A few of my seniors have been accepted at West Point for next year. It is a great honor and they are really excited, and nervous at the same time. West Point invites perspective students up for a few days to get a feel for the campus. The kids have a great time, living in the dorms, participating in sports and attending a few classes. They come away with the feeling that West Point is going to be all fun and games.
Although I am not a fan of the military, I believe everyone should follow their hearts and do what they want with their lives and if they want to be in the military, they should go for it. My problem with all of this is the way West Point is presented to them. It happens to be one of the most demanding schools, both physically and academically around. While they might enjoy their experiences there and will probably look back on them with fond memories, the four years they spend there will not be fun.
The kids are also being told they will not have to face any combat if they don't want to. Everyone knows this is not true, yet the kids are being fed this pack of lies and they are believing it.
I know our country needs excellent military leaders. These two kids have the potential to be just that. I know no one sells a product by advertising the bad parts of it, but, when a child's future is at stake, they need to be told the truth and have their eyes wide open.
4 comments:
Going into any military situation with eyes wide open means: "I am going to be taught how to kill other human beings."
There are probably a few people who get a thrill out of killing, but not many. When my dad was young, he went to a summer military camp. Bayonet practice cured him of ever wanting to become a soldier. He became a conscientious objector instead, and served his country as a human guinea pig in medical experiments.
Too bad these kids don't see it this way.
I'm a child of the 60's so you can guess that I agree with you.
Even this child of the 80s knows: Militaries are comprised of people who are trained to kill and be killed. I try to communicate this as clearly and non-judgementally to my students as possible. Students will, given time, recognize the injustice inherent in our system which offers money to poor and disadvantaged populations in return for giving up their lives to fight and die so that others can profit.
Maybe they should (be forced to) read I Got The News Today
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