After being sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump began working to strengthen America’s military. A recent draft of an executive order shows that Trump is willing to spend $90 billion a year to expand all branches of defense. This increase in funding will likely be followed by a rise in recruitment. Uncle Sam’s promise of solidarity, purpose, and benefits are attractive to young men and women – especially those from oppressed groups. For example, the Pew Research Center found that women in the military are disproportionately black. This post will address the historical relationship between blackness and the United States military – and the ‘benefits’ of joining the armed forces.
Blackness, Military Strategy & History
In 1775, this country was planning a revolution against its British colonizer. When George Washington – General of the Continental Army – decreed orders for those eligible to battle, he declared that “neither Negroes, boys unable to bear arms, nor old men” could enlist. The main reason black folks were banned from the military was the fear of uprisings. Arming slaves ran the risk of enabling insurrections against their masters. But after being confronted with major shortages in manpower, Northern states recruited slaves and encouraged them to fight … in exchange for ‘freedom’. By the end of the Revolution, between 5,000 and 8,000 blacks fought in the Continental Army.
Black people also fought on the side of the British. As a military strategy, Lord Dunmore issued a proclamation stating that slaves can fight for the King … in exchange for ‘freedom’. Historians estimate that 20,000 blacks escaped and fought on the side of the British – between 2.5-4 times that which fought for America.
During the War of 1812, General Andrew Jackson sought the presence of enslaved blacks in the military. Slaves were encouraged to enlist at the Battle of New Orleans … in exchange for ‘freedom’. The following day, Jackson confiscated all the weapons from black soldiers and revoked his promises.
Black folks also served during the American Civil War. Like Lord Dunmore, President Lincoln issued a “necessary war time measure” via the Emancipation Proclamation – which freed the slaves of rebel states and invited them to join the Army. This was important because the North was suffering from a personnel shortage. This strengthened the reservoir of able-bodied soldiers to fight against the South – eventually leading to its loss. In total, roughly 200,000 blacks fought for the Union. However, blacks were largely restricted to subservient positions within the Army, served in segregated units, and had much higher casualty rates.
Throughout World War I and World War II, the armed forces were segregated (i.e. Tuskegee Airmen). Black soldiers were largely confined to manual labor and unable to fight in combat. However, President Harry Truman desegregated the armed forces by executive order in 1948. This did not occur out of the kindness of Truman’s heart. After all, he dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. So why did he do it? For the same reasons Lord Dunmore and President Lincoln did it: strategy. From the ashes of the Second World War emerged two global superpowers: the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. These nations sought to expand their axes of influence over the Asian and African countries fighting for independence (from Europe), but each had a qualitatively different worldview. Specifically, the United States practiced capitalism and the Soviets were communist by declaration. An ideological battle erupted, known as the Cold War, when the United States espoused the Truman Doctrine in 1947: a policy of containing foreign and domestic communist influence.
In Silent Covenants, Derrick Bell (2005) argues that the Brown v Board school desegregation decision in 1954 was a Cold War strategy to make America (and by extension, capitalism) appear to be a post-racial utopia on the global stage. That stated, it is reasonable to state that desegregating the military six years earlier was also a Cold War strategy. Integrating the armed forces served at least two functions: 1). it bolstered the racial image of America before the entire black/brown world, which was freeing itself from the yolk of European colonialism and deciding between capitalism and communism, and 2). it decreased the odds of internal sympathies with communism in this country.
Blackness, Gender, and (In)Voluntary Service
The Korean War (1950-53) was the first time blacks fought in an integrated military. However, racial diversity was an issue for the armed forces during the Vietnam War (1955-73). According to Amy Lutz: “the military allowed college students to defer service, a practice that largely allowed the white middle class to avoid the draft.” (2008:172). This meant that poor people and blacks constituted a large portion of the troops in Vietnam – prompting activists such as Stokely Carmichael to say the draft was “nothing more than black urban removal”.
With the end of the Vietnam War also came the end of military conscription. Concerns were raised that having an all-volunteer force would raise the likelihood of poor, black people enlisting at disproportionate rates. Indeed, during the Gulf War (1990-91), 20% of the troops were black men and women – a significantly higher rate than the national population. As of 2000, blacks were over-represented in the military: although blacks were just 13% of the general population, they were 19.8% of the armed forces (Lutz, 2008).
The most alarming statistic is as follows: in 2010, 16% of all active-duty men were black, while a whopping 31% of all active-duty women were black. In other words: close to one-third of all women in the military are black – a rate that is twice that of their national population. This is a trend that began in the early 1980s (Melin, 2016). We have to ask ourselves: why have black women been enlisting in the military at disproportionately high rates? Once again: it is a strategy … in exchange for ‘freedom’.
As outlined by Julia Melin (2016), there are at least two contributing factors. It is worth noting that 42% of women who served after 9/11 admit they enlisted to gain access to educational/job trainings or benefits, compared to just 25% of men. First, there is a wealth gap that is both gendered and racialized. Consequently, black women receive and inherit less wealth than white women. Moreover, black women are least likely to be married (least likely to be deemed marriage material), which relates to the proliferation of female-headed households in the black community. Black women in the military are more than twice as likely as white women to be single parents – partially explaining their dependency on the armed forces for employment.
Second, under neoliberalism, social safety nets have been under assault. For the past 40+ years, the State has been slashing funding for schools, health insurance programs, etc., and re-apportioning it for punitive apparatuses like prisons, policing, and the military. In 1996, welfare was completely overhauled from an entitlement program to a block-grant with lifetime caps and work as a condition of benefits. The State boasted about ‘training’ citizens for jobs … but these positions were typically in the low-wage sector. Once individuals gained this ’employment’, their benefits were either terminated or slashed dramatically. As Khalid Muhammad stated, the State went “from welfare to farewell”. Since black women receive significantly lower wages than whites, these matters are only exacerbated.
In addition, many black residences are multi-generational. Out of the families that are led by grandmothers, over 50% of them are black and live in poverty. For decades now, Social Security has been on the chopping block – which is tantamount to an assault on black women and black children.
To this list, we can also add (as I do here) that black women are the fastest rising prison denomination. The criminal justice system has been disproportionately targeting black women for lengthy sentences. Against these backdrops, it is easy to understand Melin’s claim that black women’s “inability to achieve self-sufficiency or educational training through welfare and the low-wage market” propels their decision to enlist (2016: 8). Thus, the State divests from the inner cities, creating a vacuum, and then uses these vulnerable populations to either fill prisons or be soldiers in the military. As Michel Foucault pointed out: the State “does not cast the unassimilable into a confused hell; there is no outside … it saves everything, including what it punishes” (1976:301).
Give Me Liberty and Give Me Death
One of the phrases that galvanized the American Revolution was “give me liberty or give me death”. We need to examine this a bit closer. Embedded within this declaration – as evidenced by the conjunction or – is the assumption that liberty and death are opposites. While this line of thinking appears to be common sense, it reflects a white privilege. For the past 240+ years, black people have not been confronted by “liberty or death”, but liberty and death. Signing up to die in the military was ‘liberty’ from the slower death of slavery. Today, signing up to die in the military is ‘liberty’ from the slower deaths of poverty and incarceration. The ‘liberty’ we receive comes only after being positioned in a state of social death; and then, we are brainwashed into thinking that bringing that same death to others is a form of ‘liberty’ (i.e. the American idea that democracy can be exported to the Middle East with bombs).
We need to build a society where receiving a free education does not require the prospect of being killed and/or killing people overseas. We need to build a society where receiving job training does not require the prospect of being killed and/or killing people overseas. We need to build a society where receiving health benefits for one’s family does not require the prospect of being killed and/or killing people overseas. We need to build a society where gaining a sense of pride and belonging does not require the prospect of being killed and/or killing people overseas.
References:
Bell, Derrick. 2005. Silent Covenants
Foucault, Michel. 1976. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison
February 6, 2017 at 2:22 pm
Wow, this was very informative. I can personally speak on recruitment and the drafting process. It’s subliminal advertising at its finest. What is funny is we as black people are labeled “unpatriotic” But have you ever seen an army recruiter at a private or Catholic school? Have you ever seen the military going door to door in wealthy affluent areas? So by those standards, a black or poor person who chooses not to join their military is labeled bad things, but someone who is wealthy and or conservative refusing to join or enlists is not labeled bad things. Hmmmmmmm I wonder!!!
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February 6, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Exactly! Whenever I see those recruiters, they are in the downtrodden areas peddling their war propaganda. They know that black folks (in particular, black women) need educations, need jobs, etc that society will not give them, so they capitalize on that void. The US creates a vacuum and then uses it to it’s own advantage. You are right: black folks are called unpatriotic – it is a tactic to guilt trip us into fighting for a country that has never had a problem throwing us overboard.
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February 14, 2017 at 1:15 pm
Not only do they know that we need these things which we are deprived of, but they also know that our kids are uninformed and vulnerable. Not to mention the hopelessness that many of them feel. The suffering education systems that they are brought up in have failed them so much. I’m almost always brought to tears whenever I see their transcripts. Its not just a handful of the students with low GPAs and ACT scores, but a vast majority. That, in my opinion is a clear indication of a larger issue. The problem is within the institution rather than within the individual. These kids flock to the military tables because they know our colleges won’t accept them. Not once have I ever heard a black student say “I want to join the military to serve my country.” Each time its been as a last resort.
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February 15, 2017 at 11:28 am
Wow, yes, beautifully stated. You are in Chicago so you see what is going on with the public school system. They shut down 50+ schools in predominantly black/brown areas. This leads to higher student:teacher ratios, and exacerbates “subcultures” whereby education is not valued among the young, and youth are seen as “cool” for having a lower level of education (I spoke about this in passing on a previous blog titled “Deviance as the Assertion of Humanity & the War on Youth”). When I was in high school, I performed horribly. I didn’t have a chance of getting into college. All of a sudden, I started seeing those military recruiters all around the school – preying on those who were desperate for a sense of meaning in their lives. After high school, the prospects for inner city kids are: accrue $100k of debt going to college, and/or accept low-wage work, or sit around these inner cities and wait to be thrown in the slammer, or … sign up for the military, and be given a uniform, an assignment, and a sense of respect and honor from everyone. It seems like a no-brainer. You are right: structure, not the individual is the root here.
The blackness + patriotism combination has always felt odd to me. All this jazz about patriotism is a rationalization/justification for the lack of opportunities that present themselves.
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February 14, 2017 at 1:09 pm
I have heard us labeled “unpatriotic” as well and after learning of our history in the military, I’m disgusted and in awe at the label. You’re right; I’ve seem more efforts to recruit minority youth than any white youth. And I work as a college recruiter, where I see military recruiters at nearly ALL of our impoverished high schools. I can count how many times I’ve seen them present at the more affluent white/suburban high school fairs. You bring up some excellent observation here.
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February 14, 2017 at 1:31 pm
It’s very funny though, right? So why don’t these affluent kids go fight in the front lines? It’s the same argument how a lot of these people want immigrants gone, but they are the ones hiring them to watch their kids, and do all their domestic work. But they don’t want to pay a standard American wage. See the hypocrisy?
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February 14, 2017 at 1:40 pm
Exactly. We are never good enough until they have a need for us. That’s one of the biggest observations I made from the resources included in this piece. Many affluent whites maintain that status by avoiding the front line in MANY aspects of life, don’t they?
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February 14, 2017 at 3:49 pm
Preeeeaaaaccccchhhhh. Not just whites though. Just Affluence in general. Not absolving them though hahahah.
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February 6, 2017 at 2:35 pm
Excellent piece, as usual. I like the implication that life in the neoliberal State, especially for people of color, represents another form of unfreedom. Couldn’t agree more.
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February 6, 2017 at 2:53 pm
Thanks Emma! Absolutely. I have always found it absurd how the military presents itself as a solution to expensive education – but never accounts for the way it’s very existence contributes to the problem. Military spending takes away from education. So if the US was really interested in financing education, it would divest from the military. But the neoliberal State is not interested in that!
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February 6, 2017 at 4:55 pm
I saw joining the Marine Corps as a ticket out of poverty, and the only way I would ever be able to see the world. I have Uncles and cousins who have served in the Marines, Army, and Air Force, as I’m certain most people do, and I respect them for it.
I was initially REJECTED by a Marine Corps recruiter for health reasons, but when 9/11 happened that same recruiter began contacting me again in hopes of coacing me into joining by saying they would “make an exception” for me. I didn’t like the fact that he didn’t see me as worthy to join prior to 9/11, yet afterwards, in my opinion, he viewed me as cannon fodder, which made me rethink my decision. I ended up going to college instead. Turns out I was able to see the world without joinging the Armed Forces.
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February 6, 2017 at 5:20 pm
Hey my friend! Thanks for sharing your story and wisdom. A lot of your words are similar to my own experience. I barely graduated high school – I had a 66 average (a 1.6 GPA, or a D average) – and the teachers gave me the minimum just to get out of their hair. Like you, I saw the armed forces as a ticket out of poverty. My father was unemployed at the time, I was rejected by all of the State colleges, and I was bagging groceries for a living. When I tried to sign up, like you, they rejected me for health reasons. This was in 2007. I was devastated at the time, but now I am happy.
I do not necessarily attack individuals for joining the military. Both my grandfathers were vets. When it comes to black folks, I tend to sympathize with them: a lot of times, there was no other way to live a decent, respectable life. But I will say this: the military is an unethical and genocidal institution (i.e. 1 million dead in Iraq although there were no WMDs, and under Obama, one bomb was dropped every 20 minutes). We cannot give folks a pass all the time, you know? That stated, I do not salute “veterans” or remove my hat during anthems – because that is a celebration of violence. I am angry at the system, not people, but we have to call it down the middle. We need to move beyond the barbarism of the military by building a society that does not need one (it protects imperialist interests … they are global police officers). We need a new idea of heroism. Instead of honoring soldiers for almost getting killed and/or killing others, we need to celebrate teachers, doctors, and nurses as heroes.
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February 6, 2017 at 10:13 pm
😊 Great post, man. We definitely need to honor our educators and medical professionals more. Why are athletes paid millions, but nurses and others in medical professions barely earn enough to live on? Somethings wrong there. I would also like to see our veterans be treated with the care they deserve, and be compensated accordingly. No way a soldier should return from war and have to wait to receive the medical care they need, and not receive the monetary compensation they deserve. Keep writing. I’m looking forward to your next piece.
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February 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm
Thank you! Great point about the differences between athletes and medical professions. It seems as if we prioritize entertainment instead of care … it makes no sense. And I agree about the treatment of Veterans. Most of the homeless people I encounter say they are veterans. And Trump froze funding for the VA – while simultaneously claiming to rebuild the military, smh. I appreciate your continued encouragement!
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February 7, 2017 at 2:51 pm
Hey, I can’t help but support talented people.
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February 8, 2017 at 11:53 am
Hear, hear! And parents and community leaders and holistic healers!
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February 14, 2017 at 1:16 pm
Yes, all of the above!
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February 6, 2017 at 8:54 pm
Well, I guess I’m the ultimate dipshit. I joined the Air Force in 1979 and retired from same in 1999. Wow, how stupid could I have been?
There might be some truth in your “cow pasture”, but it is covered in so much bullshit that it would take a lifetime to dig it out.
I will say this, in criticism to this article, it represents a highly unbalanced portrayal of the history of the military and the role of Black people in it. Yours is a history completely glossed over in the first several paragraphs and grossly misstated in the latter ones.
But, say I accept the article, as written, it still leaves some very important questions unanswered.
1. If the military were eliminated, how would we protect the citizens of this country from those who would do harm? Contrary to popular belief, there ARE those who wish to do the citizens of this country harm. We cannot exist in a vacuum; in a cozy little bubble where there is no war, no killing or can we? Maybe you know something no one else knows. What would happen if this country had NO military.
2. What would be the current state of this country if it had not had a formidable military in the past?
a. If there had been no killing, when the Europeans arrived here, then it’s possible that the Native American would still rule this land, but then, you wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be here, none of us would be here. That might be a good thing, but one thing is for sure, it wouldn’t be THIS thing.
b. If there had been no Revolutionary War, this country might still be a British Colony. That might be a good thing as well, but it would not be THIS thing. You wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be here.
c. If there had been no Civil War, you and I MIGHT be here, but we’d be chained and shackled, and laboring for free.
d. If there had been no World Wars, you might actually like that, because, perhaps, we might be a Socialist Society. However, even being so, wouldn’t we still have to defend our land and our values.
My point is, there has always been killing man! It’s not likely to stop anytime soon. The Declaration of Independence pronounces that to, “Provide for the Common Defense” is a primary duty of this the USA government. I think it does that quite well.
The Declaration and it’s companion, the US Constitution also promises equality and justice for all. In this task, the US has been weighed and found wanting. But, is it your position that, because the U.S. has been found wanting, in the latter, that it should abandon the former? That would be societal suicide! Again, neither you nor I would be here.
As for me, I didn’t join the Air Force to die! Neither did I join for “liberty”. I was far more free, prior to joining the military. I could have gone to college. I had a 3.6 GPA. My parents were teachers. My father did not want me to go into the military. He wanted me to attend college, but I chose to go to the military. My best friend and I, decided we would go in on the “buddy plan”. It was as simple as that. I did, however, promise my father that I would take advantage of the education offered by the military, which by the way, was NOT free. It cost money; less money, but money none-the-less.
Well why did you re-enlist Ron? Well, I fell in love with a girl. I got married. I had a responsibility to my new family, so I stayed. It would have been irresponsible to become un-employed, at that time.
Eventually, I got divorced, but by then, I had 10 years in. So, I figured, why not stay in and retire?
It should also be of interest to note that, during the first 15 years of my enlistment, I never participated in any wars or did any killing. I might have killed a few gallons of Vodka, but that’s all. As a matter of fact, I didn’t kill ANYONE, my entire 20 years in the service! And, as you can see, no one killed me!
Lots of my fellow veterans share this experience.
I’d agree with your statement that, “We need to build a society where receiving a free education does not require being killed and/or killing people overseas. We need to build a society where receiving job training does not require being killed and/or killing people overseas. We need to build a society where receiving health benefits for one’s family does not require being killed and/or killing people overseas. We need to build a society where gaining a sense of pride and belonging does not require being killed and/or killing people overseas”, but with the caveat that, instead of just saying, “build”, it should say, “continue to build”. But, we definitely need that type of society.
I don’t believe that “being killed and/or killing people overseas” is a pre-requisite for getting an education in this country; nor is it a qualification for getting job training, receiving health benefits or having pride. The military is but one option. No one is FORCED to participate…yet.
Personally, I don’t regret a minute of my military career. I receive a retirement pension, a disability check (got hurt playing basketball), most of my education, and affordable (not free) medical insurance. I love the money, but the health insurance is invaluable. I haven’t had to worry about OBAMACARE, TRUMPCARE, or any other care.
Look, you say that the government created this “VACUUM” so that Blacks would have to enter the military to get the “benefits” you mentioned that we would have to kill and/or be killed for, but the fact is that MOST Blacks do not enter this artificially created vacuum.
Defense Department statistics show that the number of black active-duty enlisted personnel has declined 14 percent since 2000. If there is a trap, Blacks aren’t taking the bait. According to Dept. of Labor Statistics, more Blacks are unemployed than in the military. What’s wrong with the “Vacuum Plan”?
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February 6, 2017 at 9:16 pm
Brother Ron. First of all, it is important to differentiate between an ad hominem attack of individuals and an attack of a system that position individuals. This article is the latter. Any interpretation to the contrary is to miss the register of my analysis entirely.
Secondly, I have not read the entirety of your comment – seeing as the introductory sentences are a bit sideways. I am going to state this one time and one time only: do not think that because this is an online medium of communication that you can be disrespectful. You can disagree all you want, but you can and you WILL exercise discretion when you are on my blog. Period. There is a way to disagree without being disrespectful. I do not know who you talk to like this – but I ain’t the one. So I am going to cut you short. I have no problem going back and forth; but I ALSO have no problem removing comments and preventing people from commenting further on my page if they refuse to abide by basic rules of decorum and decency. I see you have spent a great deal of time crafting your remarks – it has been about an hour since you “liked” this piece, read the comments, and sent your reply. I don’t want to dismiss your thoughts, but I am not gonna let ANYONE come into my space and get reckless. So – before we move forward: do we have an understanding?
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February 6, 2017 at 9:59 pm
I don’t really care how you dispose of my comments. That is your prerogative.
Just remember, that when you make attacks of the “system” that defines the lives of real people, you must use discretion, which you did not.
You made blanket statements which are not true for every individual. I’m sure I’m not the only veteran who would be offended by your remarks.
And to be truthful, most of your statements just simply, were not true. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and
you expressed yours, and your “scholarly references” expressed theirs, but I lived it bruh!
Also, the time between liking and posting is due to the fact that I was attending to other matters as I wrote it. That’s all.
I don’t know what part of my comment offended you. You seem to be a little sensitive tonight.
Next time you insult a group of people remember how you feel right now.
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February 6, 2017 at 10:08 pm
I’m cool as a cucumber bro lol. Thanks for that reblog, too – promotion either way!! I will say this: keep things in perspective my man. I am a blogger on WP lol. A thousand miles away. You don’t know me. Don’t let people on the net get to you like THIS. If you find yourself getting this upset and trying to play little mind games … it is time to stop following that blogger lol. For real. You came to my page and read and commented and reblogged something you didnt like and considered bs?! I would never welcome that kind of negativity into my life. You can do better than this. Not entertaining further. But..
Peace!
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February 6, 2017 at 10:14 pm
I’m glad that you acknowledge that your piece is “negativity”.
If I let people who get on the internet and expound on things, of which, they haven’t a clue. I’d already be in the nuthouse.
I always find it hypocritical of people (not just you) who set on their asses, while others defend their rights to do so, then throw shade to the ones doing the defending.
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February 6, 2017 at 10:24 pm
👍
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February 6, 2017 at 10:02 pm
Reblogged this on The Time Tunnel and commented:
Is this guy an idiot or what?
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February 8, 2017 at 11:44 am
Great post. I empathize with Black people that enlist nowadays… then I become kind of enraged. There are hoods with the schools set in between a cemetery, the dope boys at the corner store(that sells nothing but junk), maybe a run down basketball court and the shiny recruitment office. Imagine seeing those things everyday as you go to school and leave school. It’s maddening that the choices are so visual for the disenfranchised-dope dealing/jail, death/jail or maybe a better life and education, jail/”freedom”. There are so many whose world is so small that they can’t even see a life outside of one of these options. It’s all cyclical.
My ex, who’s in the national guard, said he enlisted “so you don’t have to.” Grrrrr I just hate this mindset. What if none of us enlisted ever?? Would the gov’t reinstate the draft? Wouldn’t it be awesome if we took our power and put it into action and waited to see what would happen? Or even better, use that power to teach our communities and impressionable children that their options are limitless.
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February 8, 2017 at 4:14 pm
Thanks Kelley. My original objective with this piece was to trash people who joined; but after reading a bunch for it, I changed my position. Like you, I now sympathize with black folks who enlist – but I still get angry at the circumstances that enable this.
Lol – I am fed up with that “I served so you don’t have to” and the “you can critique the government only because we fought to defend it” type of thinking. It’s nonsense. Not only is it self-righteous (veterans imagining themselves as Christ-like figures who sacrifice for us), but it is an intimidation tactic. It tries to shut down criticism and debate by making people feel as if we “owe” them our agreement with the status quo. A major part of the problem is: America does not respect the sovereignty of other countries – it sees itself as the global police officer. America is completely incapable of minding its own business. When there are tragedies that happen on American soil, its not like Sweden’s military shows up saying: “we need to bring peace to America”. They leave us alone. How ridiculous would it be if Nicaragua invaded the U.S. because of our domestic violence issue?! Well, that is exactly what it is like when the U.S. gets involved nowadays. So when these veterans start flapping their gums I tune them out lol. They are not protecting my freedom – they are protecting the profits of big bosses.
You are right: the Vietnam War ended when veterans threw down their medals and refused to fight- and that is when the involuntary draft ended. The military only has legitimacy because we recognize it as such. But if, like you said, we all resisted and came together, it would be a different story. We have to teach our children to not enlist at all.
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February 8, 2017 at 5:58 pm
So true, all of it! Damn the U.S. being that noseyass, self-righteous neighbor.
My dad fought in Vietnam and you would never know unless you just know. He’s ashamed of it, saddened by it. Said he saw friends and other innocent people killed for nothing. He doesn’t understand why anyone – especially a Black man – would voluntarily fight for this country, risking their lives and sanity for a country that….
It just doesn’t make sense and never will. If the military holds such patriotic, admirable positions, white men of all classes should all be first in line to join.
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February 8, 2017 at 7:11 pm
For real. Whenever I come across a Vietnam Vet, I am more bound to honor that – simply because that was a war that drafted people. And years later, confidential reports from the government show that the U.S. lied about the Gulf of Tonkin – which was the justification to go into Vietnam to begin with. Like your dad said: people died for nothing. My uncle was in the Navy during Vietnam, and he was on the ships that brought dead bodies back. It haunted him until he died.
You are right: it never will make sense why anyone, especially a black man, would sign up if they can do otherwise. There are plenty of other causes to support – and we should choose one that does not involve making excuses for bloodshed.
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February 8, 2017 at 9:23 pm
Exactly. The U.S. gets whatever it wants and does whatever it wants by any means. That huge spoon stirring the pot.
My dad was in the navy too; they might have known each other although I’m not sure how many of his comrades he kept in touch with.
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February 14, 2017 at 1:35 pm
Right! When I was reading the links Darryl provided, I got so frustrated and confused by our historical eagerness to continue fighting for this country. I ended up calling my dad for clarity. I didn’t understand. I think a lot of us are still in denial or are ignorant to the fact that our country is not as progressive as we appear to be (or should be).
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February 15, 2017 at 11:48 am
I agree! It is exhausting to uphold the belief that this was to be a nation by white people, for white people – so we come up with all kinds of illusions. The biggest and latest one being: we have a black president, so racism is over; or since white folks aren’t calling us the N-word to our faces as much, there has been a “change”. You can treat someone like a ni**er without calling them one. We still have a lot of work to do, and it becomes more difficult when we collapse blackness into narratives of “patriotism” and needing to “defend OUR country” (as if we are part of the ‘our’ or ‘we’. This is why Black Lives Matter came into existence. People responded by saying “all lives matter” but the point is: black folks are not included in the ALL!
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February 17, 2017 at 5:28 pm
I’m here for all of this! Our work and focus should be geared inward and not toward enabling a country that is actively seeking to eradicate us.
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February 17, 2017 at 7:05 pm
For real! Stealing even more of our resources in the process. I’m not about that! We should focus on sustaining and uplifting ourselves, not fighting for them
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February 14, 2017 at 1:29 pm
It bothers me so much that our kids are exposed to hopelessness on a daily basis and are often only offered opportunities when it benefits the agenda of the more affluent. I just watched the film Imperial Dreams (not sure if you’ve seen it) and it depicts perfectly what you were saying about the option-less cycle. Heartbreaking.
I was saying in an above comment to Tarreau and Darryl that I see this lack of hope with every college fair where I recruit. I watch students flock to the military tables; not out of a desire to serve their country but out of fear. They fear life post graduation. Half of them, being trapped in a suffering education system, aren’t graduating college-ready. They look around at those surroundings that you touched on – corner stores, liquor stores, run down buildings, etc.- and they don’t want to live like this! Who wants to live like this?? They view the military as a handout or a ticket out of poverty. It would be awesome to see our kids fueled with encouragement, hope and opportunity rather than discouragement and fear. Our kids have always been pushed into “adulting” way too early. No high school student should be assessing such a heavy decision as joining the military as a way to save their family.
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February 14, 2017 at 4:26 pm
Exactly, Josie. I still don’t now what I want to do with my life sometimes. So why do we expect children to know and have a clear plan when all they care about is sex and acne and hanging with their friends?
We can point fingers all day, but really it’s up to us to be the vision. Young ears and eyes are watching, so it’s up to us that have some sort of power of how we fill our days-show them there are options. Be an example. Foster their interests and abilities and tell them there is a future in it!
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February 17, 2017 at 5:30 pm
Perfectly said! LMAO @ sex and acne. I can’t with you haha.
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February 19, 2017 at 12:49 pm
Weeell I didn’t have acne but a.d.i.d.a.s. LOL I still do!
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February 15, 2017 at 11:39 am
Hey Josie. Since you work in college recruitment, and you have touched on military presence at these sites – I figured this piece (link below) will be of use to you. There is a wealth of resources within the article, citing military documents, that recruiters actively target “the school market”. For instance, a 2004 recruitment handbook said this:
“Be so helpful and so much a part of the school scene that you are in constant demand. Attend athletic events at the HS [high school]. Deliver donuts and coffee for the faculty once a month. Offer to be a timekeeper at football games. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday is in January. Wear your dress blues and participate in school events commemorating this holiday”.
This is the horror we are dealing with. Check it out here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3000735/
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March 2, 2017 at 1:10 pm
Wow! This is so disturbing. Considering the increased health risks for younger recruits, I’m alarmed at how they continue to be the prime target for military service. One thing that really stood out to me though was that young recruits are typically from low income households. I’ve noticed that the military recruiters are almsot never present at the suburban (predominantly white and privileged schools). But every fair located in a poor neighborhood, almost always has military recruiters present. Especially those with lower average GPA’s and ACT scores.
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February 11, 2017 at 4:46 pm
Hey Love,
Another very thought provoking post 🙂
Like Kelley’s Dad, my Dad was a Vietnam era Vet who was in the Air Force in the mid-1960’s. And as you mentioned, he felt that he needed to join the military to take some of the financial stress off the family. He came from a very small town in Alabama so the options were few…so you are so right, the circumstances that led him to feel his only viable option was to join the miliary, were ridiculous.
But let me trip you out further. During basic training, my Dad scored high enough on his Air Force intake exam to be a pilot. He said he didn’t want to do that so one of the black guys directed him to consider Aerial photography. Well, after he completed the physical they had to deny him because of an old clavicle injury….WTF?
Here’s the killing part, after that fell through, they (not the black guy) asked him to think of a career that interested him. Being a 17-year-old from Alabama he picked Military Police! NOBODY counseled him about the myriad of careers between Fighter Pilot and MP that he qualified for…..They didn’t care so they were like ok, you can be a policeman. That pegged him into a field of blue collar work!
C’mon now…somebody could have suggested, how about medicine, engineering or something like that? NOPE!
Anyway, whenever I think about black vets-especially ones from Daddy’s time I can’t help but think of Stevie’s lyric:
“They had me standing on the front line….but now I stand at the back of the line when it comes to getting ahead.
He hit it dead on the head 🙂
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February 12, 2017 at 6:19 pm
Hey Lady G! How have you been?! Sorry for the delayed response. We have been getting a whole bunch of snow lately! We got more than a foot a few days ago and now we are about to get 8 more inches. Do you remember a few winters ago when, down near you, an inch or two of snow shut the City of Atlanta down with all types of accidents and traffic? Well, y’all have been the running joke up here since! Whenever we get an inch of snow we call it an “Atlanta Blizzard” LOL =D
Thanks for telling me about your father’s experience. That is crazy that he had the smarts to be a pilot but was denied a position due to that old injury. It is sad that he did not receive guidance for the full range of careers he was eligible for. Do you think that has changed in the past few decades? How did he like being a military policeman?
And damn, that Stevie quote is spot on! I should’ve quoted that for the text of this piece! “..brought up in church taught no man should take another life, but then put in a jungle where life has no price”. And the closing verse is just flat out bananas!
Musical protests like that remind me of when Jimi Hendrix played the Star Spangled Banner live .. and sounded like he was dropping bombs with that guitar. Wow. I am assuming you’ve seen this – but just in case others haven’t: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKAwPA14Ni4
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February 13, 2017 at 12:56 pm
LOL @ the crippling 1/16th inch snow blizzard of Atlanta! LOL!!
I see you ALWAYS got jokes for Lady G!
But you know what baby brah? There are so many things that many (not all) white people were handed that gave them the ability to create generational wealth with no real upfront monetary investment.
Two things come to mind, Homestead Acts for land ownership and radio, which started when certain folks were given the licenses to broadcast for little or nothing.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there was work that had to be done to make those things successes…but…I’m just sayin’ that none of it would have been possible if the government hadn’t given them something to work with.
Oh, and you pulling up Jimi? Damn man….I’m DEAD!
LOL!!!!
Y’all stay safe and warm up there.
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February 13, 2017 at 4:16 pm
True story. Most white folks are able to accumulate wealth and hand it down to their children, grandchildren, etc. It gives them an advantage … its like a race with a head-start. Whites and blacks are poor, but white poverty is not as bad as black poverty. Poor white folks, in some cases, still be getting money on the low from their wealthier parents, or their wealthy uncle to make ends meet – whereas this is seldom possible for us. As you noted, the government makes this possible by allowing white folks to get subsidized mortgages on the housing market; while we are prevented from even getting a loan (or one with reasonable rates).
Thanks for the warm wishes. The sun is finally starting to melt the snow!
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February 14, 2017 at 4:32 pm
Haaa they shut the city down last time and I was like really? Lemme break out my snow tires.
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February 15, 2017 at 1:39 pm
Darryl, thank you so much for writing this piece! You have no idea how much it has been the topic of conversation between me and my friends and family. As you already know, I was completely oblivious to our history in the military and to learn of it was such an eye-opening and emotional experience that I was compelled to look further into it. I know that when you wrote this piece, that wasn’t your intent or focus, BUT I appreciate it nonetheless lol :).
In the film ‘I Am Not Your Negro’, James Baldwin commented that “the story of the Negro in America is the story of America.” I’m sure he was referring to more than our military history when making this observation but how relevant and true, right?! This country has used both Black bodies and Black minds to prolong its existence for centuries while in the same breath, depriving us of the right to truly exist in it.
1. Enlisting Black soldiers repeatedly as needed, whenever faced with personnel shortages (all to free able-bodied Whites) and then restricting us from active duty once we served our “purpose.”
2. Using Black troops for Caribbean service, like sacrificial lambs due to our resistance to tropical diseases.
3. Moving the Japanese citizens to internment camps in desolate areas of the country to “provide security against sabotage and espionage.” Hmmm….doesn’t THAT sound familiar? 😐
It’s evident that we (as well as other races) have always been disposable to America. And this truly baffles me! How is it that the military, a structure that projects and demands honor and integrity, has been built on anything but? While reading through the resources you provided, I couldn’t believe how many clauses and stipulations were created to avoid upholding such:
1. Refusing to enlist Blacks…except as a last resort.
2. Granting equal pay for Black troops…but only to those Black soldiers who were free before the start of the war.
3. Condemning the killing of soldier prisoners…unless Black.
The promises of the American government to Black soldiers were never guaranteed. Which is why I was so taken back by our strong commitment and loyalty to fighting on this country’s behalf. I talked with my dad about this, because I was confused and upset. He encouraged me to understand the time period and all of the different motives that would have driven different Blacks to join the military at that time. For some, he explained, the possibility of the promise outweighed the reality of life without it. Many Blacks felt that it was simply worth the risk.
Interesting how not much has changed in that area. We are constantly searching for a means to an end and the military promises a hopeful light at the end of a dark tunnel. Even with the promises being uncertain, the possibility of the government upholding those promise makes enlisting appear a worthy option to many hopeless teens and young adults. We are enlisting out of fear. Not all Blacks, but many are using the military as a defense mechanism.
I can’t wait until you see the James Baldwin film as he digs into the role of fear so deeply. “To defend oneself against fear,” he said “is simply to ensure that one will, one day, be conquered by it; fears must be faced.”
Black youth who choose to defend themselves against a bleak existence with military enlistment are searching for a solution that will quite possibly conquer them. We should be putting more energy into facing our fears (be them economic, political, relationships, etc.) rather than running from them. We have to be more innovative in presenting or providing our Black youth with other options than the military. Especially seeing how detrimental that fear has been in our oppression within the military:
1. Fear of revolts if arming Black soldiers.
2.Fear of upsetting White colonists’ economic security and lifestyle.
3.Fear of role-reversal.
4.Fear of properly honoring deserving Black soldiers.
5.Fear of humanizing us…
All in all, great piece Darryl! 😀
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February 15, 2017 at 3:03 pm
Hey Josie – I am glad you took the time to dig into the article and that it was a conversation piece! Like you, hearing some of this information confused me. The image of our brothers and sisters in uniform has always given me that *feeling* … that we are being haunted by something we could not name. I was trying to track that feeling down.
I love that Baldwin quote about the Negro/America. He understood that blackness is the underside to American institutions: that which is ignored, but at the same time, that which keeps the whole system moving. I agree: I think he was speaking generally about the “relationship” between blackness and America, including, but not limited to the military. I am eager to see that film, and I will read it alongside the text, as well! Looking forward to our discussions about that!
And I feel you. I originally thought that blacks could sign up for the military at any point in history. But we were prohibited because colonists/masters feared rebellions; and I also think it had to do with pride. They didn’t want black folks thinking this country was “theirs” – so they robbed them of that sense of belonging by not allowing them to serve. I am a bit lost as to when, in history, this country became “ours” – thus enabling black veterans to espouse patriotism so heavily.
It is crazy. And you are right: the non-white races have always been disposable. I think the disposability of blackness serves a special kind of function. It makes white people feel better in comparison. People are saying that we just entered a “reality TV culture” where everything is for entertainment. But this is nothing new. The destruction of black folks has BEEN a form of entertainment. The minstrel shows after slavery “ended” show how white America LOVES images of black people struggling. And at the same time, the struggles are blamed on US – thus exonerating whiteness altogether. It reminds me of Tupac’s lyric: “give the crack to the kids, who the hell cares? One less hungry mouth on the welfare! First ship ’em dope and let ’em deal to brothas, give ’em guns, step back, and watch ’em kill each other”. Black destruction and disposability has been, and still is, America’s favorite form of entertainment.
Your dad is right. I agree that “the possibility of the promise outweighed the reality of life without it. Many Blacks felt that it was simply worth the risk.” When you said you were speaking to a black man who saw the military as his “saving grace” and requested this, my immediate reaction was to trash the impulse of joining. But over time, through the readings, I started to feel bad: there were certainly people without other opportunities. I never thought I would land on a black veteran sympathy piece lol.
And this statement, my friend, is pure fire: “Black youth who choose to defend themselves against a bleak existence with military enlistment are searching for a solution that will quite possibly conquer them. We should be putting more energy into facing our fears (be them economic, political, relationships, etc.) rather than running from them. We have to be more innovative in presenting or providing our Black youth with other options than the military”. Great way of weaving Baldwin in. I certainly agree. We are a society of bandages, but we need surgery. We are a society of reforms, but we need revolution, or, as MLK said, a “radical reconstruction” of society. We have to beware of people who frame a perpetuation of the problem as a solution to it. For instance, last month, the Army loosened its guidelines, and is now allowing women to wear cornrows and braids in uniform. This, of course, was a policy targeting black women. But now, the Army is framing this as some sort of victory. How?! Allowing black women to wear their hair as they please does not address the fundamental fact that black women are more likely to be poor – thus impacting many of their decisions to enroll in the first place! Smh
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February 22, 2017 at 2:20 pm
Don’t you love how your writing plans ended providing an element of surprise? Lol. You thought you were going to write something and it ended up writing YOU haha.
White America really does love images of black people struggling, you’re right. I didn’t even think about it but we really have been a form of entertainment for centuries – acting, music, athletics, etc. We have always been the source of their intrigue as well as disgust. And instead of working to alleviate the systematic racism working against us, they would rather perpetuate it (as you said) – as if we are an amusing experiment.
In reference to the Army…blacks have always been expected to show gratitude each time America loosens their grip on the rope of inequality:
“You have to sit in the back of the bus and give up your seat for whites, but at least you can ride the bus with us now!” “You have to use outdated and worn schoolbooks, desks and materials but at least you get to educate yourselves now!” “You may be subject to higher interest rates but at least you can take out mortgage loans now!”
Oh goody! 😐 It’s pathetic. Equality isn’t something that you dish out in increments. And whenever they do, it’s almost always a hidden agenda for them to profit from doing so. Just like how loosening the guidelines for black women in the Army allows for an increase in enlistment. Always making exceptions in areas where they can profit. Clauses, clauses, clauses.
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February 23, 2017 at 6:40 pm
You are absolutely right. Whenever black folks do make progress, it is because another more pressing need for white folks is being satisfied. I may have cited this in the piece – but there is a book by Derrick Bell called “Silent Covenants” – and he makes the argument that most of the big advances in black history (i.e. Emancipation, Brown vs Board) were a matter of “interest-convergence”. Thus, the only way blacks can make gains is when our interests converge with those of white people at the same time. Black folks were “given” freedom not because white people felt it was morally correct … but because the North was more industry-based and the South was agriculture-based, so slavery was slowing the system down. The North wanted to abolish slavery because using machinery would be more profitable. But, of course, the history books try to spin it as if the North was concerned about the well-being of black folks. It’s ridiculous. This was to be a nation by white people, for white people. The only way we can make advances is if it is in the interests of white people, as well.
We can kind of apply this a bit to a relatively recent context. Remember how in North Carolina they passed that transphobic bathroom bill – saying everyone needs to use the restroom that coincides with the sex on their birth certificate? Well, a few months ago they repealed the law. This was not done because those politicians had a “change of heart” and saw the light… this happened because businesses started to boycott the state, thus messing up their money. The interests of transgender people and politicians converged. But watch … in 10 years history books will be framing those leaders as heroes!
And you are absolutely right: “equality isn’t something you dish out in increments”. Either we are free, or we are not. Its rather simple, right? But white folks in power insist on giving us small doses of equality like drug dealers. It’s rather sad.
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March 2, 2017 at 12:53 pm
I’m going to insert my virtual hi-five right here 😀
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March 2, 2017 at 8:03 am
I hope this society that needs to be build is our own society. It is evident that we can not live together. Doesn’t mean that we have to hate them and show them the utter disrespect that they show every other race, but we need to get away from them and build this new society for ourselves. That will be the only way for us to have any freedom.
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March 2, 2017 at 11:37 am
Wouldn’t it be nice if there was just no need for a military? They say that I’m a dreamer… war just sucks. Period.
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March 2, 2017 at 1:06 pm
You and I are both dreamers, then! I dream of a day where there is no need for a military.
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March 3, 2017 at 8:00 am
❤
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