I searched hard for this quote. Since it was Greek and about soldiers and citizens I thought it must be Socrates, who fought in several battles, stood up to unlawful request by his government, and had some nice sounding ideas about 'citizen soldiers.'

Of course, when he was sentenced to death it sort of put a damper on his nice sounding ideas.

But I agree. Service for one's country should not just be for 1% of the population; but in searching for this quote I found lots of theories on better ways to do it, and lots and lots of name-calling on both sides, and the often overlooked fact that sometimes soldiers are misused by leaders who are only interested in money, or some other scam.

I lik...

I searched hard for this quote. Since it was Greek and about soldiers and citizens I thought it must be Socrates, who fought in several battles, stood up to unlawful request by his government, and had some nice sounding ideas about 'citizen soldiers.'

Of course, when he was sentenced to death it sort of put a damper on his nice sounding ideas.

But I agree. Service for one's country should not just be for 1% of the population; but in searching for this quote I found lots of theories on better ways to do it, and lots and lots of name-calling on both sides, and the often overlooked fact that sometimes soldiers are misused by leaders who are only interested in money, or some other scam.

I like the way the Dutch do it.

Here's the quote (that was so hard to find); the quote that resonates with your idea.

QUOTE:
"
"The state that separates its scholars from its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards, and its fighting done by fools."
--Thucydides

P.S. Calling our country or "the people," apathetic always gets under my skin, BTW, it being so discouraging and defeatist.

And considering the incredible vociferous arguments, debates, and contentious votes, subpoenas, trials, convictions, growing talk of impeachment, non-stop opposition to the War in Iraq, etc., apathetic doesn't seem an accurate description.

http://www.veteransforamerica.org/ doesn't seem apathetic and there are hundreds and hundreds of such groups.

I liked the first point of their mission statement, BTW. If it means we should at least demand Congress officially "Declare War," before invading other countries unnecessarily, that WOULD be a big improvement in and of itself.

The idea, too, in that first point of the mission statement, that accurate intel should be used also WOULD be a big improvement.

So many groups like these are not apathetic but at a loss at how to get better policies achieved. Some nice guy on TV tonight said he was "befuddled."

Other people are foaming at the mouth.