This day where a lot of families go to a park or lake with or friends and family, bring a big blanket to sit on and share their favorite foods. They talk about their loved ones that have fought for our country, maybe watch some fireworks or just enjoy a nice fire and some good beer.
This is definitely a difficult piece to write – even to think about writing – because of all the flack one gets when one goes against the grain in society. Yet I think it is important to continue to present these ideas respectfully and often because we need to find our true north and get in touch with reality.
I certainly feel grateful and honored for those who decide to join the armed forces with the intent to keep their countrymen safe. I truly think this is a very noble act – these are folks who love life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness so much they are willing to defend it with their lives, and that is a decision worthy of praise and admiration. However, when we look deeper, we see a lot of holes in that popular narrative.
My activism has been in full force for at least 5 years, and in that time I have been approached by a lot of veterans telling me how they see clearly that war is a racket, and naturally, they feel used, and manipulated. The military industrial complex is a big, heavy machine that requires a lot of energy to keep up – and that energy takes money, blood, and emotional support. It is so expensive and unsustainable that it requires continual nationalistic propaganda, roping in young and naïve people, for it to function.
Normally after I say this, I receive an intense emotional reaction, and not a lot of patient consideration. Understandably, it is really difficult to come to the realization that a key part of your life has been a lie.
We need healing in this world and especially on topics like these. We do not need more celebrations of Memorial Day. What we need, is to stop sending our kids to war – senseless, reckless conflicts that only create wealth for a handful of people at the expense of our youth.
One person told me:
This is the normal sentiment – anger towards those who challenge our view, and implying they are cowards for not wanting to fight – even while many veterans publicly state that war is a scam.
My purpose isn’t to spark more arguments. My purpose is to encourage you to rethink the idea of how governments wage wars and who ends up hurting. Even if most of our beloved troops survive, upon their return, the state’s healthcare will fail them. The VA is in shambles and does not have the ability to keep up with the demand of our injured brethren. But the state does have billions to keep spending on new machinery, weapons, aid to the enemy – amongst other unconstitutional expenses. This is clearly criminal and needs to be stopped.
The solution is simple, we have to help people see the theater for what it is. But as always in life, there is a price. This simple solution takes an enormous amount of time and energy to spread and probably the easiest way is through continuous dissemination of the ideology of freedom, especially to our youth, so they can see and understand it is not necessary to risk their lives to protect a corrupt politician’s promise.
So, I wish you a happy Memorial Day. A happy Memorial Day for me will be when we don’t send our family members to return crippled, or in coffins – charged to the taxpayer.
