The problem of our military worshipping culture

[treestar]

30. It's an interesting issue

Because ironically, there is an attempt to elevate some people over others. If we're old or female we can't serve in combat. And it's the ultimate collective thing, which right wingers hate.

I used to tell them in their post 911 glory that if indeed the soldiers are fighting for our freedom, theirs is included too and they just happen to be the ones qualified by age and gender for combat - why should they expect adulation? It's entirely in their interests, too. They should support us as much as we support them. We like them, paid taxes to be used to give them clothes, weapons, etc., while they do their part.

With the volunteer military, there is some element of their making that choice to be heroic, which is why some argue for the draft - make it fall on everybody and it's not so glorified. It just falls on those who happen to be in fighting condition at the time. Then again that will change as it becomes more a matter of technology than brawn.

And then there are those who do it for their own glory anyway, not for the country. We don't need to "thank" those as they are getting what they want at our expense.

There are bad apples, too, as in all jobs categories - the ones who use the opportunity to do awful things, like Abu Ghraib and such incidents.

So it is far more complex than just mindless adulation.