There will probably be parades – and politicians – who will assure us how devoted they are to those who served in the Armed Forces – and “sale-a-brations” by automobile dealers eager to move that rapidly depreciating inventory.
Unfortunately, there will also be some of this sentiment : copied word-for-word (less a Poster’s name) from a political website:
So how many more Veterans Day must be endured before We as a nation just come clean and say that our Armed Forces have been lied to, to go to wars that have nothing to do with the U.S. being in danger of invasion and getting over run and occupied by foreign armies. No ——–, the truth is, our armed forces are sacrificed and go to war on behalf of Corporations. Plain and simple.
How the hell do you respond to somebody with that mindset ?
You know – intellectually – the person who posted that seems to be channeling the words of USMC Major General Smedley Darlington Butler : perhaps the most decorated Marine of all time , who retired at the end of a remarkable career because he was passed over for promotion to Commandant of the Corps.
War, General Butler announced, is a racket-and troops were being butchered to satisfy corporate greed.
Butler would certainly have had such an experience during the so-called “Banana Wars”-fought in Latin America for the benefit of corporate fruit growers, bankers, and such…during an era in which National interests and Corporate interests were often so entwined as to be inseparable.
Butler was arguably ” a bit off” – but he is still one of my heroes : the man who exposed the American Liberty League’s plan to overthrow the government by armed revolution.
The League was sponsored and funded by an impressive list of major corporations – all worried about the new Roosevelt administration. It included supporters from both political parties ( H.S. Truman, for example) , and because hungry WWI veterans were in desperate need of the Bonuses they had been promised, there was no shortage of able bodies to march behind Butler – should he choose to lead them.
Butler turned down the offer to become the first American Dictator – and briefed a secret committee of Congress on the plot – thereby frustrating it.
At some point, Butler became involved with the so-called Isolationists (whose echos we still hear today) – notably the Left wing portion -probably because it was so well organized ; but, when Hitler double-crossed Stalin and invaded Russia, the Leftists began calling for American intervention (!) : leaving Butler sitting almost alone, and probably wondering where everybody had gone.
When WWII dawned, he offered to lead troops again- but was politely refused.
The anti-war rhetoric he had been proclaiming had come to an end – and- like the Old Soldier of the song, Smedley Darlington Butler ” just faded away”.
His era is long gone (although some believe a new version of ALL is still plotting behind the scenes) , and a new generation sees things differently : choosing to believe-apparently-the several conflicts after WWII – in which raging Communist tides were turned back or contained were all expressions of corporate greed.
Though the US gets very little of its oil from Iraq or Libya , the Left/Anti-War coalition want us to believe our struggles in Iraq and Afghanistan are attempts to seize Middle East oilfields : fields we were most certainly in practical possession of during the armed interventions but declined to keep .
“But look !”, the Coalitionists whine.” Corporations are making money on these conflicts !”
Again: how in hell do you reason with someone who cannot /does not want to separate cause from effect ?
I don’t know about you, but at this point , I’m weary of trying to reason with unreasonable people ; so : for Veterans’ Day , instead of arguing, I’m going to write a check to The Paralyzed Veterans of America – and I’m going to wish it could be more !
In case you’re interested, look em up at : http://www.SupportVeterans.org
mrmeangenes 