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| 2002-11-26 |
| Source: InstaPundit Frank Schaeffer, a novelist from "the Volvo-driving, higher education-worshiping North Shore of Boston," has a moving essay in today's Washington Post on his son's decision to join the Marine Corps. My son has connected me to my country in a way that I was too selfish and insular to experience before. I feel closer to the waitress at our local diner than to some of my oldest friends. She has two sons in the Corps. They are facing the same dangers as my boy. When the guy who fixes my car asks me how John is doing, I know he means it. His younger brother is in the Navy. Schaeffer also paints a scathing portrait of his elitist neighbors' reactions: "But aren't the Marines terribly Southern?" asked one perplexed mother while standing next to me at the brunch following graduation. "What a waste, he was such a good student," said another parent. One parent (a professor at a nearby and rather famous university) spoke up at a school meeting and suggested that the school should "carefully evaluate what went wrong." Read the whole thing. When I read that part of the essay, I could just imagine how Rudyard Kipling might have reacted: We are patricians of Boston, intellectuals proud and strong; We send our kids to private school to avoid the unwashed throng. When we were young we dodged the draft and got in Johnson's face For we think our home and country is all the world's disgrace. For it's Chomsky this, The Nation that, and "George Bush is a clown!" And "the USA deserved it!" when they knocked the Towers down; They knocked the Towers down, my boys, they knocked the Towers down, Yes, the USA deserved it when they knocked the Towers down. Yes, making mock of uniforms that guard us while we sleep Lets us feel ourselves superior, and do it on the cheap; And talking of root causes when we appear on NPR Is five times more "intellectual" than fighting a just war. For it's Chomsky this, The Nation that, and "George Bush is a brute!" And burn the flag in protest when the guns begin to shoot; The guns begin to shoot, my boys, the guns begin to shoot, Yes, burn the flag in protest when the guns begin to shoot. We have no use for heroes, heroism's not our scene, We cannot understand why John joined up with the Marines; They're yahoos from the red states; they lack advanced degrees; They don't even have Volvos! They ride in green Humvees. Yes it's Chomsky this, The Nation that; but we know we'd lack the soul To stand up for our neighbors when Todd Beamer called, "Let's roll!" We're snobbish and self-centered, it's beneath our pride to serve; But we'll exercise our freedoms, tho' we know they're undeserved! |
| Posted by:Mike M. |
| #10 This peom is great. Nice job. Greg |
| Posted by: Greg Dougherty 2002-11-28 17:54:09 |
| #9 Joe Zarro, boy wonder! That was really great work! How do those completely without a clue get in the position of "Opinion Editor: Joe Zarro", opinioneditor@thedailyaztec.com - oops, there a went giving you all his e-mail address! Please feel free to write Joe and tell him how cute that little hat looks on his head! Just like a REAL reporter! So important and with such BIG THOUGHTS ... Unfortunately this is all too common on college campuses today. They all think that Noam Chomsky and Michael Moore are the oracles of truth fighting the oppression of the capitalist, U.S. war machine. If you like Joe Zero you'll love Daniel Moore Penn State crusader at this address - http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2002/10/10-23-02tdc/10-23-02dops-column-01.asp Jeez, we have to get control over our universities. |
| Posted by: Rick Stinson 2002-11-27 11:44:19 |
| #8 I understand that since they have taken it off the air MTV's "Jackass" title and name is available. Perhaps we should reconstitute that program (aim it for the young audience) and feature the views of Zero and his ilk counterpoised with Schaeffer and Fred's view. The object of the show will be to have instant voting by the TV audience and whichever side wins gets to throw the other side off a burning sofa riding on the back of a pickup truck. |
| Posted by: Jack 2002-11-27 05:14:05 |
| #7 Chuck, That is a fine piece of writing. I'm an Englishman. I recently attended the rememberence day ceremony (11th Nov - the first world war is potent here, a huge number of men died) memorial in my town. I cried. I thought about all those blokes, *stupidly huge, enormously huge* numbers of blokes who died in that war. I clenched my fists and thought of them - tried to think of them, wanted to, wanted to think that if I thought of them hard enough they'd get some glimmer of life again. stupid me. I tried to think of what they might say to someone like Zarro. If he'd been there I think I'd of killed him. Tried to. I think the old soldiers might have stopped me. They didn't see their mates die in the tens of thousands to allow someone like me to kill someone just because I disagreed with him. I guess that's the point. My thanks to your Dad. |
| Posted by: Tony 2002-11-26 20:08:49 |
| #6 Both the Kiplingesque piece and Mr. Schaeffer's article are interesting and well presented, and they raise a point about Mr. Zarro's work. It's a rehash, but the thing that it has most in common with most of the articles it's parrotting is the bad writing. I'm not talking about the ideas. I'm referring to grammar, usage and organization. I really expect more from an English major. Regards-RR Ryan |
| Posted by: RR Ryan 2002-11-26 16:40:09 |
| #5 I live in San Diego, and got a BSCE from San Diego State, and can tell you that slug Zarro is an exception, not a rule. He is apparently auditioning for a job in the major media on graduation. You would be hard pressed to find a more patriotic town, home of Marines and Navy fleet. As an SDSU Aztec alum I am ashamed of his screed.... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2002-11-26 15:28:58 |
| #4 My son asked me yesterday 'what it was that kept us free'?, I said it was a thin green line of American Marines. To read the original kipling Click Here. |
| Posted by: Frank Martin 2002-11-26 15:11:38 |
| #3 Mike, you got it right. I live in a liberal enclave, and work in another, and some days I just have to grind my teeth in anger. Chuck -- pass along my thanks to your Dad if he's still with us, and to his memory if he isn't. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2002-11-26 15:02:53 |
| #2 Yup, this is the kind of s*** us token Mass. conservatives (both of us) have to put up with... |
| Posted by: Raj 2002-11-26 14:48:33 |
| #1 Around the net, the screed of a college kid named Joe Zarro has gotten some attention. Some thoughts about my dad and the screed in the Daily Aztec by Joe Zarro. The preceding post really has me pissed. This college boy is messing with my family. Dad quit school in the eigth grade when his father died, and went to work to help support his eight brothers and sisters. Scrambling for money on the mean streets of Jersey City during the Great Depression. People starved, you know. You could then, without really trying. Now, you have to go out of your way to starve in the United States, but not then. At 17, he joined the United States Army and did a tour with the Coast Artillery in Panama, as a radioman. About 1933 ish. It made him a man, disciplined, thoughtful, willing to learn. When he got out he found a good job, and worked in a wallpaper factory until the Japanese attacked us. He enlisted, and proceeded to visit sunny North Africa, sunny Sicily, rainy England, and generally cold France and Germany. He rose rapidly to the rank of master sargeant, top kick for his unit, and the go to guy for the officers. Non coms run the Army. He was shot at, and did some shooting. He never talked much about that, only a few stories that ended with everyone alive and that were funny. He was one of a generation who knew war and kept its terrible secrets. The moron who wrote the editorial that I commented on is fortunate. Dad, a meek and mild sort, would have kicked his butt. No shouting, just a good old fashioned butt kicking. Dad and his fellow servicemen and women fought to give this boy the right to say what he did. They didn't fight to make him right, just to make him free. I truly don't think that this boy realizes what he has. Dad saw the camps, and he saw the refugees throwing themselves in front of trains to keep from being sent East, to the Russians. He was dirt poor, living above a stable at one point in his youth, and died a success. His children, grown, educated, good jobs, loving wife that he had provided for. And every moment he was in the Army, he knew why. This child's every breath is due to my dad, and all the others. His freedom, his ability to attend college, even to wear the stupid hat he has on in his photo, all due to Dad. So, in the spirit of the Blogosphere, Joe Zarro, KISS MY ASS, YOU FUCKWAD! Dad's War |
| Posted by: Chuck 2002-11-26 14:13:10 |