Thoughts on Memorial Day
Each Memorial Day, we Americans commemorate our fallen soldiers, and thank them posthumously for making the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. Unfortunately, few of us take the opportunity to reflect on what the U.S. military actually means to us citizens.
First, recognize that this has little if anything to do with maintaining our liberty. Yes, there are those who say that America is “The home of the free because of the brave,” but the last actual threat against our freedom ended on VE day, May 8th, 1945, more than ten years before I was born. You’d have to go back to 1812 to find the one before that.
Perhaps more to the point, the U.S. military at this time in human evolution is anything but a force for peace. Whether it’s being deployed in waging an aggressive war in Iraq, or tearing up an internationally acclaimed peace agreement in Iran, or selling arms to the Saudis in their annihilation of the Yemenis, or threatening a coup in Venezuela, or supporting tyrants in Central America, or escalating violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians, it’s hard to imagine believing that the world is a more peaceful place because of U.S. military might.
On a consistent, annual basis starting in 2013, international polls find that the U.S. is viewed by peoples around the world to be the biggest obstacle standing in the way of world peace. Yes, back in 2013, which was the only prior poll on this entire issue, an end-of-the-year WIN/Gallup International survey found that people in 65 countries believe the United States is the greatest threat to international peace, as the BBC reported on December 30 of that year.
The phrase “I support our troops” really means “I support American military aggression”; it has nothing whatsoever to do with the troops themselves. If you sincerely support our troops, you will elect leaders who will stop putting them in terrible positions around the world, defending American business interests.
Instead of building better ways of killing one another (American soldiers included), perhaps those resources would be better invested in diplomacy, peace-making, and the avoidance of environmental catastrophe.
Craig,
Throughout the Commonwealth of Nations and primarily Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, are these words engraved on countless cenotaphs, war memorials and headstones in war cemeteries.
At each ceremony the words are a common prayer known as the “The Ode of Remembrance”.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn;
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.
Lest we forget, lest we forget.
In my lifetime I’ve known many men die in warfare. The brave fall just like the afraid as the maw of ferocious warfare devours each candle.
Those that survive, especially veterans of smaller wars, have grown accustomed to the ingratitude, even hostility of wiseacre civilians, peaceniks, would be collaborators and Kumbaya activists.
They remain quietly amidst all the hoopla, inarticulate with the enormity of trying to convey their experiences. In the end they just shrug, and move on marching as if in a foreign alien land among jabbering monkeys, like men betrayed by those they defend.
Once I was heartened by a bumper sticker which read, “if you can read this, thank a teacher, if you can read this in English, thank a serviceman”.
In 1890 the British poet and author, Sir Rudyard Kipling wrote a poem called “Tommy” about the hypocritical attitude toward soldiers which has always existed.
With your permission, I submit the sentiments for consideration.
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WENT into a public ‘ouse to get a pint o’ beer,
The publican ‘e up an’ sez, ” We serve no red-coats here.”
The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:
O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ ” Tommy, go away ” ;
But it’s ” Thank you, Mister Atkins,” when the band begins to play
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it’s ” Thank you, Mister Atkins,” when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but ‘adn’t none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-‘alls,
But when it comes to fightin’, Lord! they’ll shove me in the stalls!
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ ” Tommy, wait outside “;
But it’s ” Special train for Atkins ” when the trooper’s on the tide
The troopship’s on the tide, my boys, the troopship’s on the tide,
O it’s ” Special train for Atkins ” when the trooper’s on the tide.
Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap.
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.
Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an` Tommy, ‘ow’s yer soul? ”
But it’s ” Thin red line of ‘eroes ” when the drums begin to roll
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it’s ” Thin red line of ‘eroes, ” when the drums begin to roll.
We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;
While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an` Tommy, fall be’ind,”
But it’s ” Please to walk in front, sir,” when there’s trouble in the wind
There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,
O it’s ” Please to walk in front, sir,” when there’s trouble in the wind.
You talk o’ better food for us, an’ schools, an’ fires, an’ all:
We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an` Chuck him out, the brute! ”
But it’s ” Saviour of ‘is country ” when the guns begin to shoot;
An’ it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ anything you please;
An ‘Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool – you bet that Tommy sees!
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The poem is written in the colloquial language of the day, but the sentiment remains as poignant as if it were written last week.
When I was a small boy, I noticed so many “good” people turned away or avoided helping when the bullies practiced their depredations. (Life at an English Boarding school can be tough).
I could never turn away, and as a result, was often considerably worse for wear. (not all bullies are cowards !). But no matter how badly I fared, it was always better than doing nothing !
Peace at any price, is not “peace” at all, except to the hypocrite who can lie to his own conscience.
My memories of my charming, but feckless, irresponsible father, are tempered by the memory of the scores of old comrades who attended his funeral. As they read out his list of decorations and acts of sacrifice and gallantry both in combat and care of civilians, the price of sacrifice became more evident, and the emotional scars and wounds become more obvious than the physical.
On that occasion, as the band struck up the Regimental March, and his old comrades straightened their shoulders to salute the passing of their Colonel (later Brigadier) while the next generation of soldiers proudly carried his coffin to the gun carriage. I was amazed at how many young men respected and were inspired by his conduct.
So Craig, No, I guess I don’t agree the phrase “I support our troops” means the speaker supports any form “aggression”, but rather the speaker respect the servicemen and women who are prepared to defend the nation, the constitution, the institutions from harm.
Service Personnel are not involved in the political process, any more than police, they must trust in the lawful policies of elected civilian officials.