I was still a dumb lib back then. But my radicalization has really peeled opened my eyes to my part in continuing colonialism in Africa and imperialism in the Middle East.
But if I had never served, a lot of the understanding I have would not exist. Or how the military functions and how fucked up and clueless everyone is. Or how so many are working class being recruited for the basic conditions we as leftists want for everyone. Housing, job, sense of purpose, food, etc.
Just hard tackling all of this stuff and thoughts sometimes.
you’ll always be welcomed regardless of how you came to realize these things.
honestly, what scares me more is people who do get drawn into military service and somehow come out of it with a positive view of the entire system
People who say “well we have to defend our freedom or they kill our troops” completely blank out the fact that we invaded a Iraq and Afghanistan for no reason. I always tel them, if the US got invaded, wouldn’t everyone pick up a gun to defend themselves and their homes?