Forced troop worship and compulsory patriotism must end

[Locutus]

David Burge ‏@iowahawkblog

Stop calling this guy a hero, says that guy

http://www.salon.com/2014/11/09/you_dont_protect_my_freedom_our_childish_insistence_on_calling_soldiers_heroes_deadens_real_democracy/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow …

You don’t protect my freedom: Our childish insistence on calling soldiers heroes deadens real democracy

It's been 70 years since we fought a war about freedom.

Put a man in uniform, preferably a white man, give him a gun, and Americans will worship him. It is a particularly childish trait, of a childlike culture, that insists on anointing all active military members and police officers as “heroes.” The rhetorical sloppiness and intellectual shallowness of affixing such a reverent label to everyone in the military or law enforcement betrays a frightening cultural streak of nationalism, chauvinism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, but it also makes honest and serious conversations necessary for the maintenance and enhancement of a fragile democracy nearly impossible.

It has become impossible to go a week without reading a story about police brutality, abuse of power and misuse of authority. Michael Brown’s murder represents the tip of a body pile, and in just the past month, several videos have emerged of police assaulting people, including pregnant women, for reasons justifiable only to the insane.


more


You don’t protect my freedom: Our childish insistence on calling soldiers heroes deadens real democracy - Salon.com

 

[SLM]

Loc, why do you do this when I have to go to work? FML, now I have to be brief!

Anyone who thinks it's a uniform and a uniform alone that garners respect does not understand the term respect. It's the symbolic representation of what that uniform represents, that someone is willing (whether you agree with the premise of the actions of war or not, and quite often I do not) but that someone is willing to put their life on the line for you. I know some may feel strongly that it represents something else, and to each their own, but that's what it represents to me.

Behaviour is an entirely different matter, and bad or poor behaviour of someone who wears such a uniform and holds such a representation, needs to be held to a very high standard, in my opinion. But that's a completely different topic.

 

[CDNBear]

Buddy makes a valid point.

 

[B00Mer]

Buddy makes a valid point.

So many Canadians have served this country with pride and honor, pledging to keep their fellow citizens free. So many have paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep this promise.

They are heroes in every sense of the word.

 

[SLM]

Buddy makes a valid point.

Which point?

 

[Walter]

Old story about the bundle of sticks, Chris Hayes.

 

[CDNBear]

Which point?

The annointing, of anyone that dawns the uniform as a hero. It waters down the word and pays disservice to truly heroic men.

Like Quaker medics that went into battle unarmed, and saved scores of men. Or Privates that charge machine gun nests with nothing but a side arm and a well placed grenade, to save countless brothers pinned down, and dying fast.

They didn't just put the uniform on, they put courage in it, they put honour in it.

The uniform doesn't do that. The man does.

So many Canadians have served this country with pride and honor, pledging to keep their fellow citizens free. So many have paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep this promise.

They are heroes in every sense of the word.

That's your opinion, and a fair one, it simply differs from mine.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

I have long hated the term hero.

 

[B00Mer]

That's your opinion, and a fair one, it simply differs from mine.

Yup and we agree to disagree..

Unlike other members, I'm not going to sling insults and call you names.. :lol:

Your opinion is valid as is mine.

I understand what you're thinking, that year we have not had a War that truly defends our freedoms as WWII. Nevertheless, like a Fireman or Policeman that runs to the fire or crime scene, others run away.

We should always thank those that serve us, in a Civil or Military capacity. Remember in natural disasters, some of those first responders are those of the Military. All Heroes to me.

 

[CDNBear]

We should always thank those that serve us, in a Civil or Military capacity. Remember in natural disasters, some of those first responders are those of the Military. All Heroes to me.

I get that, I honestly believe the application of the label 'hero', is purely to express ones gut feeling of immense thanks and appreciation.

There's nothing truly wrong with that.

 

[Tecumsehsbones]

I think the term "hero" has been watered down too much. It's all too often used these days to describe someone who has merely achieved adequacy.

Traditionally, a "hero" was someone who, by dint of exceptional fortitude, courage, and effort, either achieved something great or overcame extreme danger, disadvantage, &c.

I'm not sure somebody who served four years as a chaplain's clerk in Kansas qualifies. Or even someone who served in Iraq or Afghanistan, unless they fit one of the criteria above. Or even someone who was killed in a war.

Admirable? Yes. Courageous? You bet. Worthy of having their efforts and sacrifices celebrated? Absolutely. But heroes? Not so sure.

It's why I've never been comfortable with the Purple Heart, which is the U.S. medal for being wounded in action. You don't have to be smart or brave or do anything worthy of emulation to get wounded. At least half the recipients were just unlucky.

 

[CDNBear]

The ease in which one could gain a Purple Heart was lampooned on MASH when Burns was awarded 1 for throwing his back out dancing with Houlihan, and another for getting an egg shell in his eye.

 

[Blackleaf]

Just your usual Left-wing loon. The amount of people who agree with him? Just an assortment of other Left-wing loons - a great deal of whom are on this forum - who probably wouldn't be able to fill Wembley Stadium.

These people may occasionally whinge from time to time everytime Remembrance Sunday nears and poppies are in abundance (I've had it myself from Tecumsehbones on the Tower of London poppies thread) but they are, by and large, largely ignored by 99.9% of the populace who, year on year on year, continue to give thanks to those soldiers who gave their lives for their freedom.

We all know that the Left do not speak for the vast majority of the populace. This guy will be forgotten about this time next year. But those troops who gave their lives won't.

 

[bluebyrd35]

Just your usual Left-wing loon. The amount of people who agree with him? Just an assortment of other Left-wing loons - a great deal of whom are on this forum - who probably wouldn't be able to fill Wembley Stadium.

These people may occasionally whinge from time to time everytime Remembrance Sunday nears and poppies are in abundance (I've had it myself from Tecumsehbones on the Tower of London poppies thread) but they are, by and large, largely ignored by 99.9% of the populace who, year on year on year, continue to give thanks to those soldiers who gave their lives for their freedom.

We all know that the Left do not speak for the vast majority of the populace. This guy will be forgotten about this time next year. But those troops who gave their lives won't.

Now agree totally with the article and do not see worshipping a uniform.


The difference between the Tower of London Poppies is it was the last war Canadians and Americans fought for freedom, the rest of the wars fought after the Second World were for gain of one sort or another.


The Tower of London Poppies represent those who served in the last war begun for world freedom. The wars that are perpetrated to impose morals, religion, or simply to gain control of assets, do not qualify as honorable wars and those serving have to be judged individually by their actions not the uniforms they wear; just as civilians are.

What honor do rapists, murderers of innocent civilians in the name of freedom deserve?...nada, rein, none. I imagine it would be really tough for an honorable man, believing the patriotic drivel when enlisting, to find they have been duped once again by greedy and self-serving politicians.

How must they feel being forced into behaving more like invading barbarians to conquer people rather than free them? Does degeneration of moral values occur? Seems so in retrospect to me.

 

[EagleSmack]

Preferably a white man...

Geez

 

[Nuggler]

Someone should really talk to el Harpo bout this.

Highway of heros, etc.

Then don't pay the disability to the ones that came back not quite whole.

Or; we can jump on the bandwagon and practice flag-wrapping 101. Kindly leave your intellect at the door.

 

[taxslave]

David Burge ‏@iowahawkblog

Stop calling this guy a hero, says that guy

http://www.salon.com/2014/11/09/you_dont_protect_my_freedom_our_childish_insistence_on_calling_soldiers_heroes_deadens_real_democracy/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow …

You don’t protect my freedom: Our childish insistence on calling soldiers heroes deadens real democracy

It's been 70 years since we fought a war about freedom.

Put a man in uniform, preferably a white man, give him a gun, and Americans will worship him. It is a particularly childish trait, of a childlike culture, that insists on anointing all active military members and police officers as “heroes.” The rhetorical sloppiness and intellectual shallowness of affixing such a reverent label to everyone in the military or law enforcement betrays a frightening cultural streak of nationalism, chauvinism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism, but it also makes honest and serious conversations necessary for the maintenance and enhancement of a fragile democracy nearly impossible.

It has become impossible to go a week without reading a story about police brutality, abuse of power and misuse of authority. Michael Brown’s murder represents the tip of a body pile, and in just the past month, several videos have emerged of police assaulting people, including pregnant women, for reasons justifiable only to the insane.


more


You don’t protect my freedom: Our childish insistence on calling soldiers heroes deadens real democracy - Salon.com

ANd to think that people in uniform died to give him the right to be an idiot.

 

[Sal]

Someone should really talk to el Harpo bout this.

Highway of heros, etc.

Then don't pay the disability to the ones that came back not quite whole.

Or; we can jump on the bandwagon and practice flag-wrapping 101. Kindly leave your intellect at the door.

hm, now I'm pulled because I like Highway of Heroes as it honours our dead but I don't think just wearing a uniform constitutes heroism

also they are disabled if they come back not quite whole and our society supports those who are disabled...not well but we do

 

[bluebyrd35]

Someone should really talk to el Harpo bout this.

Highway of heros, etc.

Then don't pay the disability to the ones that came back not quite whole.

Or; we can jump on the bandwagon and practice flag-wrapping 101. Kindly leave your intellect at the door.

I know our government doesn't treat those returning "not quite whole, physically or mentally" fairly. I find that absolutely disgraceful. And those who travel the Highway of Heroes are to be honored, not for going to war but for their belief in their government's ideals. . It is just so sad that they gave their lives for their belief in a government without morals or ideals.

 

[CDNBear]

Preferably a white man...

Geez

Remember the good ole days when they said "preferably a black man", lol.