[If you don’t catch the ref, it’s from a song.]

Here I am again, with a diary inspired by another diary. “Frederoil” posted here: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/7/11/32619/6292

I’m tired of people fawning over the military and I’m going to speak out about it.

One reader responded:

….So you’re going to dehumanize the returning troops – it’s what you are doing.

Well then. Now we’re rockin’ and rollin’. Now, I happen to kinda agree with Frederoil that we’re waaaaay too into “How Cool War Is tm” in our society. At least those making decisions at the top are! And if we don’t even dialog about this — how on earth are we going to even learn a darned thing about it??  

Does “Support the Troops” mean “Support the Troops” when the policy makers that promote Iraq/ Afghanistan wars —ALSO— propose pay cuts for ACTUAL troops? When they propose cutting health care for FORMER and ACTUAL troops? When they allow today’s vets to become HOMELESS by screwing up their pay, their back pay, by denying them housing loans? When they ask these troops to pay for their own meals in hospitals after being wounded in Iraq war? (How can you get more insulting, more “not-support troops” than that?!?)

Or does “Support the Troops” mean “SCREW the TROOPS, but Line My Friend’s Pockets with Wealth Earned From Munitions Factories And Troop Services” when these policy-makers say it??
YES, this is controversial to discuss. What’s the point of wasting time here talking about what the chattering talking heads are already repeating endlessly?

I could rant on — but let’s do that in Comments. I started this diary to preserve a story I told on Frederoil’s diary. Of a time when the health and safety of ordinary citizens was tossed out the window by our government — so the USA could buy arms for hideous, tin-horn dictators in third world countries. Here’s my response to “YOU are de-humanizing the troops” (if you speak up against war in general) — and the story of trading air-bags for bomblets.

“Dear poster, Lots to ponder, but when you say “you’re going to de-humanize the returning troops” — that’s quite a stretch!

Look — the words “de-ification of the troops” may not make sense to you. And indeed I can’t imagine that someone in the service would feel that they’re worshipped, it’s a tough life.

But our society now DOES have a lot of elements that worship war unquestioningly. Example: “Iraq war MUST be OK, because we got into it.”  What’s up with that?

Our society now DOES have a lot of elements that worship unquestioningly our OVER-50 PERCENT OF FEDERAL BUDGET war-and-arms budget. Example: “Wow, some of that money may trickle down to my town, so we can have jobs”.     Well, yeah, but a factory to build airbags for cars would employ people in your town, too. Or any peace-time application, like wheelchairs designed for children who need them.

Here’s an example:
Did you know that there was a project to build air-bags for cars in rural Washington state in the mid-1980s, that was DE-funded because our gov’t wanted to spend more money on weapons than on safety for its citizens? It’s real, I worked for the company.

What happened? They’d built the new plant, in an area where people desperately needed jobs, they’d bought some tools for it, they had a LOT of OKs on the original project and funding. Then Congress REVERSED a bill that had called for enhanced car safety…   and the creation of airbags in our cars was delayed.

AND the funding for that plant to make air bags evaporated.

They ended up making small BOMBLETS to sell to third world dictators who were … making war on their own people. Bomblets that kill 20-100 people and maim more.  You think I’m kidding? I was there. You think I’m a candy-assed management sissy telling this story and arguing that peace is a better goal than war? I drilled holes in those bomblets, I was a machinist standing on cement floor 8 hours at a stretch, getting covered with oil, ponder that.

This is the kind of thing that happens in a country where the basic thinking is that “war is a higher priority than citizen health and safety.” Bomblets over airbags or wheelchairs for kids.

Whether that diarist expressed that choice well in his choice of words or not, he’s trying to say he is TIRED of war getting SO MUCH of our budget and our PRAISE. Tired of war taking young people, and not-so-young National Guard members (who ONLY wanted to defend our country if it was attacked), and sending them off to die or be maimed for life.

To make sure you know, I have friends who have BEEN to Iraq. I have corresponded with people serving in Iraq to try to keep them uplifted. I may hire an Iraq vet soon, OK? (Troop support, post-war, in case not obvious.)

I had a friend who died his first day in Vietnam, (FIRST DAY) which took the scales off my eyes, as far as creepy, needless, dirty, self-serving little wars chosen by blinded politicians. See how that could change ya?     Over 900 boys died their first day in Vietnam, so get ready, because it’ll happen to someone in Iraq/Afghanistan, if it hasn’t already. I CARE about that, I wish they could LIVE, does that make me a troop-hater?

AND one of the things I fight for now is BETTER treatment of our Service men and women on their return from Iraq/Afghanistan.

They should have FULL health insurance! Should have help with health problems caused by the war! They should have loans for home purchase! And more — correct?

So don’t try to lump all people who “don’t want war to be worshipped (de-ified)”, with “people who hate troops”. It’s a terrible argument, and worse, it simply is NOT true. “
(End my thoughts to other netizen.)

Shall we discuss?