Veteran: Let's make this Memorial Day a time for dialogue about why we have wars
I’m a father, a retired businessperson and a military veteran (Army, infantry, Viet Nam). I’d like to see Memorial Day be a day for dialogue on issues that really matter for the future of our children and for this country as a whole.
There are many things that can be discussed. Here are some suggestions: Why do we have war? Why do we so proudly send our children to kill other children? Why are weapons our number one export product? Why do we have over 700 military bases in over 140 countries? Why do almost half of our tax dollars go to the war industry? Why do we cheer when the government chooses to assassinate someone instead of using the rule of law? Why do we ignore the Geneva Convention and the voices of experienced interrogators and use torture? Why do we allow those in power to demonize entire nations or cultures, or religions? Why do we think we are better than the rest of the people of the world? Why do we let the corporate owned media tell us what to think and do? Why are we so afraid of everything? Why do we read so little and watch TV so much? Why don’t we know our history?
So, while you’re grilling your hot dogs or standing at the parade, bring up an issue, get other viewpoints, engage in dialogue. The children and this country are depending on it.
Arnold Stieber
Grass Lake
Comments
northside
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 11:52 p.m.
We can honor solidiers and discuss tough issues on the same day.
debling
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 9:12 p.m.
I have always believed in the following. Killing is wrong. War is immoral. Those that advocate war are evil. The answer to all of Arnold's "why we have war" question is that we are a nation motivated by three things. FEAR, GREED and SELF INTEREST.
bedrog
Mon, May 30, 2011 : 11:27 a.m.
Debling: given your posts on the middle east , for which i and others have chided you, your beliefs about who is and is not "evil" and " immoral" are remarkably one -sided and blind to historical and cultural realities. And ditto to the nth power for many of your local allies.
mohomed
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 11:11 p.m.
Was it wrong to go to war against Hitler and what Germany stood for? War sucks but sometimes it is justified and the people that gave their lives should be honored!
Corey Lord
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 6:33 p.m.
I have to add to this. I see all these people saying that these questions should be asked at another time and therefore we spend Memorial Day giving tribute to the warriors. But these questions are pertinent to how we memorialize these warriors. Some people have fought in the name of liberty and freedom. Yet others were taken advantage of and fought for ideologies that were much smaller than they thought (think Vietnam). Regardless, the men and women who have served and didn't make it back need to be remembered and deserve a day of remembrance but we shouldn't honor them under the illusion that they all fought for freedom. We should honor their courageous choice to fight for someone else. Probably someone who couldn't defend themselves. Although that is bad policy to fight other people's wars it is still honorable to stick up for the weak and that is what every casualty of war has done in one way or another. This weekend I honor my grandfather who fought in WWII. Not because he fought against Hitler and all of the Nazis, but because he died trying to free a small French village who couldn't defend themselves. He died defending those people and I am more proud of that fact than the fact that he was fighting against the Nazis.
DonBee
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 1:35 p.m.
Mr Stieber - As a Veteran who spent more than my minimum time in the military, I want to thank you and all others for their service. As to your questions, on a different day and time, I would be happy to discuss them with you. This weekend should be about honoring those who did not come home. I know I have more than a few friends who are not here anymore, I am sure you do too. On one point I want to point to a factual error. Defense is less than 25 percent of total Federal spending and less than 15 percent of government spending. With that I will thank everyone who has server and those that have supported those that served.
Corey Lord
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 6:26 p.m.
That actually is a big misrepresentation of the budget that you bring up. When you say defense is less than 25% you mean mandatory and discretionary spending. But if you just talk about discretionary spending it is over half of the tax dollars we spend. The other tax dollars that you are thinking of when you include mandatory spending is spending on social security and medicare which have specific tax assessments and can't be touched. Mandatory spending also includes interest on debt which has only been taken on because of our massive defense spending. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_federal_budget" rel='nofollow'>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_federal_budget</a>
C. S. Gass
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 10:36 a.m.
Good questions... for another time. Memorial Day is about the warriors, not the wars. It is a time to remember and appreciate all those who had the warrior mind and spirit. Remembering those who fell for what they believed in so strongly that the common citizenry cannot comprehend is why we have it, not for political posturing. When a warrior lays wounded on the field, he (or she) does not think about the polititian that put him in harms way, he thinks about his teammates, and about not letting them down. He thinks of his wife, or children, or parents. This is why warriors fight. Not for lofty political goals, but for each other. Please don't try to suborn that for an agenda.
Boo Radley
Mon, May 30, 2011 : 12:55 p.m.
Excellent post, C.S.
bedrog
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 11:48 p.m.
well...some of why we send our "children "to kill others is because they've actually attacked us or expressed a desire to do so. That's probably the only good reason, but sadly it is a valid.reason
Ricebrnr
Sun, Jun 12, 2011 : 1:05 p.m.
And only nations and committees should be able to do this? Evil is not visited upon individuals? Individuals do not have the right to defend when attacked by someone expressing a desire to do so? Most surprising comment from you.
Jim Kress
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 6:05 p.m.
We should only "go to war" when America is attacked and Congress issues a declaration of war. That's what the Constitution clearly states, and all presidents since FDR have equally clearly ignored. The UN cannot be our guide or commander. SEATO is dead, NATO is just propping up the failed European economies. The only other time troops should be committed to battle is to rescue American in immediate distress and only for the duration of the effort necessary to bring them home. The Founders we prescient when they warned us to avoid entangling alliances and involving ourselves in the quaint European tradition of going to war at the drop of a hat. However, in order to provide for the common defense it is necessary for us to remain the supreme military power on the planet. This needs to be done responsibly, not with the irrational spending (all of it, not just defense) now in vogue in Washington D.C. Peace through strength is a legitimate path for use to follow, as it has been for every other country in History that has wanted to be, and kept itself, free of war.
Charlie Brown's Ghost
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 5:44 p.m.
I'll add to the list: Why did all the anti-war yard signs instantly disappear when Obama was elected? Why did we go from two wars to three (Oh, sorry, I meant to say two wars and one kinetic military action)? Why hasn't Libya taken "days, not weeks" like we were promised? How can a Nobel Peace Prize winner also be a war-mongering, nation-building assassin? Are we out of Gitmo yet? Good Night and Good Grief.
Charlie Brown's Ghost
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 6:41 p.m.
Anyone going to answer my first question? (I already know the answer, I'm just wondering if anyone liberals will actually say it). Good Night and Good Grief.
RayA2
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 9:55 p.m.
Charlie, A large number of rhetorical questions but a bit short on any kind of convincing argument. Unless you just wanted to convince me you haye people who disagree with you?
John B.
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 9:43 p.m.
Well, let's see: Obama didn't start two of those wars. He inherited them (I guess you conveniently forgot that bit), along with an already-trashed economy. We are working our way out of Iraq (where we never should have been in the first place!) as quickly as is reasonably possible. Afghanistan is way trickier (and if we had just stayed there in sufficient numbers, where we had a legitimate beef, instead of stupidly invading Iraq and moving valuable resources from Afghanistan to Iraq, we might have been out of Afghanistan by now!). The conflict in Libya was initiated by NATO, with the backing of many nations, as well as the Arab League. France was the nation pushing the hardest to go in. Please do your homework.
sig.melvin
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 5:03 p.m.
Well men have a choice...make love or war...since they make war....looks like we have lousy lovers! ?????
Charlie Brown's Ghost
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 5:45 p.m.
"looks like we have lousy lovers" Speak for yourself. Good Night and Good Grief.
Stephen Landes
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 4:39 p.m.
The questions are excellent, but I believe the timing is wrong. Memorial Day is a time to remember our fellow citizens who gave their lives in service to our Country. Regardless of political views or personal principles these men and women did what all of us asked them to do -- they served the cause of Liberty and died in the process. When I read aloud the names of the 19 Michiganders killed in the last twelve months during our Memorial Day ceremony in Ann Arbor I won't be thinking about whether we should be fighting or not or were their lives "wasted" in a "wrong" war. My only thought will be gratitude for their service to all of us. There is a very appropriate time to ask, discuss, and try to answer all of Mr. Stieber's questions and I believe that is, at a minimum, during campaign and election time. Take time to learn about what is happening in the world, think about what your personal values are and the values and principles of our Country, write to your legislators and Congressmen, ask questions, support the candidate of your choice based on a range of issues, and VOTE. As for Memorial Day I suggest using that time to be grateful for all we have and for those who have given everything to help us maintain our way of life.
Betty
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 4:16 p.m.
I hate it when people don't read what someone wrote and just respond with their knee-jerk reaction. Ann Arbor is full of blow hard know-it-alls. @John B IF YOU READ-Stephen specifically says-the rest of the time "write to your legislators and Congressmen, ask questions, support the candidate of your choice based on a range of issues, and VOTE." That's not "Sheep"ish. @ Chip Reed Veteran's Day is for all who have served. IF YOU READ what Stephen said " Memorial Day is a time to remember our fellow citizens who gave their lives in service to our Country."
Chip Reed
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 10:57 a.m.
When Armistice Day (Nov 11) was changed to Veteran's Day, I thought that was to honor veterans.
John B.
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 9:33 p.m.
So we should remain like sheep the rest of the time? Hmmm....
L. C. Burgundy
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 4:34 p.m.
Sorry, these questions are only of interest when a Republican is president. Maybe you'll have better luck when a Republican is president - try back again in a few years.
John B.
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 9:34 p.m.
Just as ERMG predicted....
Chip Reed
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 3:04 p.m.
Very well put. In the late 1800's, after we were finished fighting the Indians, we started looking for other fights to get into. The war against Spain gave us some nice colonies, but what did we get for WWI? Woodrow Wilson was President when all the things in Mr. Steiber's fine letter really got going.
sig.melvin
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 5:08 p.m.
The war with Spain ..colonies .. and the telefon TAXES.. that have been collected by congress for over 100 years. and in 2008 congress relies 5% of it back to the taxpayer...but is still holding on to the 95%.....well this is one reason...no more wars..
John B.
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 3:03 p.m.
Excellent questions! I was just a bit young to be drafted to serve in 'Nam, but still have my draft card. My birthday was well within the first 100 'Random Sequence Numbers' so if I had been a few years older, I would almost surely have served there. I do not know anyone that served in Viet Nam that wasn't significantly affected by the experience in one way or another. I greatly appreciate your service to our country.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sat, May 28, 2011 : 2:22 p.m.
Good questions, all, John. And, as a fellow veteran, I honor your service and sacrifice But someone, almost certainly, will reply to this by telling you that you can't possibly be a veteran and ask these "unpatriotic" questions. Of course, that will be asked by someone who has never spent a day in service to their country, who never heard a shot fired in anger, and who, like VP Cheney, had other priorities in time of war. Good Night and Good Luck
mohomed
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 10:58 p.m.
Nice cheap shot at Cheney, but don't forgot PRESIDENT Clinton missed out on "serving" in the service too during a time of war, oh and Obama never put on a service uniform either for that matter. And yes I have served myself but I sure don't go around beating my chest, I served with to many better men than me to go around bragging.
Matt Cooper
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 4:22 a.m.
Thank you for your service, ERMG. But I take issue with the fact that you seem to imply that people that haven't served in the military aren't allowed to ask such questions. You seem to imply that their questioning is unpatriotic simply because they didn't wear a military uniform, or carry an M-16. Well, as an American who never served I need to inform you that as a citizen of this country, serving in the military is not a qualifier for the right to have and hold an opinion, or to question the government or its agents, both in the military and out of it, or to speak my mind on whatever subject I feel a need to speak out on. Of all people, I should think veterans who served to protect that right ought to know what it is and why it exists.
jcj
Sun, May 29, 2011 : 2:37 a.m.
ERMG Thanks for your service. I wish you and all veterans a pleasant Memorial Day! I too believe these are valid questions. We might come to different conclusions but such is the nature of we beast. I did not serve in the military my number was 343 and was never called to serve. I certainly would have had I been drafted. I have a profound respect for all that have served especially in times of conflict.