In Memoriam

I'm a little queasy this weekend.
Bit weak in the knees.

While grading papers,
I came across a young man's essay
on how film has affected his world view--
he's in ROTC at the University:

"I watch [_Top Gun_] whenever I have more than
I believe I can handle, because in reality there is someone out there
who is worse off than me [. . .] I watch [_Black Hawk Down_]
because I get to see what I might some day do. Those soldiers die
fighting for eachother and that's all that matters . . ."

In "reality"?

Whenever I see this student, this kid in a man's body,
I just feel a mixture of deep sadness and helpless anger:
I see a fine looking, healthy "dead man walking."
Another youth who has bought into the military ideology
of glory without ever questioning it.
How many days left does this charming young man have
before encountering a suicide bomber
in a strange land?

Then I feel even more saddened and ashamed,
because I never want, or mean to take away
from what these men and women are clearly dying for,
all the ideals they do believe in . . .

"Supporting the troops," yet being opposed to war and violence
is a horrible balance to try to find and keep.
Recognizing that there are youths falling into larger systems of
rampant, unquestioned ideologies is just the first step . . .
too bad most people missed Michael Moore's better thesis
in his _9/11_:
the young people who are signing up and going over to fight
are those lower income youths who have little to no other
choices or futures . . .

A twenty year old's face and funeral headlines this area's papers:
he died when he threw his body as a shield
over a fellow , female, soldier.
Looking at the funeral, you could see the poverty of his family.
What films did he grow up watching?
Yet, he was incredibly brave and selfless both at the same time . . .

Whenever I try to deconstruct the ideologies
our media, government, and society throw
out before us,
I do find the some of the same values
these soldiers fight for;
honor, friendship, loyalty, ect.
But based on what?
Derived from/for what purpose?

Who ultimately benefits from the ideologies of _Black Hawk Down_?
Or _Top Gun_?
I fear that Josh won't.