Apologies, and some not apologies
Holy hell, you leave the internet for a day or two and everything goes to pot.
Some of you have noted that I deleted my poem "Memorial Day". There has been some speculation as to why that is, and I just felt like clarifying some things. I deleted the post because some of the comments were getting downright abusive (suggestions that I needed to be "raped by a marine" were particularly not appreciated, whoever that anonymous coward was). Rather than trying to keep on top of these comments, and the weird places that the thread was going, I just scrapped the whole thing.
So, here are the apologies: I'm sorry I wrote a crappy poem, I am sorry that what I portrayed was not what I meant. I really should leave the subtlety to Keats. The point of the poem was a criticism of Memorial Day; I do not like it, I do not like how we glorify soldiers, and I do not like the violence we encouraged because of it. The point of the poem was not how all soldiers are evil, but rather, how most can and do evil when it is ordered of them. The soldier really saw himself as all of the things in the poem: strong, hard-working, capable, moral et cetera and he really saw his enemy as evil, amoral, a terrorist. BUT, when he was told to do something immoral, he jumped to it, because soldiers follow orders, even more so then we do (a le Milligram). They did for the Trail of Tears, they did it for pretty much every war, and they have done it in
I am not sorry of the feeling that compelled me to write the poem. We pick heroes of the most violent among us, and that should stop. If we wanted to memorialize people who sacrifice, why not firefighters? Why not Peace Corps members? Why not doctors? They are in the
people who do positive things for the greater good: they save lives, and don't kill to do it. But no, we pick people who kill to protect as our heroes, we memorialize who destroys as opposed to who creates. The people necessary for a vibrant democracy: journalists, educators, active citizens, lawyers, judges: we malign them in favor of something that every country on the planet has. For every war we have ever been in, the other side had soldiers too, doing the same thing that our soldiers did (if we torture less it's still a matter of degree, not actions). I will not buy into American exceptionalism, nor will I bow to the god of blind patriotism.
And just because my friends AND family were in/ are in the military, does not mean that it changes what their job is, nor how I feel about it. It just normally means that we don't talk about it. Oh, and along the same lines, I still don't think we should cut veterans’ benefits, a soldier may kill, but the government's the one who sent them to do it in the first place.
posted by Goddess Cassandra @ 7:42 AM
9 comments
9 Comments:
You said, “Rather than trying to keep on top of these comments, and the weird places that the thread was going, I just scrapped the whole thing.”
I think you should have left it up for two reasons. Leaving it up and clearing up your point, lends to your credibility, and second, leaving it up shows people who make horrible comments for who they are. I might suggest that you change your preferences to only allow comments from people who register a name.
You said, “I'm sorry I wrote a crappy poem” Personally I don’t care if you wrote an award winning poem, or a bad poem. Your hostility towards our servicemen is much more likely to win you an award than actually being patriotic. Further more, I for one never asked or even wanted an apology, much less on for your writing.
You said, “The point of the poem was a criticism of Memorial Day; I do not like it, I do not like how we glorify soldiers, and I do not like the violence we encouraged because of it.”
You may have intended to criticize Memorial Day, but I don’t think outside the title you mentioned it or referred to it even once. No matter how much you rail against our soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines, they are hero’s who make huge sacrifices. Whether they live or die, an enormous sacrifice has been made on their, for your benefit. On Memorial Day, we take time to honor those who made the greatest sacrifice, whether you agree with it or not. These men and women deserve to be glorified. The decent thing to do is to acknowledge that the sacrifice was made, not libel and disparage those who served. That is just simple common sense. What violence is encouraged by Memorial Day; I mean other than the violence that ‘pacifists’ perpetrate when they protest and vandalize and assault other people and their property?
You said, “how most can and do evil when it is ordered of them.” This is not true, and what’s more soldiers are legally obligated to obey the law and do what is right regardless of what is ordered of them.
You said, “They did for the Trail of Tears, they did it for pretty much every war, and they have done it in Iraq. And any way you try to pretty it up, the job of the military is to kill people.” You fail to acknowledge that when crimes are committed by our service men they are held to account, unlike other countries. This is an example of either ignorance or more likely dishonesty. The job of the military is to protect our nation, its people, its interests and its allies. If killing Islamofacists, Nazi’s, Communists, British, is deemed necessary, then so be it. Because you don’t like it, doesn’t change how humans have behaved throughout history. Appeasing dictators and thugs doesn’t bring peace, but rather it encourages greater killing. It seems that would be the opposite result you desire.
You said, “why not firefighters? Why not Peace Corps members? Why not doctors?” We don’t have a federal holiday for firefighters because we don’t have federal firefighters. You want a local day to recognize them or the Peace Corps or doctors, then organize one. Want to salute Peace Corps members? How about including Churches who send missionaries around the world to help others as well? You don’t think doctors kill? Maybe you should rethink that idea and keep in mind the 46 million plus abortions, and who knows how many doctors have helped people commit suicide. (Yes I know not all doctors do this. Most in fact value human life)
You said, “But no, we pick people who kill to protect as our heroes, we memorialize who destroys as opposed to who creates.” We live in the greatest nation the planet has even known. We do more good in the world than any other nation. With out our military, this would not have been possible. Our military has been used to create prosperity across the globe, particularly since the end of world war two.
You said, “journalists, educators, active citizens, lawyers, judges:” All of these people have done more to damage our nation in the last twenty years than anyone else, with the possible exception of active citizens. Cindy Sheehan is a so called active citizen and she enjoys cavorting with maniacal despots, who are the enemy of our country.
You said, “For every war we have ever been in, the other side had soldiers too, doing the same thing that our soldiers did” Do you really want to suggest that the Iraqi Republican Guard, for instance, who committed war crimes in Kuwait, are the same as our soldiers? Do you want to suggest that the Nazi military was the moral equal to our forces? Do you want to suggest that British occupations forces were the same as the military and militia forces that fought against them? Do you want to imply that Confederate soldiers fighting to destroy the Union, and continue slavery were the same as the Union army?
You said “I will not buy into American exceptionalism, nor will I bow to the god of blind patriotism.” If you can not see that our nation is the greatest on the planet for a list of reasons as long as your arm, you are denying the truth. Why the anti-patriotic vitriol? Why do you hold our nation in such contempt, and hate it so?
You are sad and depressed, in part because you are so angry and hateful. This is what liberalism does for you. It is the dark view, where everything is bad, unfair, and corrupt. Not everything is bad, not everybody is always treated unfairly, and not everything is corrupt. There is plenty of good out there, and plenty of reasons to be happy and optimistic. Liberalism is an anchor of despair and depression you should cast off.
C.
Chris, screw it. The only thing "depressing" is that the conservative world-view may be right; that we are selfish, greedy, hateful, ignorant people who can only survive by stepping on other people, or that people are only good if they have enough fear of punishment. THAT is depressing. The thought that we CAN get along without killing each other, that we can think of solution without resorting to violence, that we can respect each other and our differences, that is uplifting and heartning.
But, this is all OT anyway. As is abortions, as is weather or not I'm depressed, as are missionaries. So, next time you post a long, rambling OT comment, I'm either going to delete it or edit it.
My overly long comment took each of your points one by one, and addressed them. Because you don't like them, doesn't make them off topic. Do you not see how religious missionaries are in context to your suggestion that we celebrate the Peace Corps?
If you are going to delete everything you don't like what is the point of the blog? I don't get it.
As for "that we are selfish, greedy, hateful, ignorant people who can only survive by stepping on other people, or that people are only good if they have enough fear of punishment." Where did I say any of that, where it would be in context with the last paragraph? I don’t know any conservatives who think this way, and I do know many liberals who do.
C.
Chris, the better question is "Why do you comment here?" If you want to know more about liberal beliefs, there are people who are far more verbose than I. If you want to know about North Dakota, there are many more blogs with a more conservative bent (my suggestion is "Say Anything"). You have your own blog to talk about how horrible liberals are. If you find yourself constantly offended and appalled, there is the virtual door.
Out of the plethera of reasons I blog, funnily enough, having to talk to you is not one of them.
This blog is interesting enough for me to come around. With some of the statements you make how could I pass up the opportunity to read and reply to them? I do go to SayAnything, and Bismarck Dems, and Flickertail Journal. I get lots of opinions from lots of places.
You of course can administer your blog any way you like. I am not offended by your missives, nor will I be. I just don't understand why you put stuff up and then take it down. I don't do that on mine, so I simply marvel at others who do it.
C.
I've deleted exactly one post in the year I've had this blog. And that post got deleted because of violent comments (this isn't an anonomous blog, you know: there is a real threat of this stuff).
When you get rape threats, we'll talk about taking down posts.
ycjwkorjKeep up the good work! Youth should question authority. You mentioned 2 days a year "And twice a year, we memorialize war: death and destruction." If you refer to veteran's day that was originally Armistice Day to celebrate the end of war. WWI was originally thought to be the war to end all wars. The carnage of that war truly startled the world but, it did not last. I prefer to honor Memorial Day as a day to honor all those who have passed, friends,family and veterans alike find me at the cemetary giving silent comments to the passing years. I look forward to more of your fresh youthful challenging perspective. RLK
Do you know if you can make it so people commenting have to leave a name and or e-mail address? I think you can but I am not sure.
I am sorry that people out there are so implacably stupid as to make threats about anything much less rape. I understand taking that down.
C.
Cassandra, hope you will post your poem again so some of us can read it that are new to your blog. By the way was it Mike M. who made the rape threats ? Just wondering. greenglass4.
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