Columnist – John Sammon
One of the paradoxes of the last fifty years is that members of the Republican Party, the ultra right of which champions both morality and patriotism, almost never serve in the military. John McCain is a rare exception. Since criticizing others for lacking patriotism is a center pillar activity of the far right, why do the American people not fault the party for its almost total no-show in the military service?
Isn’t backing war when you yourself won’t serve in one, isn’t that a form of hypocrisy?
Democrats in Congress have out-served Republicans in the military almost two to one. Even little Teddy Kennedy with all his millions served in the Navy.
Rush Limbaugh and Romney and Newt and all the rest of them never served. Since patriotism is so important to them, why do they never serve? In fairness to Palin, she did hint that she had some front line experience because she lived in Alaska which is near Russia.
Here are 10 reasons why so few Republicans show up at the military induction center.
1. World War Two was the last white war. A war fought with a large white participation. Korea saw a growth in minority participation, but by the time of Vietnam, class distinctions had grown, and war was mainly fought by a collection of white trash southern hillbillies, whites on the run from the law in the States, and blacks and Mexicans. War became a half-way house for those perceived as losers, while increasing numbers of whites decided to spend their time going to college on student deferments and amassing cash in lucrative careers.
2. Many white right-wingers, while they won’t admit it, don’t like blacks because they consider them to be lowly niggers. They don’t want to eat next to one in the mess hall, and certainly not sleep under one in a bunk bed.
3. Most right wing successful politicians and pundits got where they are because they focused on the prize, advancing themselves. There are some Democrats like this, Slick Willy Clinton for example. It takes a lot of work to achieve a position in Congress or on a network radio hookup. They correctly saw the service as a counterproductive waste of time, as well as a sucker game. However, they like others to fight wars.
4. John Wayne is their hero. He was a slacker from World War Two. His own former wife said he became an ultra conservative, advising young men to go to war in Vietnam, because he felt shame that he missed WW2. While old Clark Gable flew combat missions over Germany and liberal Henry Fonda sat on a ship in the Pacific, Duke lived the sweet life in Hollywood. Congress gave him a medal for it.
5. Many white, ultra conservatives are pudgy short men with medical problems which preclude them from fighting. They like to talk about it more than do it.
6. George Will, the intelligent, urbane columnist of the right wing, when asked why he didn’t serve, answered vaguely that the draft hadn’t started when he was pursuing a Master’s Degree in the early 1960s. In other words, I won’t go in unless I’m forced to. In fairness to George, he does look like he might be raped by other recruits in Basic Training.
7. Bland mess hall food doesn’t appeal to conservatives, many of whom are overweight (see number 5 above).
8. Conservatives have a secret agenda that they don’t believe enough in the wars they support to take part themselves. And they don’t want their children to either. This was neatly summed up to me in person one time years ago when a conservative said to me, “I’m not laying my life down for a bunch of gooks.”
9. Conservatives, especially lately, are too busy pursuing extramarital affairs to bother with service to their country.
10. Conservatives are hypocrites (all of the above).
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The US military were once proud men who fought with the Founding Father’s courage, determination and goals. The individual soldier still tries his or her best to do so today, but now the military-industrial complex (US Chamber of Commerce a/k/a Corporate America) has taken over and senior officers, like the members of Congress, are now just an extension of the long arm of lobbyists.
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