And You Thought I Rambled Yesterday?! War as the First Resort

I was driving along this afternoon when I saw a truck with a sticker bearing a seal -- I'm fairly certain that it was the seal of the US Marine Corps since another sticker bore that moniker-- and the slogan "When it absolutely, positively has to be destroyed today." Hard though I may try, I just can't comprehend that kind of mentality. As a pacifist I find it hard to admit that war is ever a necessity, but if it is, then our reaction should not be joy. It should -- no, must -- always be sadness and shame. I know I'm not the first one to say this, but it bears repeating and repeating and repeating: War is a failure. And failure should only be conceded after every option has been exhausted. Unfortunately, it seems to be the option of first resort for far too many people with far too much power. Their flags wave in hubristic denial of our failure over signs that proudly proclaim their support for our troops. As if the rest of us want our soldiers to die . . . Of course, "Support our troops" really means "turn off your brain, shut up, and follow your leader without question." Which brings me to another bumper sticker I saw last week. It bore the traditional folded yellow ribbon, but read, "I support mindless jingoistic slogans." There's the rub. Americans don't know that there is a difference between patriotism and chauvinism. I am a patriot. I love my country. Which makes it all the sadder for me to watch it bolt away from all the principles that make it great. CHAUVINISM IS NOT PATRIOTISM!

While I'm on the subject of things that should be a last resort but have become the first resort, let me mention our justice system. We have a higher percentage of our population in prison than any other industrialized nation. That is not something to be proud of folks! It's a cause for sadness and shame. Where is the investment in programs to make the penal system unnecessary -- education, job training, child care? Again, these thoughts are not mine, but they bear repeating. The same applies to war and peace. Where is the investment in early diplomacy? Where is the intelligence -- in the sense of IQ, not spying -- to not sell weapons to "friends" who invariably turn against us? Oh God, I'm about to spout a terrible cliche! But don't these people ever remember that ounce of prevention which is worth a pound of cure? Ah, well. That's American mentality. Very sad, but there it is.

Until next time.