Is war state sanctioned mass murder?
I argue that yes, war is state sanctioned mass murder. What I mean by that is that each state which initiates a war does so, not according to some superior legal or governing authority, but because that state says it's OK, i.e. the state initiating the war sanctions its own actions. In my view this does not constitute any valid legal authority and any deaths caused by said state are unlawful killings i.e. they are murders. Since war usually involves massive numbers of dead people, I call it mass murder. Ergo, war is state sanctioned mass murder.
"But what if the UN says it's OK?" Well, in America's case, it gets weird. America often holds the UN in utter contempt - and whenever it suits America, it ignores UN rulings. On top of that, America, Russia and China all try to 'stack' the voting in the UN, hence it could easily be argued that the UN's decisions regarding the sanctioning of wars are not made in a fair, untainted way.
Sadly, most veterans have a problem with this line of reasoning. Not many, after having been sucked in by the propaganda, have the moral courage to admit that war, if their country instigated it, is state sanctioned mass murder. Much easier to just keep hiding behind the propaganda's rhetorical justifications and lies - and to take offence at comments questioning that.
How many veterans are prepared to stand up and say "Don't you dare call me a hero, or thank me for my 'service' - I was too naiive and too jingoistic (and maybe even too racist) to see through the propaganda. I was young, I got caught up in that whole soldier = hero rubbish."?
How many veterans are willing to send their medals back to their government with a note attached saying "You lied to me! You duped me into taking part in mass murder! How dare you! Here, stick these medals where the sun don't shine"? Not many, it seems. It's better, easier, and safer to bask in the govenment-sponsored glory, to stand proud, puff your chest out, and say, in a loud, clear voice, "I am a veteran!"
I don't blame veterans. We were conned, fed massive amounts of propaganda from the day we were born, lied to, and psychologically manipulated (by experts in the field) into wanting to commit mass murder on behalf of our political masters. Veterans are victims of that foul system too.
You might also ask yourself what role the media plays in all of this...
Gustave Gilbert, a German-speaking intelligence officer and psychologist who was granted free access by the Allies to all the prisoners held in the Nuremberg jail during the period of the Nuremberg Trails, kept a journal of his observations of the proceedings and his conversations with the prisoners, which he later published in the book Nuremberg Diary. Gilbert recorded Goering's (Nazi Reichsmarshall and Luftwaffe-Chief) observations that the common people can always be manipulated into supporting and fighting wars by their political leaders:
Gilbert: "We got around to the subject of war again and I said that, contrary to his attitude, I did not think that the common people are very thankful for leaders who bring them war and destruction."
Goering: "Why, of course, the people don't want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."
Gilbert: "There is one difference. In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."
Goering: "Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."
Food for thought...
Gerry Binder
Vietnam veteran
"But what if the UN says it's OK?" Well, in America's case, it gets weird. America often holds the UN in utter contempt - and whenever it suits America, it ignores UN rulings. On top of that, America, Russia and China all try to 'stack' the voting in the UN, hence it could easily be argued that the UN's decisions regarding the sanctioning of wars are not made in a fair, untainted way.
Sadly, most veterans have a problem with this line of reasoning. Not many, after having been sucked in by the propaganda, have the moral courage to admit that war, if their country instigated it, is state sanctioned mass murder. Much easier to just keep hiding behind the propaganda's rhetorical justifications and lies - and to take offence at comments questioning that.
How many veterans are prepared to stand up and say "Don't you dare call me a hero, or thank me for my 'service' - I was too naiive and too jingoistic (and maybe even too racist) to see through the propaganda. I was young, I got caught up in that whole soldier = hero rubbish."?
How many veterans are willing to send their medals back to their government with a note attached saying "You lied to me! You duped me into taking part in mass murder! How dare you! Here, stick these medals where the sun don't shine"? Not many, it seems. It's better, easier, and safer to bask in the govenment-sponsored glory, to stand proud, puff your chest out, and say, in a loud, clear voice, "I am a veteran!"
I don't blame veterans. We were conned, fed massive amounts of propaganda from the day we were born, lied to, and psychologically manipulated (by experts in the field) into wanting to commit mass murder on behalf of our political masters. Veterans are victims of that foul system too.
You might also ask yourself what role the media plays in all of this...
Gustave Gilbert, a German-speaking intelligence officer and psychologist who was granted free access by the Allies to all the prisoners held in the Nuremberg jail during the period of the Nuremberg Trails, kept a journal of his observations of the proceedings and his conversations with the prisoners, which he later published in the book Nuremberg Diary. Gilbert recorded Goering's (Nazi Reichsmarshall and Luftwaffe-Chief) observations that the common people can always be manipulated into supporting and fighting wars by their political leaders:
Gilbert: "We got around to the subject of war again and I said that, contrary to his attitude, I did not think that the common people are very thankful for leaders who bring them war and destruction."
Goering: "Why, of course, the people don't want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship."
Gilbert: "There is one difference. In a democracy the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars."
Goering: "Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."
Food for thought...
Gerry Binder
Vietnam veteran
Posted at 1:32 AM
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