Gun Control & RKBA
In reply to the discussion: SAFE Act: Gun groups say data shows low compliance [View all]Cassidy1
(300 posts)"So do I turn my back, walk away and say 'not my problem' or try to make an iota of change?"
You willingly joined an organization where (I would think) you knew what you were getting into. We now have such history that NO ONE who is 18 years old has an excuse not to know what is happening. Eisenhower warned of this problem. It was reinforced by Vietnam. You also have the internet, forums, etc. to gather even more information. Instead of learning anything however, people chose to bury their heads or do the opposite.
I really hope you did not buy into the "winning hearts and minds" tagline. I sincerely hope you're not buying into now. People confuse a cheering village with broad change. Of course you can connect with some villager and kids and bring a smile to the faces of some people. That however, is not "winning hearts and minds" in a political sense. That phrase is now a colossal joke and I can't believe that people are still naive or disingenuous enough to use it (okay, maybe I can believe it).
Going into war does not save lives. It means lives will be lost. It's like the cashier who says, "You saved $15 today," when you just spent a hundred. Yeah that's a pithy example for comparison, but at least I will tell you like it is.
I did not say you should have shame. If however, you believe that you changed hearts and minds in the big picture or think that a war saves lives, then that is a problem.
I don't know you personally. People get caught up in all kinds of situations. Sometimes shit does happen. A lot.
I'm saying however, that I am not going to stand by and salute "heroes" who don't learn from history, don't acknowledge wrongdoing, don't acknowledge mistakes, justify their actions with silly propaganda tag lines, etc. The military is not some abstract entity of "they," or, in your words, "None of us started the war,..."
I have a real problem with that last sentence because SOMEBODY started the war, but most will not own up to that beginning or it's perpetuation. It's reflected in the mantra I hear from soldiers all the time: "We're fighting for our freedom." If they are saying that, then they are either mentally deficient or spouting baloney.
I would certainly like to know how we are fighting for our freedom. No one has been able to answer that yet, but these people claim it's so. Yet, they are somehow not responsible for starting a war or perpetuating it. These are the people we label "heroes."