Monday, January 7, 2013

Michael Moore speaks what has been on my mind of late,,, yeah love him or hate him, he is still right


January 4, 2013
Those Who Say "I Support the Troops" Should Just Stop, Out of Respect for the Troops
By Michael MooreThursday, January 3rd, 2013

I don't support the troops, America, and neither do you. I am writing this as I have just learned of the suicides of two more of our active duty reservists who live here in the Traverse City, Michigan area. That brings the total number of soldier suicides (that I know of) in the past year, in this rural area, to four.

I am tired of the ruse we are playing on these brave citizens in our armed forces. And guess what -- a lot of these soldiers and sailors and airmen and Marines see right through the bull**** of those words, "I support the troops!," spoken by Americans with such false sincerity -- false because our actions don't match our words. These young men and women sign up to risk their very lives to protect us -- and this is what they get in return:

1. They get sent off to wars that have NOTHING to do with defending America or saving our lives. They are used as pawns so that the military-industrial complex can make billions of dollars and the rich here can expand their empire. By "supporting the troops," that means I'm supposed to shut up, don't ask questions, do nothing to stop the madness, and sit by and watch thousands of them die? Well, I've done an awful lot to try and end this. But the only way you can honestly say you support the troops is to work night and day to get them out of these hell holes they've been sent to. And what have I done this week to bring the troops home? Nothing. So if I say "I support the troops," don't believe me -- I clearly don't support the troops because I've got more important things to do today, like return an iPhone that doesn't work and take my car in for a tune up.

2. While the troops we claim to "support" are serving their country, bankers who say they too "support the troops" foreclose on the actual homes of these soldiers and evict their families while they are overseas ! Have I gone and stood in front of the sheriff's deputy as he is throwing a military family out of their home? No. And there's your proof that I don't "support the troops," because if I did, I would organize mass sit-ins to block the doors of these homes. Instead, I'm having Chilean sea bass tonight.

3. How many of you who say you "support the troops" have visited a VA hospital to bring aid and comfort to the sick and wounded? I haven't. How many of you have any clue what it's like to deal with the VA ? I don't. Therefore, you would be safe to say that I don't "support the troops," and neither do you.

4. Who amongst you big enthusiastic "supporters of the troops" can tell me the approximate number of service women who have been raped while in the military? Answer: 19,000 (mostly) female troops are raped or sexually assaulted every year by fellow American troops. What have you or I done to bring these criminals to justice? What's that you say -- out of sight, out of mind? These women have suffered, and I've done nothing. So don't ever let me get away with telling you I "support the troops" because, sadly, I don't. And neither do you.

5. Help a homeless vet today? How 'bout yesterday? Last week? Last year? Ever? But I thought you "support the troops!"? The number of homeless veterans is staggering -- on any given night, at least 60,000 veterans are sleeping on the streets of the country that proudly "supports the troops." This is disgraceful and shameful, isn't it? And it exposes all those "troop supporters" who always vote against social programs that would help these veterans. Tonight there are at least 12,700 Iraq/Afghanistan veterans homeless and sleeping on the street. I've never lent a helping hand to one of the many vets I've seen sleeping on the street. I can't bear to look, and I walk past them very quickly. That's called not "supporting the troops," which, I guess, I don't -- and neither do you.

6. And you know, the beautiful thing about all this "support" you and I have been giving the troops -- they feel this love and support so much, a record number of them are killing themselves every single week. In fact, there are now more soldiers killing themselves than soldiers being killed in combat (323 suicides in 2012 through November vs. about 210 combat deaths). Yes, you are more likely to die by your own hand in the United States military than by al Qaeda or the Taliban. And an estimated eighteen veterans kill themselves each day, or one in five of all U.S. suicides -- though no one really knows because we don't bother to keep track. Now, that's what I call support! These troops are really feeling the love, people! Lemme hear you say it again: "I support the troops!" Louder! "I SUPPORT THE TROOPS!!" There, that's better. I'm sure they heard us. Don't forget to fly our flag, wear your flag lapel pin, and never, ever let a service member pass you by without saying, "Thank you for your service!" I'm sure that's all they need to keep from putting a bullet in their heads. Do your best to keep your "support" up for the troops because, God knows, I certainly can't any longer.

I don't "support the troops" or any of those other hollow and hypocritical platitudes uttered by Republicans and frightened Democrats. Here's what I do support: I support them coming home. I support them being treated well. I support peace, and I beg any young person reading this who's thinking of joining the armed forces to please reconsider. Our war department has done little to show you they won't recklessly put your young life in harm's way for a cause that has nothing to do with what you signed up for. They will not help you once they've used you and spit you back into society. If you're a woman, they will not protect you from rapists in their ranks. And because you have a conscience and you know right from wrong, you do not want yourself being used to kill civilians in other countries who never did anything to hurt us. We are currently involved in at least a half-dozen military actions around the world. Don't become the next statistic so that General Electric can post another record profit -- while paying no taxes -- taxes that otherwise would be paying for the artificial leg that they've kept you waiting for months to receive.

I support you, and will try to do more to be there for you. And the best way you can support me -- and the ideals our country says it believes in -- is to get out of the military as soon as you can and never look back.

And please, next time some "supporter of the troops" says to you with that concerned look on their face, "I thank you for your service," you have my permission to punch their lights out (figuratively speaking, of course).

(There is something I've done to support the troops -- other than help lead the effort to stop these senseless wars. At the movie theater I run in Michigan, I became the first person in town to institute an affirmative action plan for hiring returning Iraq/Afghanistan vets. I am working to get more businesses in town to join with me in this effort to find jobs for these returning soldiers. I also let all service members in to the movies for free, every day.)
Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@MichaelMoore.com
@MMFlint
MichaelMoore.com


Ok, since I have basically agree with all he has to say. let me add a couple of things he left out.
As a Christian, I am supposed to be against war, wars,  and violence in general. I  am, in general, basically the only justified war is a war to end all war and not WWI or WWII- because they were anything but. The whole terminology of war is wrong and using  war like that is like using an oxymoron. Basically we should reject war/violence to reach a means of peace. If you truly want peace, it will not be achieved through war. Not ever. If you wish for peace between  yourself and your enemies, then find a way to stop being enemies.
It's crazy to talk like that.
A  few people in History have talked like that and most of them were killed for it.
Mahatma Gandhi
Jesus of Nazareth the Christ
The Buddha
John Lennon

However, unlikely as it is, this has been done and the peace has lasted for generations.

War on the other hand leads  only to a false peace where the defeated lick their wounds and fuel their fear  and hatred until like after WWI, the Germans unified and waged a war of domination and annihilation that scarred Europe and much of the world ever  since.
War leads only to more war. Soldiers seldom come home, or  ever stop being soldiers- which  sometimes is a good  thing but more  often is not a peaceful result.
In the last 300  years I would like to know of one single war  that did not lead to another war and so on.

The only wars that have ever really been won (at least according to the victors or survivors) have been where genocide complete and utter in its execution has been used. Well,  that  is probably  only theoretical anyway.
I will point out wars that are still being fought at some  level.
The Civil War (need I say "the South will rise again?")
The Chechnya War (there was utter annihilation that utterly failed)
Korea (ask  anyone who has been to the Thin Red Line if they think it will begin again)
China vs Japan in the  hundreds of wars between them.
Taiwan  and the  Rest of China
Just about any Native American (Indian)

The point is war only solves things in the narrow vision of short term. If the Atomic Bomb ended WWII and nothing else did- then why is it still an issue more than 60 years later?
My argument is thus, the Atomic Bombs did make an end to WWII, but it was not the best way or even the most permanent way to end that war. I was not there and I will not say  that if I had to make that decision that I would not choose to do the same. But I will say why we had to invade the Japanese Territory to end the war  in the first place. Even wars don't end with the total destruction of an  enemy.
Again, I was not there doing the fighting, but then again neither were any of the actual decision makers who gave the orders to invade or drop the Bombs.

When someone says to  me,  give peace a chance.
My  answer is of course, but  will anyone else do the same.

That is life according to Mike.
  

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