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Proper addressing of Independence Day, thanks to the Rude Pundit for the reminder of the words of Kurt Vonnegut:
"We are gathered here, friends," he said, "to honor lo Hoon-year Mora-toorz tut Zamoo-cratz-ya, children dead, all dead, all murdered in war. It is customary on days like this to call such lost children men. I am unable to call them men for this simple reason: that in the same war in which lo Hoon-year Mora-toorz tut Zamoo-cratz-ya died, my own son died.
"My soul insists that I mourn not a man but a child.
"I do not say that children at war do not die like men, if they have to die. To their everlasting honor and our everlasting shame, they do die like men, thus making possible the manly jubilation of patriotic holidays.
"But they are murdered children all the same.
"And I propose to you that if we are to pay our sincere respects to the hundred lost children of San Lorenzo, that we might best spend the day despising what killed them; which is to say, the stupidity and viciousness of all mankind.
"Perhaps, when we remember wars, we should take off our clothes and paint ourselves blue and go on all fours all day long and grunt like pigs. That would surely be more appropriate than noble oratory and shows of flags and well-oiled guns.
"I do not mean to be ungrateful for the fine, martial show we are about to see – and a thrilling show it really will be…"
He looked each of us in the eye, and then he commented very softly, throwing it away, "And hooray I say for thrilling shows."
We had to strain our ears to hear what Minton said next.
"But if today is really in honor of a hundred children murdered in war," he said, "is today a day for a thrilling show?
"The answer is yes, on one condition: that we, the celebrants are working consciously and tirelessly to reduce the stupidity and viciousness of ourselves and all mankind."
Re: my initial <point> was the whole fraud for war thing...
For example, during the Gulf War over 50 percent of front-line troops were black. Overall, over 30 percent of enlisted personnel are African-American, while they are only 10% of the US population. That's what a 2-2 1/2 x over-representation by Blacks in the military?
You are correct in mentioning the military being a way to advance one's status, because overall 12 percent of officers are people of color. But that's no where near the 30% rate of the enlisted ranks. Officers- closer to the general population; enlisted - not so much.
And according to a news report I read on one of the peace and freedom sites I was visiting a few months ago, when recent studies showed a slight dip in young African-Americans' (disproportionately high) interest in the military, the Pentagon reacted with a new ad campaign targeting blacks.
They're also targeting Latino youth with special Spanish-language ads.
This is a good resource -http://www.veteransforpeace.org/speakers.htm#
I wish I could post a few more academic sources, but I don't have time to search for detailed
I most likely overspoke when I said eliminate the standing army. I do believe that we should have a corps of professional soldiers that can serve as the backbone of the military. But I think our current military is way too large.
If it were smaller, then I doubt you see fools thinking that they can engage it on wars of choice for dubious means. We have the most advanced military of any nation. I do not think that any country could stand up to us in a war. And unfortunately, that can lead us into acting in an arrogant and ill-thought out manner.
A smaller military means that we would be limited in only acting in defense or in unision with our allies in matters that concern the UN.
But like you said, thank god for Portugal...