You take a black kid, Hispanic kid, Italian kid, and a kid of undefined ethnicity…and let’s say each of them—surprise, surprise—has meager pecuniary prospects. You know, the whole “economic downturn” thing everyone is yapping about.
So…the undefined guy weighs his options and promptly enlists in the United States Marine Corps. The few, the proud, and all that.
Everyone—and I mean, everyone—in his immediate circle applauds this decision. Not only will undefined guy pull himself out of financial hardship, they reason (sic), but he also gets to “serve his country.” Bravo…
Meanwhile, the poor black kid weighs his options and promptly “enlists” in the Crips.
The poverty-stricken Hispanic weighs his options and promptly “enlists” in Latin Kings.
The uneducated Italian kid weighs his options and promptly “enlists” in the Mafia.
Like the “heroes” in the military, these three kids are also facing a stark choice—being poor or choosing a uniform and gun—but no one hangs yellow ribbons for them, no one makes excuses them when they kill innocents.
No one argues when these kids are called “criminals.”
Well, there’s one colossal difference between them and the men and women who volunteer to join the US military and get paid to wage illegal and immoral war:
Even though the US military is far more dangerous than any street gang or Mafia family, the US military is considered legal.