As an American I am honored to have protection from the nation's most advanced military.
As a valuer of critical thought I worry about my protection- our military- becoming a force of imperialistic ambitions.
As a student of history I am glaringly aware of the sordid misuse of our armed forces.
As a descendent of a worldly family I recognize the military as my family's ticket from third world poverty into American prosperity.
As an activist I realize the disproportionate amount of racial minorities and working class individuals in our armed forces.
As a queer I understand the need for queer individuals to be able to openly serve in our armed forces.
The Left's relationship with our armed forces is both deep and estranged at the same time. Many of the left's proudest moments: the Civil Rights Movement, the Anti-Vietnam War movement and the Chicana/o movement- in large part were made possible by returning veterans settling back into their communities and realizing that the social order could not remain as it was before they left to fight overseas.
Read More