roachboy

while i disagree with delayed reaction about the war, i agree with what he is saying about the question moore posed to o'reilly.

but it was--that series of questions--straight out of moore's film.

however, i think moore (and other people who think about this kind of thing) do have a strong argument about the class dimension of the volunteer military--that it is disproportionately working class kids from formerly viable manufacturing areas who join and that they are sold the military by recruiters as an economic option.

the same arguments persuaded relatives of mine to join--they went in hoping that they would not end up cannon fodder.
they understood going in that they were throwing the dice in a bid to get training (in helicopters as it turned out) that would put them in a position to get a post-military gig in the field they wanted to enter. the decision was made as much after looking at the backgrounds of people who worked in the areas that they wanted to go into as it was for any grand patriotic motive.

after basic, they were much more about the grand narrative. but then they were also reading stuff like soldier of fortune during their short home leave.

later, once the personality reconstruction of basic faded, the other motives came back to the fore again.

while the above is obviously particular, i dont think it unusual. and i do not think that it makes any sense to try to cram everyone who joins the military into the same motivational box. no doubt there are some who join out of a sense of patriotic duty. but that is far from an exclusive motive--if it was, the recruiting system would not be so devoted to making other kinds of arguments, no?
and if the military itself recognizes the complexity of motive that mght prompt a kid to join, why should we not in this thread?

__________________
a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle
spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear

it make you sick.

-kamau brathwaite