As much as I value the relative peace our country comfortably offers, as well as the lives of our countrymen, I find a certain...shall I say glory, or shine to war that inexorably attracts me - beyond the glamorous filter that Hollywood places on what is.
I suppose that should we indeed find ourselves in the unfortunate position of having to defend our motherland from invaders, I would want to volunteer to fight. Ika nga, "Lupang Hinirang, duyan ka ng magiting. Sa manlulupig, di ka pasisiil." Imagine the thrill of taking national interests in your own hands, fighting for every inch to drive out one who would have your land and life. Imagine your elation when you succeed in doing so, the drum beats of "This is the Hour" resounding through your head.
What a day that would be.
Or perhaps I'm just looking for that adrenaline rush.
agree!
ReplyDeleteor perhaps "One day more" will be playing in your head.
Pwede rin! But let's not hope it ends that way - with me dying the next day. :P
ReplyDeleteAs much as I find war photography something really interesting and fascinating and all, or how cool and glorifying it is to be in the army fending off or invading a country, after seeing Band of Brothers and reading up on the world wars, I really can't wish witnessing another or the current wars.
ReplyDeleteWar is just terrible dude. Actually I find it STUPID. Too many people dying for what? Daming nadadamay sa mga away ng mga higher-ups. I say if USA and (insert some other country here) have differences, let the leaders themselves pick up their weapons and meet in the battlefield.
Yes, the atrocities of war are indeed terrible as well as the needless waste of innocent lives in wars that serve ulterior political motives, although I don't particularly think that war as a concept is stupid.
ReplyDeleteI've always seen war as rooted in a certain belief, whether it was the belief in the divine right to rule (Hitler), or whether it was borne out of nationalistic pride (our own revolutions).
Now when that root belief or motive is selfish (like all oil-talk in the ongoing war in Iraq, or the US invasion of Vietnam), I agree that it is totally unnecessary. But should the cause be something greater than ourselves, like maybe wanting a unified country or quashing a potentially hostile neighbor, then cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war.
Sometimes, people believe too strongly in either extremes for compromise to be acceptable. :)
Just a bit of trivia: Throughout the ages, that whole idea of yours of having champions duke it out on the battlefield has been there - David vs Goliath, Paris vs Menelaus, Horatii vs Curatii. It would be a good way, but really - if you had the better army by far, but he had just one really good guy, would you really give in? hehe