America's Apathy; The Who-Cares-Gen

Educate and inform the whole mass of the people, they are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.- Thomas Jefferson


I usually write my blogs not trying to offend anyone. I write my most opinionated ones usually after I've thought about things, tried to see every angle, and tried to be objective as possible. Perhaps though in the past, my opinion has offended you, or pissed you off. But I never wrote it with that intention. This blog is going to be different. If you're an American citizen, especially one of my generation, this blog is meant to do exactly that. It's an attack, a punch in the nose, a kick in the balls. Because you need to hear what I have to say, and also because I know you most certainly will not fight back.

I deployed here to Iraq to fight for my country. Win for democracy. Keep the evils of the world far from the shores of America. My ideas changed with my experience. Not that I was ever really decided to begin with. This whole war started years ago, when I was in High School. I didn't understand the reasoning's for it then, but I certainly do now. First hand. We started this war under the Bush White House administration. It was somewhat successful at first, as we were targeting Al Qaeda and the most wanted WMD's. And though this was the actual beginning of our invasion of Iraq, it really started before all of this. With ignorance. Not the governments, but the peoples. The War changed drastically from year to year, having a new reason for why we are in Iraq. From finding the Weapons of Mass Destruction, to bringing down Saddam while bringing democracy and freedom to the people here. Even for fighting for the rights of women, so that they are no longer oppressed in this part of the world.

We elected President George W. Bush to White House, even if it wasn't a 'majority' that did it. I don't think that he was necessarily the evil 'master-mind' of a President he was accused of. Who knows if he was even at least a 'mind.' But this didn't change the fact that his cabinet was filled with very smart and capable people who could possibly have had, and apparently did have, hidden and dark agendas. After he assumed command, and started this war, even with a lack of public support years later, he still managed to trick everyone into getting re-elected. But instead of picking up the pieces and working at making things under the Bush administration better, because after all the People have the power and we had failed to use it, we just sat around for another four years bickering at one another, and discussing how horrible things were.

I thought that President Bush had ignited something in the American people that we hadn't seen since the 60's. War protesters picketed again in places like Berkeley. Stop the War! But that's all it was, just a show. A fad. It's 'cool' to be against war, so lets go hella protest for awhile, and then after we can smoke a J, and get some pizza at Blondie's. This isn't the hippie protests of the 60's. It's some bull-shit I want to believe in this, and say it, but don't want to show you that I'm virtuously committed kind of thing. Just like everything else in our generation, it's a false front. The Vietnam War was different from this one. In fact every American war has certainly been different from this one. They all at least shared something in common. Interest by Americans. Even if it was forced. Even if it was positive or negative, at least the People cared.

Everyone was affected by the Vietnam War. That's why so many people fought for it to stop. Why they had sit-ins and burned down building. They didn't just say what they thought they meant. They acted on what they said. Even if you were drafted, a War protester, or even fled to Canada to draft dodge, you were affected by the war. It divided our Nation, but gave everyone something to fight for. But even if in opposition of ourselves, we are more closer to one another than if either side simply doesn't care. Today's war is just a back page in the newspaper. Maybe a short sentence on the bottom line of a 24 hour news network. America really doesn't even know that we are still in a war. It's still too focused on Ugly Betty, or what outrageous things Paris Hilton is doing. Never in any war this country has ever been in, has such a MAJORITY been so apathetic.

Getting off the plane in Dallas for leave, the old vets and people waving flags and shaking hands, that's a really nice gesture. But it's a minority of people, and those who have already served and understand the sacrifice. It's only one small place. If this was World War II everyone would be involved with the War Machine. No one was left out, it was a countrywide effort. Men in the military were thought of, loved and in the mainstream of societies thought process. We weren't utterly forgotten about.

The military now is an after thought. Sub-society. People said after Vietnam that they would never turn their backs on the troops again. So you bought your bumper stickers, your 'Always Remember 9/11' and your 'Support the Troops ribbon magnets.' Sure you're not spitting on our faces. You're not punching us in the balls, but buying those things you're certainly not helping. At least those Americans who spit in the face of war Vets, who might have even been sent to the jungles against their will, at least they took a stand and cared for what was going on. But buy your Mocha Frappuccino and discuss who won Big Brother, we'll still be over here dieing.

Even if you're on the other side, the pro-war young republicans holding rallies on your college campus. You're not any different then the bumper sticker slapper, part-time patriots or anti-war show boaters. There are recruiters offices in every city. ROTC's at almost every college. Why not put down your pickets and join the fight. 1.6 Million Americans are in the Armed Forces. That's barely over a 10th of the population of Los Angeles. How much of America is fighting this war?

What does our Generation do? I'm reminded of a scene in Monty Python's Life of Brian, where the Jewish rebellion is talking about their plans to over throw the Roman government that his been set in place. They have a great strategy, and tedious planning. But when it's time to execute, all they do is sit back down and continue to talk about what they are going to do. By God, take a stand and ACT!

Everyone did when they got caught up in their momentary-Patriotism. They were actually blinded by it. The Twin Towers fell, and we were after blood for justice. We went after Osama and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. Then we were fooled enough to go into Iraq. Maybe just to finish Daddy Bush's job a decade before, but just like the gambler who made you pay for your ignorance, you saw it all in hindsight. 20/20, perfectly clear. You complained and complained, and changed nothing. You could've joined the cause, or made a bigger stink against it. Picketing and crying apparently wasn't enough. Instead you let those who were willing to fight, go over seas again and again racking up four or five deployments in the process. Getting stop-loss'd and dieing. You still picketed.

The war has drawn out, on and on. Contracts were bought by the US Government from companies like KBR, a Haliburton company. Doesn't Dick Cheney have a hand in that? Make some kind of profit from Haliburton? The longer the war, the more money. Money paid for with American blood. No one did anything. No one has done anything. No sit-ins, or protests ending with flipped police cars. The failure to act has caused even further American deaths. Yet you blame the scapegoats and let yourself off of the hook, guilt free. You've done nothing, and that you should be most guilty for.

Then the shining White Knight appeared, in black armor. Barack Obama, our savior. Our hope. Maybe our last one. He promised to pull the troops out of Iraq. Which like every politician to have ever been, he had successfully pulled the wool over your eyes. Here's a timeline for getting the troops out. Cause apparently we still give more of a fuck about these people than we do our own. 2011, no one will be in Iraq. This created policies for 'deadlines' to be met. Requirements that we, the United States military, needs to see from the Iraqi Security Forces showing that they are ready for the transition. We're on a time line though, so even if they're not ready, we'll say they are. July 1st Security Agreement, for example. If he was really the savior that he promised he would be, I would already be home by now. We would be out of Iraq, just as every other Nation who was here, has done.

But surely the politics don't effect the military. They still look out for their own. The higher-ups have become as complacent and apathetic as the rest of America. They put us in danger day in and day out with not a care for our safety or health. My platoon found terrorists, American GI killers. Dirty Iraqi-fucks that had American blood on their hands. We took the necessary procedures to capture them along with evidence that would prove their guilt. Only to hand it over to higher-ups who don't care, or don't act on the intelligence. Letting the guilty, American killers go free. And mocking those who still do care about attaining the justice and revenge of a fallen comrade with open criticism. "Still trying to win the war...hahaha"

Our Generation. Pitiful. Disgusting. Lazy. Tragic. Back-boneless. We don't work hard, and want everything. We expect to be given a lot for just being born. Liberties and freedoms are always taken for granted, if not abused, and certainly never earned. It makes me sick to think that I deployed to this country, half a world a way to protect the country that I love so much, only to find out that I despise the people in it, and the direction they're allowing it to go. The self-degradation is vile. But the fact that you don't even care is far worse.



I don't think anyone could say it better...

Every generation needs a new revolution...

Every government degenerates when trusted to the rulers of the people alone. The people themselves are its only safe depositories...

It takes time to persuade men to do even what is for their own good...

-Thomas Jefferson