University of Virginia Library

Colloquium

What We Must Do With The Military

By Mike Russell
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Latent in the American Dream is
an animosity towards a military,
particularly one which imposes its
own solutions for foreign dilemmas
on the public. Throughout this
country's history, men have been
consistently coerced into the armed
forces with threats, promises, and
hysterical cries of national need.
The twentieth century has seen the
most startling mutation of that
coercive necessity; from the
depression and chicanery of the
first world war was created the
hysterical defense of the "free
world" which has since dominated
the sloganeering of the Military
machine.

Recognition has spread
throughout the present strata of
men who are subject to this
irrational and unnecessary coercion
that the entire type is so much
bloated propaganda (we humbly
refer you to CBS' "Selling of the
Pentagon" and Senator Fulbright's
The Pentagon Propaganda Machine)
and are supporting the elimination
of the military machine by keeping
large numbers of their bodies out of
it.

Response to the growing
pacifism is a feeble, but slightly
more rational cry (only slightly)
that even if we end U.S.
adventurism we'd still need a
military to preserve the Coastline
from invasion by gooks, slopes,
wetbacks, reds, and other
undesirable and generally hostile
forces of international terror. These
people will, in the face of 3 tons of
TNT for every man women and
child on the face of the earth, argue
that a conscripted and wealthy
military is thy only way to preserve
the freedoms of a free and Christian
people.

No comment seems necessary on
the less than rational and
sometimes insane operations of the
military. Consistent documentation
by political scientists, economists,
and investigative reporters seems to
indicate that the military's PRIME
DIRECTIVE is "Cover your ass"
which necessitates infallibility at all
levels of the bureaucracy.
Infallibility of the Pope is subject
to make skepticism, indicating that
such a belief in the capabilities of
the Pentagon would be a miracle
indeed.

Stopping The Structure

We will all logically agree that
these unprincipled, and costly
(both to the physical resources of
Mother Earth, and the Moral and
Spiritual forces of our own people)
exercises in personal
aggrandizement and national
megalomania must be stopped. But
what then do we do to replace this
effete and bloody structure, and at
the same time salve the fears of
those who are prone to believe that
there is a communist under every
bed rather than an FBI agent
behind every Mailbox?

Obviously we begin by reducing
the terror producing functions of
the military. Elimination of all
forms of conscription is a first step;
followed by the closing of all
propaganda (excuse me,
'recruiting') centers. Our major
objective, however, is to return to
the civilian population all control
of the military, that is reduced to
zero all appropriations for the
military.

We're going to find that this is
not easy. The career officers will
cry out those hysterical, salivating
formulae that we've already
discussed and then try to overthrow
the central government with their
military might.

Fortunately the present
military system is ultimately run by
men not unlike ex-PFC
Wintergreen, men who have
"legitimated" the draft by
providing a civilian steam valve.
You remember of course the
argument which says that drafting
unwilling men provides a check on
the military because those men will
refuse to accept illegitimate orders,
refuse to commit War Crimes and
rebel. Most Americans are unaware
that that is in fact the present
situation within the military. PFCs
SPC/5 and many others are showing
their non confidence by refusing to
go into combat; fragging snotty and
otherwise offensive officers; and
gumming up the bureaucracy here
on the home front. No one, of
course, is willing to admit that this
is true (i.e., they play act at reciting
the words, "MUTINY",
"DESERTION", etc.).

An aside if I might be permitted.
While the former argument seems
to have proven the legitimacy of
the draft, it seems to me that in a
free country we shouldn't have to
depend on a few slaves to insure the
prevention of a military coup. In
fact that responsibility should be
shared by all; if we need a military
then those who believe in its
necessity ought to be those who
participate in it, without any
deprecation of those who think its
a tragic and foolish inconsistency.

The next suggestion will sound
absurd; it is completely serious;
particularly in light of my past
few comments. To reestablish
civilian control we must remove all
funds from the hands of the
Pentagon. I would continue to
allocate money for the production
and distribution of Peacoats, Field
Jackets and the rest of the Military
Wardrobe, and generalize their
availability in the public market. Of
all the things that the military does,
this is their shining hour; they
produce some of the finest clothing
in existence.

Annual Fund Drive

Other than this small sum of
money (even some of the failing
defense industries — Lockheed,
Boeing, Dow — could be
converted for increased
production), all other funds for
national defense would have to be
raised by way of subscription or
donation. The scenario is exciting
Lifer Sergeants going door to door
asking for money in the annual
"Fund the Military Drive", Bob
Hope and Martha Raye turning over
their fortunes to the cause (fat
chance) and even doddering old
John Wayne doing more movies to
get that ever blood lusty public to
support "Save Our Souls
Productions INC." His form for the
preservation of the White Western
Way.

Hungry Savages

"But...but...but what about all
those hungry savages ready to cross
our borders and deflower our
women?" For those still concerned
about the well being of the world
and particularly these United States
there are several alternatives. We
can stop stealing these resources of
peoples in "underdeveloped"
countries and devastating their land
(oops, preventing the spread of
international Monolithic
communist terror) and trade our
positive technological information
for what resources we need. Or we
can do thy more logical step of
threatening to blow up the world if
we don't get our way. (Scientists
predict that in any large
thermonuclear conflict, i.e. more
than a few bombs, no life would
continue to exist anyway, so a
technological gap would not
prevent us from carrying out this
"Doomsday" policy).

That last suggestion is of course
tripe. If we're silly enough to allow
the military to continue on its
present course, (I am reminded of
an Ostrich running full tilt with its
head in the ground) then we're
equally likely to accept the
Doomsday proposal. If on the other
hand we want to continue on our
Spaceship Earth, and perhaps reach
some international harmony then
we have to behave responsibly
towards people all over the world.

A scenario of that order leaves
no room for Vietnams, Watts,
Palestines, or Soviet Persecution of
Jews or American persecution of
any and all minorities. That
scenario calls for logical and
humane use not only of our
resources, but of our people,
allowing them full freedom to
develop their inherent capabilities.

If you've read this article and
feel its generally preposterous, then
you're one of the April Fools it's
directed at; but if it rings a chime
of legitimacy even a little one; that
steps of a serious and
"revolutionary" nature must be
taken, then there's still some hope
for all of us. Decide for yourself.