Support Critical Thought

Support Critical Thought


I wonder if whom ever invented the well-repeated saying “Support Our Troops” could ever have known how well it would spread across America like a wildfire – on cars, in windows, in articles and in conversation. The beauty of this saying is that it is difficult to argue against.

It gave the war in Iraq a face – individuals, just doing their duty. And we would not want to make the mistake that we did during Vietnam – to shout and curse the veterans coming back, heaping more trauma onto severely traumatized individuals. I’ve met Vietnam vets – some worse than others, but one I remember lived in the woods for I don’t know how long, in Alaska, hiding from society. When I met him he could stop talking for days because he had been deprived of human contact. Or, my father, who experienced nightmares, horrible flashbacks.

So, this saying is difficult to argue against – just like the black and white sayings of the president who sent them into Iraq – “You’re with us or without us,” is the basic underlying mentality fostered by Bush.

But I wonder, how should we support our troops? By giving them therapy when they return and begin to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Should the wives and husbands of soldiers coming back help support emotionally the troops when they begin to have nightmares and other post-war experiences?

Should we support the troops when they are disillusioned, suffer low morale while serving in Iraq? While they are forced into situations where they have to fear for their lives for a year, plus? Where they may have to make decisions that will haunt them perhaps for a long time?

And I wonder, can you support the troops in spirit but disagree with your government’s decision to enter a war that is costing a lot of money and that has no clear end-date. That seems to have caused insurgency after insurgency and more and more civilian deaths and troop deaths.

So, when I see the bumper stickers I think of in what ways we should support our troops? Wouldn’t it be better to support thinking through each and every decision we make that affects not only troops but entire countries for years to come? How about supporting waiting before making decisions that are emotionally charged? Not allowing fear and lust for revenge and continuing a never-ending cycle of war to dictate our invasion of countries.

Do we always have to have an enemy to hate? The cold war ends and there’s no more communists, so who should we hate? Saddam? And, how many are growing to hate the U.S. with each decision that seems not well-thought out. Did Saddam kill more people that the U.S. did in Japan during WWII? Neither is ever justified, really. But does this help get us beyond “us” vs. “them” and past the painting of all our actions great and wonderful and those of the “other” terrible and Satan-like.

Should we hate the French because they aren’t “with” us? The French, who suffered through a Nazi occupation – and terrible wars that perhaps began a process that we, as Americans desperately need --- it’s called self-reflection from the experience of being occupied, as a nation. It was captured so well by Sartre. To grasp the meaning of Freedom because one lacks it.

We need this process of reflecting on our past – our suffering, or mistakes - can we afford another mistake that will cost us lives ultimately for little? Does the end justify the means? A deep knowledge that war is brutal and should never ever be entered into lightly. We can’t bury our heads in the sand, as citizens of this nation. We have to begin having critical dialogue – and a lot more of it.

So, to me, the saying “Support Our Troops” has little meaning. What does it mean, exactly? Should we support our troops during each and every war we create in the world? It’s time to come up with a new saying: “Support Thinking before Acting. We would be saving our troops’ lives if we only did that- somehow through a new process --- we need that process very badly. Our troops need it – so that they can stay at home with their families. To me, this is helping support our troops much more than sending them into battle.