Obama-haters are hopping mad that Obama saluted troops while holding a cup of café latte in his saluting hand.
Obama supporters (saluters?) and others who just like pointing out hypocrisy have responded by showing that George W. Bush was equally guilty, because he once saluted troops … while holding a dog.
Three thoughts:
1. Who cares? (But please keep reading.)
2. This “scandal” reveals the problem embedded in all mainstream U.S. political discourse: Americans are partisan, not principled. A principled look at this scandal would say that both Bush and Obama are wrong, or they’re not. Our country would be a hell of a lot better off if we could get over rooting for “our guy/gal.” (And no politician is YOUR guy/gal unless you’re Monsanto or the Koch Bros. or a weapons maker.) I didn’t support Bush, because he was a warmonger and violated our civil rights by spying on us, throwing “enemy combatants” into Guantanamo, etc. I haven’t supported Obama, because he is a warmonger and has violated our civil rights by spying on us, throwing “enemy combatants” into Guantanamo, etc.
Being principled is actually pretty easy!
It’s a lot easier than engaging in tendentious arguments with other partisan fools/useful idiots.
Partisanship turns us into a nation of hair-splitting bloviats who argue that holding a dog while saluting is worse than holding a cup of café latte while saluting. (It’s also stupid to fight over this because for the right answer to this conundrum, we need to wait to see what our kids are taught in the Common Core State Standards curriculum version of Civics 101.)
3. Proper salute or not, any modern US President has ZERO respect for the military. He sends troops “into harm’s way” without adequate protection and when it’s not even necessary. Many soldiers and sailors and airmen and –women who get hurt get crappy treatment at the Veteran’s Administration hospitals. Warmongering Americans should read US Marine Corps General and double Medal of Honor winner Smedley Butler’s “War is a Racket.” (I won’t even complain if they move their lips while doing so.)
Some Americans are so propagandized about how it’s so great to fight and die for one’s country (really it’s all for Big Business, and dying in battle sucks) that they’re pacified by a seemingly respectful salute by a douchebag politician who is secretly laughing his ass off at the troops, thinking how they’re all suckers.
With dog in one hand and coffee in another, I salute these bloviats.
Brian J. Foley is the author of A New Financial You in 28 Days! A 37-Day Plan (Gegensatz Press 2011). Email him your thanks and praise at BrianJFoleyInc@yahoo.com