Veterans confront a system that ignores them
2017Jeff Mackler 2017-01Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 8 →
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not recognize just how terrible our situation is. So all it took for many to back Trump was that one loudly There has been a lot of good discussion about why many blue-collar workers in the rust belt were con vinced to vote for the billionaire Trump, but less about why so many veterans did. I believe that it comes down to not having a strong voice on the left encourag The collective spirit that is so central to the labor and socialist movements is intrinsically important to vet erans too. The socialist movement should be a natural political home for those who signed up for a collective mission for justice but discovered too late that the During and after World War II and the Vietnam War, radicalizing veterans became central to the leadership of the civil rights, antiwar, and Chicano and Black lib eration movements. Many grew to become leaders of the socialist movement, as well. What voice do we so cialists use today to show veterans that our movement cares about their struggles, can make life better for them, and would stop the “nation-building” and impe I believe that socialists must introduce veterans to our ideals of working-class democracy, justice, and equality. The movement can show veterans that there is a way to stop the pain and trauma they associate There are more choices than military intervention or isolationism. Socialists can introduce the idea of real entailed. We are marched out and honored at every internationalism, where we build global solidarity major sporting event, but if you would have a conver based on common struggles against the war-makers sation with the majority of the fans that are there, you in every capitalist capital and every corporate board V longer listens to them, tired of longer deployments, would discover that they have no idea what they are room around the world. We can tell the history that proves that a workers’ movement can create a soci tired of a medical system that takes days or months to We are isolated and revered, meant to be put on a ety that can really bring peace and prosperity to their respond. I have buried more friends to drug overdoses, shelf and then taken down when America needs to be drunk driving, and suicide than during my deployment The military taught us how integral it is for each We also see no end to these wars. The last “progres member to do their job so the mission can be accom In 2012 military suicides surpassed military combat sive” president ran on ending the wars in Iraq and Af plished as a whole. It should be an easy task for vet deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. We hear stories about ghanistan but launched military operations in Yemen erans to understand how they can contribute to mass how even after Congress made a law to stop the mili and Libya, and upped the drone assassinations in Paki actions of millions of workers and strikes at the point tary from kicking out members with mental health is stan. His right-wing opponents preach that we should of production and transport hubs, actions that could sues, the Army discharged more than 22,000 soldiers shut down the system, forcing our demands to be met. suffering from TBI or PTSD. We see veterans stripped It is no wonder that we see the military and veterans The response of a group of veterans to the needs of of their GI Bill benefits, stripped of their rights to use flock to known “anti-war “candidates, people like Ron the water protectors at Standing Rock shows that this the VA, and unable to find a job if they were deprived Paul. There was fervor for Ron Paul in 2008; I do not think most veterans understood his economic policy Now is the moment for socialists to turn to the dis Most members of Congress give speeches and im at all. What appealed to them was the promise of no cussion in earnest. Many weary veterans responded to plore the American population to support the troops, more foreign intervention and getting the government Trump’s one true statement about their treatment, but but nothing changes. I see my brothers and sisters we have so many more truths to share. We understand suffering from a high unemployment rate, high rates Of course, none of these Democratic and Republi the economic draft. We know that one should not have of suicide, and homelessness. Those who stay in the can party politicians plan to actually bring the troops to put oneself in harm’s way just to avoid unemploy military are emotionally and physically stretched thin home. Nor have any of them truly taken up our most basic needs. Everyone knows on some level that politi Socialists refuse to champion a society that trades The United States has been directly at war in the Mid cians are liars and celebrate us only when it is conve lousy military benefits for lifetimes of traumatic brain dle East for almost 16 years. Yet, less than three quar injury, PTS, and early onset arthritis. Socialists oppose ters of one percent of the U.S. population has served But because we remain disconnected from and un wars fought for the rich against the interests of work in those wars. Washington’s war-making has fallen on heard by the majority of the American population, the shoulders of so few. So, we come home to a country because we continue to see ourselves used as propa Socialists are for setting up a society in which the that does not understand us and has almost no refer ganda and see our epidemics of suicide and addiction major decisions about war, peace, jobs, health care, ence for where we have been and what we have done. housing, and education are made by working people We hear platitudes from the residents of our home Trump came along and said one thing that brought themselves. Veterans need to hear this. They have also towns thanking us for our service, but those residents much of the veteran community to his side. He went on seen a lot and have a huge contribution to make to the understand almost nothing about what our service stage and said, directly, “Veterans are getting screwed.” struggle for this new world. n By MITCH USMC05-09 Deployed to Fallujah, Iraq, in 2006 eterans are tired. They are tired of a system that no to Iraq. of an honorable discharge. with constant deployments to war zones. honoring.
reminded of how great it is.
have boots on the ground in Syria and in Africa. out of your bedroom.
nient to make a point.
ignored, many veterans embraced Trump.
lives.
Roger Harris proclaimed and very true statement.
ing veterans to fight for a better future.
wars were not about justice, least of all for them. rialism that is ruining so many lives?
with Washington’s “nation-building” projects. kind of thinking is in the air. ment and discrimination due to low income.
ing people at abroad and at home.