Last Night on 'Glee': Anti-Troop Hate Hits Primetime!

The following contains spoilers. You’ve been warned.

“Glee” was back last night after a month-long hiatus, which means that I’m back now – the morning after. Didja miss me? I missed you. And I missed “Glee” too. On what other show can I get my musical numbers and teenaged drama all wrapped in a giant bow of glorious propaganda?

There is no other.

This week, “Glee” was high on love, down on the military, and big on acceptance. Unless, of course, you actually want to join the military, in which case it’s all doom on you, and the military turns you into a drug addict and therefore your widowed mother into a liar.

Hmm… let me back up a moment.

Toward the beginning of the episode, Finn confesses to Mr. Schuester that he met with a recruiter… an army recruiter. The Glee Club coach appears troubled by the news, because you know, who joins the military unless they have to?

Meanwhile, Becky (who has Down Syndrome) decides that she had a ginormous crush on wheelchair-bound Artie and asks him out. Artie initially goes reluctantly to avoid hurting her feelings but discovers that he actually enjoys spending time with Becky. Things get sticky when Becky decides that she wants to go all the way with Artie but he doesn’t feel the same way.

Sue gives Artie good advice (kudos!) by saying that if he doesn’t want to go out with Becky again, he should treat her like a regular person and tell her. She points out that Becky just wants to be treated like everyone else, and Artie of all people should know that.

Artie tells Becky that while he enjoys her company, he’s not ready to move into a physical relationship, and then she and Sue watch Lifetime and share a pint of ice cream. Normal girlness achieved.

Before we get back to the military bashing, let’s take a minute to talk about Will Schuester and his OCD girlfriend Emma. Their relationship has gotten to the point where they’re thinking about marriage, so Will goes to Emma’s parents to ask for her hand.

Let me interject here to mention that in past episodes, Emma’s parents have been portrayed as insane racists, keeping their distance from non-gingers. That’s right; they can’t stand associating with people that don’t have red hair. Moving on.

Emma’s crazy parents come over, and her mom makes a comment about the Christmas tree still being up. “Just be grateful comrade Obama still allows Christmas,” responds Dad. Because, of course, the anti-Obama characters are the ones that are cracked in the head. Whatever.

Emma’s parents don’t give their blessing (probably because Will isn’t a redhead) and begin to nitpick her OCD flaws. Again, anyone that would oppose Obama is the same type of person that would viciously criticize his or her own child.

Despite the lack of blessing, Will proposes to Emma with much fanfare, and she accepts. Squeee! I love weddings, especially musical ones.

Now let’s talk about the military thing, which is a big issue for me because I think our armed forces are freaking amazing, and I thank God every single day for the brave men and women that serve in order to keep my family safe from the bad guys.

I already mentioned Finn’s confession to his teacher that he was considering joining the army. The next time the subject was broached on the show was during an intervention set up by said teacher with Finn’s mom and stepdad. Finn says that he just wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps, who he had been led to believe died a hero in Iraq a decade earlier.

Finn’s mom reveals that his dad didn’t die in Iraq as a war hero but in Cincinnati as a drug addict. Apparently he had been dishonorably discharged and was so traumatized by the war that he couldn’t get his act together. She had lied to Finn all those years because his dad “was so much more than the last few months of his life.”

This part bugged the crud out of me. I will not deny that war is hell or that PTSD is a real thing, because both of those things are true. But “Glee” wasn’t tackling the issue of how to help veterans return to normal life. The only message seemed to be: join the military and your life will be ruined.

And then the episode ended with Finn proposing to his girlfriend Rachel.

Yes, they’re both high schoolers.

I can’t wait to see what happens as the rest of the season unfolds…