[url=http://www.salon.com/2013/11/11/stop_thanking_the_troops_for_me_no_they_... is pro sports constantly jamming military fervor down our throats? Their claims are wrong in more ways than one[/url]
Stop thanking the troops for me: No, they don’t "protect our freedoms!"
Mon, 2013-11-11 17:54
#1
Stop thanking the troops for me: No, they don’t "protect our freedoms!"
Tue, 2013-11-12 13:52
#2
Arena sports and militarism, to my mind, have always gone hand in hand. Sports provide the diversion; militarism executes the less visible agendas.
It's been a very successful propaganda strategy, isolating those who don't appear to "support the troops" as unpatriotic, perhaps even dangerously so. Probably not new to our era, but definitely stronger since 9/11 -- again, 9/11 being the catalyst event for increased and unbridled militarism (which is why examining that event is, to so many of us, extremely important and, in the opinion of many, should be for all progressives.)
It's also something I've been wanting to articulate lately: that democracy and "freedoms" are generally won and maintained through citizen action, citizen participation, citizen self-organization, and the rule of law, not through military aggression. I currently live in a community where this poppy-wearing, "support our troops and Mom and apple pie" kind of worldview is very much dominant, and in which expressions of opinion to any contrary are met with hostility or suspicion. It's an interesting study in how this bastardized notion of "democracy", absent critical thinking, can become a kind of unthinking mob rule.
Tue, 2013-11-12 17:42
#3
It's also something I've been wanting to articulate lately: that democracy and "freedoms" are generally won and maintained through citizen action, citizen participation, citizen self-organization, and the rule of law, not through military aggression. I currently live in a community where this poppy-wearing, "support our troops and Mom and apple pie" kind of worldview is very much dominant, and in which expressions of opinion to any contrary are met with hostility or suspicion. It's an interesting study in how this bastardized notion of "democracy", absent critical thinking, can become a kind of unthinking mob rule.
Yes.
As Mark Twain is (wrongly) quoted as saying: "It is easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled."
Tue, 2013-11-12 17:51
#4
I currently live in a community where this poppy-wearing, "support our troops and Mom and apple pie" kind of worldview is very much dominant, and in which expressions of opinion to any contrary are met with hostility or suspicion. It's an interesting study in how this bastardized notion of "democracy", absent critical thinking, can become a kind of unthinking mob rule.
me too. i like the mom and apple pie part. i moved back here for it and then my daughter could experience it too. i forgot the small town part.
the "abscent critical thinking" snag is the legion just got an artillery canon and put it with the cenotaph and now the "rangers" (militia group)are meeting there. we're getting the 'rah rah support our troops let's go on maneuvers up in the mountains' show. oh... and the new 'evangelical free' pastor is the branch chaplain and helps with the jr rangers.
i take heart...those trying to bring back the 50's mentality forgot the 60's came after.
eta: there's a couple of mob mentalities right now. i'm trying to bring a third into play to try to get rid of the rhodesian south african overlord evangelical thinking...... ;)
Mon, 2013-12-16 03:20
#5
Sky Captain
Arena sports and militarism, to my mind, have always gone hand in hand. Sports provide the diversion; militarism executes the less visible agendas.
It's been a very successful propaganda strategy, isolating those who don't appear to "support the troops" as unpatriotic, perhaps even dangerously so. Probably not new to our era, but definitely stronger since 9/11 -- again, 9/11 being the catalyst event for increased and unbridled militarism (which is why examining that event is, to so many of us, extremely important and, in the opinion of many, should be for all progressives.)
It's also something I've been wanting to articulate lately: that democracy and "freedoms" are generally won and maintained through citizen action, citizen participation, citizen self-organization, and the rule of law, not through military aggression. I currently live in a community where this poppy-wearing, "support our troops and Mom and apple pie" kind of worldview is very much dominant, and in which expressions of opinion to any contrary are met with hostility or suspicion. It's an interesting study in how this bastardized notion of "democracy", absent critical thinking, can become a kind of unthinking mob rule.
Speaking of what you've just said...
Why It's a Mistake to Conflate Iraq and Syria, Bush and Obama
The Black Helicopter Left and Its Disconnect from the Constitution
All of these relate to how the left in North America view things (in particular the last one), and unfortunately also mess them up.
Mon, 2013-12-16 16:30
#6
Arena sports and militarism, to my mind, have always gone hand in hand. Sports provide the diversion; militarism executes the less visible agendas.
Sports and the military hand-in-hand? Figure skating, ice dancing, gymnastics.... I'm just playing about, I suspect you mean team arena/stadium sports.
... It's also something I've been wanting to articulate lately: that democracy and "freedoms" are generally won and maintained through citizen action, citizen participation, citizen self-organization, and the rule of law, not through military aggression.
I find this comment provocative, would you care to give me a couple of examples of countries that won their democracy only through the peaceful actions of their citizenry. Pre-UN, or even pre-social media emerging states would be nice.
I've never lived in a 'poppy-wearing, "support our troops and Mom and apple pie"' kind of community and have never experienced blowback for not being a team player.
Mon, 2013-12-16 17:45
#7
Don Cherry - the CBC anyone?