Wednesday, August 10, 2005
army of fun
I have little doubt, my dear reader, that like myself you have learned something about the U.S. Army's recruiting woes. As I am sure you do, my dear reader, I also blame the liberal media for this because they have the audacity to report on unpleasant things like dead soldiers.
That's just not good P.R. for our fine military forces. We need more coverage on the fun part of war and killing: flying planes, shooting large guns, driving tanks, and more stuff like in the video games; and less on the not so fun part about possibly dying, or having your limbs blown off.
It recently seems in an effort to counteract this downward trend of volunteers eager to learn the latest in computer technology while dodging bullets and improvised explosives in 120+ degree heat the military has upped the ante on their ad campaign.
Most nights on some television networks I see repeated multiple recruiting ads encouraging the young'uns to join up and serve. In these ads I see lots of minorities eager to join up. I see rural people. I see inner city kids.
Basically, I see the poor and the disenfranchised.
The ads do not portray the children of the suburbs and affluence. I don't recall seeing a high school kid getting out of his new Ford Explorer in the driveway of his large suburban home and interupting dad's dinner with the boss to say that he's joined up. Or little Muffy telling her parents over brunch that she won't be going to Yale because she's enlisted in the Air Force.
I am reminded of the scenes in Farenheit 911 with the predatory recruiters stalking kids at the mall on the poor side of town and then Michael Moore giving recruiting pamphlets to spineless goat fucking congressmen so that their kids can enlist.
This war is being fought as have been all wars, primarily by the poor and the powerless. Those who profit the most sacrifice the least, but again, that has always been the case so what's a fella to do?
I am completely and utterly disgusted.
Please, my dear reader, do not misunderstand my point. I am not against the military. I am not so idealistic and naive to believe that the military is not needed. I recognize their presence helps to keep it safe for us to shop at Wal-Mart and go to the Taco Bell drive-thru on our way home to watch our big screen televisions as is the American Way.
I am convinced, as are most likely you my dear reader, that the American people have been lied to from the beginning about the "war on terror" or "global struggle against extremism" or whatever the fuck it's called nowadays. Whatever the reasons, we're in the thick of it now, and the purpose of this little rant is not to go off on some tangent about Bush and Bullshit. So let me get back to my point. . .
Where is the truth in marketing?
The Government makes manufacturers and marketers of other products that pose potential health risks warn consumers about those risks. Look at a beer bottle or a pack of cigarettes for easy evidence of that. Hell, there's even a label on our fucking hair dryer warning you not to use it in the bath tub.
Can you imagine the mighty hew and cry that would arise from the hallowed halls if there was any other product or service being heavily advertised on prime time television that when used properly resulted in the deaths of over 1800 people and significant injury to around ten times that many? How fast would the CEO of that company be hauled before some Congressional committee to be verbally belittled and blasted before being sent to the federal pen?
Is it too much to ask that our government be held to the same standard they hold private companies?
Am I the only one who thinks someone should mention, if only a little in the fine print a the bottom of the ad, that we are in the middle of a fucking war?
Don't you think there is some obligation to say something like, "Why yes, little Timmy, you'll learn how to fly a helicopter and we'll pay for college. . . assuming you survive with your physical and mental health relatively intact, because you will most likely be going to a combat zone where people that hate you, because they hate us and you represent us, will be trying like all hell to blow you up. Every day."
Chuck D., you da man! May your words ring true for the target market of the military's advertising:
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That's just not good P.R. for our fine military forces. We need more coverage on the fun part of war and killing: flying planes, shooting large guns, driving tanks, and more stuff like in the video games; and less on the not so fun part about possibly dying, or having your limbs blown off.
It recently seems in an effort to counteract this downward trend of volunteers eager to learn the latest in computer technology while dodging bullets and improvised explosives in 120+ degree heat the military has upped the ante on their ad campaign.
Most nights on some television networks I see repeated multiple recruiting ads encouraging the young'uns to join up and serve. In these ads I see lots of minorities eager to join up. I see rural people. I see inner city kids.
Basically, I see the poor and the disenfranchised.
The ads do not portray the children of the suburbs and affluence. I don't recall seeing a high school kid getting out of his new Ford Explorer in the driveway of his large suburban home and interupting dad's dinner with the boss to say that he's joined up. Or little Muffy telling her parents over brunch that she won't be going to Yale because she's enlisted in the Air Force.
I am reminded of the scenes in Farenheit 911 with the predatory recruiters stalking kids at the mall on the poor side of town and then Michael Moore giving recruiting pamphlets to spineless goat fucking congressmen so that their kids can enlist.
This war is being fought as have been all wars, primarily by the poor and the powerless. Those who profit the most sacrifice the least, but again, that has always been the case so what's a fella to do?
I am completely and utterly disgusted.
Please, my dear reader, do not misunderstand my point. I am not against the military. I am not so idealistic and naive to believe that the military is not needed. I recognize their presence helps to keep it safe for us to shop at Wal-Mart and go to the Taco Bell drive-thru on our way home to watch our big screen televisions as is the American Way.
I am convinced, as are most likely you my dear reader, that the American people have been lied to from the beginning about the "war on terror" or "global struggle against extremism" or whatever the fuck it's called nowadays. Whatever the reasons, we're in the thick of it now, and the purpose of this little rant is not to go off on some tangent about Bush and Bullshit. So let me get back to my point. . .
Where is the truth in marketing?
The Government makes manufacturers and marketers of other products that pose potential health risks warn consumers about those risks. Look at a beer bottle or a pack of cigarettes for easy evidence of that. Hell, there's even a label on our fucking hair dryer warning you not to use it in the bath tub.
Can you imagine the mighty hew and cry that would arise from the hallowed halls if there was any other product or service being heavily advertised on prime time television that when used properly resulted in the deaths of over 1800 people and significant injury to around ten times that many? How fast would the CEO of that company be hauled before some Congressional committee to be verbally belittled and blasted before being sent to the federal pen?
Is it too much to ask that our government be held to the same standard they hold private companies?
Am I the only one who thinks someone should mention, if only a little in the fine print a the bottom of the ad, that we are in the middle of a fucking war?
Don't you think there is some obligation to say something like, "Why yes, little Timmy, you'll learn how to fly a helicopter and we'll pay for college. . . assuming you survive with your physical and mental health relatively intact, because you will most likely be going to a combat zone where people that hate you, because they hate us and you represent us, will be trying like all hell to blow you up. Every day."
Chuck D., you da man! May your words ring true for the target market of the military's advertising:
I got a letter from the government
The other day
I opened and read it
It said they were suckers
They wanted me for their army or whatever
Picture me given' a damn - I said never
Here is a land that never gave a damn
About a brother like me and myself
Because they never did
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