COUNTERCOLUMN: All Your Bias Are Belong to Us

Not.

Is it possible to be antiwar but still support the troops?
Somewhere in a thinktank deep in the bowels of the Ministry of Propoganda sometimes after the Vietnam war someone came up with the idea that instead of supporting the war we will tell the public to support the troops. If you don't support the war you must be "anti-people", "you don't care about the soldiers fighting, suffering and dying". Any liberal or lefty that questions the validity of war deserves to get his ass kicked because he's insulting the sacrifice of the brave soldiers. Clever isn't it? Even people on the far left will get caught up in this and become "cheerleaders" for the troops.

Aren't the troops the muscle behind imperialism? fascism? capitalism? Any dictatorial power that uses force to compel obedience needs soldiers, without them they would be nothing. Remember the song by Donovon? Universal Soldier? He figured that out a long time ago.

Is there any justification for anyone to join the military? If you are poor, uneducated with no employment prospects does that justify becoming a soldier? If you kill people in your role as a solider (with the blessing of the government) are you really a hero or a murderer?

Lots of premium twittery in the comments. A few highlights:

Yeah, my impulse is to shout "fuck the troops", but to do this we have to forget an important detail: members of US military are deceived, tricked into joining up. Lies about money for college, for example. Poor people join the miltary, so "fuck the troops" coming from middle class white kids with options is bullshit. We're lucky the army isn't our ONLY ticket out a fucked up life. Also, let's not forget all the insurgents who're joining the Iraqi police and military for the free training and the free guns and ammo. Anarchists say "fuck the troops" but go running when the troops come gunning, because we don't know how to shoot back. Nonetheless, if someone breaks into your house (or country) with a gun and starts shooting up the place, fuck em, even if they have anti-war mom's back home.

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comeing from a poor person that didnt join the army i just want to say that im sick of people using the excuse that they didnt have anywhere else to go and that they didnt have any options. thats not true every single person that has joined the army made the choice to become a pawn of the government. and there are other ways to get out of their fucked up lives. any other way is better in my opinion.

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Cause, really, you have to remember, the US military ain't "our" troops. They're the capitalists' troops. Why should I give a shit about them other than caring that hey, hrmm... they ain't actually *here* in the US. (Golden opportunity for revolution actually... the military ain't here to protect the fuckers and it would take *quite* a while for them to get here...)

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Do I care about the people in the military. Of course. I care enough for them that I want them to stop obeying their masters and either lie their weapons down and come home and help fight a fight for other members of their class or even better, turn those weapons on their officers.

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Sorry, I have no sympathy for anyone who puts on a uniform and takes up a gun in the name of capitalism. The world is headed into an era of untold environmental devastation and human suffering and it is these mind numbed nazi stormtroopers that are doing the dirty work for the rich. They are no less responsible than the masters they serve. Eugene, you moan about soldiers and their pensions, medical care and getting exposed to environmental toxins. I say they get what they deserve.

Oh, and don't miss the part where these sniveling little bottom feeders start accusing each other of being racist!

Hilarity ensues.

Splash, out

Jason

Labels: The Left