On a snowy day (yesterday) one may find oneself looking at old magazines . . .
This is the December 1942 issue -- even older than I.
As I leafed through the pages, I was struck by one thing in particular.
Everyone was expected to be a part of the war effort.
Whether producing superior files or jigsaws, it was all tied to helping Uncle Sam prevail.
And it was up to YOU, as a patriotic American, to curb your consumption . . .
The wars the US fights recently don't seem to be like that. They seem to be wars of choice, pre-emptive actions, fought to defend economic interests. fought increasingly with the help of mercenaries such as Halliburton or Blackwater.
Without a draft in which anyone's (and that would include Congress and the President) anyone's son or daughter may be called up to put their life on the line, it's all too easy for the great majority of us to ignore these wars. We might throw out a token 'Thank you for your service' if we encounter someone in military uniform but as far as sacrifice that involves curbing consumption -- why that would be un-American, Big Business cries, flinging up its hands in dismay.
As for the shameful treatment of our veterans, well that's a post for another snowy day...
I'm certainly not longing for another world wide war -- but I do wonder if reinstating the draft -- and making it all-inclusive -- might make our country think long and hard before leaping into military action.
