My reaction to Bill Richardson’s guest commentary of Dec. 28, “Young warriors a truly special breed,” is dismay. Although I respect his service as master police officer, and appreciate most of his contributions to the Tribune, I must comment that some of the opinions in this article are historically naive, on one hand, and disingenuous on the other.
He states that “war is war.” This is not true. Some wars are necessary for survival, others are opportunistic and political. We did not have to invade Afghanistan with our military forces; we got Bin Laden with a minimum of expense and loss of life. The invasion of Iraq was a hoax and sham; we could have removed Sadam with a drone or missile attack. Yet Mr. Richardson praises his young visiting warrior as a hero willing to put his life on the line and “bravely venture into the jaws of death” for his country. As this soldier leaves the Richardson home, he knows there will be another war that he will be a part of.
What really irritates me is that Mr. Richardson is amazed as to where we find young people who are willing to do this. Is it possible that he does not realize that we purposely glorify war, combat, and violence in our culture? We provide children with toy weapons, and violent combat videos, movies, and television programs; our adult children play with paintball weapons in mock battles. We encourage our citizens to participate in football to ensure that they develop the “camaraderie that comes with those you share danger with.”
Mr. Richardson, were you never young? Have you forgotten that growing up is a process of mental growth and maturation? Most people become wiser as they age. Why are you so naive as to wonder why young people become soldiers? They are adventuresome, idealistic, impressionable, and yearning for recognition; most of them have been duped by propaganda extolling the glory of fighting for fame, folk, and fatherland. Your obsequious, ingratiating pandering belies the underlying need to thank them for doing a “job” that you would not want your own child or grandchild to have to do.
In earlier centuries in Europe, whenever a political leader, king, prince, or lord decided to fight a war, he conscripted peasants to do the fighting. When things got serious so that the middle class and aristocracy were called on to join in the fight, they paid poor citizens to take their places. As we all know, Mr. Richardson, there are relatively few wealthy or otherwise influential people in our country who volunteer to serve in the military.
What is needed is for the leaders of this country to stop conducting political wars that serve specialized interests, such as those of the military-industrial complex. The Constitution used to require that only Congress declare war. When it was necessary to do so (for example, WWII), the draft was instituted; most citizens contributed in some way to defeat tyranny. I think you know, Mr. Richardson, why no one is complaining that we ignore these provisions. We know that most people are glad to abide by the Constitution in most other respects. The most glaring examples are the First Amendment, which the Supreme Court ruled protects the right of companies to produce and proliferate to children grotesquely violent videos, and the Second Amendment, which is interpreted to ensure the right of all citizens to arm themselves with semi-automatic combat weapons.
War is not intrinsic to our human nature. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, there are three great abominations, or “Triple Evils”: racism, poverty, and war. However, humans have made great progress toward ameliorating the first two; there is no reason to assume that we cannot make progress toward eliminating war. But the first step is refusing to accept war as natural and inevitable!
As Dr. King stated, “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death” (from “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Boston: Beacon Press, 1967).
G. Johnson
Chandler
Masterrogue666 posted at 1:10 am on Thu, Jan 24, 2013.
Yes, I think prostitution SHOULD BE legalized for males or females! It's their body, they should use it as they see fit! AS LONG AS THEY PAY TAXES!
Also, it may actually, directly or indirectly, decrease sex crimes.....
Cerulean posted at 7:21 am on Tue, Jan 22, 2013.
Leon Ceniceros lies. So by his thinking, should we all lie, make up falsehoods and wallow in dishonesty as a rule to live by?
Leon Ceniceros posted at 7:19 am on Sun, Jan 20, 2013.
Martin Luther King was a Marxist (admitted his beliefs to friends but didn't have the intestinal fortitude to admit it to the News Media just like our "Fallen Idol" du jour, Lance "I never took drugs" Armstrong).
Also, Martin Luther King was "visited" by prostitutes as per FBI surveillance.
So by your way of thinking that America should "emulate" Dr. King, does you mean that America should become "Marxist" and that prostitution should be legalized???
truth posted at 2:31 pm on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
[thumbup]
VofReason posted at 1:03 pm on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
People like this author always confuse me. They speak as if they have an intimate knowledge of situations where they surely don't. They ascribe as they know a better path then people who devote their lives to the military and mostly take great pain in putting young Americans into harms way. Everyone has opinions, but unless you have some great connection into geopolitics, military intelligance, and seeing the future, this is just an opinion with no real backing. Shouldn't we all give respect to those who would put their lives on the line for our security and freedom? If not, should we then question the courage and heroism of police officers as situationally the facts of each scenerio may have different oppinion or understanding? Presuming war will go away presumes there is no evil in the world. Who believes that?
sockratties posted at 12:57 pm on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
I was going to post but the %@#*king spam filter prevented it. This site is really broken!
Bluepoet posted at 12:27 pm on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
Hmm, had this trouble, yesterday, too...I posted and nothing showed up plus lost the post, then re-posted, only to find that both posts showed up...I apologize for the over-posting, but really, what's up with that?!!
DonMey posted at 11:50 am on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
Just thought I'd point out that Bush DID get Congressional approval...(Obama opted not to)
Bluepoet posted at 10:34 am on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
Ok, I've deleted cookies, from my browser...maybe that's got something to do with it...
G. Johnson, a very thoughtful look at war. I enjoyed reading it, and agree with your assessment, with very few exceptions. Really, the only exception I have is where you assert that war is not intrinsic to human nature. I submit that it is, at least on a primitive, instinctual level. We are capable of overcoming this, however, because we are self aware, and therefore able to change our behaviors.
Whether we can do so, on a large enough scale to keep from self destruction as a species, remains to be seen.
Bluepoet posted at 10:27 am on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
I'm having trouble, too AZ...I think this site is in dire need of administration--in updating content and form. If I were in IT, I'd be applying for a job!
Bluepoet posted at 10:14 am on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
I don't agree with all of the stated opinions G. Johnson puts forth, but I do agree 100% with his distinction between fighting/staging limited, political police action-type wars and the only real reason to go to War--to fight an imminent threat to our country.
You can tell the difference--real wars are all out, and no holds barred. The others are more of the "take this hill", now leave, now take it again, variety. Recently, there has been a branching out of these "limited engagements", into the arena of PR and training the occupied people how to defend themselves, thereby ensuring that, 20yrs. down the road, they will become a well-armed enemy, in case we need to make some money, in the arms trade. All in the name of Democracy and even Peace.
Arizona Willie posted at 8:58 am on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
SURE GLAD I'M NOT PAYING FOR THIS P.O.C.
Arizona Willie posted at 8:57 am on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
Wish they would tell us what the rules are for that GD SPAM FILTER.
Arizona Willie posted at 8:57 am on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
I've tried to post on two different subjects this morning and the SPAM FILTER won't let me post on either one.
Arizona Willie posted at 8:56 am on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
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Cerulean posted at 8:54 am on Thu, Jan 17, 2013.
[thumbup][thumbup] When war is glorified but not necessary, it is Sin.