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The Spectacle Blog
For the most part, President Obama’s State of the Union address last night was a dull laundry list of mini-initiatives, much like President Clinton used to deliver — a style calculated to let as many voters as possible hear a shout-out for a cause, which is often as politically effective as it is tiresome. But the speech was bookended with a rhetorical appeal that, while anodyne at first glance, is actually quite distrubing upon reflection.
At the begining of the speech, he praised
the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations. They’re not consumed with personal ambition. They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand. They work together.
Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example.
And 6000+ words later:
Which brings me back to where I began. Those of us who’ve been sent here to serve can learn from the service of our troops. When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian or Latino; conservative or liberal; rich or poor; gay or straight. When you’re marching into battle, you look out for the person next to you, or the mission fails. When you’re in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall as one unit, serving one Nation, leaving no one behind.
One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the mission to get bin Laden. On it are each of their names. Some may be Democrats. Some may be Republicans. But that doesn’t matter. Just like it didn’t matter that day in the Situation Room, when I sat next to Bob Gates - a man who was George Bush’s defense secretary; and Hillary Clinton, a woman who ran against me for president.
All that mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics. No one thought about themselves… More than that, the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other - because you can’t charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there’s someone behind you, watching your back.
So it is with America.
Well, no, it isn’t. The military works as well as it does because it’s made up of volunteers who have sacrificed a great deal of their liberty. America works as well as it does because it’s made of citizens who jealously guard their liberty.
A Navy SEAL team is highly trained to apply controlled violence to further our national security interests as determined by our political leaders, who in turn answer to their constituents. To envision a society that runs like a SEAL team, simply working together, eschewing politics, serving the goals prescribed from the Commander-in-Chief, is to envision a society where the constituents have been taken out of the equation — an undemocratic society that would be unworthy of the SEALs’ protection.
Obama’s rhetoric is all cant, of course; he doesn’t really believe that Congress is going to simply follow his orders. Taken seriously, though, it’s rather chilling.
View all comments (19) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by John Tabin
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/01/25/a-democracy-is-not-a-military
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David W| 1.25.12 @ 9:02AM
I expect nothing less from the Marxist in chief. He wants followers who will be at his beck and call, who will not question his orders, and fulfill his demands immediately, regardless.
Shall I say this follows in the fine tradition of dictators everywhere (remember the excuse during the Nuremburg trials - "I was just following orders"). I'm not saying that Obama's followers are like the famous Brownshirts... or am I?
Mike 3/505| 1.25.12 @ 9:26AM
Mr Tabin,
Thank you for writing this. Up until this morning, I was wondering if I was the only one who had picked up on that. Thanx Again.
Regards,
Mike
All American American| 1.25.12 @ 9:37AM
"They're not consumed with personal ambition."
Riiiiiiiiiiiiight. This is why guys like Patraeus go along with stupid idea like COIN, retire and get annointed (yes meant to write "annointed") to head the CIA.
All about the mission. Kill the bad guys. But don't wear armor, you might make them mad. Oh and while we're at it, da prez sez no shades either. Oh and don't touch a koran, you're a dirty infidel. Oh and those latrines all face east, so move them to face a different direction cuz we can't have you making pee-pees and poops facing mecca.
Oh and yeah no loaded chambers---that will offend our great and gracious hosts. In fact, keep your loaded mags seperate from your weapons. That way you won't offend the Afghani military by returning fire when they open up on you in a staff meeting or such. No crossing your legs, no Bibles, no praying, no ops during ramadamadingdong.
Puh-leeeeeeese!
"All about the mission" might describe about half of the guys on the ground, only problem is the guys calling the shots are busy networking and/or trying to position themselves for cushy gubmint jobs after the retire.
Drek| 1.25.12 @ 10:33AM
It makes you sick when you think about it.
Occam's Tool| 1.25.12 @ 12:01PM
And remember---no farting around the taliban.
All American American| 1.25.12 @ 1:10PM
Pretty soon the uniform of the day over there will be turbins and seven-day shitters. Sandals optional.
Scott| 1.25.12 @ 9:43AM
I really wish I had my copy of Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism close at hand, because all that "oh, if only we were all like the military" talk sounds familiar.
Drek| 1.25.12 @ 10:39AM
The other thing is the quasi enforced subbotnik.
For those who don't know, in the Soviet Union, subbotnik was the Russian word for enforced volunteer activity. You "volunteered" to leave the cities and head out into the country on your day off, and you "volunteered" to work a 16 hour day bringing in the harvest.
Today, subbotnik is found in our high schools, where kids feel they need to demonstrate all this volunteer crap to please liberal admission departments, so as to get into top schools.
And if you happen to be caucasian, then you had better damn well make sure that your volunteer activity demonstrates support for all the right causes. Such volunteer activity has even made inroads in American beauty contests. Recall the chick who was from New Jersey, went to Illinois, won there and then went on to win the Miss America contest. Her cause was AIDS and Gay related, but since she was Roman Catholic, ostensibly Roman Catholic that is, she made a big deal of her breaking through Catholic opposition. That chick even went on to get some small roles in Hollywood, all because her volunteerism represented opposition to the right institutions, and support for all the right causes.
And this is expanding all across our country.
Reid Smith| 1.25.12 @ 11:04AM
Great piece, John.
sre| 1.25.12 @ 11:12AM
Why is that flag one of his possessions?
Occam's Tool| 1.25.12 @ 12:02PM
I'm sure he paid for it out of his own money. (ROFL)
c.j. acworth| 1.25.12 @ 12:17PM
Anybody besides me have AP headlines scrolling across their screen? Even as I type this, I have one saying a SEAL team was on another mission, this time to free an American woman being held in Somalia, as Obama was speaking last nite.
Ed| 1.25.12 @ 12:31PM
There has been no shortage of leftist (and even some ignorant "conservative" columnists) telling us how the Bruins goalie, Tim Thomas, had some obligation to salute Obama and go, on bended knee, before him like a supplicant. One columnist even referenced the movie, Band of Brothers, as an example of how a civilian is subordinated to the president.
Pete| 1.25.12 @ 12:33PM
"All that mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics. No one thought about themselves... More than that, the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other - because you can't charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there's someone behind you, watching your back."
His biggest risk is a military coming in and preventing him from doing illegal acts. He must get the military on his side. Now he can use them to detain any American citizen - even a sitting Senator. If Obama can violate laws and the constitution what would keep him from just assuming full control of the government and not have an election?
As Alinsky said it is about Ballots then Bullets. First you get into power using ballots, then you maintain the power with bullets.
Ed| 1.25.12 @ 12:41PM
And have any of those wonderful generals (remember how slimy Wesley Clark and Colin Powell are and what a douch General Diversity Casey is) resigned out of disagreement with President Obama (or any President) recently. That is what honor would demand if you disagreed with some of the stupider policies leading to our losses in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not a peep.
Skippy| 1.25.12 @ 12:50PM
Anyone notice that half the guests sitting in the Wookie's box last night were military?
He must want them to fight another "stupid war".
What a putz.
All American American| 1.25.12 @ 1:08PM
They were a select group of homosexual military members. No joke.
After NDAA that "stupid war" you reference just might be fought on American soil.
hook| 1.26.12 @ 5:16AM
Good insight, and while I don't think Obama is a monster. I do think he is following a failed model in following European model.
I heard something rather chilling on a plane yest. I sat next to an educated non hostile and informed young man, who was a Marxist or so he said, but sent his kids to private school.
1500w electric moped | 1.28.12 @ 10:59PM
1500w electric moped