Brownwood Texas: Small Town Press, Parades, PTSD and "Honoring the Troops" !
Friday January 20, 2006
Op Ed: Letters To The Editor
Comparison ignores MLK’s non-violent stance
To the editor,
The Bulletin’s recent editorial (Jan. 15) on the parades for Unity Day, Jan. 16, and the Day of Honor, Jan. 21, found a common theme in these events, namely Americans’ ongoing struggle for freedom. The Bulletin concluded that both events honor citizens who deserve our recognition and thanks for the risks they took and the price they paid to win and keep freedom.
This apparently unifying conclusion neglects an important distinction between the two events, because the non-violent civil disobedience of Martin Luther King, and the state-sanctioned violence of the military represent diametrically opposed approaches to the process of winning and keeping freedom. Martin Luther King, following in the footsteps of Buddha, Jesus, Thoreau, and Gandhi, relied on a moral power derived from his faith. The U.S. military, in its current incarnation, following in the footsteps of the great empires (Babylonian, Roman, British, Soviet), maintains its sole superpower status and “spreads freedom” through the modern technology of war.
Furthermore, equating non-violent protesters and the armed agents of the state as “freedom fighters” overlooks the reality that they have often been on the opposing sides of conflict. Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement faced the state-sanctioned violence of the police. The U.S. military itself, its policies, its bases, and weapons systems, have all been the object of repeated non-violent protests.
The non-violent and violent approaches to winning and keeping freedom have coexisted throughout history. Both have precedents for success and failure. The whole subject is vast, and obviously can’t be covered in a letter such as this. Ultimately, however, countries choose whether to be violent, or non-violent, just as we do individually. These days in America, and especially in Texas, the violent approach seems to be in favor, though showing signs of strain, as the Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine wars drag on and on and on, with no end in sight.
It seems to me that the non-violent and violent approaches really embody two different visions of how life on earth was meant to be: peaceful, lush, abundant, and cooperative, or warring, barren, scarce, and competitive. I know which one sounds better to me. That’s why I have joined the Green Party USA, the only political party I know of that supports both non-violence and ecological wisdom.
For now, the Warriors seem to be in power, and Warriors have one function: to make war. But what say we the people? Who among us can make peace as profitable as these wars have become?
Enjoy the parades!
Daniel Graham
Brownwood
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2006/01/20/op_ed/letters%20to%20the%20editor/letter01.txt
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Friday January 20, 2006
News
Parade to feature three retired generals
By Bill Crist — Brownwood Bulletin
It’s not often that a parade in a community the size of Brownwood features three retired generals. Saturday’s Day of Honor parade will not only feature that many, but each of the men also call Brownwood home. Brigadier General Dan Locker, (United States Air Force), Brigadier General Leroy Thompson, (United States Air Force/Texas Air National Guard) and Brigadier General Stephen Korenek (United States Army/Alaska Army National Guard) are all scheduled to ride in Saturday’s parade and take part in the ceremony.
“Brownwood is very fortunate to have three general officers from the armed forces living in town. This is an extremely prestigious rank which very few ever achieve,” Dr. Steve Kelly, one of the event’s organizers, said. “We are extremely honored that they each have chosen to take part in Saturday’s Day of Honor.”
source: source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2006/01/20/news/news01.txt
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