GIRL ARMY MEN?

A recent National Public Radio share on Facebook got me bent out of shape.  

In a nutshell, a seven year old girl sent a hand written letter to someone, presumably the company that makes those cheap little green army men.  She wanted girl army men.. army girls. 

This set off a maelstrom in me about how boys, especially, are taught at an early age to play war.  I did it with pals.. clod fights.. of course, fighting indians and outlaws after an afternoon with Hoppy, Gene or Roy.. or my personal favorite cowboy: Bob Steele! We fought and took a bullet and died and recovered in play. I've even done that as an adult! Yee haw. Another story for another day. Foolish youth.

We almost killed Don Jones in a clod fight. I can still see the snot running out of his nose into the rich black earth where he was face down in the construction site.  We found some really good clods! Donnie lived, but there was a lesson there that we probably ignored. He's be in his eighties now, unless he went to war and died at 22.

The NPR story shared on FB  was lauded and defended by many 'patriotic' folks who thought that the idea of girl army men was a good thing.  The little girl's scrawling text was very sincere. Hand printed. The thoughtful responses to the wrongness of this notion were articulate and few.

The following diatribe is to a dear friend, an artist, documentary film maker, musician, actor who also works with returning veterans. To me this whole tempest will pass quickly and the little girl will probably get her army men girls.  That's a little sad.. but... Here are my last thoughts on this issue. Too long to post on FB and really only for friends who may understand.. and mourn for our society.

///

Well.. fucking shit.

We can only rise from fucking shit, eh?

What this story is about is a cute little hand written letter that caught the eye of NPR.. it's pure and simple exploitation of a kid.  Where did the kid get the idea to write the letter? From her own experience? From her parents? From feeling at the age of seven that she has been fucking deprived?

I'm angry about something totally not related, and you get the brunt of it.. as you are a dear pal.. I know you can take it.

Life is not fair.. AND.. I think that any ADULT of any persuasion.. or sex or semi sex or sexual orientation or such.. should join up and go and kill other folks all they like.

Our current war situation with the longest and to date most stupid war:  in Afghanistan.. is an opportunity...  and I, for one, would contribute to a fund to send this cute little moppet who wants girl soldiers to spend a week on whatever the fucking front lines are in Afghanistan, after having her head shaved and a week of basic training...  to go to the war and see if she still wants to play soldier.

I'm not going to convert military folks to the idea of peace.. It is not our way. We need to fight..  Your experience with the vets is admirable..  they need love and care more than any of us because they thought that they were doing a good thing by "fighting for their country" when.. in fact.. they had no idea what they were fighting for. 

There has not been a foreign war that we should have been in since WWII.  Period.

The thousands, if not millions of dead Americans in the wars since WWII were brainwashed to think that they were protecting the USA.. not a whit.. not a bit..

I only condemn what NPR did .. exploiting a kid with a cute letter that is not, to me..about women and their striving for equality, it's the misguided National Public Radio's decision to publicize this kid..and for her to get any sort of support or flack for the publicity.  It's a fucking shame.  To me, it's exploiting a little kid and her cute penmanship and a misguided notion about stupid toys.

If there are men and women plastic soldiers and wounded soldiers and dead soldiers and little caskets and body bags and reminders of the thousands of dead whom we may see each day in Westwood or Arlington or. Ypres or Verdun, to put this all into perspective.. then.. let's make those toys with detachable limbs and mutilated heads and stop glorifying the glamor of war and put it into perspective.  

 

There's a next docu for you!  All done with simulated Barbies and Ken dolls.. or their tiny plastic counterparts..  Animation with the dolls discussing how unfair it is that only men are depicted as little army Men.. and how girls / women should be depicted, too.  They should be brave and mutilated,  and.. dead... too... 

I saw a terrific video many years ago created on a very strange analog camcorder. The Fisher Price PXL 2000. It recorded on a 90 minute audio cassette! here's a link.. Pixelvision: How a Failed ‘80s Fisher-Price Toy Camera Became One of Auteurs’ Favorite ’90s Tools

The idea of using toys to tell a story. Oh wait.. Pixar has done that!!  Well..

I am exhausted and angry and I hope you have read this far to know that I am NOT Not. not angry with you.. I'm upset about a lot of things and I don't need to make you, personally.. wrong.. You are NOT wrong. but I believe sincerely, that the NPR exploitation is wrong and that's that.

Please consider a docu about this issue.. women's rights to die on the battlefield and the indoctrination of children with toys to think of military service as something they are destined to do.. 

 

Sadly.. I recall during the Korean war.. I was about thirteen.. I recall specifically ..

I recall the specific location..

A gray day in Colorado..

and I wondered to myself.. 

I recall this clearly..  

I wondered what MY war would be!? 

That is really sad.. that I had been so conditioned that I anticipated my own war.

 

love, michaelsheehan