Posted on 10/21/2005, 3:02:22 PM by Willie Green
Soldiers of the Army's Special Forces, as my U.S. News & World Report colleague Linda Robinson writes in her riveting book, "Masters of Chaos," are very much aware of "the tradition of their military history."
On the eve of a difficult mission, "more than one soldier went to sleep hoping that the next days would prove him a worthy member of that lineage." One reason the military maintains the names and numbers of old units is so soldiers will be motivated to match the deeds of those who came before and prove worthy to those who come after.
Similarly, one of the comforts of attending religious services is the knowledge that you are doing what others have done before you and others will do after. And most Americans feel a shiver when they hear "The Star-Spangled Banner" played and reflect on the triumphs and tragedies that those serving under that flag have won and suffered over more than 200 years.
But not all of us cherish ties to past traditions. In his 2004 book, "Who Are We" Samuel Huntington wrote that "America's business, professional, intellectual and academic elites . . . abandon commitment to their nation and their fellow citizens, and argue the moral superiority of identifying with humanity at large."
This gap is something new in our history. In the later stages of the Vietnam War — a war begun by elite liberals — elites on campuses began taking an adversarial posture toward their own country. Later, with globalization, a transnational mindset grew among corporate and professional elites. Legal elites, too: Some Supreme Court justices have taken to citing foreign law as one basis for interpreting the U.S. Constitution.
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
ping
BTTT
Go figure.
Should be "America's Liberal Elite" or "America's Marxist Elite".
These idiots were shoved "education" and "experience" like robots and they intrigued to the top.
It is no wonder they want us to work and make love with people we do not know...
perverts, pedophiles, all of them
This is what happens when business loses moral foundation, it cannot stand, and America is following the "anyone" party on footsteps.
If you include the open-borders, pseudo-conservative, neocon, globalist RINOs in that, I agree.
LOL.... aptly put...
America's elite could serve their country by moving to France.
. . abandon commitment to their nation and their fellow citizens, and argue the moral superiority of identifying with humanity at large."
Moral superiority? Try higher profitability.
Great post. He is right on target.
I cannot understand why people who are well educated (as most liberals are) and on the receiving end of so many of the good things this country has to offer (which they are) are so dismissive of the United States.
Seems to me the two biggest reasons are 1.) They have not read any American or world history, or, at least, they have not 'internalized it'; and 2.) They are not thoughtful. Were they thoughtful, they would just have to be AMAZED at how INCREDIBLY UNLIKELY the United States is.
If you look at all other nations, and their histories, particularly their early histories, then, read about ours, you are gonna be bowled over at how phenomenally improbable the founding of our country really was. The people, their quality, the number of them of such high quality, their courage, their thoughtfulness... It boggles the mind that so many were there, together, and founded the country.
Today the typical arrogant educated elite person is most likely expert at some small sliver of knowledge, such as a subspecialty of medicine, engineering, law, or whatever. This person, if he is like most of the people I work with, is incredibly myopic, well versed in what he or she does for a living, but, utterly clueless about anything else.
Once when I was kidding around at work one day in the year 1987, a bunch of us polled the third-year medical students (demographic: college graduates, American educated, age 24, superficially bright and verbal) whether the Civil War came first in American history, or World War I.
Most chose WWI as the earlier event. Some did not know and were comfortable with not knowing ("Is this going to be on the test?")
Jefferson, Franklin, Payne, and the other FFs warned about this sort of feckless individual, and how he would be the undoing of the US.
And here they are, in quantity.
Maybe there should be mandatory American history every year from K through 12. And in college. Maybe that would awaken these young persons.
Where to start: the miraculous life of George Washington.
"America's elite have lost their commitment to their country"
Huh. I thought they were talking about the MSM with that title...
"Today the typical arrogant educated elite person is most likely expert at some small sliver of knowledge...incredibly myopic,utterly clueless about anything else."You noticed that too?I've encountered this phenomena too often.It's not just coincidence.I work with a few folks like that.Having a rational,coherent,intelligent discussion on topics like economics,environment,current events,or whatever is an exercise in TOTAL futility.But you wanna know something?Ignorance is bliss.
for later
Thanks for the ping.
I know you are right, but to me ignorance is not bliss at all. Why is ignorance bliss for these people?
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