The Chickenhawk vs. The Firefighter

See, it goes like this:

I say, “I despise chickenhawks.”

and the war-supporter in attendence says, “So I suppose you have volunteered for your local police and fire departments, because surely you wouldn’t be so chicken hawkish as to support police and fire service but are too chicken to let others risk their lives in such jobs without you risking your own.”

This argument is flawed on so many levels, but here are my arguments against it:

War Supporter, your firefighter argument isn’t parallel to the military situation in Iraq for the following reasons.

1. The Chickenhawks who started and promote this war would be the arsonists in your analogy, not innocent bystanders waiting for firefighting assistance. They caused the problem, endangered the lives, and then refused to serve the cause of rectifying their self-created quagmire.

2. If you are a firefighter, you have the option of quitting your job. It isn’t illegal to quit when placed in a position that violates your safety for an unjust reason. The profit of the corporations engaged in “business�? in Iraq is being defended by soldiers who, when encountering the truth of their situation find themselves forced by law and arms to continue serving.

3. For specific examples like George W. Bush, Tom DeLay, and Dick Cheney, who are pro-war now and were during Vietnam, the analogy is particularly misplaced. This is the reason: if a house down the block from one of us was on fire, a truck pulled up to work on putting it out, and the firefighters on the scene started yelling that they needed some assistance from the bystanders because there weren’t enough of them on the scene, I, and I’d like to think the rest of you would leap to help out. Wouldn’t you think there was something wrong with refusing to lend a hand? It’s one thing, in other words, to let others serve in your stead when a sufficient number of others are willing to do so. It’s another thing entirely to let others be conscripted to serve in your place during a war you support, or to stand aside while it becomes clear that there aren’t a sufficient number of volunteers to get the job done. Furthermore, War Supporter, the critical difference few seem to be commenting upon is that you conservatives don’t just support the war - you are figuratively tarring and feathering those who oppose it as unpatriotic and, often, unAmerican.

4. The Chickenhawk debate really can’t be analyzed in a vacuum while ignoring the fact that we invaded Iraq for no good reason, without any necessity, based almost entirely on lies. We can support fire departments without joining ourselves because fire departments are necessary. This war, in contrast, was a voluntary and unnecessary flight of fancy that we got ourselves into only because people like Bush and Cheney told a pack of lies to intentionally get us into it. Under these narrow circumstances, the chickenhawk charge is entirely appropriate.

5. I’d also like to add that a chickenhawk is one who claims an ideal valuable enough to sacrifice some lives over, so long as its not his.

6. Another way to make the analogy you proffer more substantive, is to hold the parallel of someone who complains that there are not enough firefighters to protect his house, but THEN refuses to join the local FD. You didn’t do that, therefore your analogy isn’t specific enough to hold merit. Likewise, I guess its possible for someone to complain about a lack of firefighters, but not feel compelled enough to join. I’d argue, in such a case, the individual doesn’t place a high enough value on his home or any other home to make the sacrifice. No chickenhawk there, but maybe a bit selfish. This also you didn’t offer in your argument.

7. In the case of Iraq, all the chickenhawks don’t really value liberty, justice, etc, as much as they say they do, or they would go fight in Iraq. Either that, or they really don’t believe Iraq is about fighting for liberty and democracy. And given that case, if our liberty is ever TRULY threatened, I am confident that such chickenhawks, instead of fighting, will take the path of least resistance and stay by the sidelines (or collaborate with the enemy) while the REAL patriots will stand up and fight.

I guess, to summarize, a “chickenhawk” is someone who stands by an ideal, so long as it isn’t too personally costly for him to do so.

Comments

[a rose is a rose]

did someone actually give you the firefighter/police analogy?

[CV Rick]

yes, Rose, I have had them do that. Also, it's a major talking point all over the rightie blogosphere.

[bex]

You need a talking point to counter a talking point... I'd suggest:

"Firefighters put out fires, soldiers create them. Police stop violence, soldiers kill. Chikenhawks stir up trouble, which pits soldiers against police and firefighters... then they claim to support them all."

ta da... cross posted on Daily Kos:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/26/155816/149

[Wek]

Great post, CV Rick. Welcome aboard Operation Yellow Elephant.

http://operationyellowelephant.blogspot.com/2007/09/cv-rick-ninja-writer-joins-operation.html

[Cele]

Bush was pro-war during Vietnam? Wow, I thought his daddy got him a low pro, cushy Texas National Guard post.

And by today's standards...it's not the same National Guard. Today his dad would have to get him a cushy job in the Boys Scouts.

[Graeme]

i despise the chickenhawks. The biggest one I know is Rob at Say Anything. I believe he is the same age as me (26), so he is at an acceptable age, and he still doesn't feel it necessary to fight in the war he so proudly supports. If this is a battle for civilization, wouldn't you want to take part in it? Not chicken shit motherfuckers like him.

[Sword]

Great post! As a nominal Mormon and as a combat veteran I agree that our war supporting peers are lacking in the courage of their convictions.

[Flimsy Sanity]

Actually being a fireman or a policeman is very safe despite movies and TV portrayals and media hype. Statistically, the dangerous occupations are loggers and fishermen.

I liked the video about the guy that goes to the College Republicans convention and asks if they believe in the war, why they did not volunteer?