A note from Radarsite: This short essay on America garnered more controversy than any other article on Radarsite either before or after. It had begun by my asking myself how "Old Blood and Guts" Patton would address our current generation if he were still around. Thus this Brief Message to America was written with the sound of General Patton's inimitable voice in my ears. I received so much hate mail from this small article that it spawned a whole new article just to deal with the spiteful comments, which was subsequently published by the Chicago Sun Times. I hope you will find the time to also read this follow-up piece. We live in interesting times, don't we? - rg----------------------------------------------------
America -- it's time to stop what you're doing for a minute and take a good long look in the mirror.
You have allowed other people to delineate your image for too long now. You have uncritically accepted their skewed portraiture as truth and bought into their self-serving lies. You have been bullied by cold-hearted cynics and wrong-headed critics into believing that you are something that you are not, and never could have been.
It's time to stop all that now, America. It's time to remember who the hell you are. In the words of our late great Ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick, "Americans need to face up to the truth about themselves, no matter how pleasant it is."
You seem to have forgotten that the world is weak and envious of your strength. They want what you have and deride you because they need you. But your detractors are small and petty and vicious; and you are great and beautiful.
You are nothing less than the light of the world, and the hope of all its people. Without your stalwart protection and the selfless sacrifice of your courageous fathers and sons who have fought and died on foreign soil to protect other people's liberties, the glorious achievements of this whole wondrous Western Civilization would have long ago crumbled into dust and been trampled under the feet of the barbarians.
So listen up now, America. The world needs you once again. Take a good hard look at yourself. And stand tall and be proud. You are quite simply the bravest, most noble, most generous, most high-minded and judicious nation the world has ever known.
And we love you.
Voted by Fox News at GOP Hub
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We Americans, for the most part, are hte off-casts of the older societies from across the planet. We are a young nation that quickly grew and surpassed the older established nations in wealth and power. We build freedoms their own subjects are still denied and we desire to see others establish those freedoms for themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe elites from other nations hate that and hold that against us.
Our elites wish to emulate the older elites for their power, not the nations.
Wake up America before we are subjected to elites as other nations are and our freedoms restricted worse than they are today.
Good piece, Roger.
here here Roger.. well said.
ReplyDeleteMy Dear Mr. Gardner,
ReplyDeleteYour affectionate patriotism is sincere, inspiring, and in desperate need of being shared!
I am reminded (as so often I am) of the word's of Sir Winston Churchill to the people of Britain in the final throes of World War II, "There is still a lot to do, and that you must be prepared for further efforts of mind and body and further sacrifices to great causes if you are not to fall back into the rut of inertia, the confusion of aim, and the craven fear of being great."
This "craven fear" infects too much of America at present. You cannot afford it. Whether the world cares to admit it or not, we need you America; for you truly are the last best hope of mankind!
Cheers,
Charlie
America has so much that is good in it... and yes, we have let the good through far more than most other countries.
ReplyDeleteBut there are also dark sides of America... and those we need to FIGHT. Pretending they are not there is giving up to them.
Here are just a few (not all) of the things in America that we need to fight in order to remain as a beacon to the world:
- The culture of selfishness
- Hollywood's ugly values
- The entitlement mentality
- Lack of respect for life
- Hyper-materialism
Rugged individualism is a great American trait, yet in the past we always balanced it with a vibrant community life as well. This is still true in many places. Yet I fear all that is left in too many people is a debased version of individualism that amounts to nothing more than selfishness... get as much as I can now, I don't care about anyone else. This alone is probably the biggest problem since so many others stem from it.
Notice that all of the things I mentioned have to do with culture. It is America's culture that has made us great... and it is America's culture that is under attack and decaying. We cannot remain a light to the world when our internal fire is dimming.
Well said, Roger and much needed for so many in the US to hear. It seems some people like to wallow in their self-hatred of America. They see is as a good thing, to talk their country down in the public and around the world. They are so wrong. We Americans should be cheerleaders for our country, because there is no other country in the world like America. Yes, she has faults, but hopefully we love her enough to see those faults and correct them, not rip America apart.
ReplyDeleteDebbie Hamilton
Right Truth
Thanks again everyone for your great comments.
ReplyDeleteAnd to 'scientastic' I would only say this: If I may use another (I think quite appropriate) WWII analogy, during that terrible conflict -- which I do indeed remember -- there were many things wrong and unfair about our American society. But, just as when your own family is under attack from outside forces, there is a time to pull together and rally round each other.
To me it seems that to choose these particular times of imminent peril to our nation to try to undermine the moral authority of this great nation only serves the interest of our enemies. This is not patriotism, it is more a matter of loyalty -- a characteristic notably absent in some of our multiculturalist critics.
Yes -- and thank God and all of those who sacrificed their lives for the privilege -- we do have the rights to free speech; however, I for one choose to use those rights to aid my country in her time of peril -- as I would similarly aid my family -- in every way that I can, and leave the fault-finding to our detractors and our enemies.
Some people, it seems to me, take great pride in their ability to speak their minds; I only wish they took great pride in their country first.
Beautifully written, Roger. America is not only the beacon of freedom, she defends it here and abroad, which is why Ayaan Hirsi Ali flees to America rather than to some European dhimmified country when she needs protection from the enemies of liberty.
ReplyDeleteAmerica is also the most eloquent voice for liberty, and while some may say we are extreme and over-sensitive in defense of it, it is only because we recognize that human history is a dark tunnel that has seen so little of the spark of self determination. America's greatest product might very well be the voices that rise in defense of dignity and freedom for mankind in a world that would rather find security in slavery and ignorance than carry the burden of freedom.
That is how I see you all - as rhetorical swords clashing against the pikes of submission. This is what it means to be an American. Others can dismiss our passion - but we must never forget the burden we carry as the world's last bastion of freedom.
"You are nothing less than the light of the world, and the hope of all its people."
ReplyDeleteYES! and please, never forget that. There are millions of us who aren't Americans who thank God for her every day.
The sight of a warship in our ports, flying the Stars and Stripes brings a lump to my throat every time I see it and I don't see it anywhere near as often as I'd wish.
Remember--you have far, far more friends than your own media and domestic detractors would have you believe.
In a monarchy, a family owns the country. In a dictatorship, a gangster owns the country. In a democracy, the citizens own the country. That's why democracies are always richer, always more stable, always kinder than other forms of government.
ReplyDeleteIf there is freedom of speech, ideas can compete with each other, and the truth will surface. The authors of the First Amendment knew the secret of success.
Separation of powers is sloppy and time consuming, but separating power gives everybody power. The authors of the Constitution knew the secret of a making a country strong.
A short note to my readers:
ReplyDeleteThis small article has been posted elsewhere today, and interestingly has produced more angry hate mail than anything I've written so far -- even that article about the Jews, which I was certain would produce all sorts of hateful replies, but actually produced none.
However, this Message to America has also garnered some of the warmest and most supportive responses I've ever received.
Patriotism, it seems, is an extremely controversial and heated subject, even more so than anti-semitism.
None of this hostility, surprisngly, comes from overseas. It all comes from right here in America. From overseas -- as evidenced by these comments here at Radarsite -- we receive nothing but unqualified support.
Interesting, isn't it?
rg
Roger.. WELL DONE, OUTSTANDING and for those who "just don't get it" Pity them..For they are wasting a brain...
ReplyDeleteAmerica - Unbound.
ReplyDeleteWhy would this piece trigger hate mail? Seems quite harmless to me.
ReplyDeleteThank you satiricohen. To you and me it does seem harmless. But then, as you well know, to some people America is a monster who threatens the safety of the world. Thanks for that simple statement of reason.
ReplyDeleteThank you Roger for your lucid thoughts and observations. I appreciate and can relate to all.
ReplyDeleteWell, hello Helena! What a nice surprise! Welcome to Radarsite. And thanks for those nice words. Please visit often, your thoughts are always valued here.
ReplyDeleterg
Left a comment for you on Maggie's Notebook. Without duplicating it here suffice it to say I am one of those not criticizing the piece.
ReplyDeleteEvery day lately I get the sense more and more posts are appearing that offer a positive reaction to the country I love, the good old USA.
I find that encouraging.