A student at Western Carolina University came across an article of mine where I said that no one should join the military. I am publishing his response because he is the quintessential defender of the military who believes every fallacy about the military known to man.

I read over your article today while working on a research project for school. Though you have many valid points you lack to understand the reason for our military. The reason why we have one is to protect our country and our freedoms from those around the world who wish to do us harm. What you failed to acknowledge is that you would not have that right to free speech or the right to publish something like that with out [sic] freedom which is provided and maintained by the UNITED STATES MILITARY.

It comes down to patriotism and the saying the [sic] many people live by is Love It, Or Leave It. If you don’t love the country or those who defend it then there is no room for you here. The people who put their lives on the line everyday no matter what the politics are in a conflict, they are Hero’s. [sic] If you enjoyed the freedom of typing out this article, than [sic] you can thank the military. People join the military to do their duty to protect our freedoms for not only us but our future generations.

You should be ashamed of what you have written, Not only is most of it things that you come to accept already when you are joining the military, but it is also an insult to those who are serving right now in uniform. You need to look at where your freedoms are protected by and rethink some of what you have written. Its [sic] one of those things where you may be right on some of the points but things happen, and it is necessary no matter what the circumstances are, to have a military and if you don’t understand that or like that idea, I hear Canada is pretty passive [sic] you can go there.

I’m not sure exactly which article of mine he read, but I hope he reads more of them and changes his view of the military. My LRC article archive is here.

Update from a reader: “I look forward to hearing that this student joined the military to go ‘fight for our freedoms’ in Iraq and Afghanistan after he graduates.”

The Best of Laurence M. Vance