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I understand the sentiment, but frankly, I’m tired of the Lucy with the football meme. Defeatism is worse than just useless to our cause, it’s destructive of it. How many great victories throughout history were preceded by a string of demoralizing failures? And in virtually every case, the naysayers vastly outnumbered those who held steadfast to the cause.

As Americans, we have no better example than our own country’s fight for liberty. I see a clear parallel on our side today to the colonists who argued for remaining loyal to the British crown, and the much smaller group who remained faithful to the fight for independence. Just as today, the naysayers thought it was an impossible fight, and frankly used their cynicism as an excuse for their unwillingness to risk relative comfort for a greater cause. And as we all know, the war for independence appeared hopeless, before victory was finally achieved.

Given that history, I don’t understand how any true American patriot can be a defeatist. People like that make me sick, and they are completely irrelevant to our righteous cause as they contribute nothing to it, yet they attempt to demoralize those who insist on remaining engaged in the fight.

While I know they don’t intend it this way, I see the “Lucy with the football” BS as little different from Tokyo Rose’s propaganda. The effect, in the end, is the same. Stop trying to demoralize the “troops.”

How many great victories throughout history were preceded by a string of demoralizing failures? And in virtually every case, the naysayers vastly outnumbered those who held steadfast to the cause.

Very nice post and I guess it was a good thing the Internet wasn't around during the Revolutionary War period of 1775-1783 when Washington's Army was suffering setback after setback.

The defeatists would have been advocating that Washington's Army just give up and learn to accept British rule.

I understand what you’re saying. But please do not confuse being a defeatist with being a realist.

So what’s the difference between a defeatist and a realist? A defeatist abandons the field at the very first sign of trouble. A realist instead looks at patterns, and past history. And from that he makes an honest, educated guess.

One nice thing about Free Republic is that JimRob allows many different conservative viewpoints. Cheerleaders are welcome. And doubters are welcome too.