even if it's true that people should think long and hard before voting, does that make it less true that people should think long and hard before joining a killing machine
Indeed no. People should think and consider their actions before and especially
after joining the armed forces. I applaud actions like those of WO Thompson, cited above. He is undoubtably a genuine and courageous hero.
If there was suddenly a trend towards people abstaining from joining the armed forces for ethical reasons, wouldn't such men of conscience but the first to do so? What would the soldiers that remain be like without their more intelligent/enlightened cohorts amoungst their ranks?
Having no army is sadly just unrealistic while there are still agressive people in the world. In the end every solution for this always boils down to the same core problem: This can only be achieved when all the "evil" people are removed/subdued/converted, and then the world could live in peace. It's been a popular idea over the years, guys like Hitler were right into it.
IMHO the only ethical solution is to reduce aggression while maintaining enough of a deterrant to encourage others to do the same, then to engage with all people and encourage the exchange of ideas and goodwill. Eventually all sides could reduce their armed forces to a token amount and enjoy the very real economic benefits that would result.
I admit this is not very likely in the short term, but it's a nice thought. Having no defence force at all is just impossible unless you conquor the world first, because as soon as you had no army, someone else would move their army in.... and then you have an army again
anyway yeah people voting for republicans suck and are fucking up but bourgeois elections will only offer bourgeois candidates... you dont change the world by electing barack obama, as is clear. and that WAS an insurgent campaign against a frontrunner! hillary clinton wouldnt be significantly less eager to advance the interests of US imperialism than trump is, either. almost any candidate that would push for real change is priced out by corporations and rich donors funding the campaigns of their opposition. It's broke and only a severe economic catastrophe and/or revolutionary movement can potentially fix it
Yes. Western democracy is a flawed system that is open to corruption and manipulation at all levels, but it is still the best system that the human race has come up with (so far).
People with power always have their thumb on the scales, but if there is large enough move in a particular direction then the population
can change the leadership. This single fact is quite miraclulous when you consider the history of humanity. Historically the only way to achieve this has been to enact a coup and slaughter the previous ruling class, and it is rare for a person who takes power this way to be a humanitarian.
There is still a long way to go and its a slow process, but if there is enough voting pressure in a given direction the the people running for office will slowly start shifting their policies in that direction.
Is this perfect? No way. But how else are you going to do it? Hitler's way? What is this revolutionary movement going to do? Seize power then conquor the world in the name of peace?
Mate, it's not "broke" it's just not finished yet. Maybe in another couple of hundred years. Do the work.
