Camillo Mac Bica, Ph.D. Philosopher, Author, Activist  Peace Vet Blog 
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The Missionary Equivalent of Military Service


In a recent appearance on the popular Television program The View, host Whoopie Goldberg questioned Ann Romney regarding her "qualifications," should she become First Lady, for consoling the bereaved family members of the fallen given that her husband never served in the military but, rather, spent the Vietnam War as a Mormon Missionary in France. In response, Mrs. Romney equated Mormon missionary work to military service. Though I would imagine there to be some risk in proselytizing about one's beliefs, I doubt that many Mormon missionaries have been killed, or injured, or suffer from PTSD, are homeless, drug and alcohol addicted, or have committed suicide as a result of their missionary "service." While Mrs. Romney's response was less than credible, I must point out that President Obama has not served in the military, nor has George W. Bush (desertion is not service), or Ronald Reagan (making propaganda movies is not service). Nor has (or will) any of their children. But yet, this fact did not hinder them from sending thousands of other Americans, and the children of other Americans, to kill and be killed in unnecessary wars. So whose "crime" is worse? Obama's, Bush's, and Reagan's who have the blood of thousands on their hands (if not on their consciences) or Romney who fled to Paris to avoid fighting in Vietnam? Read more.