What We Don't Remember on Memorial Day

"We're here to preserve democracy, not practice it."
--Captain Frank Ramsey (Crimson Tide)

A few things not celebrated on this day:

1) That all wars since WWII have been unconstitutional. Congress alone has the power to declare war; it has not done so since December 8, 1941.

2) That many of those who 'served' in US military conflicts did so at the point of a gun, i.e., the point of our own guns. Conscription accounted for large fractions of the US military beginning with WWI and continued to do so through the Vietnam War. Those who condone the draft are no different than those who condone slavery.

3) That, since the War of 1812, few instances have occurred where the United States has literally defended its homeland against invasion or aggression by other States. Nearly all US soldiers that we remember today were involved in wars waged on foreign soil. When wars are constantly fought elsewhere rather than on one's own turf, justifying these conflicts on the basis of 'defending freedom,' rather than for aggressive purposes, becomes increasingly delusional.

4) That we have diverted $trillions in economic resources, both human and material, into channels for military goods. Production of military goods does not advance general standard of living. In fact, when deployed in conflict, military goods destroy true wealth, leaving society worse off. Imagine the constraints on standard of living that could have been relaxed with if those mammoth war time resources were poured instead into satisfying needs in the marketplace.

What we should be remembering today is that if we limited armed conflict to those instances where we were truly defending ourselves against outside aggression, then both the United States and the world at large would be better places.