Something to think about tomorrow

From Huffington Post:

"America is a country made by war. The war for independence created the myth of freedom fighters -- those willing to die today for the freedom of those yet born. The Civil War extended that myth through violence so overwhelming in scope that Abraham Lincoln implored his fellow countrymen to rededicate themselves to the ideals of the nation so that the thousands killed in the war had not "died in vain." Every war since then has echoed this legacy -- those who kill and die for America do so to affirm ideals apparently revealed most clearly in times of war."

I have been noticing a few salutes to servicemembers in preparation for the 4th, is this something new? Have I had my head buried in history books so much that I missed the celebration of war part of Independence Day? I get embarrassed enough when people "thank me for my service" on Memorial Day. Can't we just celebrate the founding of our country and not glorify the attendent violence?

"Why does war seem to have such power? We believe that war transcends politics, revealing the soul of the nation, and forging a faith between a people and their country. The American experience with war acts like a civil religion -- a way for Americans to affirm and assess national ideals for which generations have been called to give their last full measure of devotion. It is a glorious, dangerous, heroic, terrifying cross to bear. In a word, it is ironic."

Irony in history is a very difficult concept to master, but I think this is the clearest example of it. Reinhold Niebuhr put war, defense, and security at the center of his formulation of The Irony of American History. The corrollary is American optimism and exceptionalism, specifically the difficulty accepting that bad things can happen to good people. The irony here is prizing our freedom and liberty so highly and getting angry with other countries when they refuse to accept our intervention. Also the reason we had almost an entire decade of brooding after "losing" Vietnam. America flattened that country for seven years, dropping many times more bombs than during all of WWII. The Communists in Vietnam would not submit, so we needed national therapy.

"For the first time since 1992, war will not be a major part of an election cycle. Yet war will undoubtedly continue as a presence in American life. The most respected institution in the nation is the military. We honor soldiers -- fallen and living -- as national heroes for their willingness to sacrifice for America's civil religion. Perhaps it's time to consider their service as something other than national martyrdom, for they fight, kill and die for us and our government, not some abstract notion of the nation. War does not merely affirm the best of America but also the worst. It remains our collective cross to bear." (emphasis mine)

Where our freedoms, rights, and liberties really came from and how they are maintained is too big a subject for this blog, but I think Professor Haberski is on to something with that statement.