Ep. 30: Liberal Media’s Myopic Military Worship
Added 2018-03-14 15:28:05 +0000 UTCFighting against the far right forces of the Republican Party and their auxiliary white supremacist media makes attempts to appropriate notions of nationalism into a liberal mold a compelling short cut for Democrats looking for easy clapbacks and viral RTs. The temptation to promote a kinder, gentler, "woke" patriotism is understandable.
But what is the collateral damage of this approach? From the justifiably horrified response to mass shootings to the jingoistic worship of all things military, what is the long-term downside of lifting up #VetsForGunControl and retired military brass as a counter to the vulgarity of Trumpism? Can the Left – including liberals – embrace a more holistic and anti-imperialist moral grammar that avoids short cuts and rejects the idea of nationalism altogether?
We are joined by Maggie Martin, co-director of About Face.
The Guest
Maggie Martin is co-director of About Face (formerly Iraq Veterans Against the War). During her time in the U.S. Army from 2001-2006, she was deployed three times to Kuwait and Iraq. Martin left the army as a Sergeant in 2006.
Show Notes
The Colonial Roots of Gun Culture
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz | March 2, 2018 | In These Times
The Gun Control Fight Is a Fight For Equality
Sarah Jaffe | March 2, 2018 | The New Republic
Patrick Blanchfield | October 3, 2017 | n+1
While Democrats Call for Gun Control at Home, They Push Deadly Arms Deals Abroad
Adam Johnson | February 22, 2018 | In These Times
Trump's military parade draws bipartisan rebuke
Bryan Bender | February 7, 2018 | Politico
If We Want Kids to Stop Killing, the Adults Have to Stop, Too
Matt Taibbi | February 16, 2018 | Rolling Stone
References
Guess Who Thinks Arming Teachers Is A Really, Really Bad Idea? Military Combat Veterans.
Vera Bergengruen | February 22, 2018 | BuzzFeed News
MSNBC’s Martin Bashir Shouts Down Then Boots Republican Guest
Andrew Kirell | August 23, 2012 | Mediaite
Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | April 4, 1967 | Riverside Church
Editorial Board | April 7, 1967 | The New York Times
Nearly half of US arms exports go to the Middle East
Saeed Kamali Dehghan | March 11, 2018 | The Guardian
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For the full episode transcript, see here.
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