Gung Ho = BS

Nationalistic BrownShirts is what a Political Science prof called the current military phsycology.
Hitler ruled with fear and had his loyal contingent.
In hindsight we can see the dementia of those folks.
Massive desertions would send a message that the 'CIC' is nuts.
Those that don't are kool aid drinkers.

He and I both are ex-Marines and we agree that every society needs to be on the lookout for invaders
from outside and a defense system.
What sparked up the conversation was a football game and all the hoopla that preceded the event
and how that fosters an 'us or them' paradigm.
"Loyalty to team trumps all. Kill your opponent."
This 'us or them' thinking is learned throughout childhood via the sports programs in school and
kindled by immature parents (who are predominately still children of less than 25 years) who pass on their own learned responses.


Flame suit on...

but I agree with you. very much agree.

Everything we subject our children to, from Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Eagle Scouts, JROTC, ROTC is designed for one purpose - patriotism/loyalty/country a.k.a. cannon fodder.

But like anything else sports is just a tool. The same way an axe can be used for murder, it can be used to chop down firewood. I personally enjoy sports like tennis and football but I am able to draw the distinction between blind loyalty and having the ability to think for one self. Also on the flip side, sports can be build used to teach team effort and encourage physical fitness. I am not flaming but I just want to present a different perspective.

In today's political climate, how are our children (the axe) going to be used? Will their indoctrination be used to make the person a better human being? What is the ultimate goal of these organizations? Blind obedience to an authority figure or a moral compass?