One of the things I loathe is America’s infatuation with its military.
A tough old buzzard
Undeniably, there are some great people in the military; people who believe in what they are doing and who are trying to police the world. But, sadly, I still feel that they’re delusional – it ought to be obvious to any thinking person that the US military is not being deployed in a moral or useful project; therefore it is a criminal enterprise that brings violence on others for no purpose other than protecting America’s corporate interests. After all, it’s not as if the world is asking to be policed; the US has just decided that it’s going to project its hegemony in the form of claiming to be “global cop.” This is how it’s always been, as Smedley Butler pointed out in his famous War Is A Racket tract. [stderr] [wik]
Still, it irked me severely to see that the hardware store where I get my plywood has put up a big sign and demarcated special parking places for “active and retired military.” (I guess pregnant women can go fuck themselves) and it used to send me into great, horking, spasms of irked when USAirways’ boarding process gave priority to “military in uniform.” The ritual “thank you for your service” also makes my hackles rise; it’s emblematic of America’s unthinking and unconditional appreciation of its policy of foreign wars. Everyone who wears the uniform was involved – directly or in a supporting role – with America’s greatest blunders. What’s to thank them for?
But in the time of the coronavirus and social distancing, we have a new reality. It’s a reality in which a minimal wage worker is expected to still go to work and wear protective gear as they still get paid minimum wage to hand bags of cheeseburgers or chicken tenders to scared people in cars. They’re going the extra mile and, in spite of the protective gear, they are risking losing their jobs and having their lives turned upside down by getting sick – just to give us a cheeseburger that enriches their management chain (who are safe in their mansions in the Hamptons). The nurses (first and foremost) and the people who clean up at hospitals are the heroes of the day, followed by the doctors and EMTs and the other technicians – but spare some gratitude for the people who are hauling the body bags, handing out the cheeseburgers, and doing their low-reward best to keep the minimal infrastructure working.
The other day, my UPS driver came by to drop off a box and (from a distance) I said, “thank you for your service.” He was surprised, but relaxed a bit and said that, yeah, he didn’t feel so happy about delivering boxes in this situation. “At least I don’t work at McDonald’s” was what he said. That’s what got me thinking.
From now on, I’ll thank people for their service – and give them money besides if it’s appropriate – it’s sad but under disaster capitalism, the people who are keeping the system working are those who are least rewarded by it. I know that “thank you for your service” is about as worthless as “thoughts and prayers” but I’ll try to give them a $20 while I’m at it. We all know it’s not enough.
I was in the army active then ready reserve between 1983 and 1989. Somewhere on my shelf in the other room I have a cardboard tube containing a fairly unattractive certificate declaring me honorably discharged. On occasion I’ve had people say “well, a chairborne warrior like you can’t talk about military strategy…” in which case it has been handy to send them a link to the damn thing. [discharge] As though being a corporal who lugged around an M-60 qualifies me as a military genius. What qualifies me as a military genius was that I saw through the charade very early and switched from active to reserve status as soon as I got out of basic. I was a 76V – “material storage and handling specialist” which means that I was an army certified forklift driver. When Balticon was being held at the Baltimore convention center instead of the Hyatt Regency, there was a day when the loading dock staff were on strike and were trying to charge the vendors extra to move their stuff inside the convention center. That was when I decided to spend the day forklifting around science fiction. After all, I was an army certified forklift driver; the convention center staff took a look at my military ID and shrugged and I fired the lift up and got to work. Then, as I was going down one hallway, a woman came running up to me and started complaining about the air conditioning. I stopped quickly – most people don’t realize what getting a foot under a forklift wheel means – they’re small but deadly. And the ‘lift skidded on the polished concrete and the fork did to the wall what the iceberg did to the Titanic. I said, “look, lady, I have no idea about the AC but as you can tell, forklifts are dangerous.” Nobody ever asked about it, so I never mentioned it ’till now. Anyhow, my military ‘service’ was a joke and I don’t deserve thanks for it in the slightest. When you see someone muttering the ritual “thank you for your service” you might want to mention that most of the people who serve in the military are fuck-ups and most of what the military does is fuck up and that maybe they should thank a waiter, instead. And give them some money.
I have not figured out what to do about establishments that don’t allow their staff to accept tips. God damn that is some evil capitalism right there. If you’re going to say not to accept tips you’d better be offering them medical insurance, a 401K, dental plan, and paid sick leave/time off.
One of the nurses who was photographed with Boris Johnson – who survived his brush with coronavirus – didn’t. [nypost] This is hitting nurses and other caregivers particularly hard. I have a friend who is a radiologist at a hospital in Utah, who spent 2 really shitty weeks with fevers and shakes and is officially cleared so he’s working basic service jobs around the ER because (we are pretty sure) he can’t get it again, now.
I absolutely hate the American custom of giving tips to waiters. It is nonsensical and irrational. Why should the waiter’s income depend upon the mood of some customer? Why should the waiter earn less just because the customer was grumpy after an argument with their spouse?
And, yes, of course all employees should get medical insurance, dental plan, paid sick leave, unemployment benefits, paid parental leave, a decent salary, etc.
I’m still hoping that the world’s worst politicians could die from the virus. I mean, they are all old dudes, they ignore safety precautions, they could get sick and, given their age, they could also die. Imagine if Trump actually died from the coronavirus. That would be nice.
This is a topic I’ve thought about before. I have the weird hobby of folding brand new dollar bills into various shapes via origami. When I’ve had the rare experience to be in a hotel, I always search out those who don’t normally get tips: the people who prepare the continental breakfast for example, and give them one of the folded dollars. I also add them to my tip for eating out, or just sometimes give one to a person who does everyday work and does it well. It makes people so happy, and it’s such a simple thing to do. I always feel guilty that it’s just a dollar but that’s what I can do so I do it. These are people who work really hard for almost nothing. It seems to me the least I can do is express my appreciation.
With the current situation I’m just incredibly grateful to the people who are still at work every day selling food and so on. That’s the thing about these people; they are not in some fantasy where they cut the bad guy’s head off with a sword or something; they just show up to work every day. But in these circumstances that really is a very brave thing to do.
I won’t say anything about health care workers because it hits too close to home.
An economy that relies on tipping (supposedly a gratuity) to sustain its workers is a dismal economy. Kinda medieval, this dependence on the largesse of others.
To the main point: for mine, people working for their living deserve respect for working for a living, but no more than that.
I believe it is unfair and demeaning to label everyone in the military as “fuck-ups”. Yes, there are some who fit that description, just as there are in all walks of life. But I know a lot of kids who volunteered because they thought they were doing something good. They were decent kids, and grew into decent, responsible adults. You do them a great disservice by putting them down. Does the govt. they serve enforce bad, even dangerous, policy? Sometimes, yes. Are that govt.’s aims misdirected and/or wrong? Again, sometimes, yes. That is not the fault of those who serve. These men and women are doing jobs that, unfortunately, need to be done, at least in the cases where the policy aims are righteous. If you don’t respect them, at least please don’t disparage them. As far as always saying “Thanks for your service”, I think that’s an outgrowth of guilt over the way the returning Viet-Nam vets were treated, at least to some degree. Anyway, that’s my 2 cents worth.
publicola@#4:
I believe it is unfair and demeaning to label everyone in the military as “fuck-ups”
The US switched to a volunteer army so that its leaders could expend lives and effort and – if someone complains – say “well this is what you signed up for!” It also means that someone can point out (as I have) that “you signed up for it” carries moral weight. If we were talking about draftees being force-inducted into the military and told to do stupid things, we might be able to say that they had no choice. But the people who choose to serve in the US military have chosen to participate in useless and immoral wars. They don’t deserve respect for that. As I have said elsewhere, anyone who joins the US military ought to know by now what the deal is: the US military is regularly used to trample international law and murder people around the world.
If you think it’s unfair and demeaning to accuse members of the military of being complicit in international crimes and individual war crimes, then I’m going to have to say you’re being awfully forgiving. I actually have been in the military and – in the 80s, as a result of My Lai – we had several sections of instruction regarding how to disobey an illegal order. It is, in fact, a soldier’s duty to disobey an illegal order; that’s right there in the UCMJ. Of course it’s hard to do that. Cry me a river.
The people who called soldiers returning from Vietnam “baby killer” were right. Maybe it was disrespectful, but… so? That is the kind of reaction that the international community expected from German civilians during the holocaust, and we blame them for not standing up. Why don’t we take some blame for not criticizing our military as it bombs and invades everyplace with impunity?
That is not the fault of those who serve.
You’re making the Nuremberg defense, there. In fact, it is their fault, to the degree to which they assisted and participated in crimes. “I was just following orders” was judged an unacceptable defense in court.
These men and women are doing jobs that, unfortunately, need to be done, at least in the cases where the policy aims are righteous.
Sure – if the members of the military are doing righteous things, it’s OK. But, “righteous” does not include policing an occupation! When the US military helped during the disaster in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, that was legit. But a US soldier who disarms an IED in Afghanistan is part of a military occupation not “righteous.” If you want to claim that there is “righteous” action going on, you’ve got to parse it out from all the murder missions and area bombardments. Be my guest. In the meantime, it is proper – in fact it is the public’s duty to ask members of the military, “just what the fuck do you think you are doing in my name?”
Noam Chomsky has a good point that he likes to make about this, which is that – as a taxpayer – he bears some responsibility for the US military machine. Well, OK, that’s true but it’s hard to know what to do about it because the US is going to claim its taxes via force if necessary. In a sense, he’s a draftee. But we’re all complicit to a degree.
The best argument in defense of the troops is a semi-marxist analysis, claiming that our economic system arranges things so that some people have no real choice about joining the military. Well, that’s kind of true, but everyone wearing the uniform could have no moral conundrum if they took a different shitty job. There are lots of shitty jobs that don’t involve helping the Saudis commit war crimes in Yemen, or lobbing shells at Raqqa.
In order to maintain its force structure and carry out its illegal and immoral wars, the US has promoted a strong ideology that the troops face no moral conundrum, and they can feel safe from criticism while they load and fire high explosive and white phosphorus at hospitals. Because it was a command decision someone else made. That’s the ideology you’re defending – good luck with it.
John Morales@#3:
An economy that relies on tipping (supposedly a gratuity) to sustain its workers is a dismal economy. Kinda medieval, this dependence on the largesse of others.
It’s how capitalists in the US make sure there is a labor force that will work cheap, so they can play them off against more established labor if they try to negotiate a better deal. In other words, “it’s necessary.” If you’re a nasty evil bastard, that is. I’d happily pay $10 more for my meal, but I’ve got the money to spare.
We live in a complex trap, and those who own the greatest interest in it have locked the door and thrown away the key.
was prior enlisted, can confirm…
trong ideology that the troops face no moral conundrum, and they can feel safe from criticism
And given the force agreements in effect with most countries they can feel safe from punishment for real crimes while they are on duty outside of the USA. There are good reasons that the people of Okinawa want the US out.
a big sign and demarcated special parking places for “active and retired military.”
Too dangerous around here. Our local military people could hurt themselves laughing.
Marcus; There is truth in much of what you say. Still, I think there are many who enter the military with honest intentions, and it’s these I’m defending. Should they be aware of what they may be asked to do in the name of the USA? Absolutely. Is the military often a source of unneeded death and destruction? Yes. Unfortunately, the military is a necessity. It’s up to all of us to pressure the govt. to use it wisely. As you said, illegal orders must be disobeyed, and soldiers must be prepared to do so. I understand that your military service informs your thinking, (how could it not?). I never had to serve because Nixon ended the draft the month I was due to be called up, so I can’t really speak from a position of authority here. Perhaps the truth is somewhere in the middle.
Marcus: most of the people who serve in the military are fuck-ups and most of what the military does is fuck up
publicola: Perhaps the truth is somewhere in the middle.
I feel that Marcus has already positioned himself sufficiently “somewhere in the middle” in that statement.
publicola@#10:
Still, I think there are many who enter the military with honest intentions, and it’s these I’m defending.
Sure. A sincerely well-intentioned murderer is still a murderer, though. You need to realize that a soldier, once they are outside of their country, is a “terrorist” if they are not there actually helping, and were not invited there. Since the US military has basically never, ever, been invited to help since WWII, it’s safe to say that anyone in the US military ought to realize that they are part of a terrorist organization.
As cvoinescu pointed out at #11, I’m being nice when I call them “fuck ups” – “terrorists” is generally more appropriate. I was trying to imply that the “fuck ups” are the ones that woke up one morning and found they were part of a terrorist organization. By the way, I’m not being silly about that – I’ve talked to people who had that awakening in Vietnam, and another who had that awakening in Kabul.
Unfortunately, the military is a necessity.
Having a military to deploy is a necessity. Deploying it generally is not. That’s why most civilized nations are not deploying their military constantly and setting up “search and destroy” raids to obliterate people who do not agree with US policy. In the case of something like ISIS, I think it’s safe to say that they are nasty people – they kill innocents without a trial and …. uh… so do our guys. I’m not drawing a moral equivalence, at all, but the methods used by both organizations are suspiciously similar, with the difference that our “good guys” have long-range artillery and high altitude bombers and drones. Whup de doo.
I never had to serve because Nixon ended the draft the month I was due to be called up, so I can’t really speak from a position of authority here.
In the case of a draft/conscription, I think it’s reasonable to excuse (somewhat) the soldiers who are not volunteers. Many of them did not want to go to war at all, and some of them even objected and refused to fight. But since the Vietnam war, the US has based its military on
mercenariesall volunteers (paid volunteers) – in order to remove their ability to object. “After all, you volunteered.” But even that is a trick: the military offers good pay, good benefits, and preys on disempowered minorities, offering them an opportunity for a bit of upward mobility in returning for promising to be cannon-fodder or murderers abroad. You probably know someone who has served in the army reserve (AKA: “we pay your college, in return for one weekend a month and a week a year”) and found themselves on extended cycle after cycle in Iraq or Afghanistan. My old unit, the 698th supply company, not only experienced multiple call-ups and extended deployments (you do not get to say “no thanks.”) they wound up accidentally in the forward edge of the battle area during the chaos in Iraq and a couple of them were killed. This is, as they say, not what the advertisements portray.Given the amount of news coverage the US military gets, nobody can claim to be well-intentioned and unaware of how things can go horribly wrong once you enlist.
Additionally, nobody who pays any attention to the news or the media can be unaware that when they choose to serve in the US military they are choosing to serve alongside, aid, supply, and cover for, genuine full-blown psychopaths like “American Sniper” and the “Kill Team” – those guys can’t operate in a vaccum; someone who cooks their meals and builds their latrines is helping them by doing the supporting work that lets them go shoot people in the head for fun.
It’s complicated, alright. But if a person wishes to avoid having to juggle moral compromises all they have to is get a job somewhere else. People who work at WALMART don’t have to worry where they are delivering artillery fire, today. It’s not as well-paid a job, and the benefits aren’t as good, but that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? Post-Vietnam, no American can say they had good intentions when they agree to fly a bomber, or work a howitzer, or make lunch for psychopathic navy SEALs, or load shells on the AC-130s that some other military fuck-up uses to wipe out a Medcins Sans Frontieres hospital.