cantdog
Waybac machine
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2004
- Posts
- 10,791
The purpose of an army is to kill people and destroy shit. That's about all you can use 'em for. Having them show up, of course, gives you the ability to threaten to kill people and destroy shit. And it can be quite convincingly argued that the country needs a pool of folks to do that, and by extension, all the gear and training and vehicles and logistical support stuff to enable them to do it.
The respect comes from what is done with that ability, from how it's used. Under threat, a country is quite correct to admire the intestinal fortitude and valor of the people who have come forward to defend it. They are, in fact, heroes.
Grenada, for instance, was no conceivable threat to this society at any time, but we popped it. Some troops were blooded, which makes troops better troops. Some officers were promoted, which they like. I mean, it wasn't all negative. But you have to weigh the benefits against the shit destroyed and the people killed and maimed. A medal for General Bligh against wholesale destruction and misery is not a sane bargain, but if the purpose served is just, then you get to add that to the plus column.
Police are like the rest of us: they can't possibly even know about all the damn laws, there are so many. So they have to be selective. Anyone can understand that. But they don't have to be selective about who gets the shaft. If you steal or I steal, let 'em come down. Whether you are powerful and rich, whether I am a poor junkie, these factors shouldn't enter into it. When they do, the cops are venal. When they don't, they are heroic.
The respect comes from what is done with that ability, from how it's used. Under threat, a country is quite correct to admire the intestinal fortitude and valor of the people who have come forward to defend it. They are, in fact, heroes.
Grenada, for instance, was no conceivable threat to this society at any time, but we popped it. Some troops were blooded, which makes troops better troops. Some officers were promoted, which they like. I mean, it wasn't all negative. But you have to weigh the benefits against the shit destroyed and the people killed and maimed. A medal for General Bligh against wholesale destruction and misery is not a sane bargain, but if the purpose served is just, then you get to add that to the plus column.
Police are like the rest of us: they can't possibly even know about all the damn laws, there are so many. So they have to be selective. Anyone can understand that. But they don't have to be selective about who gets the shaft. If you steal or I steal, let 'em come down. Whether you are powerful and rich, whether I am a poor junkie, these factors shouldn't enter into it. When they do, the cops are venal. When they don't, they are heroic.
