"Memorial Day"

From what I understand, Rachel Maddow’s new book, Drift, is about the consequences of having an all-volunteer military.  I’m sure it’s a good book, because Rachel is passionate, hard working and smart. 

The arrival of the book brings to mind concerns about an all-volunteer military, which, to me, are torturously conundrumish.

If I attended a book tour event promoting Drift, when it was time for the Q and A, the Q, I would ask Rachel Maddow would be this:

“There will never be a time when people will be as viscerally invested in a war as they would if they or their loved ones were directly engaged in the execution of that war, because that’s human nature. 

And there will never be a time when there will no longer be any wars…because that’s a song you sing at camp. 

My question then is, how do you get people be viscerally invested in a war when they or their loved ones are not directly engaged in the execution of that war?”

(My implied answer is, “You can’t.”)

My implied conclusion?  When you have an all-voluntary military, this is inevitably the way it is.

I am pretty sure Rachel Maddow does not read this blog.  But maybe some of you has read her book, and maybe you can let me know what suggestions, if any, the book proposes concerning this question.

I have two flags sitting on my desk, a Canadian flag and an American flag. 

I salute those flags, and the people who went to battle under them.

Happy – if the word is appropriate – Memorial Day. 

Or maybe just a thoughtful one.