Question:  If we observe Labor Day by not working, should we observe Memorial Day by forgetting our history, the Fourth of July by being anti-American, and Christmas by becoming nonbelievers?  Oh wait, we already are.

A Rally to Remind Us What Honor Means?

David C. Stolinsky, MD
Sept. 2, 2010

Upgrading the memory of a computer can improve its functioning. Upgrading the memory of a nation can have a similar effect. That is exactly what Glenn Beck’s rally in Washington was. And on a much smaller scale, that’s what I hope these columns are − an effort to remind us of what made us exceptional. You see, I’m old enough to remember when:

We didn’t need a rally to remind us of honor.

We didn’t need a rally to restore basic religious and moral values. We had already been taught them at home, in church or synagogue, and at school. We didn’t need a rally to tell us what honor meant. We were reminded every time we went to an airport or a train or bus station. We saw men and women in uniform, coming back from overseas or preparing to deploy there. We saw people willing to risk everything to defend freedom. On Memorial Day, we visited our National Cemetery to honor those who had given everything to defend freedom − our own and others’.

I hope the rally marks a turning point for our nation. But I regret that it was necessary.

We didn’t enable tyrants.

In the Nazi era, no one favored the Nazis – or if they did, they kept quiet to avoid a beating. During the Cold War, a few leftists favored the communists. But today, many` people “see the point of view” of terrorists and oppose our efforts to combat terrorism. They don’t remember troops raising our flag on Iwo Jima, so they support building a mosque at Ground Zero, not recognizing that it is also a symbol of victory.

Is this envy of violent aggressors? Is it contempt for Western democracies? Is it fear of being on the losing side? Or is it all of the above? Enablers of tyranny deserve contempt. Avoid them.

We didn’t call terrorists “militants.”

Often the media refuse to use the word “terrorists” and substitute “militants,” “activists,” “commandos,” “fighters” or “insurgents.” No! Dr. King was a militant civil-rights activist. British commandos served superbly from World War II to Iraq. Muhammad Ali was a great fighter. A street in Mexico City is named “Insurjentes” to honor those who fought for freedom, not against it.

But people who behead civilians and bomb schools are terrorists. They intentionally murder as many innocent civilians as possible – preferably women and children – to terrorize people into doing what they want. Those who can’t see the difference are moral idiots. Avoid them, too.

We weren’t defeatists.

Legitimate criticism is one thing; defeatism is quite another. Yes, the war in Afghanistan is dragging on, but progress is being made. Contrast this with 1944. World War II had been raging for five terrible years, but our Christmas was ruined by a massive German attack. Our troops fell back. We suffered over 81,000 casualties including 19,000 dead in six weeks. But we held on and triumphed. Defeatists didn’t call for us to quit. Critics didn’t use casualty figures as political ammunition. Back then, we were all Americans.

We didn’t need to say, “We support our troops;” we did it.

Some people claim to “support our troops,” but they oppose spending for improved weapons, better training or higher pay. They trashed military ballots in the 2000 election. They condemn what the troops are doing. They claim that only ignorant losers with no job prospects enlist. They claim our troops terrorize women and children “in the dead of night,” “kill innocent civilians in cold blood,” and act like “Nazis.” They claim that veterans are alcoholics and drug addicts prone to suicide – which is also untrue.

Slandering them and their leaders? Sneering at what they’re risking their lives to do? Making their families live below the poverty line while they’re defending us? That’s support?

We didn’t say “tragedy” when we meant “crime.”

A hurricane is a tragedy. True, 9/11 was tragic for the victims and their families, but murder is a sin and a crime. Mass murder is a horrible crime. The attack was planned abroad, so it was an act of war. Calling it a “tragedy” reduces the event to the status of a natural disaster. Then we believe that punishing the guilty is no longer our duty.

We didn’t say “mistake” when we meant “crime.”

A mistake is getting the wrong total on your checkbook. A mistake is what gets a criminal caught, not his crime. Murder, rape and robbery are called “mistakes” by defense lawyers and other apologists for evil. Calling serious crimes “mistakes” trivializes them into moral insignificance. But if we can’t see things from a moral perspective, what good are we?

We never used the vacuous expression, “Give peace a chance.”

A chance to do what? A chance for Saddam to torture more children in front of their parents, to use more poison gas on minorities, or to feed more dissidents into shredders? A chance for the Russians and Chinese to make more money from deals with tyrants? A chance for Iran to scream “Death to America!” while acquiring nuclear weapons?

A “peace” in which only one side renounces violence is surrender. Real peace comes when both sides agree to stop the violence, or when one side destroys the other’s ability to cause violence. There is no reason to think that hate-filled fanatics will agree to stop the violence. That leaves the second option.

We never used the ignorant expression, “Violence never settles anything.”

Is Europe still under the heel of Nazis? Is Asia ruled by Japanese warlords? No? Why not? Is it because Britain followed Gandhi’s advice and surrendered? Is it because Jews followed Gandhi’s advice and committed suicide to gain Hitler’s sympathy? (What sympathy?) Is it because Americans followed the isolationists’ advice and concerned themselves with internal problems?

No, it’s because freedom-loving people fought and died to rid the world of these scourges. It’s because rational people saw the vast difference between the British, who could be persuaded to leave India by nonviolent means, and the Nazis, who had to be destroyed by the most violent means available.

The Bible tells us not to stand by idly while our neighbors’ life is at stake (Leviticus 19:16). This advice is both moral and practical. We ignored it, and on 9/11 we found that our blood was being shed – while our neighbors stood by idly. We’re the biggest kid in the schoolyard. If we don’t stand up to bullies, nobody will. If we don't stand up for the vulnerable, nobody will.

We respected innocent life.

But then we began aborting early fetuses. Next we aborted late-term fetuses. And next we slowly dehydrated and starved to death the brain damaged, like Terri Schiavo. We became callous. But then the time came to execute rapist-murderer Michael Morales by lethal injection, the same way we put beloved dogs and cats to sleep.

Then we suddenly developed respect for life. No, not for the life of his victim, Terri Winchell, the 17-year-old girl he kidnapped, strangled, hit with a hammer 23 times, raped, then stabbed and dumped in the dirt. Our respect was limited to the murderer’s life. So we ran to court, where a judge put all California executions on indefinite hold because they are “terribly painful.” No! What’s terribly painful is watching our compassion being squandered on the guilty, leaving none for the innocent.

After we have demonstrated respect for innocent life, then we can worry about the lives of those guilty of horrible crimes. But till then, our “respect for life” is merely apathy and cowardice in pretty clothes.

We celebrated heroes, not villains.

The campaign to save convicted murderers was front-page news for days. Photos of Iraqi prisoners with panties on their heads were on the front page for weeks. Kids grow up believing that this represents America. But they never were taught about past heroes like Alvin York, Audie Murphy or “Chesty” Puller. They use the Nimitz Freeway, MacArthur Boulevard and Basilone Road, but have no idea what the names mean.

What about current heroes? Can kids identify Paul Smith, Jason Dunham, Michael Murphy, Michael Monsoor, Ross McGinnis or Jared Monti? Can they identify Rick Rescorla or Todd Beamer? Can you? Without positive role models, many boys emulate “gangsta rappers” or the local gang leader. We portray an American identity as contemptible, then we are shocked – shocked! – when kids seek an identity in gangs, cults, tattooing or body piercing. In my day, we focused on the brave, not the cowardly. We applauded heroes, not thugs.

I must be getting really old if I can remember when we were like that. Of course, with a little effort, we could be like that again. But first, we need a memory upgrade.

Dr. Stolinsky writes on political and social issues. Contact: dstol@prodigy.net.

www.stolinsky.com