I have to say, I hate that “we are in the middle of war-time” for a couple reasons. First of all, I’m not the biggest fan of war or of military forces. Secondly, I think ex-President Bush’s proclaimed reasons for starting the war were not well thought through and have only been exacerbated over the years by his haughty, self-serving, frat boy attitude. Thirdly, “war-time” has become this relatively removed experience for all but the growing number of people with loved ones returning severely injured or not at all.

I grew up a military brat; my dad was a Captain in the Navy Reserves when he retired almost 15 years ago. For me, he makes a good example of the angst ridden youth searching for somewhere to belong and for somehow to “prove” themselves to whomever and along comes an opportunity to join the military. To make an even more blanket statement, I think militaries, esp the US (if only because that is with what I am most familiar), feed on the insecurities of their country’s youth. That being said, I have known a number of people who have joined for any number of reasons: for that kick in the tokhes they need to jump start their life; to gain an education they couldn’t otherwise afford; to learn about really big artillery and get to fire them (short of the part where you get limbs blown off or worse, who wouldn’t want to blow some stuff up?); or any number of reasons, none of which is wrong but many of which are precisely the reasons I have chosen to avoid becoming involved myself. I also recognize that war is bound to happen because the nature of being human will inevitably engage us in some level of violent miscommunication. I would certainly like to believe that having the level of cognitive skills that we do, the extreme of going to war should not be necessary. On some level, however, war is necessary to maintain a certain balance- “good” would not be “good” if we had nothing “evil” with which to compare it.

As for ex-President Bush, WMDs always felt like a lame excuse to go rub the Middle East’s face in the fact that Little Boy Bush was trying to fill Daddy Bush’s shoes- not that he was unprovoked by any means. Attempting to stay within the boundaries of my political awareness, all I can say is that I do not envy President Obama’s current challenges but I feel certain that he will at least clean up this mess to the best of his abilities while maintaining a modicum of grace that it seems to me the Bush administration sorely lacked.

Because of the information age, “war-time” has become a combination movie, video game and novel. We watch all these reports on TV but only recently as I understand have the dead been allowed on the air (with the family’s permission); so many people are tied up in whatever the latest shoot-em-up blood and gore video game; and with the bonus of the internet, soldiers blog about day to day occurrences making that the closest we could come to “war-time” without being there but more in the form of a good read. Once upon a time, the men folk going off to war had an effect on your whole community, local and more widespread. Women joined the workforce en masse because of WWII. It seems to me that this war that has been going on for nearly a decade does not impact my everyday life the way I think it would have had I lived during nearly any other war of this magnitude.

I recently realized that a good friend had worked on an HBO special called “Alive Day.” Although I have not seen the special, the website (www.aliveday.org) gives you a clear idea of its subject matter. James Gandolfini directs interviews with 10 military personnel who were sent home from the Middle East after having incurred massive trauma ranging from lost limbs to severe brain damage. The website gives the 10 individuals a chance to summarize their experience working on the film and to share what they have been doing since. There are a handful of photos, their statements, and, at the right hand side of each page, their stats including the date they shipped out, a list of injuries, the date incurred, and at what hospital they were/are being treated. What I find most interesting is a few of them make it clear that despite what seems to be pretty serious post-traumatic stress disorder- amongst other serious injuries- they would do it all over again. Whilst I find myself hoping that I would have the courage and bravery to do what I had to do to protect myself and my loved ones under such grueling circumstances, I am forced to admit that I don’t know if I could go through what these people have gone through and maintain any kind of positive outlook on life.

“Nonviolence requires much more courage than violence.”
− Mahatma Gandhi

“Ignorance breeds fear. “Education breeds confidence.
Fear breeds hate. Confidence breeds hope.
Hate breeds violence.” Hope breeds peace.”
− anonymous

The theme of this week’s Avocado Jungle is “transitions”, and what more poignant time than Memorial Day to acknowledge the transition from life to death and death to life as a result of our brave men and women who fell in defense of our nation as well the defense of others.

Many of us celebrate Memorial Day weekend as the inauguration of summer, complete with swimming pools, barbecues, white pants and, of course, a day off from work on Monday. For the record, I am no exception, and have already enjoyed three of the four aforementioned harbingers of the season. However, while celebration with one’s family and friends at this time is beautiful on a microcosmic scale, it should not overshadow commemoration on a macrocosmic scale.  In making the ultimate sacrifice, our fallen heroes in the military have made possible these hazy, lazy days we’ve inherited as an entitlement of our liberty, and it is our responsibility to remember and thank them for it.

In so commemorating those buried beneath our flag, it is also right to remember those they left behind, whose transition from life with to life without them are an unavoidable piece of that sacrifice. Equally important, these deaths were not made for the sake of conquest, but for the preservation of free life around the world; a fact uniquely attributable to the United States, from the Revolutionary War onward.

It is in this spirit, irrespective of whether, as an American, one supports all of our wars, we are duty bound to honor the memory of those who died while fighting on our behalf. Therefore, enjoy the three day weekend, and relish this annual rite of the season, be it grilling hamburgers, splashing about in the sun, or the opening of summer’s newest blockbuster movie. However, please take the time to remember those who gave their lives that we may do so, and that this freedom came with a price.

Look Right, Look Left, Look Right again, if All Clear, Quick March!

The Power of Ridiculous Reasons
Scott Adams
April 28, 2009

The human mind is wired to accept ridiculous reasons as if they are legitimate. Studies have shown that people are more likely to agree to a favor if the word “because” is used in the request. It doesn’t seem to matter what follows that word. As long as the sentence is in the form of a reason, people accept it as though some actual reason is present. (See the book Influence.)

I’ve often used this method. I think I’ve mentioned these uses before, but I will reiterate to set up my larger point.

Guys tend to argue over who picks up the check after dinner. In cases where I know this situation is likely to arise, I prepare a ridiculous “because” reason that I trot out when the moment is right. After allowing the other guy or guys to make their ceremonial attempt at paying, I say something like “I’ll pay today because this is the seven month anniversary of when you bought your car. Congratulations.” I’m exaggerating slightly, but it isn’t hard to come up with some trivial reason why you should pay. The funny thing is that any reason you offer will settle the discussion. It works every time.

Another situation in which the ridiculous reason works is when a large dinner group is being served and only half of the people have their dishes. Everyone sits there staring at their food as it cools, trying to be polite. In these cases I say loudly “According to etiquette, you can start eating as soon as three people have been served.” Everyone instantly digs in. I think I read that rule of etiquette somewhere, but it’s clearly a random number. There is nothing special about three. Ridiculous reasons win again.

I mention these examples because I think the world needs another ridiculous rule to solve some big problems. And it’s no fair saying my new rule is ridiculous because that’s exactly the point. The new rule would be this: Any land controlled by a country for 50 years straight is legitimately theirs. It’s like a statute of limitations for armed resistance.

Obviously the people living in the disputed lands will reject this rule when it kicks in. It’s really for the benefit of others who might be inclined to help the continued struggle for independence. Most struggles depend on outside help. This rule allows the outside helpers to withdraw without being dishonorable.

While the 50 year rule is clearly arbitrary and ridiculous, our minds allow us to accept such things as if they are real rules. So in time it might influence the inhabitants of the disputed lands to accept their situation. Realistically, if a country is controlled for 50 years, it’s probably going to stay controlled. Continued resistance doesn’t benefit anyone.

Consider all of the international struggles that involve lands conquered more than 50 years ago, or approaching that. The partisans need a reason to stop fighting that doesn’t sound like they are a bunch of quitters. Honor is at stake. The 50 year rule is the non-reason reason.

I am aware that this rule, if followed, would sanction enormous unfairness, subjugation, apartheid, and worse. But those things would happen with or without the rule. The only difference is how many innocent people die trying to change a situation that is unlikely to change.w