Have you thought about reading some of his nonfiction? I enjoyed Infinite Jest, but I believe DFW's essays were a lot more accessible than his fiction.

if he tries to stifle their exercise of self-governance by telling them that to question the military strategy of our generals and our political leaders is a slight to our troops, it’s my patriotic duty to tell him to go pound sand.

You should simply try to remind them that the United States has civilian control of the military, not military control of the civilians. The united states has a civilian, public servant, as the head of the executive branch. To suggest that military officials are allowed to dictate what is and isn't acceptable discourse seems authoritarian instead of democratic.