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warrior1

(12,325 posts)
Fri Jun 6, 2014, 10:30 AM Jun 2014

President Obama Was Right - David Brooks

yea, really


http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/06/opinion/brooks-president-obama-was-right.html

Americans don’t have a common ancestry. Therefore, we have to work hard to build national solidarity. We go in for more overt displays of patriotism than in most other countries: politicians wearing flag lapel pins, everybody singing the national anthem before games, saying the Pledge of Allegiance at big meetings, revering sacred creedal statements, like the Gettysburg Address.

We need to do this because national solidarity is essential to the health of the country. This feeling of solidarity means that we do pull together and not apart in times of crisis, like after the attacks on 9/11. Despite all our polarization, we do accept the election results, even when the other party wins. People in New York do uncomplainingly send tax dollars to help people in New Mexico. We are able to assimilate waves of immigration.

National solidarity is especially important for the national defense. Men and women serve in the armed forces for a variety of reasons, but one of them is the awareness that it is an extraordinary privilege to be an American, that it is a debt that needs to be repaid with service.

Soldiers in combat not only protect their buddies, they show amazing devotion to anyone in the uniform, without asking about state or ethnicity. This is the cohesion that makes armies effective.

snip

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President Obama Was Right - David Brooks (Original Post) warrior1 Jun 2014 OP
Bastard Fox and Traitor GOP have engaged in a battle of credibility with the military and with Fred Sanders Jun 2014 #1
Wow... DonViejo Jun 2014 #2
Pretty good (for Brooks) except the obligatory bash at the end which TwilightGardener Jun 2014 #3
K & R nt okaawhatever Jun 2014 #4

Fred Sanders

(23,946 posts)
1. Bastard Fox and Traitor GOP have engaged in a battle of credibility with the military and with
Fri Jun 6, 2014, 10:41 AM
Jun 2014

vets and military tradition. Those assholes are going to regret their plain as day hypocrisy and hate for the military unless they are dying on the battlefield.

DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
2. Wow...
Fri Jun 6, 2014, 10:53 AM
Jun 2014

First Krauthammer

Charles Krauthammer told Fox News that he would have made the same deal as Obama to release Sgt. Bergdahl and the president didn't have to notify Congress either.

"Look, had the choice been mine, I would have made that same choice," Krauthammer said. "It's a difficult decision and I would not attack those who would have done otherwise."--

Krauthammer said that the United States, along with other Western countries, "always comes out on the short end" in hostage swaps. He included Israel in this, pointing to when the country gave up 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in return for one sergeant.

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/charles-krauthammer-supports-obamas


and now Brooks?!?!?!

Gates of hell must be freezing.

TwilightGardener

(46,416 posts)
3. Pretty good (for Brooks) except the obligatory bash at the end which
Fri Jun 6, 2014, 12:01 PM
Jun 2014

negates his opening points about shows of patriotism and national solidarity. Standing with Bergdahl's parents for the announcement WAS a moment for national solidarity that Brooks says is important. It wasn't a parade or a medal presentation, it was two relieved parents and a relieved President (especially because the whole transfer was a risky and complicated thing to pull off).

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