Does being part of military make you 'right wing'?

[mellian]

Since making the decision to join, I occasionally joked that I may end up ostracizing myself from a lot of the activist groups that I have been involved with over the years as most do not have the positive views of the military. Then now after reading some comments about the 'left wing' dim views of the military, made me wonder if it is some kind of social requirement to have some kind of 'right wing' view to be in the military?

I mean, a lot of my political views are left leaning. I am anti-war and helped organize and coordinate protests in the past on that basis, a long with against Bush when he came to Ottawa couple of times, against security certificates, pro-choice, etc. Guaranteed to have appeared in many of the photos and videos the police has taken in all the those protests too.

Yet, I turn around and later applied for the military...so what does that make me?

Of course, I always been known to destroy stereotypes while enforcing some others.....

 

[George Wallace]

Perhaps, rather than going through life listening only to sound bites from the Left, you have begun to look at things for yourself and in more detail, using a little bit of reason and analytical skills?  Perhaps, you have taken the blinders off and decided to research/read a little more on national and international topics?  Perhaps you are realizing that Socialism and Communism are great works of fiction, that are not practical at all in reality?  Perhaps you are now in a position where you have to work for a living and manage your own financial affairs?  There are a lot of "perhaps" that you have probably just recently gone through, changing your life.

 

[the 48th regulator]

Oh Ya,

Totally right wing, no question about it.....

   

   

 

Hang up yer hat now, the left never used any form of militaristic means of imposing their views....


dileas

tess

 

[Newt]

Being in the CF does not make one right wing, left wing, libertarian, or totalitarian. If anything, being in the CF will probably bring your views closer to the center of the political spectrum.

You should be asking yourself, maybe you already have, what aspects of service appeal to you? What is it inside of you that drives you towards being in the CF?

When you get in treat the CF like you would any other workplace or family gathering, keep conversations about politics, sex, religion, and money out of it.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

What commie pinko, tree huggin', seal lovin', birkenstock wearing, global warming enviromentalist, peace activist freak stopped his flower covered VW microbus, rolled down the windows, letting all the wacky tabacky smoke out, long enough to try plant that tinfoil wacko idea in your head?

Nuke the gay whales for Jesus!

Nope. Nothing to worry about, you'll be fine. ;D

 

[SeaKingTacco]

mellian-

I think that you will find people in the military have a wide range of political and social beliefs.  They also have excellent senses of humour- but the type of humour takes getting used to.

You may find that the Military as an institution is conservative- with emphasis on the small "c" and not related to a similarly named Canadian Political party.  The military tends to change incrementally and is very big on preserving tradition and heritage.

Good Luck.

 

[dustinm]

Perhaps you are realizing that Socialism and Communism are great works of fiction, that are not practical at all in reality?

Is that not a false dichotomy? Genuine Communist and Socialist governments have lasted in various forms for and over many years; while they may not have been practical and certainly not stable in the long term, they were very real.

They didn't call it the Iron Curtain because velvet was in short supply, you know

 

[Larkvall]

My advice is to spend less time worrying about labels and more time following your principles.

 

[George Wallace]

Is that not a false dichotomy? Genuine Communist and Socialist governments have lasted in various forms for and over many years; while they may not have been practical and certainly not stable in the long term, they were very real.

They didn't call it the Iron Curtain because velvet was in short supply, you know

Are you trying to tell me that "Genuine Communist and Socialist governments" actually existed, other than in name only?  I look at most, if not all, as being nothing more than Dictatorships.

 

[mellian]

I figured as much, mainly ask to spur discussion to that question. In a sense, with the military's incremental changes in policies and general overall views can help provide a good idea of the overall view of society. Yet, a lot people do not notice or realize this, continue to resort to stereotypes and dated views & examples. 

mellian-

I think that you will find people in the military have a wide range of political and social beliefs.  They also have excellent senses of humour- but the type of humour takes getting used to.

You may find that the Military as an institution is conservative- with emphasis on the small "c" and not related to a similarly named Canadian Political party.  The military tends to change incrementally and is very big on preserving tradition and heritage.

Good Luck.

 

[dustinm]

Are you trying to tell me that "Genuine Communist and Socialist governments" actually existed, other than in name only?  I look at most, if not all, as being nothing more than Dictatorships.

Unfortunately I can't claim to know enough about Communism and Socialism to dispute that; As far as the society controlling the means of production, I believe several governments have achieved that. As for the "egalitarian, classless, stateless society based on common ownership" that Wikipedia speaks of, I think you're right in that nobody has ever achieved that.

And Socialism's "public or collective ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods" sounds a lot like North Korea or Mao's China; of course, those societies were also prone to widespread corruption and eventual collapse, but that's another story altogether...

 

[GAP]

Are you trying to tell me that "Genuine Communist and Socialist governments" actually existed, other than in name only?  I look at most, if not all, as being nothing more than Dictatorships.

Ahhhh....but they are dictatorships FOR the people!!! Really!!

Just ask Mugabe, Joseph something or other that on trial now in La Haig, Raul Castro, that wingnut in Venezuela......just some references.....

 

[George Wallace]

For the most part, of all the people I have met over many years of Service, it is a very very tiny number who have narrow inflexible views on the world, environment, religion, politics, etc.  The vast majority of the people I have met and know in the CF are very open minded and prefer to look at as many facets and angles to any 'problem' or project that they face.  From the very beginning, although we have to have discipline, we also encourage initiative.  This produces a very skilled soldier allowing for a lot of creativity and a broad variety of "thinking".  There are many occupations in the military that require "war gaming" to come up with/imagine every possibility and "Courses of Action".  I don't think that one can categorically "Label" very many members of the CF as being "Left Wing", "Right Wing" or any other variation of these themes. 

 

[Otis]

IMO, the military in general is perceived as right wing for one simple reason: as members of the military, we do not publically express our opinions on political matters.

We are taught to do this so as to not cause embarrassment to the CF or to present ourselves as representing the opinion of the CF.

As, for the most part, left-wing politicos tend to be vocal in both their opinions and criticisms (this is NOT a criticism, just an observation), our silence is usually perceived as agreement or complacence and therefore we are labelled right-wing.

Again, just my opinion though ...

I also agree however that for the most part, military personnel tend to lean towards the small 'c' conservative side of center.

Otis

 

[mellian]

Perhaps always been devil advocate type left leaning Centrist who differ with any political views and groups, probably because I started living on my own and take care of financial affairs since I was 16 and that along with reading, actually spoke and hung in variety of people? Perhaps despite everything that happened in life and that I have done, idea of being in the military has always been there, hence part of why I always preferring helping to organize and coordinate small to large demonstration and marches than just standing there and holding signs? That and always thrive working in a team to get things done, no matter what it is, paid or volunteer or sport.   

I was always against extremes and propaganda of any sort, preferring to actual facts and letting people in general to figure out for themselves. Even when going up against the police during protests, I see them as human beings like the rest who are only doing their job, and tend to bump heads with some folks in protest movements in regards to that. Communism is possible, just all those who tried implementing it frakked it up due power and greed, and socialism is more prominent among 'first world' nations than many think.

Perhaps, rather than going through life listening only to sound bites from the Left, you have begun to look at things for yourself and in more detail, using a little bit of reason and analytical skills?  Perhaps, you have taken the blinders off and decided to research/read a little more on national and international topics?  Perhaps you are realizing that Socialism and Communism are great works of fiction, that are not practical at all in reality?  Perhaps you are now in a position where you have to work for a living and manage your own financial affairs?  There are a lot of "perhaps" that you have probably just recently gone through, changing your life.

 

[George Wallace]

Perhaps always been devil advocate type left leaning Centrist who differ with any political views and groups, probably because I started living on my own and take care of financial affairs since I was 16 and that along with reading, actually spoke and hung in variety of people? Perhaps despite everything that happened in life and that I have done, idea of being in the military has always been there, hence part of why I always preferring helping to organize and coordinate small to large demonstration and marches than just standing there and holding signs? That and always thrive working in a team to get things done, no matter what it is, paid or volunteer or sport.   

I was always against extremes and propaganda of any sort, preferring to actual facts and letting people in general to figure out for themselves. Even when going up against the police during protests, I see them as human beings like the rest who are only doing their job, and tend to bump heads with some folks in protest movements in regards to that. Communism is possible, just all those who tried implementing it frakked it up due power and greed, and socialism is more prominent among 'first world' nations than many think.

Many of us, having gone through those phases ourselves, having been there/done that, tend to react with a  : when we see these people in the streets. 

Otis

You can't forget that as "instruments" of the Government, we must also not appear to be too far to the Right either.  We must appear to be "impartial", as do Law Enforcement Officers, in the conduct of our duties at the orders of the Government.

In the end, one may generalize and call the military Right Wing, if they think the Government is Right Wing or Left Wing depending on the flavour of Government we have in power.  The CF reflects the Government which gives it direction.

 

[the 48th regulator]

IMO, the military in general is perceived as right wing for one simple reason: as members of the military, we do not publically express our opinions on political matters.

We are taught to do this so as to not cause embarrassment to the CF or to present ourselves as representing the opinion of the CF.

As, for the most part, left-wing politicos tend to be vocal in both their opinions and criticisms (this is NOT a criticism, just an observation), our silence is usually perceived as agreement or complacence and therefore we are labelled right-wing.

Again, just my opinion though ...

I also agree however that for the most part, military personnel tend to lean towards the small 'c' conservative side of center.

Otis

Cough Cough....since when did soldiers of the right not express their political views when serving???

You heard of the little war that was fought, against a bunch of fellas that were right wing, eh?  Happened in the forties, look it up.

I would say that most people in the military are a-political.  They do not have the time to go out and actively support a political party, and are happy with whatever party supports them, at the time they serve.

That not make more sense?

dileas

tess

 

[Otis]

That's what I was (inadequately apparently) trying to say ... that we are publically apolitical because we are supposed to be.

And I wasn't trying to say that right-wingers WEREN'T vocal, it just seems they are less so ... IMO we hear a lot more complaining about the "right-wing" government "screwing the people" than we do about the "left-wing" government "screwing the country" ... or maybe I'm just more sensitive to hearing one set of complaints than the other ...

 

[Kat Stevens]

Erm, marching, screaming, waving signs and disruption pretty much are extremism and propaganda, no?

 

[Roy Harding]

Perhaps always been devil advocate type left leaning Centrist who differ with any political views and groups, probably because I started living on my own and take care of financial affairs since I was 16 and that along with reading, actually spoke and hung in variety of people? Perhaps despite everything that happened in life and that I have done, idea of being in the military has always been there, hence part of why I always preferring helping to organize and coordinate small to large demonstration and marches than just standing there and holding signs? That and always thrive working in a team to get things done, no matter what it is, paid or volunteer or sport.   

I was always against extremes and propaganda of any sort, preferring to actual facts and letting people in general to figure out for themselves. Even when going up against the police during protests, I see them as human beings like the rest who are only doing their job, and tend to bump heads with some folks in protest movements in regards to that. Communism is possible, just all those who tried implementing it frakked it up due power and greed, and socialism is more prominent among 'first world' nations than many think.

I don't remember who said it (Winston Churchill, perhaps?) - and I'm too damned lazy to look it up right now - but this quote kind of encapsulates what you are driving at:

If you are not a socialist when young, you have no heart. If you are still a socialist when old, you have no head.