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pecuniumWhat is it, these days, with politicians and the affect of military uniforms.
I understand why Bush was wearing a flight suit when he landed on the carrier. He was getting out of a jet where that was the required garb. I have mixed opinions about his being shown in it. I certainly mislike the use of it in campaign ads.
His affectation of flight jackets, with service logos, and the words, "Commander in Chief" also bother me (as did his wearing of PT gear when he went to serve supper in Baghdad).
We have had military men as president before. We started with one. But none of them were in the service when they were president. It rubs me the wrong way. Civilians make the big call (when, where and how to use force). It's part of the bargain that gets made. We give up some of our autonomy (agreeing to obey all lawful orders, even if we don't like them. Even if we disagree with them. Kind of like cops and enforcing laws, at least in theory) and we know that someone else does the heavy lifting in deciding such things.
But the uniform thing is spreading. Schwarzenegger showed up at some spot, when rhe Russian River was flooding in Northern California, in that same sort of bomber jacket, with the same sort of embroidery.
That sort of, not quite, militarism grates, butthis galls.
That's a picture of Congressman Bob Beauprez; running for Governor in Colorado.
He's got quite a few patches on that uniform. One of them seems to be some sort of crew wings. At best they are honorary, a courtesy to a guest (sort of like getting foreign jump-wings for doing a jump with them. I know one guy who has half-a dozen; and cycles through them just to get reactions); he hasn't earned them.
How do I know this? Why do I care?
Because he dodged the draft. Not once, not twice, but four times. The last of those (in 1970) was after his deferments were up (three of those) and so was his number (160, in a year the call up went to 185). He reported for his physical, but was medically disqualified.
But now, with a war on (which he can't be forced to take part in) he's all about clothing himself in some reflected glory. After all, flight suits are spiffy. They make a guy look manly, resolute (in a way that a flack-jacket and k-pot don't). To fly one of those one has to have nerves of steel and fast reflexes, be able to make critical decisions in split-seconds, when the world is crashing in on you and it would be easy to give in to panic.
But Beauprez, he's just borrowing someone else's finery. Finery they bought and paid for with time, effort, the mastery of fear and indecision.
He's a sham, a poser, a fraud.
I understand why Bush was wearing a flight suit when he landed on the carrier. He was getting out of a jet where that was the required garb. I have mixed opinions about his being shown in it. I certainly mislike the use of it in campaign ads.
His affectation of flight jackets, with service logos, and the words, "Commander in Chief" also bother me (as did his wearing of PT gear when he went to serve supper in Baghdad).
We have had military men as president before. We started with one. But none of them were in the service when they were president. It rubs me the wrong way. Civilians make the big call (when, where and how to use force). It's part of the bargain that gets made. We give up some of our autonomy (agreeing to obey all lawful orders, even if we don't like them. Even if we disagree with them. Kind of like cops and enforcing laws, at least in theory) and we know that someone else does the heavy lifting in deciding such things.
But the uniform thing is spreading. Schwarzenegger showed up at some spot, when rhe Russian River was flooding in Northern California, in that same sort of bomber jacket, with the same sort of embroidery.
That sort of, not quite, militarism grates, but
That's a picture of Congressman Bob Beauprez; running for Governor in Colorado.
He's got quite a few patches on that uniform. One of them seems to be some sort of crew wings. At best they are honorary, a courtesy to a guest (sort of like getting foreign jump-wings for doing a jump with them. I know one guy who has half-a dozen; and cycles through them just to get reactions); he hasn't earned them.
How do I know this? Why do I care?
Because he dodged the draft. Not once, not twice, but four times. The last of those (in 1970) was after his deferments were up (three of those) and so was his number (160, in a year the call up went to 185). He reported for his physical, but was medically disqualified.
But now, with a war on (which he can't be forced to take part in) he's all about clothing himself in some reflected glory. After all, flight suits are spiffy. They make a guy look manly, resolute (in a way that a flack-jacket and k-pot don't). To fly one of those one has to have nerves of steel and fast reflexes, be able to make critical decisions in split-seconds, when the world is crashing in on you and it would be easy to give in to panic.
But Beauprez, he's just borrowing someone else's finery. Finery they bought and paid for with time, effort, the mastery of fear and indecision.
He's a sham, a poser, a fraud.
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no subject
Date: 2006-02-06 05:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-06 06:11 pm (UTC)Don't forget blood and lives.
Stuff like that pisses me off in a very basic way. I wore the USAF uniform for 13 years, and I see red when chickenhawks like him pose in flight suits. There ought to be a UCMJ clause about that. Oh, yeah- there is: impersonating a soldier.
They had a field day with that photo on the Daily Kos.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-06 06:50 pm (UTC)I don't think the, not quite, casual acceptance of risk and death which comes with long wear of the uniform translates well.
I had an interesting exchange once with
TK
no subject
Date: 2006-02-06 07:14 pm (UTC)In my marrow, I know that we are all expendable in one way or another. We're all red shirts in a Star Trek episode. Still, I dislike any poser who rides a bandwagon- be it honoring military people, or anything else where there are real people making real sacrifices. I can go on for hours about fake 'elder' Pagans and fake MCSEs... but I won't.
:-)
no subject
Date: 2006-02-06 06:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-06 07:25 pm (UTC)I admit I haven't checked this out yet; but in a time and place where university students wore uniforms, it seems likely.
no subject
Date: 2006-02-06 06:42 pm (UTC)Commander in Chief
Date: 2006-02-06 11:52 pm (UTC)I guess he want's to play it safe, being integrated and all.
Hey Terry, who do you know is wearing the jump wings without earning them? Is he/she in our unit?
Re: Commander in Chief
Date: 2006-02-07 12:11 am (UTC)But I must have phrased it poorly. I knew I guy who had jumped with (IRRC) Israeli, Thai, German, Austrianm, British, Argentinian, The Marines, and I forget who else's Airborne.
So he'd cycle through them.
TK
Re: Commander in Chief
Date: 2006-02-07 04:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-07 10:59 am (UTC)