May 28, 2004

Just in time for Memorial Day
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As we prepare to honor our nation's war dead this weekend--yes, there's a reason for Memorial Day beyond getting Monday off--Former Denver Bronco Reggie Rivers, whose father is a USAF veteran writes this stirring tribute to our troops:

Our military is one of the last bastions of slavery in the United States. At the moment, our slaves are stuck in a combat zone, getting killed and maimed, and there's nothing they can do about it except hunker down and pray.

Yes, our slaves signed up of their own free will, but most of them were as misled about their job as the rest of us were about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

So, really, the men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day aren't heroes. Just a pathetic buch of poor saps who were duped into it. Now they're totally at the mercy of Massa George in Washington.

So our kids get bombarded with formal and informal recruiting messages - and they sign up. One day, they find themselves sitting in a Humvee in Iraq, with their best friend lying dead on the floor next to them, and they suddenly realize the deception of their recruitment and the shackles of their slavery.

They just want to go home, but they can't.

Yes, one minute they're impressing the girls in their pretty white, blue, green or olive uniforms, and the next thing they know, they're shackled to humvees in a war zone. Why they're shocked--shocked!--to learn they may be called upon to go into combat.

And yet, oddly enough, when Massa asks them to re-enlist, they're doing so in numbers far above their units' retention quotas, the fools.

Yes, I can see how Memorial Day would be a fitting occasion for such an emotional tribute to the troops.

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Comments

This is about as disgraceful as one person can get.

Does this guy have any idea of the children (under our age of enlistment) that are really slave/soldiers in parts of the Third World.

Has he not read any of the accounts of Iraqi soldiers who were forced, real world forced, under threat of torture and death (for their families too) into serving Saddam?

What a dickhead.

Posted by: Rob A. at May 28, 2004 05:01 PM

"Our military is one of the last bastions of slavery in the United States. At the moment, our slaves are stuck in a combat zone, getting killed and maimed, and there's nothing they can do about it except hunker down and pray."

Evidently Mr. rivers hasn't heard of the tactic that the members of the American Military are taught to use when taking fire, shoot back. I do believe that's why they are issued a M16 along with other assorted implements for high explosive rebuttal.

JwBouler

Posted by: Jwb at May 28, 2004 08:01 PM

Question one, does anyone know if Mr. Rivers ever received a 'hard' head hit by Pat Tillman?

Perhaps Mr. Reggie Rivers doesn't fully appreciate or understand what constitutes slavery. I will admit that slavery still exist in the world in 2004, but his twist on the definition is really an insult to anyone who has ever had to endure true slavery.

I am at a loss as to how any citizen in our country could rationally equate slavery with serving in our armed services. An addiction with substance abuse is a form of slavery but does not equate to the real bondage seen with historical slavery. Mr. River might want to study and research the slavery that existed in our country regarding our citizens with Africian heritage, so as to better understand slavery. If Mr. Rivers truly wanted credibilty, regarding deceptive and false advertising, he should have avoided introducing his twisted perception of slavery.

I understand that players in the NFL players union can be led to believe that they are slaves to the owners because, as we all know, they are so "poorly compensated", but they still have choices. Our soldiers have choices after they enlist.

As to any bondage with our soldiers, what slavemaster would ever give his slaves more fire power then the master. Duh...Mr. Rivers!

Mr. Rivers really wants to inflame a political situation and is willing to use our soldiers as pawns in an election year. This is what I find truly disgusting with his article, "Keep our slaves safe".

So using his twisted perception, I submit that the only real slavery that exist in our country today is the bondage between the Democratic political party and the voting black community- political bondage.

The rhetoric goes something like this: "I will set you free, so vote for me. But gee-golly, if I give you what I promise, then I lose ownership of your vote."

Now, Mr. Rivers, using your twisted definition, this is a real form of slavery in our country.

Viewpoint from Texas
Damifino

Posted by: MK Schiltz(aka Damifino) at May 28, 2004 08:38 PM

Okay, ;lkasdj;lfkja;lksjdf;lkasjf;laskfj;laksjdf that is just part of the frustration I feel. aljs;lfjd;laksjf;lakjs;ldfja;slkjf (again)

What the heck has gotten into this guy? Obviously, he doesn't feel the US is doing the right thing in bringing democracy to Iraq. Heck, I guess he is allowed to voice his opinion. a;lksjf;lkahl;kshdf;lkha (yet again)

I would give my left n''t to join the guys I know are in Iraq and Afgan. There is more in the world bigger than you - I guess he just doesn't get it.

Regards,
Mike

Posted by: Mike Lunday at May 29, 2004 03:36 AM

This stupid fool left his Email address on the editorial. I should think a few Memorial Day greetings are in order. I sent mine along with the link to my rebuttal.

I hope he enjoys the holiday weekend while his "Massa" has him BBQing that juicy 3 inch Sirlion.

Posted by: Marc at May 29, 2004 11:15 AM

This was posted over at Jennifer Martinez's Collection of Thoughts blog, and have been trying to get the Denver Post to even acknowledge the letters they have received. They have not to date(Sunday). Reggie Rivers' email address has been down since 3pm on Friday after this was printed. I urge everyone to pepper the editorial staff with letters as this was a clear jab at the people who serve on Memorial Day weekend.

Regardless of what your political beliefs are, regardless of whether you are for the war or against it, there comes a time when everyone should stop for a friggin weekend, and just honor those people that are serving that allows those that aren't the ability to continue the debate with a free society.

- Reptevye -

Posted by: reptevye at May 30, 2004 08:19 AM

I read this crap and have to laugh. After 20 years of slavery in the military I now collect $1300 a month for waking up and sucking air plus I have free medical for the rest of my life.

I bet the slaves in the rest of the world wish they had it this bad.

Posted by: retired military at May 30, 2004 05:12 PM

Technically, he is correct that military service is a form of slavery. However, it is misleading to use that term, because people have a lot of strong emotional misperceptions about slavery, and because using the term misses the point of military service. What is more, military service was just as much slavery when Clinton ordered us into Bosnia, or FDR ordered us into WWII, as it is today in Iraq. So, Mr. Rivers is using hysterics in a swipe against the War in Iraq, while neglecting the bigger picture.

As a Christian, I am a slave to God, but I have been made a joint-heir with Jesus Christ. We don't use that terminology much in the United States, because the idea of slavery is so odious to us. But, it used to be that slavery was just another form of social contract. It gave too much power to other men, who abused their power. But, you can't even say that without being attacked as the most vile of people. There is simply too much emotion vested in the term.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica specifically excludes military service from its discussion of slavery, under the argument that societies consider military service to be a debt that all citizens owe. Of course, many people in ancient times became slaves precisely because they owed a debt they could not pay, which tells me that the EB chickened out.

For the record, I strongly support the War in Iraq. I applaud President Bush for eliminating the menace of Saddam Housein. I also served in the military for 3 years as an enlisted man. Regardless of the perks that might be offered, the bottom line is, military service is slavery. It may be a gilded cage, but it is most certainly a cage, and you are chained, even if it is of your own free will. Indeed, some of the people in my chain-of-command went even farther, and tried to convince me that I no longer have any Constitutional protections, that the UCMJ replaced the Constitution for me. As for recruiters, every service man I've met has been frank about what a bunch of ruthless, unethical trappers recruiters are. I believe that people ought to be fully aware and informed of life-changing decisions they make, and that isn't happening in the recruiter's office. Many people in my command (mid-80s) told me they would never have joined the military if they had known what it was like.

Re-enlistment is up because there is finally a purpose to the work being done in the military. During peace time, most of the jobs lower enlistedmen do is pointless busy work. Now that we are at war, on a worthy mission, it is natural for the soldier to feel satisfaction in his work.

Posted by: Pooua at June 1, 2004 05:48 AM