Ms. Duckworth likes to point to her military service, and camo garb, as giving her an understanding of how to mange the problems of civilian life. Always, the appeal is made to “come together” and “work as one”. However, it never quite works out in a free society with free individuals able to make autonomous decisions. The collectivism that works in a military setting is based on a strict command and control model. You must do exactly as you are told or face harsh discipline.
A civil society does not function under the same model that a military does. Ms. Duckworth is ignorant of this. She believes that the collectivism she experienced in a wartime situation (along with the “coming together” spirit) is applicable to civilian life. It is not. Healthy militaries are built on absolute obedience. In other words, the will of the individual must be subordinated to the will of the collective, and this is focused in the dictates of the commanders. In contrast, healthy societies are built on individual liberty. In this model, the will of the collective must be subordinated to the rights of the individual. It is built on the understanding that the collective is only valuable to that extent which it is beneficial to the individual. The command and control model, which is a necessity for a military, is destructive of the civil society.
I doubt that many of us would would wish to live under this command and contol environment, and yet, it remains an odd appeal for the left. While they love to wave the banners of peace, appeasement, apologies, and pacifism; the left is also attracted to camo wearing dictators such as Castro, Che Guevara, Lenin, Trotsky, Mussolini, along with any number of other communist and fascist “freedom fighters”. Many of these leftists claim to hate the military, and yet ironically, wish to be dictated to by centralized governmental experts on how to live all aspects of their civilian lives.
Woodrow Wilson attempted just such a thing with his military socialism during WWI. He longed to create a disciplined civilian population that would mimic the military discipline of his dough-boys. This social, so-called, “patriotism” is displayed in Uncle Sam scolding, “WE WANT YOU!”. Those who advocate such would be encouraged to watch the the Stanley Kubrick film “Paths of Glory”. Here is displayed the absurdity of how collective and fascistic beliefs, even in a military setting, can become utterly destructive of the individual, his humanity, and his dignity. How much more dangerous is this militaristic collectivism when introduced into the civil society.
Tammy, leave the camo in the duffel bag for your next deployment. For now, it’s time to pick out a pretty dress.
/p