The problem of our military worshipping culture

[sarisataka]

5. From the other side

It was interesting to see so many violent reactions in another thread about a military tradition of an honor guard, and how many people were aghast that some were not properly respectful and admiring of our great military and its grand heroes. Even supposed left leaning Democrats were sounding a bit right winger-ish, tossing around terms like "unpatriotic" and so on for the apparently unpardonable sin that some posters didn't seem to feel awe and reverence for the pomp and ceremony of a military tradition.

It was also interesting to see how many went out of their way to make unnecessary, venomous comments and broad brush condemnations of anyone who would join the military or in any way respect those who do.

This worship of all things military seems deeply ingrained into our culture, with this theme pounded into our psyche almost daily. I always remember what I find to be a particularly repellent commercial/public service message that seems to play often around Christmas, where in an airport some soldiers are walking through, apparently having just got off a plane, and spontaneous applause breaks out and spreads among the regular citizens who are in the airport and notice the soldiers. I just find this eye-rolling in its blatant propagandist message personally.

If the country is so lock-step military worshiping, how come less than 1% actually are in the military. I also believe the total number of vets is less than 10% now. Shouldn't recruiters have people lined up around the block to join?

By putting this concept of {military = patriotism and heroes} implanted so deep into the people, we of course are much more likely to support wars and military action, because after all, you have to support the troops, right? If you don't then you are just being a low-life and must hate America, or so the thinking and messaging goes. It's even a bit insidious how this all works, in my humble opinion. Anyones' opinions on this topic are welcome.

I disagree that it causes people to support military action more. Many recognize that the majority of those who join the military are patriotic. They believe in the principles the country was founded on. Unlike 99% of the population they are willing to step up and lay their life on the line to defend those principles.
Does that mean people who do not join are unpatriotic-no
Does it mean that police, firemen, teachers, aid workers etc. do not also face risks and do not also give service to the country-no
Has the trust the military places in the civilian leadership been abused and they have been sent into dubious conflicts-yes

Is it fair to single out those who have chosen this career, be it for 2 years, 30 years or until death, and ridicule the respect they have for those who have gone before... to heap derision upon them for bad choices made by politicians... to drop them all into a stereotype bucket that if applied to other groups would bring out a mob of condemnation and accusations of racism, sexism, classism and many other 'isms'...
That is for you to answer to yourself...

For myself, proud to have served, proud of my brothers and sisters who carry on. I accept them knowing the near superhuman courage and potential some have and acknowledging the all to human faults and shortcomings they have.