by The Alchemist, Unknown News
Jan. 6, 2006
Sigh. It is almost axiomatic these days to carefully refer to all American troops (especially the recently dead ones) as “heroes.” What bullflop.
American Heritage Dictionary says:| |
In mythology and legend, a man, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and favored by the gods.
A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life: soldiers and nurses who were heroes in an unpopular war. ... | |
Hmmm, seems even the American Heritage Dictionary has been co-opted. Lets look a little deeper.
Webster's says:| |
1 a: a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b: an illustrious warrior c: a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d: one that shows great courage
2 a: the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work b: the central figure in an event, period, or movement
3 plural usually heros : SUBMARINE 2
4 : an object of extreme admiration and devotion : IDOL
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American soldiers are hired killers. No more, no less. The epitome of soldierdom is unquestioning obedience. Can’t have soldiers questioning orders to “light up” some brown skinned family, can we?
I suppose some of those returning body bags showed great courage. Most were just obeying orders.
Yeah, yeah, I know. There are many fine young people who honestly believe they are doing their patriotic duty. Poor deluded dupes. I hope they live long enough to grow out of it.
Just so we are clear, I am sorry for anyone who has lost a loved one in the military. It is doubly sad they died in the service of a lie. But as long as we suckle at the teat of militarism in the service of corporatism (also more succinctly known as fascism) in the hopes of our million dollar payday, we will turning our young into killers and cannon fodder.
The last time America was actually attacked by another sovereign nation was Pearl Harbor. Sure, there are doubts about whether the administration had foreknowledge of the attacks, but all in all it is generally agreed that Japan did in fact launch its famous airwave all by its ownself.
Since then, there have been a series of sham attacks or, let’s just be blunt, outright lies, designed to tip the emotional scales of Congress and the American people into supporting what amount to wanton wars of aggression.
Gulf of Tonkin. Cold war. Iraqis throwing Kuwaiti babies out of incubators. 9/11. Freedom Fighters. Communists! Bears, O my!
During WWII, volunteering for the military was not about a career choice, or a paycheck, or “be all you can be.” No, there was a groundswell of volunteerism based on plain old fashion tribal unity. Circle the wagons, and hand me my shootin’ iron, Mabel.
In the glaring light of the Vietnam disaster, in which we now know we wasted the lives of 58,000 of our young people (not to mention the 2 or 3 million little brown people -- who really counts?), for fucking corporate adventurism, all the while bleating anti-communist rhetoric -- it is nigh unfathomable that any half-witted American can take the “call of duty” seriously. But the hero myth dies hard.
From Gilgamesh on, we Westerners adore our bloodletting men. It is, in fact, the most anciently admired trait. Oh sure, in the end, many of our warrior kings achieve wisdom and maybe even charity, but the thing wot got them to the top was basically the ability and willingness to kick ass on a grand scale. Check the Old Testament. Odysseus. King Arthur. G I Joe. John Wayne. Billy Sunday. And of course, our boy king, in his crotchety flight suit. "Mission accomplished."
That banner did not refer to the Iraq debacle, as so many think. No, it referred to the conquering of the American psyche. We won. Stole the election right in front of you, engineered a new “Pearl Harbor” (as soon as anyone can explain the collapse of WTC 7, I will re-evaluate this allegation), ceded unlimited war power to der Fuhrer (shall we even mention secret torture camps and spying on our own citizenry?), and managed to finally install the Orwellian precepts -- TRUTH is LIES, WAR is PEACE, FREEDOM is SLAVERY.
And we, spiraling innocently along our MTV and dollar menu lives, and snug in our iPod serenaded jogging routines, rely on an obscenely bloated military (dare I mention no-bid contracts? Substandard equipment? cronyism?). we feel safer, knowing we out-spend any 10 nations (hell, all of them) on kicking ass.
Of course, when these young dupes, these would-be heroes come home sans limbs, sans sanity, loaded with Agent Orange and depleted uranium, we give them their due. Lots and lots of paperwork and negligence. Just like our poor and sick.
Two jobs, daycare, but hey, those credit cards must be paid, and our government is running up the biggest tab of all.
But this was about heroes. Ask any returning vet whether he or she thought their duty was “heroic.” Just asking. Some do. Some are into it. Sigh.
America kicks ass. Hell, yeah.
When do we get to the wisdom and charity part?
© by the author.
What do you think?
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Just so we are clear, I am sorry for anyone who has lost a loved one in the military.
It is doubly sad they died in the service of a lie.
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American soldiers are hired killers.
No more, no less.
The epitome of soldierdom is unquestioning obedience.
Can’t have soldiers questioning orders to “light up” some brown skinned family, can we?
I suppose some of those returning body bags showed great courage.
Most were just obeying orders.
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