I think Americans in particular have an affinity for war in general. For us, it is not an instrument of imperialism or a threat to peace. I think we see it as a safeguard of liberty and an upholder of things we hold dear.

Throughout our history, we have fought wars of freedom. The American Revolution freed us from British rule and essentially established U.S. government as we know it.

The Civil War was an exercise in federal and state rights, as well as a turning point in how this country viewed human rights. Every official war, from then on, essentially was pitched as a way to fight tyranny of some sort. Even in cases where we wanted to stay neutral, such as World Wars I and II, the justification for entrance was defensive and based on the U.S. responding to attacks by hostile parties.

In any case, we look at our military as a defender of liberty. Whether it be ours — as in the Civil War — or others, as in the Vietnam War. I think it is for that reason I have been enamored with the idea of military service since I was younger. I spent many strangely innocent moments acting out the ultimate sacrifice in random backyards across suburban East Lansing.

I think the basic sentiment carried over to my adult life as well. As time passed, however, it became harder to reconcile my glory-filled view with the information I was learning every passing day. It wasn’t so much about the glory, but the stories and motivations behind the glory. The military, as I have come to see it, is a tool meant to achieve an end by either force or the threat of force. It can be wielded for reasons that are political, economic or social in nature. It can be used for both good and bad.

Military service, for all its accolades and honor, is not a preparation for civilian life. I will compare it to football in the sense that it takes young men and women and uses them up. To serve for country, family or friends is noble, but to use and discard or forget has always rubbed me the wrong way. I have since developed deep-seated reservations about the role of military in modern society. I often question whether a superb intelligence network such as Israel’s is the key to safety. I have wondered whether an aircraft carrier is worth more than books or teachers. It’s a guns or butter kind of argument, but I feel it is valid.

Mostly, I think I feel a great deal of animosity toward the some members of the public who view the military like I did when I was little.

The Army, Navy, Air Force and the Marines are made up of people. They are not faceless organizations that go out and win wars without cost. People die in wars. I have been fortunate enough to have never had to experience the loss of a loved one during wartime, but others, such as my father, were not so fortunate. My grandfather was killed in the Korean War when my father was very young. That’s the real cost of war. Justice, liberty and moral righteousness aside, death also is a very real outcome of battle.

I have always wondered about people who are quick to call for military intervention. I am sure in some cases people are convinced some greater good will be served by the sacrifice of lives. More so, I believe it is because we have fought no modern battles in the continental U.S. Europeans have had the opportunity to see the ravages of war on their homes and cities. Sept. 11, 2001 was tragic, but it does not compare to the firebombing of Dresden, the Battle of Stalingrad or even the casualties of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.

It seems callous to treat. I don’t know if this column is really doing justice to how I feel as I reflect on Memorial Day, but I wanted to take the time to say soldiers are more than cogs in a machine. They are our fathers, mothers, siblings, family members and friends.
I think we honor their lives by considering the possibilities they protected and the ones they sacrificed.

David Barker is the State News opinion editor. Reach him at barkerd@msu.edu.