Last week, columnist Conor Shapiro insinuated that supporting the troops is a process carried out by the brainwashed masses — masses acting not as thinking, caring individuals, but as the unsuspecting henchmen of carefully crafted, age-old government plots and relentless propaganda. Though I disagree with him on several points, I thank him for bringing such issues to the forefront.
I concede that too often, the media promulgates a “with us or against us” message that does a disservice to the troops, and that, even more often, the “I support the troops” rhetoric is unfounded and self-serving. However, to expand upon his claims, I offer my own story as an active supporter of the troops.
I joined the on-campus group “Veterans of American University” as a disillusioned, anti-war, left-leaning moderate. I came not to be brainwashed, but, conversely, to learn. If I were to have any clout and justification in opposing the war, I felt I needed more than the easy, overused “military-industrial complex” arguments we swallow from the far left just as easily as some adapt the “support the war” mentality from the far right.
Who were these men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan? What were their motives? How had they become part of the big, scary military machine? Over time, the veterans I met became my closest friends, but gave me no easy answers to those pressing questions. Instead, they showed me that they were remarkably varied, and that they cut across class, gender, political and religious lines. So what tied them together? What made such a vibrant, diverse community thrive through the toughest of times, and what made them worth actively supporting?
That is the only answer that did come easily. These men and women had internalized timeless military values of loyalty, camaraderie, sacrifice and selflessness. Mr. Shapiro would perhaps argue they show nothing more than blind loyalty to the state, but that is where we differ.
Most veterans express their loyalty on a person-to-person scale, not to any big machine. Surprisingly, most learned respect for their fellow man through their wartime experiences. They usually did not sacrifice for higher authority. They enlisted for different reasons. They do know, though, that they have what it takes to risk it all to save another. How many of us can truly say that, especially when tested under fire?
AU has many organizations that champion “sisterhood” and “brotherhood.” The veterans embody those qualities and live by them every day. I have never known friends as committed, thoughtful and selfless, most of whom, might I add, are deeply indebted to the foreigners they met overseas. They do not see “the enemy” as distinctly as we expect. Instead, their complicated experiences have taught them see nuance, redemption and humanity in each individual.
To me, Veterans Day is not about worshipping the flag or the military. It celebrates those brave enough to take a bullet for a friend, to leave behind their loved ones to fulfill responsibilities and commitments, or to live with the scars of wrongs they may have committed along the way. I support the holiday because of what my best friends have taught me. I stand for them because they so gladly stand for me.
Perhaps instead of regurgitating token buzzwords and vilifying institutions, it is more valuable to form opinions after genuine interaction with those who have seen it from the inside. To support someone through unimaginable pain, as these soldiers often experience upon return, is not rehearsing some government plot, but is being a friend to a fellow man in need.
Additionally, perhaps to make sweeping claims as broad as Mr. Shapiro’s is to expose lack of experience regarding the ideology he attacks. I point to the Jack Nicholson quote from his closing argument, which may not be the most meaningful source. I hope people understand my motives before attacking my ideals, and I challenge those who refuse to or agree to support troops to first get to know them on a personal level. Only then will they see that there is no such thing as a “right” or “wrong” war — nothing is that simple. Instead, they will glimpse the true human toll of combat. That understanding may lead us all to reform our opinions into something far more analytical, intelligent and productive.
To conclude: I invite the entire AU community, especially Mr. Shapiro, to the Veterans of American University meetings, in which we encourage honest, open dialogue and accept diversity of thought and opinion from veterans and civilians alike. Hopefully, we can all learn something from each other. The situation about which Mr. Shapiro wrote may be dire, but I hope he will join us in fighting to constructively change it.
Katie Gale Vice president, Veterans of American University AUSG Director of Military Affairs
