AIN'T IT COOL? A Tale of Two Cultures

American Digest ^ | April 13, 2004 | Gerard Van der Leun

[etcetera]

This photo has the poignancy of the flag raising at Iwo Jima, should be made into a memorial statue...

[Snerfling]

I'm not sure why he targeted OC. One can look in the obits each week to see the number of locals who have died in Iraq. In fact, today's LA Times had quite a few. OC is one of the most conservative places in Calif. An HB councilman has a West Point educated son currenty over in Iraq. For a large number of the kids the author saw at the Irvine Spectrum, many are just passing through a phase before they too become life-long Rs.

[redrock]

"The photograph was taken in a hanger at a military base. It shows a group of young, uncool American Marines kneeling in a tight circle on the ground in prayer. Prayer. How totally uncool. "

...and to add to the 'uncool'...at least two of the Marines kneeling in Prayer....are Medics. Who have probably just done everything they could...ranted..raved...yelled...pleaded...for that young Marine to live.

....and all the time while doing so (I can guarantee this....I've 'been there') they were Praying just as hard and fast as they could.

And in the end...that young Marine could have NO BETTER last vision of this Earth than those men gathered around him.

Happy Easter.

redrock

[wingster]

Probably b/c that was the source of the hippie generation, that area in general.

[Dan(9698)]

My son was in Kwait for three months a couple of years ago.

He e-mailed a picture of one of those.

He will be going to Iraq in May.

[wingster]

Sadly, those who most need to hear this, read it, wouldn't understand it anyway. Wisdom comes with age, experience, and lessons learned. The people this refers to usually don't have the experiences or lessons to establish that wisdom, nor the common sense or existing wisdom to have it generate itself.

Many drop out of those ranks w/ age. That's why the Dim party is so vehemently after the youth culture.

[Travis McGee]

You make a very strong point. I served with a lot of very cool surfer dudes who somehow found their way to the recruiter. But I accept the general point of the article about how the vase majority of today's mall rats could care less about the defense of this nation. They can't even comprehend themselves taking arms to defend America.

[Rocko]

Btt.

[marktwain]

But nobody can justly project the calling of a soldier onto every individual. I'm much more valuable as a businessman than a soldier.

Well said. The nation needs businessmen, housewives, employees, employers, teachers, ministers, scientists, activists, and all the vast threads in the tapestry of Western Civilization that have made us as strong as we are.

The war is against us all, and we would win oh so easily, if we did not have to contend with the 5th column that are the Demonrats and the OldDominantLiberalMedia.

[optik_b]

"I see a need for a voluntary 'rite of passage' type draft in America..
One tied to becoming a full voting citizen. -- Call it a boot camp for the franchise. -- No service, no vote."

Robert Heinlein supported this point of view in his novels.

[Joe Hadenuf]

I'm not sure why he targeted OC. One can look in the obits each week to see the number of locals who have died in Iraq. In fact, today's LA Times had quite a few. OC is one of the most conservative places in Calif.

Good question.

[lodwick]

Thanks for a most interesting post - good job with it.

Cheers.

[HiJinx]

I'm pinging to a slightly different topic today, y'all. But I'm guessing there are more than a few on this list who will appreciate this essay.

HJ

[Big Horn]

Very well done. This is one of the reasons I come to FR.

[dbwz]

Mr. Van Der Leun, thank you for the article, and Archy, thank you for posting the photo.

[dennisw]

stellar

[MegaSilver]

Wonderful writing.

I absolutely abhor the culture of "cool." Maturity, etiquette, manners, and order have no meaning to the hedonistic fascists of our time.

[Joe Hadenuf]

I agree, however, this guy singles out OC like these types of young people don't exist in Texas, Colorado, NY etc. Tons of conservative in the so. Cal area that stand more than a few paces to the right of Bush, and their kids grow up just like them.

[archy]

One tied to becoming a full voting citizen. -- Call it a boot camp for the franchise. -- No service, no vote.

Read Starship Troopers by Heinlein.

Military service OR a somewhat longer term in social/community service or no franchise.

Interesting read even with out the bugs.

FYI, see the discussion at the thread here, in particular post #102