Last weekend, during the interminable orgy of advertisements and previews one must endure in order to see a movie, I was exposed to this piece of propaganda put forth by the pseudo-grunge band 3 Doors Down:
The video is a promotion for the National Guard, and, as you can see, appeals to youthful ideals that, in and of themselves, are noble: the desire to contribute to society meaningfully, to help those in need, to use one's strength to protect and serve.
All well and good. But here's the problem: the National Guard is currently being used to feed the dilapidated war machine of Junior Bush and the neo-conservatives. Earlier this month, five Army National Guard Brigades (including the 41st BCT, Oregon National Guard) were informed that they are to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan in the summer of 2009.
It's a lie, people! If you enlist in the National Guard, you are offering yourself up as fodder for Dick Cheney's demented dream of empire and global hegemony.
Undoubtedly, this production will be hailed with gibberish similar to this, put forth by someone calling himself BlueZeus:
Excellent job. Congratulations on a great production! I am sure the anti-military, anti-patriots will have a lot of hate for this video but they would not have the right to free speech without the heroic deeds of the Guard.These fake patriots are always looking for ways to make themselves seem Christ-like, aren't they? Their line goes like this: "Go ahead, you hippie freaks! Spurn us! We're dying face down in the mud so you can have the right to spit on us!" Yawn.
But today my disgust is aimed at the band 3 Doors Down. The band (from Mississippi, no less) wrote this song and produced this video, as an appeal to the natural virtue of young people. But, one wonders why the strapping young lads that comprise the band aren't enlisted themselves. Or, are they doing their "part" by helping recruit (and, oh by the way, making lots of money)?
Many artists have been lured into compromise by the siren of financial reward. In fact, most of us have made these compromises in our lives. But rank hypocrisy and willful dishonesty like the song "Citizen Soldier" extends beyond the venial to the mortal.
Chrissie Hynde, of the Pretenders may have said it best:
Hey, baby, I wanna know
How much did you get for your soul?
You had the gospel when you were shackled to a tree;
Now you've got your freedom, you sing for the money;
...
Hey, baby, tell me please
How much did you get for that sleaze?
You finally made it right up to the top,
Millions of kids are looking at you,
You say, "Let them drink soda pop"
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| Chrissie Hynde |
The National Guard itself is a fine organization, and serves our people well when properly equipped and supplied. But the neo-conservatives, with their simian half-wit leader, Junior Bush, have been abusing the National Guard (and the rest of the US military) to pursue their narrow interests in Iraq.
I implore anyone that might read this blog to do what you can to convince young people not to join the National Guard -- not while it is being used to further the agenda of neo-conservative devils. And, as for 3 Doors Down, faithfully serving the public via Adam Smith's invisible hand...enjoy your money, lads. It comes at the price of your souls.
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| 3 Doors Down: Anything for money, eh, boys? |