Great Words, Great Deeds
It was a good speech. He said all the right things and didn’t say any of the wrong ones. White House transcript. It’s being hailed as the “best ever,” but they seem to say that every time he opens his mouth. Unlike his other great rhetorical moments, no one gets thrown under the bus in this one. He could have gone farther than “more incomprehensible” in my view, as there is nothing really incomprehensible about it at all. We’re a long way down this road. We’ve been here before.
But after that sopping drivel about diversity and being unwilling to speculate, it was good to see something close to an acknowledgement that this was an act of war, and that these soldiers died in combat. It was masterfully lawyerly in skating close to that line. Which is why it was not a great speech. A great speech would have ended with Obama awarding Purple Hearts. Perhaps a denunciation of treason, or for a better rhetorical note, an expression of deep and profound sadness that from within the embrace of America, treachery and cowardice can yet emerge. Perhaps some praise for such a great nation that, quite apart from the official incompetence that enabled the killings, accepted even the killer up to the moment of his deadly act, and in the wake of repeated provocations, has been restrained and measured in its response. With few and isolated acts of bigotry and vigilante violence.
Here are some words that for Obama, if he truly believes them and is willing to act on them, could signal a new understanding and a willingness to rise to the greatest challenge of our age. To be courageous as a president.
These are trying times for our country. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the same extremists who killed nearly 3,000 Americans continue to endanger America, our allies, and innocent Afghans and Pakistanis. In Iraq, we’re working to bring a war to a successful end, as there are still those who would deny the Iraqi people the future that Americans and Iraqis have sacrificed so much for.
As we face these challenges, the stories of those at Fort Hood reaffirm the core values that we are fighting for, and the strength that we must draw upon. Theirs are the tales of American men and women answering an extraordinary call — the call to serve their comrades, their communities, and their country. In an age of selfishness, they embody responsibility. In an era of division, they call upon us to come together. In a time of cynicism, they remind us of who we are as Americans.
We are a nation that endures because of the courage of those who defend it. We saw that valor in those who braved bullets here at Fort Hood, just as surely as we see it in those who signed up knowing that they would serve in harm’s way.
We are a nation of laws whose commitment to justice is so enduring that we would treat a gunman and give him due process, just as surely as we will see that he pays for his crimes.
We’re a nation that guarantees the freedom to worship as one chooses. And instead of claiming God for our side, we remember Lincoln’s words, and always pray to be on the side of God.
We’re a nation that is dedicated to the proposition that all men and women are created equal. We live that truth within our military, and see it in the varied backgrounds of those we lay to rest today. We defend that truth at home and abroad, and we know that Americans will always be found on the side of liberty and equality. That’s who we are as a people.
Tomorrow is Veterans Day. It’s a chance to pause, and to pay tribute — for students to learn the struggles that preceded them; for families to honor the service of parents and grandparents; for citizens to reflect upon the sacrifices that have been made in pursuit of a more perfect union.
For history is filled with heroes. You may remember the stories of a grandfather who marched across Europe; an uncle who fought in Vietnam; a sister who served in the Gulf. But as we honor the many generations who have served, all of us — every single American — must acknowledge that this generation has more than proved itself the equal of those who’ve come before.
We need not look to the past for greatness, because it is before our very eyes.
This generation of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have volunteered in the time of certain danger. They are part of the finest fighting force that the world has ever known. They have served tour after tour of duty in distant, different and difficult places. They have stood watch in blinding deserts and on snowy mountains. They have extended the opportunity of self-government to peoples that have suffered tyranny and war. They are man and woman; white, black, and brown; of all faiths and all stations — all Americans, serving together to protect our people, while giving others half a world away the chance to lead a better life.
In today’s wars, there’s not always a simple ceremony that signals our troops’ success — no surrender papers to be signed, or capital to be claimed. But the measure of the impact of these young men and women is no less great — in a world of threats that no know borders, their legacy will be marked in the safety of our cities and towns, and the security and opportunity that’s extended abroad. It will serve as testimony to the character of those who served, and the example that all of you in uniform set for America and for the world.
Words are nice. Gestures, such as the awards and a prosecution that reflects reality, are better. But it’s deeds that matter. If Obama believes everything he said about the sacrifice of soldiers, and if this represents a moment of maturation for him as a president, then perhaps he will stop trying to second-guess his field commander by increments, sacrifice his own political considerations, and give his commander what he needs to do the job in Afghanistan. I guarantee you that whatever political cost the president may pay, it will be more than offset by the political gains and a kind of admiration he has not yet experienced. That earned by doing the right thing rather than by simply being the right thing. Then the president can make another stirring speech, one that is actually backed by his own deeds, about how we’re engaged in a long war in defense of our nation and our values, about how America doesn’t quit, America owes it to the dead, the living and those yet unborn to get the job done, and do it right. About how American soldiers have shown they know how to do it, and they are willing to do it, and we owe them all the support we can give them. About how, in time of war, the noblest thing any American could do is join them on the field of battle.
It’s the last day of Valour IT. Team Marines are not only leading, they’re off the charts. But it isn’t over till its over, and the overall project still needs you. All proceeds go to buy laptops and specialized equipment and software for war-wounded member of all branches. Give as you can. Donate via Team Marines.
(Care to comment? Use the “contact” link to assure me you are a real human being interested in commenting on the topics at hand. Include your preferred screenname and temporary password. Lefty Kumbayah singers, moderate handwringers, meanspirited rightwingers all welcome. This is a free speech zone as long as you keep it clean and make an effort to be accurate.)
Topics: Obama, courage, military
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 8:02 am on Wednesday, November 11, 2009
4 Responses to “Great Words, Great Deeds”
Leave a Reply
Trackback URLYou must be logged in to post a comment.
November 11th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Only the naive will deny that we are engaged in a war, and war cannot end until there is a winner and a loser. We can’t defeat that which we don’t properly name.
Obama and his administration refuse to label the threat we face: fundamental Islam. The jihadists carry out attacks mandated by religious doctrine in their goal to defeat us.
Obama’s speech, prepared by those who either didn’t serve in the military or know little about its culture, was delivered with his usual elan, but for me it was empty rhetoric. Expect more of the same.
November 11th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
[...] Jules Crittenden: “It was a good speech. He said all the right things and didn’t say any of the wrong ones.” [...]
November 11th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Nice post … you’re more charitable, if that can be said here, than I was. No mention of Islam or terrorism.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
[...] denial, and Kathy Shaidle on Remembrance Day in a forgetful west – plus: Jules Crittenden on words and deeds; and Rex Murphy on Europe’s leap of faith …. (Via [...]