Soldiers as Heroes - Why I'm Not Donating to Free Speech TV

   I love Free Speech TV.  I watch Democracy Now everyday.  I don't  watch corporate media at all, so I'm always at a loss at work, when they are discussing the issues of the day, like who is going to win American Idol.

   I used to watch INN World Report everyday, also.  But FSTV took them off the air.  But that is not all, no, that is not all.   They replaced them with a pro-military show!

   Any American is surrounded daily with pro-military propaganda.  We swim in it, like a fish in water, and even we fish who think we're  aware don't catch every subtle reference.   One of the droplets I usually notice is the "they fight for our freedom" nonsense.  This is patently absurd, but accepted by most due to constant repetition.  Major General Sme.edley Butler debunked this years ago, and I urge all to pass along his message.

   But to take off a news show and put on a military propaganda show!  On a self-proclaimed progressive media site!  That I noticed.

    Perhaps FSTV has fallen for the old lie that progressives must prove that they "support the troops".   This is fallout from the lie that Vietnam vets were spat upon.   

    There is a wide gulf between spitting on vets and glorifying them.   As far as I know, even the most rabid of right-wingers hasn't claimed that Iraqi vets have been spat upon.   There is no reason for progressives to goose step with corporate media and lionize invasion participators as "heroes".   The only heroes in the American military are those who refuse  to participate in the international law-breaking invasions and occupations.   

    If we bow down in craven respect to those troops who delight in killing and terrorizing the populations of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, then our support of those brave troops who follow their conscience is meaningless.

    Pointing out the hypocrisy of those Americans who support war, and then fail to support medical care or housing for veterans can be done without glorifying their dirty deeds.   Don't forget that the Vietnamese still have health problems from Agent Orange and unexploded ordinance.  Millions of Iraqis have lost their homes.  There are over 1,000,000 Pakistanis who have been forced from their homes since Obama took office.  And we're supposed to cry over homeless veterans?  

   Everyone deserves a home and medical care, not just former storm troopers.

   I was working with an Indian and a Syrian a few weeks ago.  They were talking about American imperialism and its effects.   The Syrian thought that victims should die without resisting, because they would be rewarded in heaven.  (He's a devout Christian).  The Indian thought that victims should fight back.  They asked me what I thought.  I said that it was futile for victims of American imperialism  to fight back with their limited weapons against the biggest, most industrialized war machine ever seen on earth.  It was up to us to stop the war machine here, by closing down the WMD factories and stopping our young from joining the military.   They thought that it would never happen that way.

   It certainly won't until it becomes unacceptable to work creating instruments of death, and until joining the military is considered as bad as joining Charles Manson's gang.   And having FSTV join in with the corporate media to further the propaganda makes me despair.  I will never donate again.