Jerry West wrote:
> Jeffrey Blankfort wrote:
>
> .... the bonding of air force pilots and crew is more dependent on the
> risks they take then the is the bonding of grunts on the ground who are
> put through, collectively, a difficult period of military training which
> is intended to toughen them through a process of dehumanization followed
> by ....
>
> One result of that process, however, is a type of bonding that I have
> yet to see in any other walk of life.
>
country joe mcdonald reply:
Jeffrey Blankfort i am not sure but it feels like you did not serve in the
military by the tone of your statements. Some military veterans say "if
you aint been there you got nothing to say" but i do not say that. After
all this is America and we have feedom of speech.
The novel CATCH 22 is all about the bonding of air crews in war. Many air
crews are forced to sit and watch the film footage showing the results of
there bombing in order to plan better bombing missions in the future.
May groups in "other walks of life" bond: fire fighters, police, health
care workers, political workers, sports teams, mothers, children who have
been abused, fathers, the list is endless. This myth that "warriors" bond
together more than other groups of humans helps keep the war machine going.
As i have said before soldiers are just another group or working people no
better or worse than any other group of workers except for the fact that by
law of the land they have no rights.
People do not need to share a negative or violent experience to bond. But
men seem to lean towards this interpretation. For example: respect the
status quo gives to those who fought for their country and respect those
who dislike the status quo gives to those who fought against their
country's status quo. But PTSD and war wounds are all the same. Nothing
to be admired or respected but something to be feared.
This July 4 Americans should struggle with the truth that their is no
"honor" in dying. The best way to honor the dead is to work for peace on
earth and do deliberate acts of kindness.
-- "Ira Furor Brevis Est " - Anger is a brief madness
country joe Home Pg <http://www.countryjoe.com>
country joe's tribute to Florence Nightingale
<http://www.countryjoe.com/nightingale>
Berkeley Vietnam Veterans Memorial
<http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/Links/Comm/vvm>
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