Is it moral or ethical for Marquette University to host military training on campus? This debate question we asked online in 2008 when Marquette University would not allow us to debate this question on campus. The debate went on for about a year when we had we had to call it off when a few individuals on both sides of the debate started to misuse the forum. However, the overwhelming response was that is not moral or ethical for Marquette to host military training, ROTC programs, on campus.
The other day my wife, Pat, suggested that I present my argument that it is immoral for Marquette to host of ROTC on campus in a logical matter, like in the Thomastic logic formula the Jesuit taught us in my two years of philosophy studies. I said the use of logic was difficult when the other side, those who say yes, do not answer and ignore the question. However, it is worth the old college try.
Whereas, the Catholic Church teaches the ‘priority of conscience’ over government orders,
And the military teaches the priority of military values over religious values, like conscience,
Whereas the Catholic Church teaches we cannot kill anyone except when self defense is the only option.
And the military, ROTC at Marquette teaches, reflexive killing, killing without conscience,
Whereas In the Catholic Church there is no such thing as ‘preemptive war’ or ‘wars of necessity’,
And the wars in Iraq were and are called ‘preemptive wars’ and ‘wars of necessity’,
Whereas Modern warfare, drones, atomic bomb, massive air and missile strikes which all involved killing of non-combatants make war today impossible in Church teaching to justify,
And the military, like ROTC, says the high number of deaths of non-combatants due to modern military warfare is necessary collateral damage,
Whereas the Gospel teaches Love you enemies and do good to those who harm you,
And teaching war at Marquette teaches us to see the enemy as evil and kill them,
Therefore it is not moral or ethical for Marquette University to host military training on campus.
There is also an academic argument to be made for a university to give accreditation to military training courses that do not meet the academic requirements of the University. But so what? Logic, like the Gospel, has little meaning to ROTC programs being on the Marquette University campus
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