The other day I was riding my motorcycle home from another soldiers funeral wondering why there were so few there to say "thank you" when I remembered a story I had heard. Forgive me for not quoting the source, as I can’t remember who told this.
It was a soldier/sailor and he was standing in a hotel lobby waiting for someone. An older lady approached him and began talking; apparently thinking he was a bellhop (because of the uniform). When informed that he was, in fact, a military officer, the lady responded that she was happy to meet him and that she was "so glad that there were people like him to take care of those things" (I think the quote is reasonably accurate).
So why am I (sort of) quoting a story I heard once (probably NPR) and can’t remember accurately? Because, what I do remember was the point and tone of the story. That today, I don’t have to do __________ because there are "people like you" to take care of those things! There is NO sacrifice for those who can’t be bothered with such things required by this war.
We have become a country of people who let "others" do for us. We don’t go to the peace march because "people like you" will go. We don’t go to the funeral of the soldier in the next town because "people like me" will go. We don’t write our Congress Critter because "people like them" will do it. We don’t go fight in Iraq because there are patriotic people who like to be soldiers and they will go.
I’m a Vietnam Era veteran. I remember the peace marches and the "crazy hippies" that participated in them. These people were focused. They were driven. They had a stake in it because if the war didn’t end, it might kill them or their friends or their family members. We had a Draft.
There has been a lot of debate about bringing back the draft. Most of it has centered on creating a sense of sacrifice so that everyday Americans will again feel the sacrifice that is required when you vote to go to war.
The Republicans understand this and so there was no way to ever get a draft put in place while they were in power. The Democrats don’t want to be painted as the ones that brought back the draft (and lets face it, a lot of them don’t have the guts for such a fight), and McCain et al will make the argument that a "professional" army is better. So we will never reinstate the draft. America lacks the leadership capable of making Americans buy into such a tactic.
So what is the next best thing? How can we affect every American in a way that is both personal and beneficial to the country as a whole? A WAR TAX! A global, all-inclusive, I don’t care who you know, how much money you make, no loopholes, tax.
Now I’m not naïve enough to think that such a tax would get through the senate (although it would be great if it did), but think of the implications of the debate.
First, just debating the tax would focus on the dollar cost of this war and point out to everyone exactly how much is going to come out of our pockets (or our children’s pockets) to pay for this debacle.
Second, a debate on such a tax would point out the fact that for the last 14 years the Republicans have basically been selling America to the highest bidder. Further, it would also point out the waste, corruption and greed of Republican lawmakers and this administration.
And possibly most important, maybe, just maybe we would get the money we need to properly take care of our wounded and equip our living. In fact, I would be happy if the tax ONLY took care of our wounded and veterans, forever, with free healthcare, education, whatever. The works. The old GI Bill on steroids.
There absolutely MUST be a cost to every single American when the country goes to war. Whether you are for the war or against the war, THERE MUST BE A COST THAT EVERY AMERICAN FEELS RIGHT NOW. Because there is a bill and it will come due.
Otherwise, the bill will have to be paid, by "people like you".
And by the way, the next time you hear that a soldier who lives near you was killed in Iraq, please take notice and think about their families. Maybe send a card. If you haven’t heard about any, ask yourself why not? There have been over 3,000. Surely a few were near you.