A recent United States Marine Corps recruitment advertisement tells us:
“When there are battles to win for America’s future, there is one constant: Marines.”
Despite the advert being a minute-long, propagandizing call to imperial action, this line rings true. And it highlights why we are morally obligated to support Bring Our Troops Home.
To be sure, the advert is mostly revealingly deceptive.
It opens with a crumbling coastal cityscape reminiscent of the 2010 film Inception. Perhaps the advert filmmakers were merely fans of the Leonardo DiCaprio epic and had fun referencing it. But Inception’s apocalyptic imagery symbolized psychological limbo, a space in consciousness between dreaming and waking life. Is that not exactly the psychological space in which we place our Marines? Somewhere between the dream of freedom and democracy and the waking horror of killing & violently dying?
The Marine advert refers to “the future” under attack by unknown “enemies” and makes Marine life look cool and casualty-free. There’s a lot to criticize.
But the advert speaks the truth when it says, “there is one constant: Marines.”
The Marines have been a constant in American war and foreign policy. They saw action in the Revolutionary War and have served in every war and foreign intervention since then.
And we love the Marines. Not only have they been a constant presence in American history, they’ve been constantly badass.
When Homeland Security tells us “With honor and integrity, we will safeguard the American people, our homeland, and our values” we wonder what values they’re talking about. When the National Security Agency claims, “Defending Our Nation. Securing The Future,” we wonder if they’ve read the Global Surveillance Disclosures.
But when the Marines say “Always Faithful” we believe that in the center of our being.
The Marines are not politicians. They don’t lie to us for our votes. The Marines are not think tanks. They don’t recommend policy based on what their domestic weapons manufacturer and foreign government pay masters desire. The Marines are not academics. They don’t create intellectual justifications for empire. The Marines are not pundits. They don’t pontificate about glittering generalities. The Marines are not the State Department. They don’t ask others to fight and kill and die.
The Marines are professional killers. They kill whomever the president orders them to kill and they always get the job done. They instill terror in the enemy, whomever it might be.
British Redcoats were terrified of the Marines. Central and South American dictators and revolutionaries were terrified of the Marines. The Imperial Japanese soldiers were terrified of the Marines. The Nazi stormtroopers were terrified of the Marines. Al Qaeda and ISIS are terrified of the Marines.
Those who desire to kill Americans are terrified of a visit from the Marines.
Marines are squared away, disciplined, hardworking, loyal warriors. Foreigners like to ridicule Americans as lazy consumers. The Marines disabuse them of this stereotype.
The kings of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom sleep well knowing the United States Marines have their back. Should U.S. foreign policy put any of those nations in the Marines’ crosshairs (which could happen, no matter how much money those regimes pump into American think tanks) the relevant monarch would be well advised to put a loaded gun in his mouth and pull the trigger.
We love the Marines. They have been loyal to their nation and to the American People. Unfortunately, our government and its corrupt politicians and bureaucrats have betrayed them again and again.
Supporting Bring Our Troops Home is a way civilians can stand with our Marines. They signed up to defend America, her people and her Constitution. Not to provide security for multinational corporations and foreign governments. Not to destroy sovereign nations that pose no threat to us. Not to create a theater of violence that justifies weapons sales. Not to fight on the side of those who knocked down our towers. Not to perpetuate the American Empire.
According to the nonprofit’s website:
“Bring Our Troops Home is dedicated to ending American involvement in endless wars in the Middle East and bringing our troops home. Further, we are committed to advocating for a change in U.S. foreign policy that does not automatically default to military intervention. And finally, we insist that the Constitution of the United States be respected and enforced, requiring a formal Declaration of War by Congress—as mandated by Article I of the Constitution—before U.S. military forces may be legitimately deployed.”
The American People are powerful when we come together. Presidents will commit genocide if they think it will boost their approval ratings a few points. We have a chance to pressure our government to do something good.
The Marines put it all on the line to fight for our future. We should fight for theirs as well.
Support Bring Our Troops Home. Get educated, and get involved in their efforts to pass Defend the Guard!
