The Burden of the Military

 

          Unless you have lived in an overtly military town, you may not have the perspective of many Baby Boomer retirees still laced with patriotism.  Today that perspective has been lost as have many American traditions.  Culture dramatically has changed in America, and I do not recognize it.  Unashamedly I never liked America anyway.  Capitalism is for the rich.  You cannot make money without money.  Government has ceased to stimulate small businesses.  Large corporations have raped America, and crucial manufacturing jobs flew to Asia to fuel their emerging middle class.  It was funny while it lasted.  Maybe that was a few months more than the similar flight that went to Mexico.  At least the yen and China’s economy has not collapsed.  That only is because their currency is more valuable than ours.  The peso was not, and America left many South Americans empty handed after robbing them in the name of cheap labor.  Mexico was not ready for NAFTA and America’s manufacturing jobs.  China was, but their over-populated infrastructure was fragile.  Now finally the movement is attempting to reverse itself.  I will believe it when I see it.  I will believe it when corporations begin paying a decent wage with benefits empowering America’s citizens.  The only way they ever did this was under the pressure of Jimmy Hoffa who disappeared.  You can’t be a hypocrite.  Either you believe in America’s people, or you don’t.  You as prudent businesses used to do, invest in them and treat them well and they will support you.  You cannot treat them as expendable labor.  All of this aside living in an overtly military town gives you a different perspective than that of the fading Baby Boomers.  The United States military no longer is fueled by propaganda.  The once patriotic movement has not been instilled in America’s subsequent generations.  Maybe we can remember a moving ceremony honoring fallen heroes.  Maybe.  What I remember is what it is like to grow up in a military town in North Carolina.  At one time there was moxie accompanied by a thriving nightlife.  Now it is just a mundane job defending America abroad from invisible terrorists.  The glory of World War ll is gone.  All of those images of returning soldiers kissing their gals in Times Square is water under the bridge.  Now it seems to be unemployed soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and no legs.  In addition living in a military town one witnesses first hand the level of intellect of your average G.I.  Often they are high school dropouts.  Often they have a propensity for violence.  Often they engage in criminal behavior.  Often as exhibited by many gay military porn sights, they are sexual deviants.  This influence as experienced by middle class working people is negative.  It is annoying that Wal Mart shelves always are empty.  Living near a drag strip also is annoying, especially at night.  The fear of strafing from an Apache attack helicopter or an Obama drone by mistake is disconcerting.  Low flying C-130’s over your neighborhood do not make you feel safe at all.  They instill fear from the unknown.  When the ground shakes from the artillery fire and you can hear the rat-tat-tat of machine gun fire, it is not consoling.  It is difficult to differentiate the sounds of war from a patriotic mission to protect Americans.  While a military is necessary, it should not be the focus of America or American politics.  This inflated war machine has bled America to death, and it is due time for Washington to pour America’s money back into her.