War

In class on Monday we discussed a television show from the 1960s that aired in Poland.  It was on tv during the Cold War and huge reason for this tv show was to influence the way the Polish viewed the Russians.  The government wanted to remind the Polish that even though the Russians may be invading their country and attempting to enforce their rules, at one point in time, they were the ones who saved Poland.  They were the liberators and that was important for people in Poland remember, especially as the Russians starting becoming the invaders.

The class discussion got me thinking on the importance of images.  Not necessarily propaganda images, but images of war.  I think that many times, as Americans, we separate ourselves from the brutality and the ugliness of war.  The Civil War in the 1800s was the last time we had a war on our soil, with the exception of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  I have grown up in a generation who has known war, but only from a distance.  And as long as I keep the news turned off and limit what I look at in magazines and on the internet, I do not have to be reminded of the horrible things that are going on.  I can remain ignorant to it.  I think that this is wrong.  I think that we need to be continually reminded of war.  We need to be reminded of what the men and women of the armed services are fighting for, even if we do not agree with it.  I think that many Americans have become desensitized to the violence of war because of movies and video games, but I can only hope that the actual images from battle seem to shock us back into reality.  I think it is important for us to see these images because it makes it real and it helps us to understand the sacrifices people are making.  It reminds us that not everyone has it easy and we are very fortunate to live in the country that we do.

Whenever I see an armed service man or woman, like in the airport, I make it a point to thank them for their service.  I cannot even begin to imagine the horrors that they have seen and I will forever be grateful for the sacrifices they have made to protect me.

I think that Americans need to educate themselves on war and they can start by looking at the images from it.  Only when we have a complete understand of war and what it is we are fighting for, can we make a decision as to whether we think it is right or wrong; as to whether we not we think it is something worth fighting for.