If you’ve read the blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m far from anti-military. I was in the Canadian militia (the army reserve) during my teenage years, and still have friends who are serving in the armed forces of Canada, Britain, and the US. Since 2001, Canadians in particular have re-evaluated their views of the military and are now much more likely to demonstrate their support for the army, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. Even so, Canadians are much more low-key in their demonstrations of respect and approval than Americans are.
Some of the more outspoken supporters actually give me the creeps … rather than showing their support for the soldiers, sailors, and airmen, they seem to be showing their support for militarism. That sort of thing enables and encourages military adventurism, armed intervention in other countries, and the militarization of civilian life (look at the military-style gear many police departments now operate, including drones for border surveillance and drug war operations). That’s a line I never want to see Canada cross.
At the Future of Freedom Foundation blog, Jacob Hornberger expresses some of the same concern:
One of the most fascinating phenomena of our time is the extreme reverence that the American people have been taught to have for the military. Wherever you go — airports, sports events, church — there is a god-like worship of the military.
“Let us all stand and express our sincerest thanks to our troops for the wonderful service they perform for our country,” declare the sports broadcasters.
“Let us pray for the troops, especially those in harm’s way,” church ministers exhort their parishioners.
“Let us give a big hand to our troops who are traveling with us today,” exclaim airline officials.
Every time I see this reverence for the military being expressed, I wonder if people ever give any thought to what exactly the troops are doing. No one seems to ask that question. It just doesn’t seem to matter. The assumption is that whatever the troops are doing, they are protecting our “rights and freedoms.” As one sports broadcaster I recently heard put it, “We wouldn’t be here playing this game if it weren’t for the troops.”
There is at least one big problem with this phenomenon, however: The troops are engaged in actions that are harmful to the American people, including most of the people who have a reverential attitude toward them.
To me, part of the “support the troops” ethos includes the principle of “if you don’t like the mission, don’t diss the individual troops – diss the politicians who sent them”. If one thinks the troops are, indeed, “engaged in actions that are harmful to the American people”, it’s not the troops who can change the (larger) mission, it’s the politicians.
Comment by MILNEWS.ca — September 26, 2012 @ 12:56
You’re quite right: it’s not the job of the service members to pass judgement on the way they are employed. That way lies the path of the junta. I don’t object to soldiers being given a bit of recognition. After all, in the mid-70’s I was accused of being a baby-killer while I was in uniform.
Comment by Nicholas — September 26, 2012 @ 13:07
It is a nice change to get some good press once in a while. If the media did a better job of putting the full story out there it would help. Instead, to smear a government, they have no trouble sacrificing the military as a whole.
As an aside, my wife gets a better room rate using BCAA than I can get using my militray ID, in Canada 🙂
Comment by Dwayne — September 26, 2012 @ 15:27
“Let us all stand and express our sincerest thanks to our troops for the wonderful service they perform for our country,” declare the sports broadcasters.
Being acknowledged for doing a tough job is one thing. Unthinking uber-patriotic ‘support the troops, support the mission’ group-think is another.
Maybe it’s guilt compounded by ignorance. Fewer and fewer people serve, or know anyone who does. Not knowing anything at all about soldiering, why soliders fight, the terrific way it feels to get on the plane and _go_, how exhilarating it is to stand on the deck of an LST standing out to see … they see these young me in the airport, they have no idea about any of it, they over-compensate.
Maybe. But man when the public gratitude flows at baseball games or at the airport … it sure does feel like the way Communist countries treated their soliders.
Comment by Brian Dunbar — September 26, 2012 @ 21:54