Racism and War

Mike Prysner ” I tried hard to be proud of my service but all I could feel was shame and racism could no longer mask the reality of the occupation. These were people these were human beings. I’ve since been plagued by guilt anytime I see an elderly man like the one who couldn’t walk, who we rolled onto a stretcher and told the Iraqi police to take him away. I feel guilt anytime I see a mother with her children like the one who cried hysterically and screamed that we were worse than Saddam as we forced her from her home. I feel guilt anytime I see a young girl like the one I grabbed by the arm and dragged into the street. We were told we were fighting terrorists, the real terrorist was me. And the real terrorism is this occupation. Racism within the military has long been an important tool to justify the destruction and occupation of another country. It has long been used to justify the killing, subjugation and torture of another people. Racism is a vital weapon employed by the this government. It is a more important weapon than a rifle, a tank, a bomber or a battleship. It is more destructive than an artillery shell or a bunker Buster or a Tomahawk missile. While those weapons are created and owned by this government, they are harmless without people willing to use them. “