Veterans

Like so many other holidays for me, Veterans' Day is emotionally complicated for me.

I would feel great gratitude for our veterans if they were fighting for my freedom, but they are not.  From what I can tell, they are fighting for oil, power, and  imperialism.
On top of the anger for that, they are being hurt.  Physically wounded, emotionally scarred, or killed.  This pains me.  And the fact that I think that they are being so irrevocably damaged for greed makes it all the worse.  They are killing themselves, losing limbs and brain cells (a la traumatic brain injury), and ripping their souls FOR NO GOOD REASON.

I see myself as pro-veteran, but anti-war.  I'm pro-American, but I hate what America has been doing.  It's hard for unthinking "patriots" to understand this. 

So on this day, and all days, I do want the veterans to be supported.  I want the VA to be fully funded.  Veterans should have their physical and emotional needs completely taken care of; they have sacrificed their bodies and minds for this country (for whatever reason), and this country should take care of them upon their return.

But I can't thank them for my freedoms.  The current vets have nothing to do with that.  The veterans of the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and WWII really did fight for freedom.  Unfortunately, the military and "homeland security" policies of the last 10+ years have made have decimated my privacy, my freedom, and my security.  It's so sad that veterans' sacrifices have been futile, that military personnel have lost their lives, limbs, and souls, and in the end, I'm less free and less secure.

Namaste, veterans.