Tuesday, August 22, 2006
The Green Patriot
This is the August edition of my monthly column for YC magazine, published and distributed exclusively in York County, SC. There in nothing behind the "Read more!" link on this one.
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“I can’t support the Green Party because the Green Party is pacifist.” When I saw those words I knew I had done a poor job of explaining.
It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society’s current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations. We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.
The paragraph above is not mine. It is taken entirely from the party’s Ten Key Values. As you can see, the Green Party is not a pacifist party, but is a party which promotes non-violence. This may be a difference without a distinction for some, but for most Greens it is critical. Just as we would fight to protect our children and families, we understand fighting to protect our nation. As with every party, many Greens are veterans. Those of us who are not veterans give special attention to the words of those who have served not because we think they smarter than the rest of us, but because they have more first hand knowledge than Greens who have not served in the military.
How then are we Greens to respond in what we are told is a “time of war?” We should, and do, respond as patriots.
A patriot has been defined as “A person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country, sometimes excessively.” Like everyone else, we Greens can go overboard with out patriotism, but we usually are more even keeled than that. Blind faith in the president or the government is not patriotic to Greens. Quite the opposite. Questioning our leaders as they march our children off to die and kill is our duty as responsible participants in the American Experiment.
When we stand and ask the Pentagon to answer for their abuses of prisoners we do so not to do damage to our country, but to preserve for our children and yours an America worth fighting for. The founders of the nation understood the value of citizen participation and included it directly in the Constitution’s first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights, to make it ever clear that the government serves the people and not the other way around. Asking the captains of industry to justify war profiteering is as American as apple pie. Holding military recruiters to the highest standards of honesty is not wrong, but how we protect our children from deceptions which might send an unsuited child to the front. Demanding that the president comply with the Supreme Court and Constitution is not un-American; it is as right as rain.
So, when you think about Israel and the pounding they are inflicting on Lebanon, remember that we Greens believe in self-defense, and in non-violence. When you see American soldiers killed and maimed in Iraq and Afghanistan on TV, remember that we Greens believe in defending the defenseless, and in non-violence. When you hear of American soldiers forced to serve long after the end of the term they signed up for, so called “stop loss” orders, remember that we Greens believe in von-violence and justice. The 40,000 American soldiers who have deserted will want to return to society some day. Will we be ready?
The bottom line from our perspective is this: Violence is bad, and should be avoided when possible. The spiriting away of three Israeli military men and the killing of others does not justify the Israeli attacks which have killed untold hundreds of civilians in Lebanon. Israel has violated agreements with the United States. They agreed to not use weapons bought from us to invade another county. They continue, despite constant appeals for peace, to bombard and kill with no apparent end in sight. We Greens have called internationally for the Israeli military to stand down and end this war.
Weak we may be. But we have a spine. That’s more than you can say for either the Democrats or Republicans, who stand always at the ready to support any scheme crafted by pro-military forces in business, academic, or government circles. We hold ourselves to a higher standard. A Patriot’s Standard. A Green Standard. How about you? War in self-defense, or war without end?
*****************************************************
“I can’t support the Green Party because the Green Party is pacifist.” When I saw those words I knew I had done a poor job of explaining.
It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society’s current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations. We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.
The paragraph above is not mine. It is taken entirely from the party’s Ten Key Values. As you can see, the Green Party is not a pacifist party, but is a party which promotes non-violence. This may be a difference without a distinction for some, but for most Greens it is critical. Just as we would fight to protect our children and families, we understand fighting to protect our nation. As with every party, many Greens are veterans. Those of us who are not veterans give special attention to the words of those who have served not because we think they smarter than the rest of us, but because they have more first hand knowledge than Greens who have not served in the military.
How then are we Greens to respond in what we are told is a “time of war?” We should, and do, respond as patriots.
A patriot has been defined as “A person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country, sometimes excessively.” Like everyone else, we Greens can go overboard with out patriotism, but we usually are more even keeled than that. Blind faith in the president or the government is not patriotic to Greens. Quite the opposite. Questioning our leaders as they march our children off to die and kill is our duty as responsible participants in the American Experiment.
When we stand and ask the Pentagon to answer for their abuses of prisoners we do so not to do damage to our country, but to preserve for our children and yours an America worth fighting for. The founders of the nation understood the value of citizen participation and included it directly in the Constitution’s first ten amendments, the Bill of Rights, to make it ever clear that the government serves the people and not the other way around. Asking the captains of industry to justify war profiteering is as American as apple pie. Holding military recruiters to the highest standards of honesty is not wrong, but how we protect our children from deceptions which might send an unsuited child to the front. Demanding that the president comply with the Supreme Court and Constitution is not un-American; it is as right as rain.
So, when you think about Israel and the pounding they are inflicting on Lebanon, remember that we Greens believe in self-defense, and in non-violence. When you see American soldiers killed and maimed in Iraq and Afghanistan on TV, remember that we Greens believe in defending the defenseless, and in non-violence. When you hear of American soldiers forced to serve long after the end of the term they signed up for, so called “stop loss” orders, remember that we Greens believe in von-violence and justice. The 40,000 American soldiers who have deserted will want to return to society some day. Will we be ready?
The bottom line from our perspective is this: Violence is bad, and should be avoided when possible. The spiriting away of three Israeli military men and the killing of others does not justify the Israeli attacks which have killed untold hundreds of civilians in Lebanon. Israel has violated agreements with the United States. They agreed to not use weapons bought from us to invade another county. They continue, despite constant appeals for peace, to bombard and kill with no apparent end in sight. We Greens have called internationally for the Israeli military to stand down and end this war.
Weak we may be. But we have a spine. That’s more than you can say for either the Democrats or Republicans, who stand always at the ready to support any scheme crafted by pro-military forces in business, academic, or government circles. We hold ourselves to a higher standard. A Patriot’s Standard. A Green Standard. How about you? War in self-defense, or war without end?
// posted by Gregg Jocoy @ 5:55 PM 
Comments:
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The spiriting away of three Israeli military men and the killing of others does not justify the Israeli attacks which have killed untold hundreds of civilians in Lebanon.
How do you know how many civilians were killed? Hizbollah hides in the crowds intentionally.
They crossed the border, attacked Israel and kidnapped soldiers.
Every nation has the right and obligation to protect themselves.
Israel would have been wrong not to fight.
How do you know how many civilians were killed? Hizbollah hides in the crowds intentionally.
They crossed the border, attacked Israel and kidnapped soldiers.
Every nation has the right and obligation to protect themselves.
Israel would have been wrong not to fight.
Israel has been planning this war for more than a year. They used the kidnapping of their soldiers as the excuse they wanted, when they were ready, with US knowledge. The limp US response and our complicity in selling weapons and in the recent war are just the latest in our long history of working AGAINST actual democracy and independence there. White phosphorus and cluster bombs have been used by the Israeli army in their attacks--this isn't defense, it's a hideous offense. Hezbollah has been stupidly playing into Israel's hands, but Israel shot themselves in the foot by using barbaric weapons and targeting civilians. Don't forget who Israel kidnapped: 65 government ministers in Palestine, democratically elected. And hardly a peep of protest out of us. So Hezbollah isn't likely to believe either us or Israel that democracy is something they are interested in preserving.
This doesn't mean that Hezbollah is innocent, either. It just means that both groups are wrong. The only people who are victims here are the civilians--as is the case in most modern war. Israel would have been RIGHT not to fight. But people seem to forget the value of the high road these days...and that war is not something that should be turned to first. But Bush, don't forget, is a "war president."
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This doesn't mean that Hezbollah is innocent, either. It just means that both groups are wrong. The only people who are victims here are the civilians--as is the case in most modern war. Israel would have been RIGHT not to fight. But people seem to forget the value of the high road these days...and that war is not something that should be turned to first. But Bush, don't forget, is a "war president."
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