I just don’t get it. Reading page after page written by military spouses, I get the distinct feeling like they really get absorbed in the drama of having their spouse at risk. It’s like, “Oh, poor me! My husband/wife is risking his/her life and I’ll be all alone!” It’s truly pathetic.
How can I say this? Well, consider the fact that we have an all-volunteer army/navy/marine/etc. These people wanted to be in the service; no one forced them. (You could say that economic conditions forced them, which is entirely true in some cases but a conversation for another time. Right now, let’s assume they could have made the same amount working at Wal-Mart… which, in some cases, they could.) So, their spouses could have told them not to. I mean, seriously, if they loved their spouse, they could have said, “I don’t want you joining up and risking your life.” (Before you say that maybe they didn’t know, I’d add that ignorance is no excuse. What the hell did they expect joining the army to mean, anyway?) They could have also refrained from marrying someone in the service or with the inclination to join the service. There’s also divorce.
So, there are a lot of ways NOT to be a military spouse.
But what offends me most, what really sickens me, isn’t the amount of drama these people bring on themselves. No. What really sickens me is how these people can claim to support their spouse – love their spouse – but have no qualms with the war itself. If anyone should be protesting the war, it should be the friends and families of everyone who is over there! Are they really so blind that they still think we’re clearing out those WMDs (there were none, folks!) or bringing the benefits of Democracy to those people (hello, Vietnam!)?
Imagine how quickly this war would be over if everyone with a loved on in Iraq took to the streets? Hundreds of thousands of people marching would quickly get every person they claim to love out of harm’s way. But they can’t be bothered with that, for the most part. (I applaud anyone who speaks out in protest.)
And don't tell me they are "providing support" because the argument that allowing your loved one to engage in life-threatening and downright stupid behavior is "supportive" just doesn't hold up.
The same goes for any parent who isn’t outraged about global warming. How can you claim to love your children while giving them the gift of a ruined world?
It makes me sick.
3 comments:
Ken - First off, without the men and women fighting for your freedom to have free speech, you wouldn't be able to write about military spouses.
Second - you rarely ever get to choose who you love.
Third - until you've walked a mile in someone else's shoes.
And finally, I know you don't agree with the war, but can you not find it within that heart of yours to support those people who are fighting for your freedoms DESPITE the reasons we are there? I do no agree with the war, but I will support the men and women who are fighting in it. They did choose to be in the military at the sacrifice of a lot...but being a military brat myself, perhaps I understand what the families...not just the spouses...might go through. I think your naive to think that the friends, family members etc of people fighting in the war are all "for" the war. It's entirely possible that they are against the war. And not everyone is as Opinion Driven as you and are not willing to protest...though thank god they still have a right...because without the military, we may not.
Just a thought. Take the big picture and shrink it down to the little picture that is your life:
How can Vicky say she loves you and yet she lets you smoke? Why doesn't she smack them out of your hand and scream and throw a fit? If she "really" loved you she wouldn't let you smoke, right? Butshe does, and she does. So, put that in your book and...um....smoke it.....or something.
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