This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.
Military Minds
I am sooooo goddam sick of hearing and reading the same repetitious “opinions” on Afghanistan/”support the troops”/Thank a Vet etc, etc, etc, issues in publications and on websites, from military members and/or spouses! Now before you get your knickers i
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First day with the Thesaurus? Good job, but you bored everyone to tears.
Maybe you should shut the f**k up so we don’t have to listen to all the same shit from all you little mammas boys hiding beneath her skirt.Why don’t you do something productive like visited a homeless shelter or better yet give some time to the homeless shelter or try to make your neighorborhood better, bcrqbwb
You’re hilarious pal.
Wait a second…is this the same guy who wrote ‘Halifax shoulder chips’. I knew I smelled bullshit!
FYI, there are many opinions among military members. Just not supposed to publically voice dissenting opinions.Pretty obvious from your rant you’ve never bothered to get to know anyone in the military. Just like any other large group. You’ll get the odd person that just accepts what they’re told, but as a rule of thumb, CF members are much more well informed and thoughtful then you think.Btw, has it occured to you that maybe the troops in Afghanistan do by and large actually believe in what they are doing? Being able to see the positive impact that you are making on someone’s life does kind of explain why people are willing to put themselves at risk of dying. Maybe you’re so used to apathy that you are uncomfortable to people believing in something strongly enough to die for it.
I am glad that you are able to express your long winded opinion. You are able to do so without worry because of the men and women who have fought and lost their lives. They believe in freedom and the expression of “I may not agree with what you are saying, but will fight for your right to say it”
The military “opinions” I’ve been reading have mostly been on news service websites, etc and could easily have been submitted under assumed names but guess what…none that identified as military came up with anything different to say whatsoever. Soooo, that’s a pretty strong indication they have nothing different to say.I have known many people in the military BTW but when it comes to actions like these, they all close up their heads and are not worth talking to.” has it occured to you that maybe the troops in Afghanistan do by and large actually believe in what they are doing?”Absolutely. Brainwashed comes to mind. As does generally dumb and underinformed. What about Aid workers across the world? They go into war zones at times as well but they don’t have weapons or platoons to help them. Are they toted as heros to thank? Nope. At best they are seen as idealistic nuts but they are also willing to look at situations from varying perspectives in order to best get the job done and are often quite willing to question what they are doing to begin with. Not the military though. It’s members speak in unison and actual thought is nothing to be concerned with.Now personally, I’ve got no problem with the soldier folks out there believing what they want but when it constantly gets thrown back at the public with venom attached, you should expect a reply.Sorry but the stereotype seems right.
Oh fer….Here we go again.”Fought and lost their lives”….ok so tell me please how the mission in Afghanistan for example, is contributing even a small bit to my ability to write on a website? But hey, you’ve convinced me so, yes sir, oh thank you sir, you’re sooo right sir. I now can’t wait to throw my weight behind the mission because obviously it is essential for the continued freedom of the western world…*sign*”Freedom”….pulleeeze. Can you come up with another buzzword to use for once?
Massive violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed by Bosnian Serb Nationalists against Bosniaks 100,000 deaths or more.Should have let them go on the Bosniaks are ugly people anyway.For over 20 years, the greatest threat to Iraquis has been Saddam Hussein’s regime, killing, tortureing, the use of chemical agents including mustard gas and nerve agents. some 50,000 or more Kurds dead.how needs the Kurds anywayHitlers “Final Solution” to the “Jewish Question” was the elimination of the Jewish the European Continent. During the holocaust 6 million Jews were murdered.Could have been a better world with out them….No crisis in the middle-east… Arab militia use rape camps for ethnic cleansing of Sudam….The place is just aaahhhh who cares.Apartheid ….blah blah blahJust a bunch of blacks Cambodia…..etc etc etc etc etc etc Iraq Civil War?????Shunni/Shi’ite/Kurd ….. Get the US out and let the Fight it out until there all dead tehn give the land to the JEWS …. What a solution then we could have them killed of as well…..I should be a leader of the free world….Afghanistan, Public executions and Floggings became regular events at Afghan Soccer stadiums. For frivolous activities like kite flying were outlawed, music gone, barbers gone, T.V, Internet, gone. Had to have a beard or you were beaten. AAHHH the treatment of women, forbade girls to go to school, barred from working outside the home, precipitating a crisis in health care and eduction. Were do I join this group of man called the TALIBAN, love there thoughts what a fun loving group, only if I to could keep women oppressed…..HMMM
Do you remember Nichola Goddard? Do you remember any of the other soldiers killed or wounded in Afghanistan? Do you realize that most soldiers are university educated, not “generally dumb and underinformed”?I bring up Nichola because her dad was one of my BEd profs at StFX. During her eulogy her dad remarked upon a conversation that he had with Nichola before she left Canada. Tim Goddard argued, “that education is the key to development for the minority and marginalized peoples of this world, for the poor and the oppressed and those in greatest peril, and that by working with teachers and other community workers we could help them develop the strategies that would be right for their context and would help them achieve their own emancipation. We ought to seek democracy and civil society through Paulo Friere’s notions of a pedagogy of the oppressed.” Quick as a flash she punctured my professorial balloon. “You can’t do that when the bad guys run things, dad”, she said, “they just shoot you. You have to have peace and good government in order for the rest to happen. I do what I do so you can do what you do.”While I think the “war on terror” is a crock fueling the oil industry and a few fat pockets, the need for our military in places like Afghanistan is critical to the people of that nation and others similarly oppressed. Maybe the oppressed would like to see their sons and daughters have the privilege and ability to address their concerns through a website. Wouldn’t they think it grand that their childrens’ biggest concern in life was a tit-for-tat posting scenario?Before you jump to assumptions, please understand that I am a big peace loving idealist who would rather expose frauds, lies, and extortion for what it really is than sit around and praise military action (particularly when it is the sham kind playing out in Iraq). But I am old enough, and perhaps wise enough, to know that sometimes you need to fight for human rights – even humans who are nameless and faceless and far away from our taken-for-granted Canadian comforts. Not all military action is good action, but by the same token, not all military action is bad action.http://www.ucalgary.ca/oncampus/weekly/june2-06/eulogy.html
You’re watching too much American TV. Canada isn’t in Afghanistan to “give you the ability to write on this website”, it’s giving others the opportunity to do so. Guess what, people in Afghanistan don’t get to grow up in comfortable suburban homes that have wireless internet and free local newspapers to sit around and contemplate if the people around them make intelligent decisions with their lives. The Afghanistan mission is supposed to give the afghan people stability and freedom, comforts we take for granted. Maybe it would have been better for Canadians not to get involved for Canada’s sake but if the UN mission sees completion (along with the re-building efforts)then these “generally dumb and under informed” people you refer to will have done greatly unselfish acts for others who have experienced much less relaxing lives. You call freedom a buzz word. Do you think the people living in Afghanistan also roll their eyes at the over-used and empty expression of freedom? Maybe, just maybe you’re opinions are just as biased as those you rudely slander. You think you aren’t a pawn? Ha! You are paying for the war in Afghanistan.
Before you open mouth and insert foot, you may wish to examine the state of world events a little closer. Islamic extremists have no wish to negotiate with us, the infidels. Nothing short of complete extermination of anyone who does not agree and abide with their fanatical point of view will be acceptable. There is and will not be a “meeting of the minds” with the people who hold these beliefs. Canada has been lucky thus far in that we’ve not had a terrorist attack…yet. But don’t kid yourself. We are most definitely on the list of targets and it’s not a question of “if”, but “when”. I’m betting you would feel very differently about your freedom and the men and women who are defending your right to it when you find yourself without it. I’m extremely grateful to the brave men and women fighting for Canada and our allies. Sure. They made the choice to fight. And thank God they did. We’re in for a bumpy ride. Anyone remember Hitler? Brace yourself. This one is going to be a doozy.
I agree completely. RATM said it best”You justify those who died by wearing the badge, those who die are justified by wearing the badge”And I know people in the military. My brother has been serving in the military for over 6 years now. And he is exactly like the rest of them. God knows I love my brother, but I will not support his opinions and decisions on this war. Its beaten into his head that this is right, and all these people are heros.As for the military, it sometimes makes me sick. I went to school with a young boy for 8 years. He was in special ed classes. He was exempted from Math all throughout high school and had 2 free periods a day where they did behavioural courses.He joined the miltary and has been serviing with my brother for hte last 3 years. Im sorry but its incredibly scary knowing people like that are supposed to be whats “protecting” me. And how happy they are to be using guns is also scary. My brothers myspace page, is covered in guns and camo. fantastic right….. heros right… yeah… im sure.
indoctrination’you can fool some people sometimes but you can’t fool all the people all the time’ -bob marley