War

by
Suzann Darnall

There is a lot of talk about war in our society. There is War on Poverty, War on Illiteracy, War on Women, War on Christmas, War on Terror, War on Crime, War on Drugs . . . just to mention a few. Not to mention we still have troops deployed in harm's way around the globe. But, the media not so happy to actually talk about the realities of real war where people get killed, blown up, maimed, and sent home in casket, body bag, or on a stretcher.

I am offended by the casual tossing around of the word "war". War is nasty, messy, violent, deadly, and should always be only the last resort of civilized beings. It is something that upon occasion must be waged, because there is evil in the world and it often takes the form of tyrants who will try to enslave and oppress others. Tyrants most often can only be dealt with in the harshest of methods. Hence the need for a strong military to protect and defend.

But, using the term "War on ______" in referencing such things as poverty, illiteracy, women, Christmas, and crime kind of lessens the important impact of such a deadly event as a war. Especially when it is already being down-played by such events as the "War on Terror" not really being an all-out, in-it-to-win-it attack on those who would do us harm.

I think we need to respect words like war and pay homage to their very real, very deadly meanings. Let us not minimize the fearsomeness of what war entails. Death and destruction are at the very center of war. War is something to be avoided. It must not be trivialized into political taglines used to shock people reacting. Real war, waged with weapons, is truly filled with shock and awe.

I think part of why I am offended by such terms as War on Poverty, War on Crime, War on Illiteracy, War on Drugs, and to a certain extent, even War on Terror, is my feelings that we have completely and utterly lost those so-called wars. In part because we have been fighting those "wars" under ridiculous handicaps imposed by our government. It has been less of a war and more like sending Mayberry Deputy Barney Fife with his one little bullet (kept in his pocket) up against Rambo in full combat gear. Just a waste of time, money, resources, and sometimes lives.

While I do agree that many on the Left regularly attack Christmas, I think using the phrase "War on" may be trivializing war and not really addressing the problem which is actually that Christmas is being used as the way to attack our rights to freedom of religion and speech, as well as the right to make our own individual choices.

As for the so-called War on Women, don't even get me started with that hoax! Which in addition to trivializing war, is just a great big bundle of lies aimed at trying to keep women toeing the party line drawn for them by NOW, Democrats, the liberal media, and the Progressive Left.

Let's save the word war for the truly terrible events that cost us not only in terms of money, but in terms of lives. Those occasions where our military men and women go forth to protect and defend. The times when life and limb is put on the line. Maybe then we will all come to realize that it is something to strive against.

Like the Edwin Starr song, War, says, "War, huh! Good God, y'all! What is it good for? Absolutely nothing"! Not unless it is in defense of the innocent and against those who would do harm.

© Suzann C. Darnall, JANUARY 2014