It would be hard to think of a more conservative culture than the military. There are strict rules, rigid protocols, and inflexible generic clothes. In addition, there is a prescribed, if unwritten, code for personal behavior that approaches the robotic, and is often a lampoon of conservative stereotypes: brusque, business-only, stoic, humorless, and unemotional. Perhaps … [Read more…]
New Orleans Mardi Gras is a massive IED, always a half-Kelvin away from detonation. The policemen know that everyone in the crowd is in constant danger from a potential riot, and strict control has to be maintained.
So will normal police procedures work in such a situation? And do we really want to find out?
The My Lai Massacre reveals the reality of warfare: slaughtering civilians deters resistance.
Professional arrogance is dangerous: We ignore the knowledge and wisdom of common people at our own risk.