Freedom's Slave

Recently, I got a comment on a year-old post from my good friend, Anonymous. Which is odd, because no one ever comments on this blog. And when they do, it's usually people who've misunderstood sarcasm. In terrible and hilarious ways. So when Anon popped up this morning, I paid attention!

Listen here you clearly dont understand the tragedies of war. Theres no glory in war I know but im a proud american who loves this country and I support the troops all the your so ignorant in liberal anti-government beliefs. Its a war not a peace rally stupid fuck people die. The people protecting your way of life die for you and me to keep us free. You could atleast show some sympathy for them we are liberating an oppressed people from a brutal dictator whats so wrong with that. If you say that Iraq is not our problem your an idiot. The U.S. has been fighting to liberate oppressed people ever since WWII. Go die liberal fuck people like you are a waste of time.

(omg, that post now has four comments! I'm famous!)

Now, no American can ever criticize the military without having an uncomfortable thought spared for Jack Nicholson, the great actor who sacrificed 0 longs years serving in our country's military.



"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it."

Aye, there's the rub, isn't it. That whole question the 'quality of service you provide' thingy. A republic, defended by a military made up of voluntary serfs who have no civil liberties and no democratic rights in the eyes of our nation. Who am I to question that? Who am I to be ungrateful? Clearly, I am a ignorant, liberal anti gubber (but only anti-Bush, am I right folks or am I right?)

If you step into the street without looking and a stranger saves your life, does that stranger now get to rule what you think and say? What if the stranger pulls you back and there was no danger? Do they get that right then? Since I am far more likely to die in an auto accident than at the hands of a terrorist or foreign government does that mean I don't have the right to criticize auto manufacturers who stand on the wall for me?

Or is it only because I can't understand the tragedies of war that I can't speak?

When my government uses flechettes, phosphorus, drones, DU. When they kill innocent people during the course of their work. When my brothers and sisters come back in flag draped coffins when I needed them to come back and fight the forest fires and floods in my own country? When I protested going to war for false reasons, when I protested a war of vengeance, when I protested the use of murder as a tool of democracy and then continued to criticize those in charge for making the same mistake over and over and over. Is that when I can't speak?

When the people protecting my life are actually endangering it, is that when I must be silent?

Hey, I'm still waiting for our government to liberate the oppressed. As an American citizen is it not my duty to ensure the rights of the people who've given theirs up to defend me? Isn't it my duty to make sure they defend me in a way I agree with and aren't being used as a tool by the government to shape foreign policy? Isn't it my duty to hold them accountable?

Anon wants me to trust my government to make the right choices for me and that's fair, except that my government has consistently chosen not to act in my best interest. It won't even act in the best interest of the soldiers who defend it.

What is it called when a 'patriot' uses anger, offense and self-righteousness as weapons to rob me off my freedoms and liberties?

Lila Schow
Because Responsible Citizens Clean Up After Their Government http://goodusgov.org/