Memorial Day commemorates soldiers killed in war. We are told that the war dead died for us and our freedom. US Marine General Smedley Butler challenged this view. He said that our soldiers died for the profits of the bankers, Wall Street, Standard Oil, and the United Fruit Company. Here is an excerpt from a speech that he gave in 1933:
War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.
I believe in adequate defense at the coastline and nothing else. If a nation comes over here to fight, then we’ll fight. The trouble with America is that when the dollar only earns 6 percent over here, then it gets restless and goes overseas to get 100 percent. Then the flag follows the dollar and the soldiers follow the flag.
I wouldn’t go to war again as I have done to protect some lousy investment of the bankers. There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket.
I agree with the sentiment, but I'm not sure today is the day to express it. Sure, the powers that be may wage war for cynical reasons but they're not the same reasons young men and women volunteer for service.
ReplyDeleteSpoken by a coward...Tell Hitler all about the bankers.
ReplyDeleteYou are a soul that is lost. But as it has been said before there are no atheists in foxholes. I hope you meet your maker some day with a change of heart, I and others will pray for you. God Bless.
ReplyDeleteWe are and have been a Capitalistic society and have been successful through a free enterprise system. It all flows around the dollar , like it or not.
ReplyDeleteNothing you or I do will change that , unless we become pure communist , which we just might do in the very near future.
Mr. Obama has made the greatest attempt to socialize our government and society , he just may have us whipped.
I wonder why everything points back to this satanic man.
Finally someone knows and speaks the truth
ReplyDeleteMost wars fit under this statement. not all though. there are just wars but then there are also wars where everyone gets rich except those who give the most!
ReplyDeleteGeneral Smedley Butler was not a coward.
ReplyDeleteToday is the perfect day to publish his great speech.
Thank you
the truth is a difficult pill to swallow for some. their blind obedience and blind patriotism will not allow any other 'truth' except what the state programs into them.
ReplyDelete