I find U.S. Veterans Day and Memorial Day uncomfortable. I'll always feel for those who died because death is a sad and tragic thing.
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015
@ElectricDidact But to honor the activity of war, when that war is labeled "defense" even though it was almost all fought elsewhere...
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015
@ElectricDidact ...when I know better than to think that America's wars were fought for some altruistic ideal...
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015
@ElectricDidact (for war cannot "save" lives except in the monetary sense, as a coupon "saves" money off a purchase; war can only destroy)
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015
@ElectricDidact ...I guess what it comes down to is that I find it difficult to honor the institution of Veterans Day or Memorial Day...
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015
@ElectricDidact ...which is what we do when we share the memes and invoke the discourse of nationalism used to justify those soldiers' deeds
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015
@ElectricDidact What I'd much rather do is be able to say, "Look at this person: he/she is brave and I can respect that;"
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015
@ElectricDidact or "Remember this person: he/she died in a horrible business. That's worth grieving and remembrance."
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015
@ElectricDidact But the last thing I want to do is assume the clothes of an ideology that posits real human warfare as something noble/good.
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015
@ElectricDidact So I won't say "Happy Veterans Day"... but know that you are in my thoughts. Veterans, you are loved for many reasons...
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015
@ElectricDidact ...and one of those reasons is that you are human beings and therefore worthy of it. I do not salute you. I embrace you.
— Jedd Cole (@ElectricDidact) November 11, 2015