(I should make this a regular feature.)
I wanted to throw the controller at my TV tonight watching Bill O'Reilly when he told us about a University of Washington professor named Amy Hagopian. She is a professor of Global Health (whatever that is). This loony woman told a radio interviewer today that military recruiters were similar to child predators. Only on a university campus could you find this kind of nuttiness. Here's more (Hat tip to Irons in the Fire):
http://elmtreeforge.blogspot.com/2010/12/professor-amy-hagopian-is-enough-to.html
You know, I remember my Army recruiter because I happened to enlist in 1966. (The guy was always promising to take me across the street for a cup of coffee, but he never did.) But back to Hagopian. What this numb skull at Huskyland doesn't comprehend is that not only do we need a military because there are a lot of bad guys out there in the world, but many young men and women have gone from poor backgrounds to find a life of opportunity in the military. Many of them have made the military a career. (Us 2-3 year guys used to call them affectionately "lifers".) At any rate, when they leave the military, they can carry that experience with them with pride for the rest of their lives because they have served their country. And that includes the ones who do a stint as recruiters.
None of which would be comprehended by the loopy professor in Washington. Of course, I readily concede that she is expressing her right of free speech.
And so am I.
I remember my recruiter well also. 2nd Class PO (E-5) Mike A. Good guy who clued me in on the good and bad. He went above and beyond in his recruiting gig. Don't remember a whole lot of teachers, but sure remember the recruiter and of course, it goes without saying, the Drill Instructor.
ReplyDeleteOur government does not always make the best use of our citizens in uniform. It has been known to send the army out to oppress the wretched of the earth, prop up ruthless dictators who happen to offer good deals to United Fruit Corp., or simply waste thousands of lives for no good purpose.
ReplyDeleteHowever, God help us if the day after Pearl Harbor we had to rely on University of Washington professors to lead our national defense - or even in September 2001. They are a bit like the peaceful happy denizens of The Shire, protected from wolves and goblins and bad humans by the tireless efforts of a band of Rangers... its easy to believe in pacifism when the world's largest military is keeping seven non-pacifists brands of government an ocean or two away.
Its a little like... when is the last time a card-carrying member of the ACLU said "I think I want to be a police officer?" In a well balanced world, there would be police officers who joined the ACLU and ACLU members who decided on a career in law enforcement. That it doesn't often happens suggests there is something wrong on both sides of the equation. Maybe we should go back to everyone having to take their turn serving a year as a constable, including keeping the jail in a shed in their own back yard.