Have we made it too neat and simple?

In American society, having the military actively engaged in combat operations doesn't seem to have much effect on day to day life. After the War in Vietnam (I always read that in my head sounding like Forrest Gump for some reason) the United States has not had active conscription (although all male citizens are still required to sign up for selective service). There is no rationing, and there hasn't been enemy troops (in the traditional sense) on U.S. soil since the War of 1812. Or as the British call it, 'The War We Fought Because We Were Bored'.

I'm wondering if for many American citizens there's a general callousness to the effects of these military actions have on people involved. Or perhaps it makes it easier to support conflicts.

Even still, there has been a certain war weariness creeping into the zeitgeist, it seems to me it's already abating and I think that is dangerous.

 

As a society, at least here in America, we've been conditioned to accept violence & the idea that might is right. Each & every day we're all bombarded with gratuitous violence in our films, our TV, our games, our personal lives in general. Our heroes have been men like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean- Claude Van Damme, Sylvester Stallone, etc. Of course we as a culture would be inherently callous towards war & believe that we are right. It's part of the American dream

 

Citizens , this is to inform you that recent and on-going U.S. military actions are un-discussable . If you would contact any
ordinary soldier they can recite for you the current list of enemy nations .

 

Yes

And thats all i have to say about the War in Vietnam

 

In all seriousness...yes. Thats something a friend of mine mentioned after he returned from a deployment in Iraq, how Americans are so quick to come up to him when he's in uniform and shake his hand(which he did appreciate, so if you're one who does this, dont stop) but none of them really understood the true cost of war or knew what he went through over there.

And of course there's also the other side of it, the civilian cost. The US has killed many civilians overseas but its own civilians dont have to pay the same cost. How many we lost during 9/11 is a tiny fraction of how many civilians died as a result of the US response to 9/11

 

I would like to blame a psychotic America At War for inspiring the continuing domestic , terroristic mass murders . But
I only have ten fingers to point with .

 

Viet fucking NAM!

 

It's more basic than that I'm afraid. Ignorance, apathy and a short attention span explain it perfectly. This is true for issues other than military actions as well. School shootings are a good example. I can already tell you what will happen the next time a shooting takes place. The media will be on it like stink on shit, people will protest, Democrats in Congress will call for stricter gun control, Republicans in Congress will stall...and then we'll all forget about it. Until next time.

When the invasion of Iraq took place under G.W. Bush I just knew Americans wouldn't fall for the old bait and switch. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 after all plus we hadn't found Bin Laden yet. Boy was I wrong. I lost a lot of respect for my country back then and I still haven't gotten it back.

You mentioned rationing. A better idea for today would be a war tax on all sources of income anytime American troops are involved in conflict. I'd call it that too, "War Tax". It would be on everyone's pay stub in big red letters. Investments, capital gains, 401(k)s, etc. wouldn't be exempt. Businesses wouldn't be exempt either. We should have a periodic reminder of what the government is doing in our names.

 

Peace engenders more peace , from on politically high to low , as in heaven so on earth as that
strange wisdom wordily goes . It's practical . Actually , what's the risk of planetary nuclear disarmament ?

 

The conflicts are so constant that the "war tax" would just be something new to bitch about over beers at the bar... Nothing would change.


Now... Shyt would happen if you took away everybodies cell phones during war conflicts. Shyt would happen in a fuckin' hurry.

 

That's why I like Superman. He represents how Americans want to see the U.S. Unfortunately it's often not what the U.S. is, and it isn't "un-american" to call it out. Depending on the issue, some find that concept rather confusing.

 

I wonder how an oil ration would affect the pro war people's view. I mean for example you aint filling up your 350 Diesel truck easily in these conditions. How will you hunt or go the shooting range? Things important to them your American truck, your American rights. But like you said no real affect on daily life. Just a never ending war on terror and attitude of exceptionalism.

 

If there's anyway to learn from us Americans, it's that we're innovative. For example the gun laws of California created things like featureless AR15s. They still function like a normal AR, take a lot, if not all of the parts of an AR, and have detachable magazines or can be readily converted to take detachable magazines, but they lack a pistol grip or bayonet lug (because apparently there's been an epdemic of bayonet charges recently). The same will be done with ypur proposed oil ration. Can't drive a gas guzzling F150? Drive a more fuel efficient truck with the same capabilities. Besides, ranges are rather easy to get to. I drove to one in a Chevy Aveo. They're not that far from civilization.

 

the topic of this thread is the function served by ideologies. all ideologies.