Militarism and Me

Am I unpatriotic because I choose not to support the military? (Well I am unpatriotic but that has little to do with my withholding support.) There is so much coercion and misinformation surrounding the militarization of the Canadian psyche that one must tread carefully to avoid censure and outright hostility. I' unfortunately, rarely tread carefully.

When I was a kid, it was 'the' military rather than 'our' military. I know the distinction is subtle, but then, it is the subtlety of spin-doctoring that sways modern public opinion rather than the sledgehammering manifestos and slogans of the forties and fifties. When I was growing up, we saw the military as a calling for kids who were a little dull witted or uncommonly patriotic - two attributes that often went hand in hand. Unlike our neighbours to the south, we saw career soldiers as a necessary evil (though that may be a bit harsh) and parents didn't brag about their children joining the military. Having your friends, and the guy across the street setting aside their lives to answer a threat to hearth and home was one thing, but getting all starry eyed over career soldiers was almost improper. How things have changed.

Canada used to be a major U.N. peace keeper and under leaders like Lester B. Pearson we would wade into the fray, grab the belligerents by the scruff of their necks, and tell them to play nice. When the army recruited, it stressed the help that soldiers provided to the civilian population as well as the numerous technical careers that were that were awaiting the eager, smiling, young Canadians who would be trained in a fun an exciting atmosphere.

Now Canada has become Uncle Sam's Mini-me. Recruiting commercials repeat the word 'fight' and show soldiers doing, well, soldier things. The training angle is still there as a sideline and the poor huddled masses are still showcased, but it is clear that the training is not to make the soldier a better and more skilled person but to make the person a better and more skilled soldier.

It's not that I am against supporting OUR military, I am against supporting ANY military. I see the apparent necessity of a standing army because that's the way the world works, but even more I see the necessity of minimizing military tensions and aspirations in this world. To lionize an occupation such as the military is to give it a power over the human spirit that it should never be allowed to have and can only intensify the aforementioned tensions and aspirations.

Do we really want the brutality of modern warfare to be a staple for our children and convince them that 'pro patria mori' is a legitimate goal? Bring them up on 'first person shooters' so they can sit in a helicopter gunship and watch the virtual images of men dance on a night-vision screen as their bodies are torn apart by armour piercing rounds? And laugh about it? (watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfRiUmxBXl8 if you are interested)

I support a standing army with my taxes. These men and women do an unbelievably difficult job in order that I and my loved ones can continue to enjoy the skewed distribution of resources in this world. That is the extent of my support. And it should be enough.