Russia Invades Ukraine 2022

[Soloist]

From what i’ve witnessed (which isn’t a whole lot) -
the military may be THE MOST DEMOCRATIC, MOST EVENLY INTEGRATED, MOST EVENLY RULED, system in the U.S.

Most evenly integrated with the best chance for minorities might be correct. Nothing democratic about it; very much a top-down authoritarian structure. One obeys commands, not votes on what to do.

Temporal, sorry, I almost snorted my coffee all over the floor when I read that... The military is not somehow a superior system. There are serious flaws that are built in and minorities are either marginalized or have a "system" for promotion. Promotion is not on merit but rather who you know. College educated are leading the system while the enlisted do the work. There is nothing democratic about the military and there is the same political jockeying like the main system. Do not make the mistake of glamorizing the military, its even more corrupt just in different ways.

[Josh]

The military is the place where $1,500 toilet seats happen. Lots of people in the private sector make $$$ off of the military. Meanwhile the grunts who are sent out to die earn peanuts.

[Soloist]

The military is the place where $1,500 toilet seats happen. Lots of people in the private sector make $$$ off of the military. Meanwhile the grunts who are sent out to die earn peanuts.

At the same time, the military gets very well paid after you climb to E-4 or so, comfortable pay, easily enough to support a family. You could do it on E-1 with BAH, but its a little tight.

[temporal1]

From what i’ve witnessed (which isn’t a whole lot) -
the military may be THE MOST DEMOCRATIC, MOST EVENLY INTEGRATED, MOST EVENLY RULED, system in the U.S.

Most evenly integrated with the best chance for minorities might be correct. Nothing democratic about it; very much a top-down authoritarian structure. One obeys commands, not votes on what to do.

yes, pretty much.
for many, it replaces the family dynamic they missed out on growing up. (families are NOT democratic.)
this is an important part of society that has basic needs, i have a heart for them - and see no great alternatives to offer them.

i happened to live near a closed military base for a time. possibly 16,000 population?
what struck me was there were no segregated neighborhoods, not by any measure. (typically, people freely choose neighborhoods of like ethnicity.) the mix of churches, places of worship, not all Christian - unusual for a small town. in my view, this was NOT forced by the military - but it was a direct result. so, right there under everyone’s eyes, a sort of “ideal” life in an unexpected location.

basically, everyone’s expectations were that laws applied equally to all. not that laws were to provide equal outcomes.

i suppose i think social+cultural values+habits are the underlying problems mostly ignored when the race card is activated.
it’s not skin color so much as clashing world views. the military has the ability to strip all those things away. (not intended to over-idealize.) but, let’s face it. Congress and the free world are not so great at it.

i’m not sure how the town is doing now. everything is worse since 2008. businesses+churches have closed. Chicago has relocated some of their problems downstate. those with no military experience won’t understand military ethics+ways.

i’m not sure, but i think closed military bases typically leave behind troubled areas. socio-economic problems.
this one was one of the better surviving ones at that time.

that little town showed me what successful thorough multicultural integration looks like. i think, mostly due to most people there having that common experience of “the same (military) rules for everyone.” once that’s established, it can be carried outward.

ideally, this should be done in families+churches. where are fathers? families? churches?
if this vital work is not done early, the military, and prisons, catch many of them later on. not an optimum solution.

[Bootstrap]

What to me is missing by most is the concept of being an ambassador of another Kingdom that is not of this world. When the focus is on the salvation of individual souls, there wouldn't be any need or time to get involved with killing people that you want to see saved.

I agree that Christians should not be killing people I agree that we should be ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. But I think there's a tension between focusing on the Kingdom of God and putting the focus on "the salvation of individual souls". Being the Kingdom of God means more than that. This is the lesson of The Good Samaritan:

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

And I think that plays out in the way we, as the Kingdom of God, help the victims of war and speak about wars among ourselves. How can we have mercy on those who have fallen into the hands of warmongers?

[Ernie]

For those who want a long response to the question of why Russia is invading Ukraine, you can read what we published here.

https://www.plainnews.org/2022/03/09/wh ... g-ukraine/

[Josh]

And I think that plays out in the way we, as the Kingdom of God, help the victims of war and speak about wars among ourselves. How can we have mercy on those who have fallen into the hands of warmongers?

It's entirely about individuals. Each of us as Christians is an individual who interacts with other individuals.

I haven't personally interacted with a warmonger who has much power very often. If you have a personal relationship with a warmonger such as, say, Biden, then by all means, please witness to him.

[Soloist]

For those who want a long response to the question of why Russia is invading Ukraine, you can read what we published here.

https://www.plainnews.org/2022/03/09/wh ... g-ukraine/

I think its fair, but I'm not sure that some here would agree.

[temporal1]

From what i’ve witnessed (which isn’t a whole lot) -
the military may be THE MOST DEMOCRATIC, MOST EVENLY INTEGRATED, MOST EVENLY RULED, system in the U.S.

Most evenly integrated with the best chance for minorities might be correct. Nothing democratic about it; very much a top-down authoritarian structure. One obeys commands, not votes on what to do.

Temporal, sorry, I almost snorted my coffee all over the floor when I read that...

The military is not somehow a superior system.
There are serious flaws that are built in and minorities are either marginalized or have a "system" for promotion.
Promotion is not on merit but rather who you know. College educated are leading the system while the enlisted do the work. There is nothing democratic about the military and there is the same political jockeying like the main system. Do not make the mistake of glamorizing the military, its even more corrupt just in different ways.

Sorry! Did not intend to make you choke.

i’ve never thot i could last a day in the military. but i had the benefit of father+mother present, teaching rules of life.
i know there are many young people who don’t have many options. i’m sure you do, too.

i hope my response to JimFV helps clarify. my thoughts are mostly from what i witnessed in one CLOSED military base area, with many retired military, all levels, living in the abandoned town. it was interesting. it was more democratic than i would have guessed, possibly the military experience helped folks appreciate basic freedoms out of the military? as well as respect for law.

the people who best appreciate freedom in democracy are probably those who had to earn it.
when so much is taken for granted, entitlement results. not a good look. and, they tend to give it away, not understanding its value.

[Josh]

For those who want a long response to the question of why Russia is invading Ukraine, you can read what we published here.

https://www.plainnews.org/2022/03/09/wh ... g-ukraine/

That's a very balanced view. Good article.