9/25/2005

I [heart] Freedom

Political bumper stickers have dominated the vehicle landscape for many years. They range from mere support for a particular candidate or party to outright insults on the opposing viewpoint. A popular one since the Vietnam war and now enjoying a resurgence because of the Iraqi conflict reads in the following way:

“If you [heart symbol] your freedom, thank a veteran.”

This poses a unique problem for the critical thinker who does not wish to offer blanket and blind support to one side of a debate or another. When a nation is at war, support for troops in harm’s way becomes a paramount issue in that nation’s dialogue. This is especially true given the various ways Vietnam veterans were welcomed home, in contrast to returning World War II soldiers. Like any other country, the United States does not wish to make the same mistake twice, though it often does, just like every other nation.

In the present case, no one wants to offer any form of disrespect for Iraqi veterans regardless of what is believed about the reasons for the conflict. Patriotism is linked in the national consciousness as directly proportional to the amount of troop support shown. It could be argued this very issue is what cost Senator Kerry the 2004 election. Many viewed him as undermining veteran interests when he returned from Vietnam and protested America’s involvement in that region. He was viewed as traitorous and a major ad campaign by other veterans showed no hesitation in making that charge openly.

Yet, intellectual honesty and true patriotism requires not only a critical examination of the reasons for war, but also how the soldiers involved fight that conflict. In the case of the aforementioned bumper sticker, it can be reasonably surmised that no living veterans except those from World War II fought to protect the freedoms of American citizens. Neither Korea nor Vietnam, nor any of the minor conflicts since have posed any real threat to the American way of life. Rather, they have been police actions, intended to protect American interests in a particular region.

These interests most often concerned large businesses that used financial might to lobby government. Less frequently, America engaged in war for obvious humanitarian relief from an oppressive regime or ethnic conflict. Such is the reason given for current American involvement in Iraq, despite the initial claim that Saddam Hussein posed a direct threat to the US with weapons of mass destruction. It is now well known such a threat never existed, or at least never to the extent proffered by the administration, which sent troops into battle.

Apart from the grandfathers who fought and died in Europe during the 1940’s, no veteran of any war since has acted in direct or even remotely indirect protection of American freedom. The bumper sticker in question would be far more appropriate in Serbia, Rwanda, or Afghanistan, where American and European involvement genuinely sought the freeing of a people.

It might be countered that the events of September 11, 2001 posed a real and present danger to freedom. An attack on homeland soil was startling, scary, and a rallying point for justice. Yet, a very similar attack was carried out in Oklahoma City by American citizens just a few years prior and no one demanded a war on anti-government militia groups present at all times within the borders. Indeed, following 9/11, the only sanctions placed on the freedoms of citizens came from their government in the name of national security. Events in Madrid, Spain and London, England have only served as further justification for restricting the civil liberties and freedoms formerly taken for granted by the citizens of these countries.

The point of the standing military, of course, is to act in the event American freedoms genuinely do need protection. In this sense, soldiers are serving that goal by being ready to fight and die for families, friends, and strangers across the entire nation. For that reason, thanks may be offered for their willingness to serve in such a role, but none of them have yet fought in a conflict requiring the sacrifices they are honor-bound to offer for the sake of freedom.

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