Here richly, with ridiculous display,
The Politician’s corpse was laid away.
While all of his acquaintances sneered and slanged, I wept:
For I had longed to see him hanged.
--Hilaire Belloc
War is a
Racket by Smedley Butler is a famous speech denouncing the military
industrial complex. This speech by two-time Congressional Medal of
Honor recipient exposes war profits that benefit few at the expense of
many. Throughout his distinguished career in the Marines, Smedley
Darlington Butler demonstrated that true patriotism does not mean blind
allegiance to government policies with which one does not agree. To
Hell with war.
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Smedley Darlington Butler (July 30, 1881 – June 21, 1940), nicknamed " The Fighting Quaker " and " Old Gimlet Eye ", was a Major General in the U.S. Marine Corps and, at the time of his death, the most decorated Marine in U.S. history.
During his 34 years of Marine Corps service, Butler was awarded numerous medals for heroism including the Marine Corps Brevet Medal (the highest Marine medal at its time for officers), and subsequently the Medal of Honor twice. Notably, he is one of only 19 people to be twice awarded the Medal of Honor, and one of only three to be awarded a Marine Corps Brevet Medal and a Medal of Honor, and the only person to be awarded a Marine Corps Brevet Medal and a Medal of Honor for two different actions.
In addition to his military career, Smedley Butler was noted for his outspoken anti- interventionist views, and his book War is a Racket. His book was one of the first works describing the workings of the military-industrial complex and after retiring from service, he became a popular speaker at meetings organized by veterans, pacifists and church groups in the 1930s.
He spoke for his time. We don't live in his time. This is why it is important for each man to have a conscience as well as a brain and to be informed on the issues of his day. It is also why a draft is the height of immorality for any free society and absolutely an unconstitutional infringement on liberty. Though long seen as a sovereign right of kings and thus, the state, to call men into service to defend King and country, there is no provision in the Constitution whereby our government is empowered to do so. The closest thing to that is the 2nd amendment, whereby the Central government may claim the power to "regularize" the militia.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
DeleteThe Rothschild banking cartel tried to recruit him to overthrow the Rooservelt government in a military coup. He played along with then until he got all of their names and exposed the coup. Nobody was tried for treason. They same banking cartel is running "things".
ReplyDeleteThey same banking cartel is running "things".
DeleteI imagine.