Sunday, September 23, 2012

Why Anti-War? A Response to Thoughtless Ranting

Because I haven't posted recently, I will post this here:
A friend rebuking me on Facebook, and then my response.
Have you viisted the country recent. No you have not...... sooo how can you make comments as to our involvment or lack of involvement... you were not their and was present. I get so tired of people passing judgement when they do have any clue as to wants going on in foreign countries and what our government and allies are doing to retain peace with out bloodshed....\

You are free in this country to do what ever you want .....not so in soooo many other countrires...your freedoms are restricted.....is that what we want here in the USA Sheldon????......My father fought to keep the USA and YOUR FAMILY as well as MY FAMILY Free from terrorism abroad. Did you serve in the arm-forces????......no you did not. As a Air-force brat I followed my Dad from airforce base to airforce base.....you have no clue what airforce dependants go through when there father or mother is deployed on a mission of "national security"and we wait...we wait.... to hear positive or negitive news that your loved one is OK or Dead.....Sheldon you have no clue.....and it saddens me that the "Liberal Left" will never understand what it takes to be "Free" under my Dad and millions of Vets and the military as a whole to keep this country free. Shame on you and all of the others that do not support our miltary.

In response:
Yes, I am relatively free in this country, and I plan to use that freedom to think critically, investigate, and speak freely. What I posted is not about the people that serve in the military, nor their waiting and suffering families. I know that many people who serve have noble intentions and I respect that. But it is not soldiers who make decisons about going to war, but political-corporate elites.

I actually attempt to keep myself informed about present and historic foreign affairs far more than most people. I know of your antipathy towards Obama. Do any of the news sources you currently read or hear ever mention the innocent civililians that are killed by Obama's wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen or Somalia? I don't imagine so. Because in fact the Democrat and Republicans are both imperialist war parties.

Back in the 1980s the Reagan administration told us lies about the government of Nicaragua, and sponsored a terrorist war against that country. I did go there and worked and lived for 6 months and wandered freely into opposition political party offices that our government claimed were not there.

The Democratic Kennnedy and Johnson administrations told us lies about Vietnam (the gulf of Tonkin) and got us into a war that cost hundreds of thousands of lives of both Vietnamese and U.S. soldiers.

The Bush administration told us Saddam Hussien had WMDs, to lead us into a disastrous war, but we know now that he didn't. I learned this was likely the case before the war by listening to what former U.S. Marine and arms inspector Scott Ritter had to say.

I have actually taken the time to listen to all of the Iraq War Veterans Winter Soldier testimony available online which enrages me and breaks my heart to see how good young men and women are used to fight the wars of rich and powerful elites. http://www.ivaw.org/wintersoldier

Everything I have said here are known historical facts. So don't just tell me I don't have a clue when you have not questioned me why I think the way I do. I welcome any civil and rational discussion with you about these matters. 

The fact of the matter is, while it may take a military to keep us free, it also takes critical thinking people willing to dissent to keep us free.

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