Brave New World

I take my title from Huxley's 1931 dystopian-utopian novel. The story of a perfect world wherein people are trained to accept their places in society, work for the common good, and engage in unbridled sexuality and consumerism. The result of mankind's desire to be safe and happy at any cost. War and disease, of course, are eliminated. So whatever freedoms that were sacrificed were worth it. Right?

You can watch the BBC's movie at YouTube, or check one of the many links on Google to read a summary. It's a parody, so don't be put off by the cheesy dialogue and acting.

In our "brave" new world, the desire for safety and security deepens with every terrorist threat. And we make sacrifices. Since 9/11 we've have to make bigger and bigger sacrifices. Just getting on an airplane is more complicated. I understand that if you're traveling with a dog, the TSA tests your hands for explosive residue. Apparently, terrorists put bombs in animals. As annoying as all the new regulations are (there's a website devoted thereto), it's mostly just an inconvenience to us.

When I think of sacrifice, REAL sacrifice, I think of the soldier. He makes the final sacrifice. Today, we remember those who have fallen in service to us, our country, our way of life, our freedom.

Memorial Day, formerly known as Decoration Day, originated after the Civil War to commemorate all of those fallen soldiers. According to history.com, it became an official federal holiday in 1971.

As much as we say that we hate war, our planet has a long and abundant history of war. Visit this wars website, if you want to compare. It includes the War on Terror and one called the Red Eyebrows Rebellion, allegedly one of the deadliest wars of all time. Lest you believe that we Americans are the worst warmongers in history, check out the Chinese.

According to Matthew 24:6, there will be wars and rumors of wars right up until the end. Therefore, soldiers will need to be trained and sent to fight and die for a long time.

When men were drafted in military service (1940 - 1973, when the draft ended), those who served were ordinary guys given minimal training and preparation for what they would see and experience. How much is too much even for a volunteer with intensive military training? News articles such as this one about a soldier killing a family in Afghanistan, or this one about an ex-marine who had the "need to kill," are not difficult to find, and we wonder, "What made them do that?"


Soldiers were vilified during the Vietnam era, such that they came home ashamed. That was MY era, and those were my contemporaries. Some of them died there; more, thankfully, came back. But they were forever changed. In his book Nam Vet, Chuck Dean, gives detailed expression to what it was like to serve in Vietnam, as well as the challenges upon coming home. But, the book offers insight regarding ALL who fight such wars. I may still have my copy if you want to borrow it.


As most of you know, I watch a lot of movies. In Jack Reacher, an adaptation of Lee Child's novel, One Shot, an ex-soldier is accused of the random killing of five people. Reacher, an ex-military investigator, explains to those prosecuting the case, that there are three types of men who join the military, one of which is a remorseless person who feels the need to kill.

Obviously, as long as that person is in the war zone and following orders, all is well. Now, while some of you may gasp, in fact, that is the perfect soldier.

There have been movies and television programs that tell us about this (for better or worse) perfect soldier. On Star Trek TNG, Season 3, The Hunted tells the story of super soldiers who return from wars only to be ostracized and criminalized because they cannot integrate into society after they have served their usefulness. (Being aired on the BBC on June 4, if you're interested.)



I recently watched a Kurt Russell movie from 1998, Soldier, wherein men are trained from birth to be good soldiers. Any sentimentality or mercy disqualifies them to serve. This story follows Sgt. Todd after he is discarded by the system that made him, replaced him, and left him for dead. Not a lot of dialogue from Russell, but his face and body language communicate much.


In one scene, a Christmas celebration produces light and sound that triggers a sequence of battle images in Todd's mind. These images overcome him, he is lost in the past, and almost kills a man dressed as Santa. Everyone, including Todd, realizes at that moment that he is dangerous and cannot fit in with the peaceful community of humans.

How often, I wonder, does that very thing happen to a wounded warrior with three or four tours in a battle zone, once he or she has come home?

I know that there are veteran organizations trying to help the men and women returning from war, attempting to reintegrate into "normal" society. But I'm not sure how much we can do to help those who learned to be perpetually on alert and whose nervous systems have become attuned to sounds that the rest of us cannot hear.

What is our ultimate goal? Survival of humanity or survival of the species?

It's not uncommon to hear about and see how far we've come in providing artificial limbs to our wounded service men and women. According to a television commercial, the First Lady says we all need to give to support our wounded veterans. I have no problem with donating to the Wounded Warrior Project, and have done so, but does this mean that our Government doesn't have the resources to help heal those they routinely send into harms way?

I know I've posed more questions than provided answers in this blog. But especially today, I want to remember what it's like to wage war--what price we pay--how much I . . . we owe to those who pick up a gun and fight for me, most often in foreign places. So in the land of the free and home of the brave, this "brave" new world, I'm grateful to those who have served, whether in battle or not, wounded or not. We need you more today than yesterday.