Words that will inflame many, but I think thats an indication that were dealing with an almost superstitious piety -- which always fends off critical reflection (that is its function). Soldiers serve. That is honorable and admirable. But so do cops, firefighters, teachers, community organizers.... and like all of these callings, theres a variety of motives for going in, and a variety of ethical levels at work. Some heroes, some heels. I dont know that I believe the collective demand that we admire soldiers as such really comes from admiration of the way they take risk on the public behalf -- we dont get that worked up about firefighters, though i think the stats would show a comparable mortality. Its possible that admiration of force itself plays a larger role than anyones comfortable thinking about. salon/2014/11/09/you_dont_protect_my_freedom_our_childish_insistence_on_calling_soldiers_heroes_deadens_real_democracy/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialflow
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 20:56:52 +0000
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