America loves war. We may complain about the costs, why we are putting soldiers in harm’s way and even the reasons why we are going, but in the end, our country’s policies enjoy showering the disenfranchised with democracy bombs. Nothing screams freedom like blowing up a country.
Our policies for wars are so far-reaching that we are now attacking parts of speech. And while policies may tout these wars as crucial to protecting America and Americans, the simple fact is we are fighting too many wars to be victorious in all of them.
We are at war with drugs, poverty, terror and even Christmas.
Why? What do these wars accomplish? Yes, there are hidden dangers behind these words yet, for the most part, our wars on them are clandestine, futile and invasive.
The War on Drugs has placed millions of people, specifically minorities and the poor, behind bars for nonviolent drug crimes. This creates a vicious cycle for many who are unable to escape the damaging effects a prison sentence has on one’s life.
The legalization of marijuana is slowly sweeping across the country as states realize the absurdity of imprisoning people for committing such a petty crime. There are great economic losses when imprisoning people, both during and after the incarceration.
The War on Poverty has a tingle of social welfare on the surface, but as the economic downturn has plagued the middle and lower classes of America and as the 2009 Recovery Act’s temporary boost to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits has recently expired, being poor in America is not easy.
Half of the U.S. states have not elected to expand Medicaid benefits to the poor. This leaves 6 to 7 million Americans uninsured, further increasing the hurdles poor people have in America.
While the War on Terror has always been a bit ambiguous, the drones of the CIA certainly have it figured out – bomb grandmothers and day laborers. We are often scared into thinking there is an impending doom weighing over the great American way of life. Yet time and time again, as we give up more and more of our freedoms and liberties, the powers that be cannot protect us.
The Boston bombings occurred unhindered, and a secret White House staffer and Twitter troll went unabated for more than two years. How can a government who cannot find a leaker in the very confines of the administration be tasked with protecting millions of Americans?
Simply put, it cannot.
In the end though, America fights many wars on many fronts, and what is evident is that most of these wars are lost. We spread our resources thin and we pay for that in these unfavorable outcomes.
The War on Drugs will continue to send people to jail for possessing marijuana, the War on Poverty will continue to fail those who struggle to make ends meet, the War on Terror will continue unchallenged as new enemies materialize and the War on Christmas will be the only war anyone cares about.
