It came up at work today, the Iraq bidness, and someone said "Of course I support our troops, but ..."
This support our troops shyte has gotten out of control. What does it mean? Yes, I have a cousin that I care about who's in Iraq. Yes I know and like other people who are either in the military now or have been. But does that mean I "support our troops?" Does that mean I support people who willingly put themselves under the complete control of a military controlled by a government which is OBVIOUSLY and FRIGHTENINGLY corrupt? To me, "support our troops" has come to mean "make our youth feel good about themselves for taking an active role in corruption and slaughter."
I have never said this out loud, of course, for fear of being strung up by my thumbs.
― jewelly (jewelly), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 19:32 (twenty-two years ago)
On "support" and other weasel words.
― 4mateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 19:36 (twenty-two years ago)
― buttch (Oops), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 19:38 (twenty-two years ago)
The issue over why people join the military and for what purpose has been hashed out on this board as of late (thus those threads linked to by Amateurist), and I think there was general agreement that there are many different reasons, among them intelligent patriotism -- something I very much DO think exists, in and out of the military's ranks -- and escape from poverty. I don't blame you for your reticence at all, Jewelly, given some of the freak cakes around in this country, but the way you phrase things above is extremely reductive.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 19:39 (twenty-two years ago)
― Andy K (Andy K), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 19:45 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 23 April 2003 19:46 (twenty-two years ago)