Fifteen years ago, I began an article about Memorial Day by facetiously talking about what is conveniently ignored at barbeques on the last Monday in May. Here’s an excerpt from that piece: Perhaps I could spend my day in quiet contemplation of the valiant heroes who unselfishly risk the agony of carpal tunnel syndrome as they push the buttons and/or computer keys to launch those cruise missiles into crowded Third World cities.
I have had to disconnect the connection between the died and the country because I am a dissident and no longer a patriot. I believe many of the men were fighting for a nation and just happenned to be caught up in the politics of a government. I still love those men that I would share a beer with at the legion hall in my home town but I have disdain for the country that they died in the name of, even back then. All of those awful wars could have been prevented.
Would Hitler have been stopped & defeated if we had just let the Nazi war machine & the Russian troops continue to engage without our intervention, etc? Recently watched a program about the 900 day siege of Leningrad (based on diaries of citizens, etc) - millions of basically innocent citizens affected & over a million killed there alone. (Started in 1941)
Should we have just stayed in the Pacific theatre after Pearl Harbor?
Don’t even get me started on the draft for the awful, unnecessary VietNam War.
Wish we would have heeded former Pres Eisenhower’s farewell speech about the industrial war complex - now we have the industrial medical (vaxxx) complex. Terrible.
I choose to believe that war started in Heaven between God, the Creator, & Satan. In the New Testament, one of the apostles, James, writes about this continual problem ...James 4
May 29, 2023·edited May 29, 2023Liked by Mickey Z.
The poor postwoman who had to get out and deliver Amazon packages when all her colleagues had the day off.... I cannot honor any soldiers, because I think all the wars are useless. I certainly cannot honor that man-woman who is a high up in the army. A disgrace.
The ones that should be honored are those that defended their country against invaders. Native Americans, and all the people where America has invaded for no reason at all
Bravo. And, in case you haven't seen it, there's a movie called "The Card Counter" dir. Paul Schraeder, (2021 I believe) that, and this is really rare for Hollywood, I mean, REALLY rare, actually shows the horror of Abu Graib, and the horror of a psychologically damaged and sterile USA. It should be required viewing for Memorial day, indeed.
I see most grunt troops as victims. I will honor my son and forget about the war mongers who avoid serving, but don't care about sending others to slaughter, or be slaughtered.
MLK said that by submitting soldiers to the brutality of war only for them to discover the goals as corrupt and illicit, “We are adding cynicism to the process of death”. This sentiment was conveyed by a veteran who was tasked with investigating Abu Ghraib. Not to excuse the abuse but to appreciate its origins...
Well, this is a wake up call. I appreciate and respect your candor.
I have had to disconnect the connection between the died and the country because I am a dissident and no longer a patriot. I believe many of the men were fighting for a nation and just happenned to be caught up in the politics of a government. I still love those men that I would share a beer with at the legion hall in my home town but I have disdain for the country that they died in the name of, even back then. All of those awful wars could have been prevented.
A necessary conversation, Mickey Z.
Would Hitler have been stopped & defeated if we had just let the Nazi war machine & the Russian troops continue to engage without our intervention, etc? Recently watched a program about the 900 day siege of Leningrad (based on diaries of citizens, etc) - millions of basically innocent citizens affected & over a million killed there alone. (Started in 1941)
Should we have just stayed in the Pacific theatre after Pearl Harbor?
Don’t even get me started on the draft for the awful, unnecessary VietNam War.
Wish we would have heeded former Pres Eisenhower’s farewell speech about the industrial war complex - now we have the industrial medical (vaxxx) complex. Terrible.
I choose to believe that war started in Heaven between God, the Creator, & Satan. In the New Testament, one of the apostles, James, writes about this continual problem ...James 4
May we individually seek peace & truth
with God & our fellow man.
The poor postwoman who had to get out and deliver Amazon packages when all her colleagues had the day off.... I cannot honor any soldiers, because I think all the wars are useless. I certainly cannot honor that man-woman who is a high up in the army. A disgrace.
The ones that should be honored are those that defended their country against invaders. Native Americans, and all the people where America has invaded for no reason at all
Bravo. And, in case you haven't seen it, there's a movie called "The Card Counter" dir. Paul Schraeder, (2021 I believe) that, and this is really rare for Hollywood, I mean, REALLY rare, actually shows the horror of Abu Graib, and the horror of a psychologically damaged and sterile USA. It should be required viewing for Memorial day, indeed.
I see most grunt troops as victims. I will honor my son and forget about the war mongers who avoid serving, but don't care about sending others to slaughter, or be slaughtered.
MLK said that by submitting soldiers to the brutality of war only for them to discover the goals as corrupt and illicit, “We are adding cynicism to the process of death”. This sentiment was conveyed by a veteran who was tasked with investigating Abu Ghraib. Not to excuse the abuse but to appreciate its origins...