Compulsory patriotism does nothing for soldiers who risk their lives — but props up those who profit from war
By Steven Salaita. Read his op-ed at Salon.com
“No televised sporting event escapes celebration of the troops. Networks treat viewers to stars and stripes covering entire football fields, complementing the small-but-always-visible flags the studio hosts sport on their lapels. The national anthem is often accompanied by fighter jets and cannon blasts. Displays of hypermasculine prowess frame the reciprocal virtues of courage and devotion embedded in American war mythology.”
“If not for the efforts of … Courage to Resist, there’s no way that a president would spend the political capital to grant a commutation.”
