From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Thu Sep 05 2002 - 10:03:26 MDT
On Thursday, September 5, 2002, at 01:30 am, Amara Graps wrote:
> this is an unbelievable thread, imo
I have stayed out of this, but it is unbelievable to me too. People who
are anti-government seem to be very pro-military. Some who think taxes
are an initiation of force believe in forced military service. Some who
believe in self-governance think civilians shouldn't be allowed to
vote. Some who would like to see no government at all wouldn't mind if
everybody was ruled by veterans and nobody without military service
could vote or have any say in their government. Some who believe in
self-determination think that all rights or citizenship must be earned.
Some who believe in diversity and the value of individuality think
veterans are better than civilians. Some who speak the most for
individual responsibility and see no need for a social net seem to be
the worse self-victims whining about how hard they had it and how easy
the civilians have it.
The military experience is obviously far beyond the ordinary lives of
mundane people. However, the conclusions some are drawing with respect
to the military seem so out of character for them or so contrary to
their other expressed viewpoints, that it borders on brainwashing or
mental conditioning. Their military personality seems disconnected from
their civilian personality, to the point that they express radically
different goals and views that are incompatible with their other
non-military viewpoints.
This is not meant to attack or specifically point out any specific
viewpoint as being wrong. I am not arguing for or against any specific
idea. (That's why I am staying out of it.) However, I am noting an
extreme inconsistency with some of these expressed viewpoints. They
seem incompatible with these same people's positions when we are not
discussing the military. I would have never dreamed that anyone could
advocate taking away the vote, having citizenship "earned", having
self-governance limited to veterans, or giving government control to the
military. In any other context, these ideas would have never been
expressed on this list.
-- Harvey Newstrom, CISSP <www.HarveyNewstrom.com> Principal Security Consultant <www.Newstaff.com>
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