Military service is honorable- promoting it under false pretenses is not good for the nation.
If we take off our thinking caps, we might forget that physical security and freedom are not the same thing- and that the US Armed Forces protect our physical security in some cases- and in some cases they do not.
When we are told our concealed carry permit is void on National Parks lands- can we have The Joint Chiefs of Staff send out "The Troops" to somehow restore our freedom?
If I want to go down to the bar with my 20 year old girlfriend (a responsible adult) to order up a few beers and celebrate freedom should I contact The Joint Chiefs of Staff for authorization?
“Land of The Free”-
Where people who actually want to take delivery on all this freedom may be seen as some sort of political enemy as we divide ourselves up into groups and assign a separate value to each group.
People who really believe in freedom believe in freedom beyond their own personal choices, they believe in freedom in a general sense.
Whatever rights and freedoms we have were ours before the wars began. If we attained additional freedoms- it was not because of the troops, or the war, or anything happening overseas.
Our major political parties take turns in power, but a pro war/anti freedom agenda still seems to remain in place- partly because Americans have a fraudulent understanding of why we send “The Troops” and the flag to distant lands.
How would the American people develop this fraudulent understanding? Partly from US Government propaganda statements like this one.
Most people do not serve in the military- they don't want to.
There seems to be a quiet guilt about this, so we almost worship those who do serve.
You don’t have to look too far to find comments that refer to the troops as “heroes.”
Some are.
No one who has served in an average military unit would be comfortable with everyone present being called a hero. Some units would be the exception, but for most people who have served over the years, calling everyone a hero would have no connection to reality.
Reality, and an honest understanding of why we send the troops to far away places isn’t what we’re about though.
We like to say "The Troops are fighting to protect our Rights and Freedoms"
We like to say "The Troops are fighting to protect our Rights and Freedoms"
This makes us feel OK.
Freedom is a good cause, can’t argue with that. It can help us to attempt to validate and justify foreign policy taskings- which in some cases are not linked to American freedom or physical security.
Let’s get past the popular culture notion that says “The troops are fighting to protect our rights and freedoms”
We talk big about freedom, but we are very guarded- in many cases- when people want to take delivery on that freedom.
“Land of the Free”- Where something as simple as buying a bottle of booze on Sundays can turn into a really big deal.
Where adults are divided into groups of first and second class citizens per The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984.
Where the federal government handed down a totalitarian mandate back in 1984- telling the states that they would no longer be permitted to set their own drinking age.
Where a zero-tolerance policy is in effect in the case of a responsible adult- 18-20 years of age- who wants to purchase a cold six-pack of beer.
Where- in 2009- institutionalized sexism is the law. Where 18 year old men register for the draft while women opt out. Maybe we should release all citizens from any obligation to register for the draft?
Where a federal parking pass must be purchased for day use of public lands. These areas belong to us- nothing new about it. We already pay for them with federal taxes- the same way we pay for the war in Iraq.
Where marijuana is illegal- because we said so. Where responsible adults are seen as guilty until proven innocent.
Where all motorists and bus passengers are expected to stop and explain themselves to federal agents at internal, suspicionless checkpoints and roadblocks- nowhere near an international border.
Where the federal government could put a stop to the threat of identity theft overnight and nothing happens.
Where those who want to marry their gay lover are met with talk of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage or may need to wait for their responsible adult choices to be validated by the will of the majority.
There are parts of the world where women lay topless on the beach, where you enjoy your picnic lunch at the park with a glass of wine or beer. Not here.
Maybe this all seems a bit extreme, but let’s be clear- we are not really about freedom- and, if we were, it wouldn’t be because of “The Troops” or US foreign policy.
It does not matter if your priority is gun rights or gay marriage- when people say "The Troops are fighting to protect our rights and freedoms" they are only repeating a marketing slogan and passing along an urban legend.
How many of our restricted freedoms have anything to do with, foreign governments and enemies, terrorists, or sending “The Troops” to kick ass somewhere overseas?
Maybe- in some cases- the US Armed Forces protect our physical security.
The Armed Forces operate as enforcers of US foreign policy. Foreign Policy goals & objectives may, or may not have anything to do with the individual rights and freedoms of American citizens, or our physical security, or defending the constitution.
We are working hard to spread freedom across the globe - maybe we should take some of the filters off of freedom here at home. Those filters weren’t put in place by terrorists or foreign governments.
It turns out Dr Martin Luther King Jr found another way to get things done. He could have saved much wear and tear if he had just phoned over to The Joint Chiefs of Staff and had them send out "The Troops" to protect American rights and freedoms.
Japanese American US Citizens were rounded up and sent to government camps in the 1940’s. Innocent until proven guilty? “The Troops” took on their role in protecting American rights and freedoms?
Support The Troops- Yes?
Continue to Examine, Discuss and Debate US Foreign Policy- Yes
Not trying to take a swipe at the troops- just wanting to cut through some of the enchantment that seems to accompany military operations.
Not here to say we should not have a strong and ready military- because there is an important role to fill- but reaching for an honest understanding of what that role is- maybe this is one way to pay respect to veterans.
Offering a counterpoint to those who would manufacture propaganda- especially during the times we are at risk enough to go to war in two foreign countries, but not so much at risk that political leaders and statesmen would make the case to the American People that it is time to consider a draft.
Military service is honorable- no need to enhance it by promoting the idea that soldiers give us our rights and freedoms.
Military service is a proud thing, it doesn’t need to be unnecessarily glorified with statements like-
“Be sure to thank The Troops for giving us our freedom.”
Or
“You have the right to make comments on a blog, and write letters to the editor because The Troops are fighting to give you that freedom.”
Or
The Troops allow us to have “The freedoms we take for granted.”
We do not live under a Totalitarian Regime where Individual Liberty must somehow be enabled by uniformed agents of the government.
We are not mindless drones- dependent on people in military uniforms in order to think, write and speak.
Is there any time in recent decades that the US Armed Forces have been sent to distant lands on a mission to protect freedom of speech? Is protecting freedom of speech even part of training scenarios?
In some cases, the US Armed Forces protect our physical security. Freedom may be a different thing.
Since 911 some of our freedoms have been restricted. When this happens we are told it is an important step in keeping us safe from terrorists.
“Live Free or Die” means we have the right to raise a rifle towards whatever terrorist Boogeyman might come here to take away our American way of life...
Whatever happened to the idea of living free of fear and intimidation? The terrorists must be happy to be yanking our chain. Self reliant Americans have always had a sense of responsibility for their own security. They also know that they will not live in a completely safe environment- they walk tall anyway.
Maybe if we had a draft in times of “War on Terror” there would be less impulse to misunderstand the role of The Troops.
Proclaiming a “National Commitment” to a “War on Terror” -and not having a draft- is to eliminate the checks and balances that come with broad based citizen involvement in US Foreign Policy.
“War” without a draft, is a lazy political shortcut.
Do I really advocate a draft?- No.
The “all volunteer” military has been the politician’s best friend. Very compliant, and just the ticket for the occasional photo-op, farewell, sendoff, etc.- where those who would never serve remind us how proud they are of our “heroes” and how fortunate we are to live in this country where we have volunteers to “fight for our rights and freedoms”.
Without a draft, most people never need to be bothered with even a thought of US foreign policy and the myths and marketing slogans used to justify it.
So be it.
Maybe some day our popular culture will reach for an honest understanding of why we send “The Troops” off to far away places. Hint- it is not to fight for our freedom. Our physical security? - maybe in some cases.
Maybe we could take a look at downsizing our footprint overseas.
It is 2009. Let’s end institutionalized sexism- where 18 year old men register for the draft and women opt out- let’s release all citizens from any obligation to register for the draft.
We hear many good things about the generation who fought WWII. People lied about their age to serve. There was a draft. Women went in, along with movie stars, entertainers, and sports celebrities- the whole country understood and was involved in the war effort. School kids participated. Most people probably had a family member who served or at least knew people who did.
Much has changed since then.
Today, most people do not serve and we are most comfortable with an “All Volunteer” military. Saying the troops are fighting to protect our rights and freedoms may be an attempt to justify or validate US foreign policy in some way- almost like a marketing strategy. It may cover for a sense of guilt in not having a family member who serves as we become more distant from a time when serving in the Armed Forces was more of an average thing for many families.
Since most people do not serve- our popular culture seems to almost worship all things military.
Being more distant from military service may create an “us and them” division in society and cloud an understanding of what that service is meant to be. Odd stereotypes go unchallenged. We see a Hollywood version of military characters who must wear dog tags outside of clothing.
No. The Military Industrial Complex protects our physical security in some cases- in some cases it does not- maybe a bit similar to the local Sheriffs’ Department or the State Police- more discussion might be good here.
We have 3 branches of government- each with limited powers- to watch over (with the help of well informed citizens) and maintain our rights and freedoms- which are guaranteed by the constitution.
The day women or 18 year olds got the right to vote, prohibition was ended, blacks were first able to marry whites, Miranda rights were instituted, the federal government stopped going after medical marijuana, etc. - It was not because we were kicking ass somewhere overseas.
As recently as the 1960’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was involved in the civil rights movement. Maybe he could have saved a lot of wear and tear by phoning over to The Joint Chiefs of Staff and getting “The Troops” to come out and protect American rights and freedoms.
The troops provide us with their part of National Security.
Freedom must be more than just a marketing slogan-
Individual Responsibility, Individual Liberty, Smaller, Limited Government-
After 20 years in The US Marines- where personal freedom and self expression were voluntarily limited in order to serve the greater good...
I got my hopes up- then looked out to see Federal raids on state sanctioned medical marijuana operations, the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, The REAL ID Act of 2005, The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 (there has been time to fix it), Concealed carry permits that become void when one crosses from their home state onto National Park lands, Federal Suspicionless Checkpoints, etc.
State’s Rights don’t seem to matter in these areas.
We hear from some that “The Troops” give us our freedoms- maybe we can ask The Joint Chiefs of Staff to take a look at lifting some of the restrictions we are facing.
It does not matter if your priority is gun rights or gay marriage- when people say "The Troops are fighting to protect our rights and freedoms" they are only repeating a marketing slogan and passing along an urban legend.
If the troops really were meant to “give” us our freedoms- why don’t we see veteran’s groups like the American Legion or the VFW come out and raise hell on restrictions to individual liberty?
If it takes a Constitutional Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage- does that mean Gay Marriage would be legal without the Amendment?
It is un-American to divide people into groups of first and second class citizens.
If we say the victims of 911 were citizens who lost their rights and freedoms, can we say the same of the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing?
If Oklahoma City had been prevented, who would we credit? Various law enforcement agencies? The troops?
If a house is prevented from burning, is it because firefighters protect our rights and freedoms?
If the troops protect our rights and freedoms- did the troops fail on 911?
Should the Support the Troops Slogan be used to justify US foreign policy?
If we want to go to the bar and order beers with a 20 year old girlfriend, or have our concealed carry permit honored on National Park’s lands- should we contact the Joint Chiefs of Staff?
A Symbol of Freedom & Federal Government Credibility Alex Hepler photo