John deLaubenfels of Strike The Root on Clueless Army Wives:
A recent article in the Guardian tells of the frustration of military families in Hinesville, "The Fastest Growing Town in South-Eastern Georgia," adjacent to the now-deserted Fort Stewart. Relatives of troops stationed in Iraq are understandably anxious for their loved ones, and are irritated that their deployment has stretched on months longer than expected, with no promised end in sight.
Even those of us who opposed the war before it began, and who now wish to see U.S. leave Iraq yesterday, if not sooner, can sympathize with the plight of families who are standing helplessly by as their kin are manipulated like puppets in the hands of men like George W. Bush.
That said, I feel compelled to do some bashing after reading the inane quotes in the Guardian. These people (the ones who are willing to speak on the record, at least) are absolutely clueless as to why Iraqis aren't welcoming Americans with open arms. One woman's offering: "I do feel some anger towards Iraqi people. We're just trying to help them." Riiiiight. We're from the Government and we're here to help you. Now bend over.
I believe "clueless" to be a fitting word for some. Especially those stationed at large bases that are really military cities. This is less of an issue at smaller installations that blend in to the surrounding community. That said, many of these spouses are young and naive, having lived a sheltered existence in some rural backwater. They aren't really used to thinking for themselves, and unfortunately for many, that doesn't really change.
Many have lived lives that centered more on what Becky "is wearing to the prom" without much real concern for grander issues like liberty, freedom and individuality. A few months after graduation, their high school sweetie enlists and comes back to propose sometime after bootcamp or MOS school. All of sudden they are newly married and alone in a new place for the first time. Mommy and Daddy are several states away. So where do they turn? To other spouses – older military spouses who've been around a while and seen deployment after deployment.
These young apprentices quickly learn that you don't rock the boat if you want to get along, so they don't. Standing out can hurt your social standing, and in some extreme cases affect their spouse's career. Its better to blend and go with the flow. They begin to take the same view of some of the more jaded active duty Marines I served with – that most civilians are lazy and weak and unqualified to speak for themselves. They learn that authority is what matters and that non-conformity is 'bad.' Quickly they learn that only one political party is allowed, only one view, only one voice. Or they get ostracized. Its almost like a cult, except without the funny books written by wackos.
Link courtesy of Rational Review News Digest.