Veteran's Day

A Belated Remembrance

This year, our family personally mourned a veteran.
Another casualty of the US Empire.
He drank himself to death.
He was a victim of the military industrial complex.  And so were we.
But this fallen soldier is providing more in death than he was able to while he was alive.
Remaking his legacy.

Veteran’s Day makes me really sad.
Not thankful.
Not happy.
Just sad.

Sad for the victims of US imperialism.
Sad for the service members who have become victims themselves.
Sad for the manufactured consent during my whole life.
Sad for the lies about weapons of mass distraction.
I mean…destruction.

But we have so much freedom…
Aren’t I thankful for that?
Freedom of what?
The freedom to have my ability to get married be decided upon by nine unelected people in robes?
The freedom to be surveilled everywhere I go as soon as I leave the house (and even inside the house from the device I’m writing this on)?
The freedom to go into medical bankruptcy in order to have “choice” in my healthcare?
So much freedom I think I’m getting tired of freedom.
But at least I can own an assault rifle if I ever wanted, I guess.

Why does diplomacy look like bombs and bullets?
Why does diplomacy look like starvation in Gaza?
Why does diplomacy look like labor exploitation in Congo and Sudan.
Slavery never ended.  Colonization just didn't kidnap their enslaved this time.

Stop your mission trips.
Stop your birth right trips.
Stop your military missions.
This is not diplomacy.

Diplomacy looks like sniffing flowers in a field together.
Diplomacy looks like long-distance friendships keeping in touch and visiting each other.
Diplomacy looks like giving a stranger $20 to eat with no expectation of reciprocation.
Diplomacy looks like the freedom to pursue your personal ambitions without fear because your community is supporting you.

Freedom isn’t free because we aren’t.
But I'm still going to try to chase my independence.
Now go be diplomatic, diplomat.

-David Kugler