"To die for an idea; it is unquestionably noble. But how much nobler it would be if men died for ideas that were true!" ~ H. L. Mencken
Before you send Johnnie off to earn his college tuition the hard way — make sure he can read all the "Warning Labels" that pertain to military service. He won’t find these as easily as the Surgeon General’s Warning on his cigarettes even though cigarettes are slower killers. There are classes in schools that warn about "casual unprotected sex," but not many about casual unprotected war. The government schools, being infested by sycophants beholden to the State, will have coffee and doughnuts ready when the recruiters arrive to make sure Johnny gets a crack at trading an eye or a leg or a mind or a life for some college tuition and some shiny medals — maybe even a Gold Star.
Take some time and look at a couple of the glitzy new recruiting sites for the armed forces of the United States and see if you can find anything in the form of a warning that would really tell the whole truth about what could happen as a result of trying to "be all that you can be." Even if they warn about injury and death — they are not going to talk about being ordered to kill people under less than honorable and lawful circumstances. The military sites are not going to directly criticize their Commander-In-Chief for getting them into an unlawful, unconstitutional war. They are no more "Fair and Balanced" than Fox News. And the generals turn into pussycats after they retire, or, worse yet, "War Entrepreneurs" — still shilling for the War Party — with at least One very rare exception.
The Few, The Proud, The Constitutionally Literate?
If the US Marine Corps were really all about being "Semper Fi" to Honor and the Constitution before anything else, they would treat Major General Smedley D. Butler, USMC, Retired [the most highly decorated marine] with a lot more honor and respect. And if they would do justice to him there could be a lot of injustice prevented. Go to their site and look for him. His name is good for naming military bases — but his perspective on lawful and unlawful war is not being taught by the Marine Corps or the other armed services. There are important reasons for that. You can search their site for him by clicking here. Another subject not often mentioned on those enticing recruitment sites: The Constitution.
Major General Butler was never a pure "Peacenik." A fierce adversary on the field of battle, he was always in favor of Lawful War for Lawful Defense and Never for Aggression or Plunder. This is precisely the position of the Founding Fathers and the Framers of the Constitution. When he found out the truth about war he turned against the Machine. And that is the honorable reaction for a True Marine and True Patriot. When confronted with Truth he takes his position on the side of Truth.
It would be one thing to bury his history after he left the Corps if he had turned against his country and dishonored the uniform. But General Butler continued to serve his country — and its veterans — better and better in the years after his active duty — until he even thwarted a fascist coup to take over our government — and finally risked everything including his reputation to boldly come out against the Warfare State and the Military Industrial Complex — exposing War in general, as the Racket it is and always has been. Apparently other retired generals have not been so quick to join his ranks. If this was not a "Marine’s Marine" there is no such specimen.
Even his Two [2] Congressional Medals of Honor cannot do justice to this man, who, even now, in his death, has the potential to save thousands, perhaps millions of American lives, as well as the lives of millions upon millions in other countries, who should not, who must not, be lost to benefit the Warmongers among us who have become drunk on the blood of Empire.
"HELL NO — WE WON’T GO!"
In my opinion, no young person who cannot intelligently discuss General Butler’s book, "War Is A Racket," should be permitted to join any of the armed forces. I would further insist that all military personnel be schooled in "War Crimes Avoidance." This would primarily be centered on teaching the difference between lawful and unlawful orders and lawful and unlawful wars. Most military personnel do not consciously think about this until perhaps after their service — or never — according to Smedley Butler. They just follow orders. That is why Michael New is such an anomaly.
We put warnings on all sorts of products.
I once went into a store where they sold motorcycles and other sports vehicles etc. I couldn’t help but notice a large yellow tag fastened on the back of a quad cycle seat. It read, "Caution: You May Fall Off and Be Killed." I am not making this up. My first reaction was a guffaw. At the time I wrote that off to political correctness. I thought perhaps "cause and effect" had been educated out of the culture for such a warning to be necessary. Kids had been falling off of things for a long time. But if the same kids that need to see a warning like that are joining the military to get money for college I think severe and repeated warnings are definitely in order and should be required by law. They are already mathematically challenged if they think most college degrees will result in higher lifetime net incomes than many of the trades. My plumber used to be a brain surgeon.
We must heed the warnings of a true Hero like Smedley Butler if we are ever going the Preempt the next Preemptive War. If you have never read his book you must read it and get your kids and all of your relatives and friends to read it — and talk about it — to all of their circles of friends and relatives. It is an extremely powerful little book — and it is Unimpeachable. Change a few company names; add a few zeros to the obscene profits of war, and you will see that this 1935 Classic is quite up-to-date. Get at least one for your coffee table.
I have set aside a dedicated website to promote the reading of General Butler’s book "War Is A Racket" and another work of perhaps equal value: "The War Prayer," by Mark Twain, a short story so controversial that its publication was reserved until after Twain’s death.
There are a few ways for you to read and promote these works, starting with reading them on line at no cost and linking to them in your emails, on your blogs and on your websites. You can also purchase a new pamphlet with both works at a nominal charge — or go to Amazon and buy the glossy publisher’s paperback version of Butler’s book. The main objective is to get you to read the pamphlet a few times — or at least until it makes a permanent impression on your mind, heart and soul. Then you can help us to circulate millions of copies. Let me know if you want to distribute the pamphlet in volume so we can make it more cost effective for you or your organization. We will be happy to make a special cover for your organization [unless it is Fox News].
Read both works for free by clicking here. Or copy and paste this link everywhere you can think of. You can use the hyperlinked graphic below on the web or in emails.
If you have already read these two works you don’t need to be told how important they are — you have already been "vaccinated." But also please consider this a challenge to help circulate them more widely. We are at a place where both major political parties see perpetual unlawful war as practically a necessity. This is the chosen method of suicide for Empires.
I am writing most of this on April 19th, the 233rd Anniversary of The Shot Heard ‘Round the World from near the Old North Bridge in Concorde, Massachusetts. There are such things as lawful wars of defense and there are those among us who would trade blood for mammon and sacrifice our children to the god of government. Know the difference — warn your children — and your countrymen!
"It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." ~ Samuel Adams, Father of the American Revolution
Please help all you can — increasing your own understanding until you are competent to teach others to teach others.
