Imagine if all of the War Video games playing, open carry in God We Trust Patriots, and AK 47 freedom fighters actually enlisted in one of the Armed Services, just how really scary our war on terrorism might be. These couch sitting, Wal-Mart roaming, Boarder crossing militia all( he-man and she-woman) who love to shoot pretend laser beams, intimidate shoppers or goad minorities are always declaring war on imagined creatures,or women seeking health care or people of any color but white, but never seem to find the time and enlist to serve this nation overseas. Imagine how quiet the conversation of war would become if this time around the Congress passed a bill re-creating the Draft. Imagine how some real debate would emerge from the tongueless, deaf elected officials if they, their children or grandchildren were just as eligible to serve this nation as the people living in poverty, or the less influential citizen does. Imagine what might become real conversation when the conversation of America’s might also includes the very people who seem to insist our dignity is devoid when we don’t start another war.
Imagine if after every war this nation declared as American responsibility we had an honest accounting a REAL bi-partisan evaluation made public (every step along the way), and we all got to discover the real facts about which Military/Industrial Corporation made billions, what our billions actually purchased, how many Troops were killed, how many Troops disabled and how much money would really be necessary for the burials, physical/mental health care of the returning Vets, what plans were made for the surviving families. Imagine if we made both the Congress and President accountable by insisting we have a real national evaluation of each and every war this nation has played a direct or indirect part in pursuing. Imagine if we did not permit any cable spin machine to deflect the truth, spread partisan propaganda, and also be listeners to the real experts who care about the lives and dollars spent on war.
Wars may be very necessary, but wars contrived by people who have never fought in any war nor ever fight in a war love to provide bluster and BS but never seem to bother with the realities of war. We talk about “American Exceptionalism” and do so safely from our living rooms, the aisles of public markets or the roads and highways of the boarder states. Imagine if we all had to play an equal part in understanding the need for war and then equally assumed responsibility for fighting that war. Imagine that!
