I'm sorry but "Protecting Our Freedoms" is pure Bullshit

[Saboburns]

Check that, I'm not sorry.

"Protecting Our Freedom" is pure Bullshit. And I hear it before/during most all sporting events and political rhetoric, during prayers and sermons, from Republicans and Democrats, goat herders and bartenders.

This in no way a slam on any member/unit/service branch of our fine military. I myself am a veteran of the US Navy (Seabees). The way I see it the US Military is performing a duty. BUT IT AIN'T PROTECTING OUR FREEDOMS!!

Protecting our safety is more accurate of their role.

But certainly not protecting our Freedoms.

Hell, the people who actually protect our Freedoms, the ACLU, are despised by 75% of the population.

Go figure.

Anyway I needed to vent about this matter.

Rant Off.

[opihimoimoi]

1. Yup, it skirts the real deal....BUILDING our FREEDOMS is more like it I guess

Make it STRONGER....

[L. Coyote]

28. The freedom to invade Ohio, the freedom to keep Indians in concentration camps indefinitely

Indefinite detention is nothing new if you are a Native American!

Freedom to Commit Genocide built the USA.
Under British law, invading the Ohio Nations was a criminal act!!

[Oregone]

2. "The way I see it the US Military is performing a duty"

I see it more like a job. You perform labor, and in exchange, you get paid. Some people love their job, and some people hate it (like other careers). Perhaps, it is a job that even offers more benefits (especially for the quality of workers it has) than other professions those workers would be in (including skills training, education, pensions, lifetime entitlements occasionally).

Unfortunately, although it is merely a job, the function of such is primarily to fulfill the imperialistic wishes of the ruling class of our country, who are not always benevolent to the world and acting in altruism. It is also a job that may encourage its workers, by command, to betray their principles and commit actions that they may consider as moral "wrongs" (murder/torture/domination/occupation).

[Buzz Clik]

3. Sounds like a lot of semantics.

[Jack Bone]

4. I'd be hard pressed to disagree w/ you..considering what's..

going on right now in the world. But as we look back, which is what we're supposed to do today, as a nation...one might see situations where those who fell in service were in fact, protecting our freedoms...War of 1812? Civil War? and arguably others. It's up to the individual..I suppose.

I myself, am a Navy vet too....agree w/ you somewhat...but there's always an exception here or there.

[rateyes]

5. I agree. I get irked, too, when I hear the President (and, I've heard it from both parties)

say that his #1 job is to keep the American people safe. No, his first job is to keep the American people FREE.

Patrick Henry didn't say: "Give me liberty so long as you can keep me safe." He said: "Give me liberty, or give me death."

When we trade freedom for safety, we cease to be American.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

6. I think you are absolutely correct!

And the deal really is the freedoms being protected are Corporate America's freedoms not ours. We are pawns in the worldwide game of money making and the military is used to ensure the cash flow isn't interuppted.

[TahitiNut]

7. Yeah ... and windmills pose no threat, either.

:eyes:

It's tragic that the message of 'Don Quixote' is apparently beyond the ken of so many.

[Canuckistanian]

8. I always like to use Sweden as an example of freedom

Are the Swedes any less free than Americans?

And yet they don't feel the need to send soldiers all over the world or set up worldwide military bases to maintain THEIR freedom.

And you're right. The biggest danger to your basic freedoms comes right from within America itself.

Look, America is the world's biggest military superpower. No one would DARE invade the US if they cherished their own safety. You left all other competitors in the dust LONG ago.

Americans have the LEAST reason to worry about external forces attacking or enslaving their people.

So I never get that "Protecting Our Freedoms" line, either.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

17. Bingo! n/t

[TexasObserver]

9. In the context of Memorial Day, it's not bullshit, it's largely true.

Memorial Day honors those who died in service to the country. Certainly, some of the US military actions have been of dubious intent, and were not protecting anyone's freedom. However, most of those who have died in service to the country did so in WWI or WWII. Both of those wars did fight to preserve freedoms.

We can honor the others who died in service for their sacrifice, even if the war for which they died was short of protecting our freedoms. Most of them didn't know that when they died. They did the duty the country asked of them, and that included giving their life.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. World War I was no fight for freedom

It was basically a bunch of (mostly) monarchies that had built up military industrial complexes and were itching to use them.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was only an excuse. The monarchs of Britain, Russia, and Germany (all of them grandsons of Queen Victoria) fought a family game of one-upsmanship on the backs of millions of idealistic youth and innocent civilians. You may recall the chain reaction: A Serbian radical assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of Austria. Austria declared war on Serbia (which makes no more sense than pulverizing Afghanistan to get Osama bin Laden, but that's what happened), and Russia, self-styled "defender of the Slavs," came in on the side of Serbia. Germany was allied with Austria, and came in on that side. Britain and France were allied with Russia. I may not have the exact order correct, but basically, the major countries of Europe were brought into a pointless, fiendishly destructive war by pre-existing treaties.

For example, over 19,000 British troops were killed in the first hour of the Battle of the Somme, and nearly a million had died by the end of the war. You really see it if you visit a place like Oxford and see that every college you visit has a memorial wall with hundreds of names of alumni who died in World War I. And that's just the elites of that society.

Despite the Zimmerman note, none of the combatants in World War I were any real threat to the U.S. The Atlantic Ocean was a formidable barrier in the days when there were no long-range military aircraft.

Not only that, the aftermath of the war, in which Germany was blamed for starting it and was required to pay crippling reparations, directly laid the ground for the rise of Hitler. (Germany was the most scientifically advanced country in Europe with the highest standard of living before WWI, so there may have been jealousy involved.)

Kaiser Wilhelm was no saint, but he was about average for monarchs of the period, and with a stable government in Germany, Hitler would have been just another forgotten loser.

Nope, World War I was no glorious crusade, just a sordid little family feud blown out of proportion by the technology of the time.

[Saboburns]

16. For the record

I stated that I applaud the Military and honor their noble sacrifices.

But the point you see, is that Protecting Our Freedoms plays very little part of it.

And that's a VERY important point to me.

VERY important.

(I'd like to see the ACLU receive more honor for their noble efforts to actually Protect Our Freedoms)

[TexasObserver]

26. I agree that our freedoms are protected by those who fight for them HERE.

And I reject those annoying emails, posters, and bumper stickers which say our freedoms are bought by soldiers. They are not. They are bought by those Americans who bravely insist that our freedoms here be honored by government and its enforcers.

[MADem]

10. Well, send 'em all home, then.

When the Chinese arrive and subjugate us without a fight (hey, no military--they're all at home!) so that they can use our farmland to feed their exploding population, we'll see how "free" we all feel. I suspect we'd start feeling a bit hungry, for starters.


I'm old, so I would not have to worry about it for as long as the young folks might. I'm skilled at languages but I don't think I've got the plasticity to learn cantonese or mandarin or what-have-you to have any sort of fluency at this stage in my life.

75% of the population "despises" the ACLU? Who knew?

[roody]

12. Maybe they will give us health care!

[MADem]

13. I wouldn't hold my breath. nt

[Saboburns]

18. You seem a bit convinced that China has American-like Empire ambitions

I find it very interesting, and have my entire life, to watch Americans project our own Empire based ambitions upon many, many other nations.

There's no need to be frightened of China and it's amazing ascent upon the world stage.

Don't be frightened, be glad for them.

[MADem]

27. I've thought that since the sixties. And so have many people. For good reason.

I don't think they give a shit about "us" so much, but rather, our resources.

We don't give a shit about "them" over in the middle east....we're after their resources. That's why we went over there and mucked about.

The USA is the bread basket of the world. There are a lot of mouths to feed over China way.

Don't read into my viewpoint more than is there. It's a simple "do the math" exercise.

And if they need food, and there's lots of 'em, there's reason for concern. How do you handle a Hungry Man?

[proteus_lives]

36. Be wary.

Well, seeing how China has treat their own people for the last fifty years makes me wary. The CCP slaughtered millions of Chinese people for that "amazing ascent" you're gushing over.

[roody]

22. Maybe they will give us reduced class sizes in school.

If they are like Cuba, those damn commies, student-teacher ratio is 1:15.

[timtom]

14. Stuff and nonsense!

Mandarin is quite easy to learn.

[MADem]

15. I sure hope so, if it comes to having to learn it!! nt

[stray cat]

19. What have you done for the country lately that has cost you anything?

I may agree with your premise - but I personally haven't sacrificed anything for my country that seems to give me the right to preach against those who have served - dead or alive.

[Saboburns]

21. See, I'm not preaching against the Military

I'm pointing out that invading and occupying Korea, Vietnam, Iraq (Twice), and Afghnistan had nothing to do with Protecting my Freedoms.

Nothing at all.

[proteus_lives]

37. Agreed on Iraq and Vietnam

But Afghanistan is still playing out and Korea was very necessary. They were (and are) our allies. We (and the UN) could not abide by North Korea's illegal invasion.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

24. "preach against" ????

I saw no "preaching" at all - just an honest concern of this way too often used wording -

If you believe that our soldiers are dying in Iraq to preserve our freedoms - I think your belief is misplaced. Iraq was not a threat to the U.S. - People are dying there because of a twisted pile of shit thrown at the wall in which enough of it stuck and the sheeple were led to believe we needed to make the bad boogieman go away.

Our freedoms are not under attack except by the corporatists and religion. You want to save your freedom? Do away with mindless belief in a deity and regulate the fuckers on Wall Street.

No one is saying the military does not perform a valuable service - it's how it is framed... We are told that if we do not send armed men and women to all corners of the world and build military bases our freedom will be taken away. NAFTA is more dangerous to your loss of freedom as we sell out to the Chinese... Stop selling out our work force, manufacture our products here, quit outsourcing our services and become strong from within. Support UNIONS...

[lib_wit_it]

35. Unions!? What are ya--a fuckin' commie?

Seriously, though, you're so right about religion and corporations, but I don't hold out much hope that we can do a damn thing about either. Brainwashed American morons and those corporate fuckers who stole our money are in charge now.

[nichomachus]

20. The last time the freedom of the US was in jeopardy

was the War of 1812.

[14thColony]

32. Even then

Britain launched nothing more than a series of punitive expeditions to spank us for invading Canada. With the Napoleonic Wars raging, they had neither time nor resources to devote to conquest of the US.

[stevietheman]

33. I would add World War II to that.

Do you really think Hitler would have stopped with Europe? Or Hirohito with Asia?

[Ezlivin]

23. FTN

There was a reason that acronym was so damned popular in the Navy.

Of all the men and women I served with never once did I hear "To protect our freedom" as the reason they joined. Most simply wanted to work and have a steady income. Others were there because it was that or jail.

Veterans are usually the most sober when it comes to the histrionics of heroism.

General Smedley Butler said it best: "War is a racket."

And some of the other things he said were:

"Why don't those damned oil companies fly their own flags on their personal property—maybe a flag with a gas pump on it."

"So, by developing the Napoleonic system—the medal business—the government learned it could get soldiers for less money, because the boys liked to be decorated. Until the Civil War there were no medals. Then the Congressional Medal of Honor was handed out. It made enlistments easier. After the Civil War no new medals were issued until the Spanish-American War.

In the World War, we used propaganda to make the boys accept conscription. They were made to feel ashamed if they didn't join the army.

So vicious was this war propaganda that even God was brought into it. With few exceptions our clergymen joined in the clamor to kill, kill, kill. To kill the Germans. God is on our side...it is His will that the Germans be killed."

And so it goes...

[nini]

25. They go hand in hand though

Protecting our safety insures our freedoms aren't put upon by outside forces.

But, I understand your sentiment here.

[pnutbutr]

29. Thank you for protecting our freedoms and the ACLU sucks

Hope you had a good memorial day. I appreciate your service to our country and the job you did in protecting our freedoms.

BTW, I disagree with absolutely everything you said, even the part about the ACLU.
Any group that does this

The American Civil Liberties Union has asked a judge to dismiss what it calls an "unconstitutional" lawsuit against a national pedophile organization being sued in a wrongful death case after two of the group's members brutally raped and murdered a 10-year-old boy.

deserves not the slightest bit of support or respect from me.

and how bout this one

Child Pornographer Turns Out to Be a Federal Defender and Ex-ACLU Head

[jberryhill]

30. Not just the ACLU, but lawyers generally

I don't know anybody that has ever hired a soldier to enforce their rights.

[Echo In Light]

31. Phony war

And spot on re the general perception of the ACLU

[paulsby]

34. many groups protect our freedoms

the ACLU, the NRA, NARAL...

Cops.

The Courts.

[lib_wit_it]

38. The military now serves to protect the money, and thus the power, of Bush, Cheney, Rummy, and

every other super rich bastard in this country. Although I don't think they realize that--the brainwashing works real well. So, I do give thanks to those who risked their lives intending to protect us, it's just sad the way things really are. Worse than sad, in fact, it's a nightmare.

[lutefisk]

39. If they were "Protecting Our Freedoms" Bush would be in a military prison

But that's not the way this country is supposed to work, so he isn't and they really don't. They defend the National interests as mostly determined by the CIC.