“I am an American and I do not feel I owe Mr. McCain ‘an incalculable debt of gratitude’ [quoting Paglia] for his participation in that stupid, unnecessary war… In such a case, a resistance to such an unjust war would rather be the act of patriotism for which we should be grateful… There is nothing worse than a “blind patriot,” so why aren’t we allowed to say so?”Paglia’s response is powerful, and true:
“I would appeal to you and to all Americans that the preservation of our liberties ultimately depends on the enormous dedication and self-sacrifice of our military men and women. I am very concerned about whether our professional class, buffed all shiny and bright by the elite universities, will ever have the will or stamina to defend this nation in a major crisis… Soldiers must do or die by the good judgment or shallow caprice of a nation’s leaders, who are the ones who bear all moral responsibility in this matter.”
I have long been troubled by those who so misunderstand our military’s commitment to duty. This commitment is a large part of what sets the United States apart from the banana republics and rogue states of the modern world. Even those who despise and condemn all acts of violence should appreciate the domestic stability provided by an armed force that will never defy the orders of its Commander in Chief. The system of checks and balances that our founders developed extends to our nation’s most powerful executive arm. The United States government will never find itself under assault by a power-hungry military commander precisely because of our military’s total deference to the orders of its civilian commanders. This submission is not “blind patriotism,” but is an essential manifestation of our military’s unfailing loyalty to the citizens of this great union, and to the constitution that our military has sworn to defend. The value of this absolute loyalty, which often comes at tremendous sacrifice, cannot be understated, but is quite often underappreciated.
