There is a must read essay by Arianna Huffington on Commondreams. org. Everyone should check it out - Shakespeare Turns A Spotlight On Bush And Iraq.

This week I saw another horrendous commercial for the United States Army. I have previously written about the radio commercial that I had listened to which stated something like:

"After college, Jenny applied to all of the companies in her town, neither of them were hiring. Join the Army!"

This weekend there was a commercial shot through the lens of a target-periscope type thing. It takes place in the desert and middle eastern turban-wearing men are pacing back and forth in front of your generic, terrorist, compound-like structure with a gun slung over the shoulder as terrorists are known to carry. At first I thought this is a commercial for a tacky video game. Then words are typed across the screen as it narrows in on a couple of soldiers hiding in the hills disguised as bushes. It states:

"You have your orders and enough supplies to last for 5 days. Its day 12. Think you can handle it?"

It appears the marketing geniuses that work for the US Army have decided that the desperate graduating college student demographic wasn't paying off so now they should work on the macho, thrill seekers. You're not a real man if you can't survive in 100 degree weather without food or water for 7 days! Or are they trying to make lemonade out of the rotted lemons they have because our soldiers aren't taken care of, are not provided for, and everyone knows. I can just imagine a Madison Avenue Asshole saying, 'hey maybe we can use that bad publicity and make it work for us!'

Here are a few samples of future commercials for the US Army:

Commercial #1

It takes place in a dark, dingy prison cell somewhere in the heart of Iraq. Dozens of starving, oily, young men are standing around in the cells, hanging off of the bars and staring lustily into the camera. Suddenly the camera pans to a spiked dog collar and leash hanging from a hook on the wall and a riding crop with US ARMY inscribed in gold letters. The words, "They've been so very naughty" flash across the screen and then cuts to the men again. The announcer says, "Are you a MASTER of Organization? Do you have a PASSION for bringing order from chaos? Join the Army!"

Commercial #2

It takes place on an Army base somewhere in Iraq. We see shots of all of the exits heavily guarded from the inside, not the outside. It becomes apparent that the guards are making sure no one escapes. We see soldiers in their barracks writing home to their families, calling them on the phone, and telling them they can't come home on leave. Only these soldiers are happy! One says to the camera, "With the factory closing in my home town, I probably won't be able to find another job. I was happy when they told me I would be rejected for retirement this year!" Another younger soldier says, "When I go home my wife is going to want me to help her take care of the children and help around the house. I can't stand to hear her nag. I know I've been here over a year, but six more months is a breeze." The last soldier comes on and says, "I don't have a family or any friends to return to. If I go home I will just spend all my money on liquor and strippers!" The Announcer comes on and says, "AN ARMY OF ONE!" Join the Army!

The Army needs new recruits. They are trying very hard to keep the soldiers they have by not letting them go home or retire and now we have to worry about the Draft. No longer a rumor, the Draft is coming for ya.

The Universal National Service Act of 2003 is at this moment waiting for the Armed Services Committee to give it the thumbs up. Here is a breakdown of the things you need to know about this important piece of legislation:

-if you are 18-26 you must complete 2 years in the armed forces, MALE OR FEMALE, and college cannot buy you a ticket out. Sorry future Cheneys and Rumsfelds, the only way out is to enroll in the Naval Academy or something like it, or by volunteering, or by order of the President. Here is what the hslda.org says:

"Official purpose: A bill to provide for the common defense by requiring that all young persons in the United States, including women, perform a period of military service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national defense and homeland security, and for other purposes.
The language of this bill mandates a national service obligation for every U.S. citizen and permanent resident, aged 18-26. It authorizes the President to establish both the number of people to be selected for military service, and the means of selection. Additionally, the measure requires those not selected specifically for military service to perform their national service obligation in a civilian capacity for at least two years.
S. 89 language permits:
Deferments for education only through high school graduation, or until the age of 20.
Exceptions are made for those with 1) extreme hardship, or 2) physical or mental disability.
Conscientious objectors are defined and directed by the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. 456(j))."

In fact, many things are by order of the President in this bill. He gets to say which of the drafted population is allowed to go to war and who is to stay home with their loved ones. Now check it, if we amend the constitution to discriminate against gay marriage, please follow me on this, who is to say our president, having set a precedent of discrimination, won't say "All black and spanish people should go to war because god told me that they would like it better in the hotter climates because they were born with more melanin in their skin whereas white people burn easier."

This is something that we should be outraged over and everyone should write to their representatives to vote against this bill. I understand the need for military service and I believe serving in the military is necessary when we have been threatened. Not this war. NOT THIS WAR! It is expected that this particular draft should be starting in June 2005. I think a draft might be necessary if people were coming to the US like the scene from the Brad Pitt movie TROY that I had no desire to see. If we see thousands of boats coming towards New York, then by all means hand me a gun and I will start fighting. What is important is domestic security. Our national guard is in another country and not defending us here where we need them. If they were here, we wouldn't need to say to men and women of 18, put that book down and pick up that gun! It's time to defend the country that didn't give you an appropriate healthcare or educational system, that didn't make your neighborhood safe, that didn't make your vote count because of faulty e-voting and a weird electoral system. During the civil war, rich people were allowed to buy their sons out of military service. Even the great Abraham Lincoln was shitty at times. Who says W. wouldn't bring that back? Remember GANGS OF NEW YORK? As soon as the new immigrants come to this country we can sign them up for military service so that way when we mistreat the soldiers it won't matter because they aren't "real" Americans anyway.

This is bad, people. We need to start writing, shouting, marching in the streets. Get to work.

1 Comments:

This is scary...

By  Anonymous, at 9:11 AM  

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