To the Gay Community: Now That You Can Join the Military, Please Don't!

"The peace group I co-founded, CODEPINK, has not only been protesting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the drone attacks in Pakistan, but we have been going to military recruiting stations, high schools and career fairs throughout the country encouraging our youth not to join the military. We talk to young people about the illegality of the wars under international law since we were not attacked by either Iraq or Afghanistan. We talk about how killing and maiming innocent civilians is morally wrong and creates new enemies, perpetuating the cycle of violence. We explain that the majority of Afghans and Iraqis want us out of their country and that these wars are not making us safer.

"We insist that our military should be used to defend us at home, not to invade other people's lands."

http://www.alternet.org/story/149290/to_the_gay_community%3A_now_that_you_can_join_the_military%2C_please_don%27t!


I see that someone else already posted this...

Cool!

Go HERE!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x61348

That the progressive community would be fighting for the right to fight in illegal wars.
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Sure, I know, there's a bigger principle involved than the legality of the war, isn't there...

It just seems to me that these wars keep going while these types of actions just seem to get in the way of young peoples life's decisions.

The "decision makers" will not change what passes for their "minds"...

Because war is profitable for them...

Our only hope is to discredit the activity within the minds of those who are depended upon to carry it out...

to go on unchecked doing what is "profitable for them". I think that gives you something to do on weekends, but I just don't see it doing a thing to help stop any wars.

before being allowed to "enlist"...

Instead of antiseptic computer games or fancy uniforms performing snappy close order drill or fanciful vignettes of collegial bloodless manipulation of machines played during football and basketball games...

They should see the bloody missing limbs, the blown apart heads and torsos, the rape and pillage...

The shrapnel-filled children...

And be told the futile history of every fucking war that was ever "fought" on this planet...

How there's not situation that can't be made worse by war...

And instead of supporting and glorifying that grotesque abomination we should be breading it OUT OF THE RACE!

posts previously. My take is the same each time. Young people looking for a career sometimes look at the military as a possibility. Every nation needs a military, given the unstable nature of international relations. It is poor advice to tell people not to consider that option when they're deciding on a career, or even a short-term occupation.

Medea doesn't like the military. That's fine. However, military service is an honorable thing, and a career that many choose to enter. Now, with DADT ended, that possibility is also available for GLBT citizens, as it has been for others. It is misplaced priorities on Medea's part to advise people on their life choices.

The very freedom she has to make that statement is, in part, due to the military service of others over the years. I suspect that she would not be happy in a military career. She should not make that choice, but she should leave others to their own career decisions.

especially refusing to "serve" in the legions of Empire is a MORE honorable thing...

As long as people believe that war is necessary their self-fulfilling prophecy will be fulfilled...

And as long as we allow our tax money to be used for glorifying war and warriors, the longer the corrosion of our society and its values will continue...

That's what I learned in the military, thank Dog!

Most people do. You don't believe that having a military is a necessity? That's an odd idea, IMO.

The odd idea is that the centuries of failure of the military and war to improve the lot of human beings (other than the small minority of dominators and war profiteers) is ludicrous...

And that somehow the next one will "make things better" is insane...

Attacking sovereign nations that never threatened one American citizen is a "necessity"?

Is over 50% of the discretionary budget each year going to the PentaSewer a "necessity"?

What's hilarious to me is that there are still people who think Iraq and Afghanistan were exercises in "defense". What are we defending against? Were they going to come over here with their massive Air Force, Navy and ground troops, take over D.C. and burn the National Archive? What were they ever going to DO?

Very few on this board are "anti-military". We're more against an "offense-only" bully army for corporate interests. They can be doing so many other things here and abroad, but instead they're being used for the deep profits of defense contractors and oil conglomerates.