinking leads… and what warped view of society as a whole it comes from.
Obviously, our society would collapse in a heartbeat if we had no, or a weak, military. If our society collapses, what takes it’s place? Duh? You still with me HBM? If there is no military, then anything is possible, including radical socialism or Sharia law. What would there be to stop it? You? You are a fellow radical socialist, defending this Larson’s warped thinking. When the obvious long term goal is to bring down the country, what goes up in it’s place might come as a complete surprise. You might get something you didn’t bargain for, dude.
The bright side is, you, Larson, Randall, Bodden and all the other radical socialists lose out in the public opinion polls, because the majority of Americans prefer capitalism, freedom, a strong military and common sense. Just a few days ago a poll showed that 64% of Americans think we should remain in Iraq until “stability and security” are established.
The rational prefer stability and security to mindless chaos, it seems. You must think that odd.
“Larson argues against the military’s existence on principle …”
Please tell me where in his letter Larson calls for abolishing the military. He simply wants a less militaristic and more rational and humane foreign policy.
“”After much occasion to consider the folly and mischiefs of a state of warfare, and the little or no advantage obtained even by those nations who have conducted it with the most success, I have been apt to think that there has never been, nor ever will be, any such thing as a good war, or a bad peace.” — Benjamin Franklin, radical socialist
“Just a few days ago a poll showed that 64% of Americans think we should remain in Iraq until “stability and security” are established.”
I wasn’t able to find that poll (maybe I should have looked on the Free Republic website?) but I was able to find this one:
CNS News Poll, March 15-18: “From what you know about the U.S. involvement in Iraq, how much longer would you be willing to have large numbers of U.S. troops remain in Iraq: less than a year, one to two years, two to five years or longer than five years?”
Less than a year: 46%
One to two years: 22%
Two to five years: 14%
More than five years: 6%
Other/unsure: 12%
The way I read that, it says 68% of those polled want “large numbers” of our troops out of Iraq in two years or less. There must be a lot more “radical socialists” out there than you think.
But you go ahead and run John McCain for president on the Perpetual War Platform and see where that gets you.
JT: “The bright side is, you, Larson, Randall, Bodden and all the other radical socialists lose out in the public opinion polls, because the majority of Americans prefer capitalism, freedom, a strong military and common sense.”
On what basis do you justify referring to me as a radical socialist? Or were you just drunk or smoking or snorting something illegal at the time you wrote that?
If Jesus Christ were to return in the Second Coming you would probably refer to him as a radical socialist since he probably wouldn’t agree with your narrow-minded ideology.
HBM: As per your usual slip and slide, dodge and spin, whirl and duck the issue style, when someone nails your butt to the wall, you don’t respond directly, you change the subject by doing a forty five degree spin to the left. What happened to, “show me where CODEPINK has a radical socialist agenda?”
You checked it out and found out that it was true, and now, you’ll never mention it again… because you don’t want your vast ignorance revealed.
To late for that.
There will be no, “hey, you guys were really right about that.”
And, Codepinks radical socialist agenda dovetails nicely with your own wild eyed Marxist bomb throwing mentality.
Jensen, I can’t deal with ALL the right-wing lies in a single post.
As for CodePink’s agenda, I still don’t see where it’s “radical socialist” — unless “radical socialism” is defined as “less money for war, more for human needs.” The founders’ beliefs are not necessarily those of the members or of the organization itself.
As for my alleged “wild eyed Marxist bomb throwing mentality,” you only succeed in making yourself look ridiculous with statements like that.
PS: Any of you have a link to the mysterious poll which allegedly found that 64% of Americans think we should stay in Iraq until “stability and security” are established? My curiosity is aroused.
ha ha, If you all hate organizations sporting “socialists agenda” then you should all be complaining that the military offers socialized medicine to our veterans, taking our hard earned tax money. All this talk of a socialist agenda, what a joke.
Our military complex based on socialists philosipies. The military trains our soldiers to reconize that we can only be as strong as our weakest link, that you always lift of the weakest as a unit, everyone is stripped of their individuality(standard uniforms, haircuts) pay is all the same depending on rank, GI means Governemnet Issued. Guess what? All the GI operations, equiptment, clothing are provided by our taxes or government, that means that it is by definition a socialist organization.
All of you afraid of the evil socialist agenda are saying you dont support or military? I guess you all want a private military, one that is free to make profit off of wars, hello BlackwaterUSA!
What a joke! Just cant stop laughing! thanks
A common factor in the collapse of nations and empires is an excess of militarism.
JT: I’m still waiting for how you justified referring to me as a “radical socialist.” Can’t come up with an explanation? That figures.
For the record, one of my core beliefs came from Peter J. Drucker, one of the leading thinkers of the 20th Century, who was given the title of the “Father of Modern Management” and was a consultant to many major corporations in the United States. He held that a successful society required three components: Capitalist enterprises, government and non-profit organizations. I agree. Where is the radical socialism in that theory?
Bill, “socialist” is just an all-purpose insult that the right-wingers throw at people they disagree with when they can’t think of anything else. Nine-tenths of them don’t even really know what it means.