I’m not the type to bring modern day politics into any of my blog posts. I also hate labels, but “centrist Libertarian” most adequately describes my political leanings. However, an excellent and beautifully written entry by a Marine Mom pretty much nails my own views on patriotism today and the propensity of some portions of our country to quickly spring the “traitor” label on anyone who questions war. I felt compelled to link to this one. For your Civil War connection, she refers to Drew Gilpin Faust’s This Republic of Suffering repeatedly in the essay and also brings up Ambrose Bierce and Herman Melville. This one should be required reading for all Americans. It made me take pause and question my own stance on current and future American wars. To put it simply, I might disagree with someone’s views on a war, but I’d fight until my dying day to allow you to express that view.
Modern “Patriotism” and This Republic of Suffering
by
Comments
One response to “Modern “Patriotism” and This Republic of Suffering”
-
I saw a statistic on the wire about a month ago. There are, apparently, several major U.S. cities that have not experienced a single war related death. There are several medium sized U.S. towns that do not even have, or have had, service members in uniform involved with the Iraq war. The American Civil War touched every locality in the nation at the time, big or small. This current war has not been brought home as grimly, thank our lucky stars. I’ve spent time in Iraq and Afghanistan already. Personally I’ve got some well earned opinions about the two actions, the leaders involved, media’s role, and the “support” the troops have received. That said, I sincerely think historians looking back at our present with the benefit of hind-sight will write some things, about us as a nation, that would shock all of us.
Leave a Reply