World > Terrorism & Security
posted September 14, 2005 at 11:00 p.m.
Pentagon draft plan calls for preemptive use of nukes
Critics say plan is designed for possible attack against Iran.
By Tom Regan | csmonitor.com
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As I tried to go asleep tonight I began to get a little emotional. No I did not break down and cry, but instead I felt a welling up of emotion for my brothers in arms. I felt a sense of pride and honor I have rarely ever felt in my life. It is hard to describe but it is like reaching a point of no return and knowing, not thinking, but knowing that what is behind you will fade into memory and what is in front of you fate has already decided. It is a strange thing indeed this feeling of your future already being decided. It brings me to the feeling I was describing before, pride and honor.
I can relate to what a lot of people say and believe, I do not know why but I honestly say I can understand most points of view. From Robert, the individualist to Dan (from last semester) the diehard republican and even our dear master of ceremonies, Prof. MacLeod. I think though that while it is easy to understand ideas and ways of thought, it is hard to understand feeling. That is why I write this, to try to convey my feeling, not my thoughts on the men-at-arms. I hope that maybe even the strongest advocates of bringing back our troops will get a glimpse into a world of war.
First and foremost for those who do not know, I will be entering the United States Marine Corps upon graduation of William Paterson University. I intend to serve my country in nothing less than the front lines, either as a infantryman or as tank personal. As of late, I have had problems with the Marine Corps and entering OCS(Officer Candidate School) and might be instead going in as enlisted(grunt). It matters not to me as I will hopefully explain, because I just want to serve.
Next I wish to explain my reasons for deciding to serve in the Marine Corps. I acknowledge that the Marine Corps is most likely the most racist, sexist, and biased branch of the military there is, not to mention other atrocities. I am well aware of the tendency of any military branch to belittle and drone out the so called humanity one would posses before entering the military. I am aware of the way the chain of command works on how corruption has leaked in and sabotaged something I believe to be held sacred. I am aware of the fact that the military does everything back-end around and there is little logic to its procedures. And finally I am aware that I will be getting little pay for the amount of time and effort I put into service. But regardless of all of these negative attributes the military possesses, I still wish to serve and most would ask why.
I wish to serve because I look at this system of the military and while it almost sickens me to think of what it has become and what it has been for a time longer than all of have walked this earth I realize that it is not uncommon. It is just like every other system of employment in the United States and most of the world. It parallels very nicely to any Union, but I will not use that parcel because it is to easily put down for its notorious corruption. I could use the teachers union, but again it can easily be put down with various points of corruption. I could use the government at any level, but again now. How about the farmers, or the corporations that are rebuilding Iraq, or New Orleans, or your neighbors house? How about the banking system, the Judges, the Police, or the Church? How long do you want me to make my list to include every major organization in America and most of the world? Microsoft, Walmart, Target, Disney? All of them many honest hard working normal grunts work for them and they are not frowned upon. They are part of the system that segregates women, and race. The whites males are making more money than the black males or the white females even with the same exact job, just like the chain of command in the military is dominated by white males making more money than both minorities. These grunts in the workplace are put into cubicles and told to stay long hours with no overtime or else they will be fired. They are part of the cog, not allowed to think outside the box, told to keep in line, show up on time, do your job and go home without saying a word. If they overwork in the corporate world they are frowned upon by their peers for making them look bad, if they slack off they get fired by their superiors. Just like the end-around machine of the military. Positions are given to friends instead of the person better qualified to fit the job. Just like the chain of command. Regardless of all of these negative attributes that I grow wearisome of listing, do you not participate in this workforce? Or do you consider yourself an individual and are you standing up for yourself and not making money? Or have you found a corrupt free job? If so then I fight for you.
So looking past the corrupt system of the military and on to why I am joining and risking my neck for what is so corrupt? Well foremost I do not risk my neck for any politician, commanding officer, or old grandmother who was widowed in WWII. I fight because I believe in what this country was founded on. Freedom from tyranny, freedom for religion, freedom to raise your voice against the government when it is corrupt and change things. I fight so that others, better than me, can do what is right and bring this country back to its foundations. I fight for the people who protest the military even though it brings tears to my eyes, I fight for the republicans and the demarcates even though I would never shake any politicians hand, I fight for Muslims, for Jews, Christians, Satanist, Wiccans, Buddhist, Atheist, Hindu’s, Taoist, and whatever god you believe in or do not. I fight for the individual American who is trying to make it by in an honest way but can never get ahead. I fight so you can criticize me and tell me why being a trained killer is wrong. I fight so you do not have to. I fight because I believe I have a gift, and that gift is I am prepared to die for what I believe in. And there is no more reason that I am willing to do this than, “I am mighty proud of the ragged old flag.”
Adam Cannon
PS: Do not think I have a death wish for I rather like life, just remember what my hero said. “No bastard ever won a war by dying for his county. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country”
-George S. Patton
Adam, thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings. And I appreciate your withstanding our grilling in class as well. I called on you to discuss this in class because, first of all, I figured you can take it. But also because: while I think I can get and deeply respect your attitude toward the military (which you explain very eloquently in this comment), I still have trouble figuring out how that attitude squares with your sense of your self as a citizen who is not yet in the military -- especially in regards to what I take to be the deep politicization of the military. As I asked you in class, If the Commander-in-Chief has lied to his soldiers (and citizens) about the necessity of war, what should those who support the military do? You don't need to answer that question, I just restate it to tell you where my questions come from.
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