David Masciotra of Salon wrote a little rant, lecturing Americans to feel ingratitude toward those who serve, just in time for Veterans Day, entitled:
You don’t protect my freedom: Our childish insistence on calling soldiers heroes deadens real democracy
“Childish”?! I considered some of his points; but he’s missing the point of why those who brave enlisting should be considered “heroes”. I’m humbly proud to be one of the “hysterical sycophants” when it comes to our Armed Forces. It doesn’t matter if the individual soldier hasn’t done anything “heroic”; it doesn’t matter if he’s an a-hole; it doesn’t matter if he signed on for purposes aside of patriotic duty and love of country- such as getting put through college. What matters is that a citizen of this country took an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic”; whatever the reasons, these men and women sign on the dotted line knowing full well that they may be sent into harm’s way and will have a duty to perform. Veterans Day is just as much to do with saluting and honoring the patriotic occupational hazards of soldiering as it does with honoring the individual soldier, himself.
Masciotra brings up rape, as if our military should be defined by those few and not so proud in uniform who do commit crimes and less-than-honorable acts. This has nothing to do with wearing the uniform and nothing to do with military service.
Speaking of which, Masciotra also discourages military service:
Given the dubious and dangerous nature of American foreign policy, and the neglect and abuse veterans often suffer when returning home wounded or traumatized, Americans, especially those who oppose war, should do everything they can to discourage young, poor and working-class men and women from joining the military. Part of the campaign against enlistment requires removing the glory of the “hero” label from those who do enlist.
Less than 1% of our citizenry have served in active duty, as it stands. Were it zero, Masciotra can kiss his country as he knows it and his freedom goodbye.
Should there be a draft reinstituted?
Because we have so little skin in the game, it seems that the public is indifferent.
I agree, but in this day and age we are not going back to the draft.
But wouldn’t it be more morally fair to go back to the draft?
Morally, but not practically. In other words, during the days of the draft, they were drafted for two years. In the Korean War, they took six weeks to train them how to use a rifle and then sent them off to war. Now we send them to basic school, advance school, Ranger school—we are really giving them skills that are necessary in these very complex and difficult conflicts that we are in.
I’m sure he’s one of the Noam Chomsky, self-loathing, hand-wringing, navel-gazing, white guilt-burdened anti-American Americans who thinks the rant in this video speaks “truth to power”:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q49NOyJ8fNA[/youtube]
Hope everyone is enjoying their freedoms, enjoying a peaceful Veterans Day. Thank you to all the FA veterans who come here to read and hang out. I don’t care if you are left or right of center, thank you for your military service (You all know who you are!).
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.
Any bets as to which party Masciotra supports? Here is a counter to his ignorant ass. The words on the back of the biker’s jacket close to the 5 minute mark say it all:
Well done, Word.
Yes, it matters not why, or how, young men and women became soldiers, it only matters that they were, and as such we Salute them and we Honour them.
I am each day grateful to those I’ve known, as well as to millions unknown, who gave, or risked everything they had, that I may have the opportunity to live my life in freedom.
THEY are our finest “IMMORTALS”.
At the Concert for Valor: