RANGER AGAINST WAR: But if It's True. . . <

Monday, October 08, 2007

But if It's True. . .

But your flag decal won’t get you into Heaven anymore,
We’re already overcrowded from your dirty little war

Now Jesus don’t like killin’

No matter what the reasons for.

And your flag decal won’t get you into Heaven anymore
--Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven, John Prine
_________

According to VFW magazine (October), "Beginning this fall, four movies that show Iraq soldiers in a negative light will be released."

The VFW incorrectly states these movies show Iraq soldiers in a negative light. In fact, they depict the soldiers and their lives in a realistic light. If it is unpleasant to view, many things in life are.
When did the word "negative" supersede "truthful", when discussing unpleasantries?

"In the Valley of Elah's. . .'uplifting' theme tells of the murder of an Iraq vet by fellow soldiers.

"Tinseltown is not at all reluctant about releasing these films while the war is still underway."

And why
should they be? This is America, and no OPSEC is being compromised. You can get more information on the war any day of the week online at Wikipedia.

Ranger saw the above mentioned movie and was impressed with its treatment of the war. The main character, his son, and his deceased son (killed in the 82nd) were all portrayed as dedicated soldiers who loved their country and their Army. So how is this anti-War?

The protagonist calls Iraq a "shit-hole," and of course, he is right. The war was backdrop to the story line, and it was dealt with fairly and clearly. The dialog was devoid of value judgments on the war, so how is depicting one family's experience in and surrounding their service anti-war?

It may be anti- their candy-colored version which marches in lockstep with the administration, but
as Winston Churchill said, "the truth is incontrovertible; malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is."

In the conclusion, the U.S. flag is flown with the field down, to symbolize the nation's distress. To many of us observing and participating, the nation is in an undeniable state of emergency that needs to be fixed. The bleeding must be staunched. This is not anti-war; this is fact.

Since PTSD, drunkenness and domestic violence are facts of life for many returning combat soldiers, how is their portrayal anti-war? When did facts, albeit unsavory ones, become "anti-war"? It is what it is.

In fact, if the Elah movie were anti-war, the VFW should applaud it. Needless, senseless wars should be protested, and who better than veterans themselves to do so?

The concluding paragraph is a non-sequitur. It begins by quoting from film critic Lew Harris, "Hollywood's much more political now and less afraid to speak out. The filmmakers and actors themselves are far more politicized than they were in the 1960's." It concludes,

"This explains why, despite all the bravery displayed by GIs in Afghanistan and Iraq, no movies are about to be released that highlight the heroism of Americans."

How does one's honest depiction of a true (or fictionalized) situation equate with being gratuitously "anti-war"?

The facts speak for themselves. These depictions lack a saccharine overlay telling the audience how they should feel (presumably, according to the VFW, great about whatever happens), which in itself would be a form of propagandizing. There is no bouncing ball for the audience to follow patriotic tunes stitched in to the story. That is propaganda.

True--our GIs have displayed great bravery in theatre, and heroism is a daily occurrence. Elah does not deny this fact. It merely refuses to wave little flags and be wrapped in a yellow ribbon. It dares to show the underbelly wrought by all of that heroism.

Sometimes, you just don't feel good about the things you see and hear. Maybe that is o.k., and in fact, necessary in order for right action to occur. In our over-medicalized, over-prescribed and over-pathologized society, we are told that feeling bad is not good. Sometimes, feeling bad is your warning that something must be changed.

It is time for us fat, dumb and happy old soldiers at home to display the same virtues by opposing the needless sacrifice and slaughter of our young generation of soldiers. Our sworn oath demands it.

As a Ranger, my vow is to never leave a soldier behind.

--Jim and Lisa

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6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ranger
I'm glad that you can stll care.
Kevin in Granville

Monday, October 8, 2007 at 4:38:00 PM GMT-5  
Blogger rangeragainstwar said...

how can i not. i was a sf rvn veteran at the age of 24 and as such am in total sympathy with our present generation of sacrificial lambs. jim

Monday, October 8, 2007 at 5:01:00 PM GMT-5  
Blogger The Minstrel Boy said...

that's right ranger. no one left behind. ever. that's an unbreakable code of arms.

how many extra deaths happened in mogadishu because the rangers there flat refused to yield on that? they didn't care how many more of them had to die, they were not going to leave their brothers behind. not then, not ever. the pilot durant as he lay wounded and dying slow from infection heard the loudspeakers in the helocopters high above the city saying "you are not forgotten. we will not leave you."

sam fuller (director: Big Red One) an infantry veteran of north africa, italy, normandy, holland, czechoslovakia, said about his masterpiece of wartime storytelling "the best way to make an antiwar movie is to show what happens. i only showed a small part and people were horrified."

john ford, whose film unit filmed the landings at anzio and normandy said much the same thing.

so let's take a clear eyed look at this latest beef. we went to war on (take your pick here both options are disgusting) either lies or horribly wrong intelligence. we have stayed as occupiers for reasons that have changed with the disproving of every last set of reasons. there is no end to the bloodshot in sight. so, hmmmmm, we are supposed to get all worked up at hollywood because they aren't making movies about the positives?

not this frogboy. that shit won't float in my end of the swamp.

Monday, October 8, 2007 at 7:25:00 PM GMT-5  
Blogger rangeragainstwar said...

MB,

A loud "Airborne" to all of your points. I'm still in my airborne mode from last weekend. (Ford also did the Battles of Rapido River, San Pietro and the Po Valley. A number of photographers were actually cut down filming these segments.)

A question: If Ranger called you a frogboy, you'd wanna fight him, isn't this true?!

Monday, October 8, 2007 at 9:34:00 PM GMT-5  
Blogger The Minstrel Boy said...

i used to be that way, until that morning where after having been on the line for 36 hours at dong ap bai the same helo bat that backed the nva and vc units up off of our laps along with food, medicine, and ammo also dropped off two companies of rangers, fresh, and spoiling for a fight. they were totally fucking beautiful to see. one of their first sergeants brought a case of dewar's. brave, tough, and thoughtful.

as long as they're smiling they can call me anything they want. after all, it ain't what you're called that counts.

it's what you answer to.

Monday, October 8, 2007 at 11:48:00 PM GMT-5  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks, Ranger. I am so very sick of the idea that we must so how be gung ho about war regardless of the whys, whats, hows, and whoever is being destroyed. Why should we only glorify whatever qualities of war could somehow be deemed "good" and ignore the hell that it is? Who does that kind of b.s. serve? Like we all don't know that answer.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at 11:27:00 AM GMT-5  

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