The American Way and A Real American Hero

Recently I saw the latest comic book epic to hit the big screen: GI Joe. What became readily apparent in the film is that the GI Joe unit is not a US operation, but is composed of the best soldiers from the military forces of every nation of the world. Duke, one of the first characters the movie introduces, is American but is a member of NATO.

After watching the film I tried to figure out what was missing, and it finally hit me—GI Joe, when I was a kid, was "a real American Hero." This tag line was conspicuously absent from the film. This happened a couple years ago with the release of Superman Returns, when he was only fighting for only "truth and justice" and not "the American Way" also.

So the question is why are we stripping our heroic icons of their red, white, and blue mantles? Some say it is simply the fact that these phrases were not original to the respective stories: see NY Slimes Article.

Others point to the fact that these movies are made for international distribution and should cater to an international audience. As an ardent supporter of international trade and capitalism I can buy into this argument, but just a bit. I believe that the world needs a standard to look to and I believe that America is a beacon to the rest of the world.

I am reminded of the words of then Governor Ronald Reagan:

"We cannot escape our destiny, nor should we try to do so. The leadership of the free world was thrust upon us two centuries ago in that little hall of Philadelphia. In the days following World War II, when the economic strength and power of America was all that stood between the world and the return to the dark ages, Pope Pius XII said, “The American people have a great genius for splendid and unselfish actions. Into the hands of America God has placed the destinies of an afflicted mankind.”

We are indeed, and we are today, the last best hope of man on earth."

--The Shining City Upon A Hill, on January 25, 1974 to First Conservative PAC

Nine years later he spoke similar words about the greatness of America:

“The United States remains the last best hope for a mankind plagued by tyranny and deprivation. America is no stronger than its people - and that means you and me. Well, I believe in you, and I believe that if we work together then one day we will say, ‘We fought the good fight. We finished the race We kept the faith.’ And to our children and our children's children we can say, ‘We did all that could be done in the brief time that was given to us here on earth.’ ”

--Remarks at the Annual Members Banquet of the National Rifle Association in Phoenix, Arizona on May 6, 1983

Unfortunately, many people in our country fail to see this vision. Those who fail to understand the greatness of America have conglomerated in certain fields that have great persuasive abilities, namely the Media, Academia, and Entertainment. Hollywood has long been a purveyor of this negative sentiment that like a debilitating virus strikes at the vital systems of our citizenry. Gone are the days of John Wayne and the likes. Now we are almost completely bereft of entertainment that carries with it patriotic overtones or undertones.

I mentioned the vital systems, in doing so I have in mind the youth of America, particularly those aged 4-10. It was during these years that I watched shows like GI Joe. I learned that America and its institutions can work to overcome evil in the world. You can call it propaganda, but what it does is propagate ideas that can shape a generation; the question is which ideas are being propagated?

I ask, What is wrong with teaching the rising generation that America is a great land? And that we must be a virtuous people and set an example to the world of right living, a just and civil society, and a proper moral order? We are a shining city on a hill, and appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions we can say that we are an example to every nation of how a society should live and govern.

So let Superman defend the American Way and let GI Joe be a Real American Hero.

Socialized Medicine Will Be the Biggest Mistake in American History

"Now back in 1927 an American socialist, Norman Thomas, six times candidate for president on the Socialist Party ticket, said the American people would never vote for socialism. But he said under the name of liberalism the American people will adopt every fragment of the socialist program.

One of the traditional methods of imposing statism or socialism on a people has been by way of medicine. It’s very easy to disguise a medical program as a humanitarian project. Most people are a little reluctant to oppose anything that suggests medical care for people who possibly can’t afford it.

Now, the American people, if you put it to them about socialized medicine and gave them a chance to choose, would unhesitatingly vote against it. We had an example of this. Under the Truman administration it was proposed that we have a compulsory health insurance program for all people in the United States, and, of course, the American people unhesitatingly rejected this.

Let’s take a look at social security itself. Again, very few of us disagree with the original premise that there should be some form of savings that would keep destitution from following unemployment by reason of death, disability or old age. And to this end, social security was adopted, but it was never intended to supplant private savings, private insurance, pension programs of unions and industries.

Now in our country under our free enterprise system we have seen medicine reach the greatest heights that it has in any country in the world. Today, the relationship between patient and doctor in this country is something to be envied any place. The privacy, the care that is given to a person, the right to chose a doctor, the right to go from one doctor to the other.

But let’s also look from the other side, at the freedom the doctor loses. A doctor would be reluctant to say this. Well, like you, I am only a patient, so I can say it in his behalf. The doctor begins to lose freedoms; it’s like telling a lie, and one leads to another. First you decide that the doctor can have so many patients. They are equally divided among the various doctors by the government. But then the doctors aren’t equally divided geographically, so a doctor decides he wants to practice in one town and the government has to say to him you can’t live in that town, they already have enough doctors. You have to go some place else. And from here it is only a short step to dictating where he will go.

This is a freedom that I wonder whether any of us have the right to take from any human being. All of us can see what happens once you establish the precedent that the government can determine a man’s working place and his working methods, determine his employment. From here it is a short step to all the rest of socialism, to determining his pay and pretty soon your children won’t decide when they’re in school where they will go or what they will do for a living. They will wait for the government to tell them where they will go to work and what they will do.

What can we do about this? Well, you and I can do a great deal. We can write to our congressmen and our senators. We can say right now that we want no further encroachment on these individual liberties and freedoms. And at the moment, the key issue is, we do not want socialized medicine.

Former Representative Halleck of Indiana has said, “When the American people want something from Congress, regardless of its political complexion, if they make their wants known, Congress does what the people want.”

So write, and if your representative writes back to you and tells you that he or she too is for free enterprise, that we have these great services and so forth, that must be performed by government, don’t let them get away with it. Show that you have not been convinced. Write a letter right back and tell them that you believe in government economy and fiscal responsibility; that you know governments don’t tax to get the money the need; governments will always find a need for the money they get and that you demand the continuation of our free enterprise system. You and I can do this. The only way we can do it is by writing to our congressmen even we believe that he is on our side to begin with. Write to strengthen his hand. Give him the ability to stand before his colleagues in Congress and say “I have heard from my constituents and this is what they want.”

Write those letters now; call your friends and them to write them. If you don’t, this program I promise you, will pass just as surely as the sun will come up tomorrow, and behind it will come other federal programs that will invade every area of freedom as we have known it in this country. Until, one day, as Normal Thomas said we will awake to find that we have socialism. And if you don’t do this and if I don’t do it, one of these days we are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children, what it once was like in America when men were free."

Reagan was right, he was almost always right. That is because he stood on principle and understood many important truths about government and man. Conservatism believes in these principles and that is why we can only prosper as a nation when we follow correct principles.

Politicians and the Philosophy of Self-Promotion

I would like to point out the two political motives typical of the best leaders.

1. Those who humbly run for office at the instance of others whom they respect—examples of this include George Washington and Ronald Reagan.

2. Those who humbly recognize their unique abilities that are needed in a given situation.

In neither of these cases is the potential leader seeking to elevate himself above others. Most importantly true statesmen do not see themselves as better than others but as "humble servants."

Please find me these people in our government today. A career politician is a self-promoting, egomaniac and should not be trusted with the special stewardship of power that comes with elected office.