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I responded by saying I applauded individual citizens and certain groups showing their admiration for our men and women in uniform — and recounted my memory of my older brother’s return from Vietnam.
However, what I stressed was that although there may be a groundswell of public appreciation for our troops – policy-wise it is a different story. We are not showing an appreciation for our military when you consider the cuts to its funding affecting its capability and capacity. We are showing blatant disrespect to our veterans who are dying at the hands of an uncaring bureaucracy called the Department of Veterans Affairs.
We are advising our military not to be proud of their uniforms when deployed and even here at home — ordering them not to don their uniforms and we find out that in Turkey, three of our sailors were assaulted by Turkish Nationalist youth — who even attempted to put plastic bags over their heads — while our Commander-in-Chief refers to Turkish leader Recip Tayyip Erdogan as his best friend and ally.
But what I found most appalling — and certainly confirms my response Tuesday — was a recent article written in the far left magazine, Salon. As reported by Breitbart.com, “Radical leftist writer David Masciotra waxes somewhat less than eloquently that Americans who think all soldiers and police are heroes are childish, and betray “a frightening cultural streak of nationalism, chauvinism, authoritarianism and totalitarianism” in a piece published Sunday on Salon.com. But what is childish is Masciotra’s rant; it begins, “Put a man in uniform, preferably a white man, give him a gun, and Americans will worship him.”
I must commend Mr. Masciotra for having the courage to say what his progressive socialist colleagues believe and have always believed — they despise our men and women who take up arms to serve, protect, and defend this nation — foreign and domestic.
The left fails to embrace the qualities and character of those who are more than willing to lay down their lives for others — worse, the left condemns those who shower respect, and yes, accolades upon that small group of sentinels – the guardians.
The leftists of America represent the sheep who find no appreciation for the guard dogs who keep the wolves at bay — as a matter of fact, the sheep tend to believe the mere existence of the guard dogs are an impetus for the wolves to attack. They fail to realize – and certainly won’t admit — that the wolves’ raison d’être is to kill the sheep. The sheep rely on the false premise of “peaceful coexistence” — much to the delight of the wolves.
Masciotra writes, “It is equally challenging for anyone reasonable, and not drowning in the syrup of patriotic sentimentality, to stop saluting, and look at the servicemen of the American military with criticism and skepticism. Physical strength and courage is only useful and laudable when invested in a cause that is noble and moral. The causes of American foreign policy, especially at the present, rarely qualify for either compliment.
A more helpful and productive act of citizenship, and sign of solidarity with the military, is the enlistment in an antiwar movement that would prevent the government from using its volunteer Army as a plaything for the financial advancement and political cover of the state-corporate nexus and the military-industrial complex of Dwight Eishenhower’s nightmares.”
You see, in the demented world of the progressive socialist left, Army SGT Bowe Bergdahl is the hero. Bergdahl stood up and refuted America’s involvement in Afghanistan. Bergdahl chided his fellow soldiers and made the “heroic” decision to abandon his post and endanger the lives of those he left behind. This is why Bergdahl’s parents received a Rose Garden ceremony and his whereabouts go unknown, as the investigation into his desertion had found its way to the black hole on Harry Reid’s desk along with 367 pieces of legislation.
In contrast, Marine SGT Andrew Tahmooressi, a two-tour combat veteran was just a dumb Marine who took a wrong turn and got what he deserved — no celebration for his homecoming. There won’t be any Rose Garden ceremony or even a call from the Commander-in-Chief, as Sandra Fluke and Jason Collins received. They are heroes in the bizarro world of the left.
So to Masciotra, the sailors — who were in civilian clothing — deserved to be attacked by the Turkish youth. They certainly do not deserve to be lauded for their commitment of honor and courage — oops, there is an alternate definition of honor and courage for the left.
Those young people from Occupy Wall Street are the real soldiers and heroes. And after all what does Masciotra see as the magic bullet for the morally diseased military? “Americans, especially those who oppose war, should do everything they can to discourage young, poor and working-class men and women from joining the military.”
Yes, the sheep hate the guard dogs who lament when one of their own is lost whilst defending against the wolves — but the sheep don’t give a damn. They just go about eating grass and making the same incessant noise.
Sadly, this is the mentality of the people making national security policy decisions for our Constitutional Republic — and we wonder why President Obama is signing an agreement on climate change while Russia is invading Ukraine.
As Alexander the Great once quipped, “I would not fear an army of lions led by a lamb, but I would fear an army of sheep if led by a lion” — sadly in America it is a case of the former.
But don’t think our everyday law enforcement heroes evade Masciotra’s scrutiny or angst. He writes, “Calling all cops heroes too often leads to pathetic deference to authority, even when the results are fatal, and insisting all members of the military are heroes too often reinforces the American values of militarism and exceptionalism.”
I can only imagine what he thinks of Ferguson, Missouri — and we all need to brace ourselves if the officer there who was attacked by Michael Brown is exonerated by the Grand Jury.
David Masciotra’s article is just another example of why the policies of the left fail, especially when it comes to the preeminent responsibility of our government — protecting the American people, at home and abroad.
It will be up to the American people who love this country and do appreciate its warriors and its guardians to decide Masciotra’s ilk cannot be trusted with the duty of “providing for the common defense.”
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