In these days of the bleakness and weakness of the current “Administration”, it is easy enough to say-as I do just about every day lately- that almost nothing could surprise me anymore about the depths of the decline our beloved Nation has fallen into. The evidence envelops us, from Ukraine-Russia, gas prices through the roof, highest inflation rate in 40 years, “leaders” who lead by snark and condescension, The Straits of Taiwan, the (as our sorely missed Rush would put it) sissification of the once most powerful military ever known in history, the open and obvious protection of the most cognitively disabled “President” in American history by Democrats, the entire corporate media complex, academia and the Big Tech censorship cabal; the list goes on seemingly endlessly lately. But, opening up this morning’s Wall Street Journal reminded me of how far we may be from finally hitting the lowest of the low points to which we are falling when I read an op-ed entitled “Home of the Brave, RIP”, here, about a Qunnipiac University poll released a few days ago, here, with findings which should absolutely terrify every (real) American citizen. The title of the online version was as follows:
Most Democrats Say They’d Flee, Not Fight, a Ukraine-Style Invasion
Too many Americans have forgotten the meaning of ‘home of the brave.’
Before exploring the details of this depressing finding, I would, with the utmost of respect, harken us back to the days of real, honest-to-God Americans who would rather have died than even consider abandoning the country they had been reared to love and respect and cherish; the brief gallery which follows reflects my own panoply of some of the great heroes of WWII; there were so many more without the Stars and they are the reason we are still a free Nation:
General George S. Patton
General Troy S. Middleton
General Anthony McAuliffe, who gave one of the most iconic responses to the Nazis’ demand for surrender at Bastogne in all of Military History.
This selection is heavily influenced by the D-Day to the Rhine tour I was incredibly honored to take a few summers ago, in the process of which we learned a great deal about the Battle of the Bulge and Bastogne and toured the barracks from which that response was sent to the Monsters of the Ardennes. Gen. Middleton is selected because he was very instrumental in the victory at Bastogne; I should also note he was the President of LSU the year I entered there and I had the opportunity to meet him personally.
I offer these reminders as a frame within which to consider the findings of this sickening poll. Here’s a brief synopsis from the op-ed this morning:
The pollster asked: What would you do if you were in the same position as Ukrainians are now, stay and fight or leave the country? Shockingly, more than half of Democrats (52%) said they would cut and run if the U.S. homeland were invaded. We aren’t talking about women and children, or even some cadre of pacifists and conscientious objectors. This is most Democrats saying they’d rather leave America than defend it. Only a pathetic 40% said they would stick around.
Republicans did better. More than two-thirds (68%) said they would stand their ground. This could be a reflection of the partisan skew in the nation’s distribution of small arms. But 1 in 4 Republicans said they’d flee—not exactly the don’t-tread-on-me spirit I was expecting.
What in the hell has happened to this country? One can hardly imagine Americans of yesteryear exhibiting such high levels of yellow-bellyism. Where have all the Minutemen gone? The Molly Pitchers? The Audie Murphys? The Todd Beamers?
As the author notes, and I record here my 100% agreement with this characterization, “this… is abject cowardice— at best.”
I love my country and always have and I say that without reservation or, contrary to the mores of today, apology. I do not, however, love what is happening to my country and I have wondered more and more lately, as I feel many of us have been feeling, whether we will ever return to the days of the Pattons and the Middletons and the McAulliffes — or the President Reagans— of our past. One of my most disquieting fears is that I am afraid I knew the answer long before I opened up my morning Journal and found that we really had become that which I feared— a Nation of Sheep.
The author also had this to say about these findings:
The only appropriate response here is disgust.
Were it not for a respect for the decorum expected of a gentleman I would share with you a few other words I thought appropriate to describe these pusillanimous cowards, but I will let the author put it in far better and civil words than I could ever muster:
Being born an American is about the luckiest thing that could happen to a person. Sure, we have issues. Yes, Jan. 6 was bad. But government of the people, by the people, for the people, is still a rare thing. It’s still worth fighting for.
I never thought I’d live to see the day half of Democrats would toss the whole country to the wolves if given the chance.
As the author alluded to “sunshine patriots” in the opening of his piece, I can think of no better, albeit depressing, way to conclude these sad thoughts than the words of Tom Paine long ago:
“THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”
God Help Us.