So Many Too Many Bombs
An old friend of mine posted today concerning the remarkable number of bombs the USA has dropped on a depressing number of people in this newish century - already ten different countries, it seems. Innumerable bombs, death and destruction.
As I looked at the chart, my mind travelled back some eighty years. My father was home from WWII, and the whole family sat down together to a pretty formal dinner every night. Dad was a Lieutenant Colonel, and would eventually leave the Army as a Lieutenant General. He was pretty impressive in 1946, even with silver leaves on his shoulders and not stars.
I was six, my older brother 11, my sister 9, and my mother of course grown. At dinner we would either have adult conversation or do word games and riddles. One evening Mother and Dad were discussing the state of the world, and my brother asked how our country could be doing so well, even to helping other countries, so soon after a devastating war.
I think Dad considered not telling him, not telling us; but he was honest, and he spoke the brutal truth regarding capitalism: “War,” he said, “is good for the economy.”
That was all, and we moved on, but the awfulness of it has stuck with me. And of course war is. What would happen to our weapons manufacturers - a huge part of our economy - if we had permanent peace? They would of course go out of business, like the makers of buggy whips and high button shoes. And all the people who supply them.
So this knowledge, as seemingly secret and unspoken as Masonry, is why I am not now and never have been a capitalist. And war being a good thing for capitalism is only one reason, albeit the most eye-opening one. I confess that I have personally profited from capitalism. But I have also seen and felt the downside of it, the long hours of work for paltry pay, work that builds and fuels the owners.
And the meanness of it! Here’s an example: I have a MAGA acquaintance, one who has benefited greatly by capitalism; we used to play bridge together; and she was so delighted to be caught one day last spring - yes, after the 2025 inauguration - in a horrendous early morning traffic jam. She was so glad, she told us, that finally, after a “woke” nightmare, people once again were being forced to get up too early, drop their kids off at school or childcare, (sick or not); and drive a hellish commute to their office; and not work from home in their comfortable clothes with their dogs and babies. Make them spend their money on transportation, makeup, crippling fancy shoes; and especially that childcare. So good for capitalism.
Also, here’s a juicy tidbit for my friends on the East and West coasts: Do you know that in Oklahoma an eight hour work day is actually nine hours? Not 9 - 5, but 8 - 5, because yeah baby, the lunch hour is on the employee?
And my oh my, how I have digressed from ‘War is Good for the Economy.” And I could happily continue until my battery charge ran out. But I’ll stop. I’ll just ask you: Are you OK with war being good for the economy, are you happy with a system that requires war? Are you OK with children being killed? Let’s all think about war, may we, and figure out a better way?