As some of you know, I am active in our local peace/anti-war vigil that's been happening every Saturday, here, for a little shy of a year. For the last 6 months we've been joined by a small cadre of pro-war folks whose large, plywood signs say things like:
BOMB SADDAM
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
REMEMBER 9-11
YOU'RE EITHER WITH US OR AGAINST US
HONK IF YOU HATE LIBERALS
BOYCOTT FRANCE
OUR TROOPS NEED YOUR SUPPORT NOT YOUR PROTESTS
PROTESTORS ARE LIKE ASSHOLES, NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR THEM
It's interesting trying to talk to them. We come from quite polarized world views. I, for one, believe that the notion of a "liberal media" is not only a myth, but that the major media is decidedly conservative; they call CNN the "Clinton News Network" and scoff when I refer to those "liberal" rags like the New York Times and the Washington Post.
Recently one of them told me of a picture of Chirac with Saddam Hussein to prove that the French are Saddam-lovers. I asked him about the picture of Rumsfeld with Hussein. He didn't know who Donald Rumsfeld was. To his credit he was pretty receptive to my explanations of Rumsfeld, Reagan, the Iran-Iraq war, current administration policy, etc., asking questions throughout. I'd hazard to say he still doesn't make the same of the connections that I do.
They continue to believe that anyone who opposes the war is a Clinton-loving liberal who hates America. "Socialist" is a popular epithet from them. Not really a problem for me, but I doubt they have the same understanding of the term that I do. Name one socialist theorist.
So, in the midst of all this, I noticed this quote from a Kos post about Wesley Clark:
the military is the ultimate socialist system -- free food, housing, and affirmative action ensuring equal opportunity to all, regardless of race, class or socioeconomic status.
I've been imbued with the notion that libraries were one of the few socialist institutions in this country (principles of communal access to information regardless of class, race, or socioeconomic status), but I can honestly say I haven't really thought about the military in this way.
I've long had an understanding of the military as one of the few "outs" for low- and middle-income people who are enticed by notions of GI Bills and job training, and so have been frustrated by the relations of socioeconomic status to service and survival, as highlighted in this week's Onion:
U.S. Continues Proud Tradition Of
Diversity On Front Lines
CAMP COYOTE, KUWAIT—With blacks and Hispanics comprising more than 60 percent of the Army's ground forces in Iraq, the U.S. military is continuing its long, proud tradition of multiculturalism on the front lines of war. "Though racism and discrimination remain problems in society at large, in the military—especially in the lower ranks where you find the cannon fodder—a spirit of inclusiveness has prevailed for decades," Gen. Jim White said Monday. "When it comes to having your head blown off by enemy fire, America is truly colorblind."
I'm sure there are ways to parse Kos' post for relative truths, but its a very interesting starting point. I wonder how that would play out with the pro-war folks I interact with. I'll need to have a better understanding of the ins and outs first. Any thoughts on the matter?
1:35:11 AM 
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