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Do
Not Die a
Stupid Death
By
Robert Bracamontes
In
100 B.C. Su-ma Ch' ien added these words to the
book The Art of War, "The skillful employer
of men will employ…the stupid man…the stupid man
has no fear of death." He was writing advice to
generals who were to" be entrusted with a position
of authority."
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It
is required reading at most of the best US military
colleges. This
insidious notion that some soldiers are chosen because
they are of an inferior breed is a horrible thought,
to imagine that men who lay down their lives are
seen by those in charge as totally expendable, is
reprehensible. It is with these thoughts in mind
that I write the following words to my five children
and all the children of the world. Do
not die a stupid death, my sons and daughters. It
is a sad reality when you thought that you were
dying for a worthy cause, but the truth is you were
most likely dying because our government only thinks
of you as stupid. Those of you in high school, working,
unemployed or in college, need to know that there
is honor in resisting war, there is dignity and
character in asking about student deferments or
what is a conscious objector. War is not the only
way to show how brave, wise and covetous you can
be in our one life here on earth.
The
corporate oligarchies and the hegemonic governments
of the world thus far have embraced the panacea
of war. The soldiers who come from poorer families
are led to believe that it is in their best interest
when war is waged, when in fact the opposite is
true. This
coercion of the soldiers of the poorer areas of
the world has taken on a new form that at first
seemed democratic. In Emma Goldman's day the soldiers
of the poor were drafted, conscripted; it was demanded
by the government to serve in the military. Only,
today in America's "volunteer" army the poor are
socially coerced thru oppression and manipulation.
Nobody is drafted, no conscription, it seems unnecessary
as the falseness of a volunteer army is organized
coupled with unbelievable technological advances
that present a sense of security and safety to the
soldiers of death and the population in general.
But, in fact, there are many oppressive ways the
government, the state, those lovers of war, make
us think that we want a uniform, a gun, a bomb,
to be used to kill.
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In
East Los Angeles, California, which has a large immigrant
population from Mexico, Central and Southern American
countries, soldiers are embedded in high schools.
The military recruiters in these working class schools
glorify war, showing pictures that vindicate, sanitize
the death and destruction, which is the essence of
what they will be instructed to carry out. Recruiters
prey on the compassionate youth by enticing them with
money, cash up front and more money later to pursue
a college education. |
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The
military's intension is not honorable because they
prey on the absolute vulnerability of those in need,
those whose choices are dictated by horrible educational
systems and inferior medical availability. These
students will do anything to shift the burden of
poverty from their parents and family, who mostly
are paid minimum or sub minimum wages that put them
below the poverty level and eons away from a living
wage. If the military were honorable, they would
give scholarships without obligation to service,
but on the need for advancement academically of
the bright minds that seek higher education.
Some young men, like Juan Carlos said, "The soldiers
are only doing their job. What you said was insulting
to them," referring to the lines about how some
of the corpses in past wars would "shutter the thought
that they died a stupid death." It is not easy to
hear. Juan is correct, but throughout history the
classic teachings of war are based on this insulting
premise. Just last week president Bush upped terrorist
organizations in the amount of money that would
be paid to family members if they send sons or daughters
and they die in the Iraq war.
WASHINGTON
- "Just before the president's State of the Union
Address Wednesday night, the administration aimed
to defuse one of the hottest issues on Capitol Hill
by proposing a nearly $250,000 hike in the death
payments for US troops killed in combat."
My
sons and daughters, do not think for a minute that
any amount of fool's gold could ever replace your
beautiful life. If a government sends people to
war because they think they are stupid and will
die for them, then we must resist both of these
insults. The government only preys on your compassion
for the plight that your family is in because they
refuse to supply a living wage, medical benefits,
and diverse education for all people. Your life
can never have a value in terms of dollars and cents;
it can only have value if you stand up for peace
and not war. Do not die a stupid death, my sons
and daughters.
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