The Legacy of the Good Friday Agreement by Charles I. Armstrong & David Herbert & Jan Erik Mustad

Author:Charles I. Armstrong & David Herbert & Jan Erik Mustad
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783319912325
Publisher: Springer International Publishing

Transforming of Cultures of Militarism?

A simple analysis of cultures of militarism implies that it is people who have participated in paramilitary or state military actions who are primarily responsible for perpetuating them. Following from such an analysis, it would seem that former combatants would be well equipped to transform cultures of militarism, helping others to learn from what they now regret or see as mistakes. One of my VFP interviewees expressed this motivation:Last year I did some action at the King’s Hall recruitment fair and I got ejected because of that. That was really just to show opposition to child recruitment. There’s young children going in there as young as seven years of age – these guys are cocking a gun and letting them fire. And I said to one of the soldiers, ‘You know really we should be showing them the pictures of what bullets do to flesh and bone at the other end.’ … That’s the reality of war, it’s not a computer game. Lead rips through flesh and bone and people need to be aware of this. And so many people from this country believe it’s an honourable thing to go and do that because you’re following your father’s footsteps – it’s almost the ultimate statement of your British identity to go away. And these young lads are coming back limbless and once you’re out of the Army you’re forgot about – you’re only good to them while you can run, and carry a gun, shoot somebody –after that, you’re nothing.

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