Monday, November 11, 2024

CONVERTING MILITARISM TO CIVIC SERVICE - ALEXANDER HAMILTON

A BLOG POST ON VETERAN'S DAY 2024 - AN EXCERPT FROM

1964 SCOUT JAMBOREE SUMMER

ALEXANDER HAMILTON - "FROM PATRIOTISM TO CITIZENSHIP AND CITIZEN SOLDIERS"

“In the spring of 1783, in the cool confines of a modest brick house in upstate New York, 28-year-old Col. Alexander Hamilton called a once – undreamed of meeting to order. After eight years of desperate toil for independence, the officers of the Continental Army were preparing to transition back to their civilian lives. As their fighting force demobilized, they pledged not to forget the bonds of blood that had forged among them, nor should they allow others to forget the blood that had ensured independence. Those assembled set out to convert their temporary military service to permanent civic service, to form the backbone of a peaceful nation.

They chose a symbolic name for the new brotherhood The Society Of The Cincinnati." (www.battlefields.org/lkearn/articles/citizen-soldier)

 

           It is not an easy thing to create a balance between the military and civic spheres of life - especially in a representative democracy. It has been reported that in the colonial era, militias were a feature of nearly every community and that these were frequently boisterous, ad hoc fraternal societies. The role of women in these communities was that of "a moral chaperone."

           The term “Patriotism” is usually applied to those ad hoc, fraternal groups who have an emotional fervor perhaps borne in actual combat, but that is not necessary. Thomas Paine called some of his contemporaries “Sunshine Patriots” because they enjoyed posing as Patriots, but they could not be called upon when the going got rough. It seems as if Patriotism is part of the act of going to war.

           On the other hand, Citizenship is part of the act of going to peace, of living in a Civic Society.

           One may be able to gauge in a society its stance regarding war or peace by looking at its language and its posturing. In a Civic society, we hear talk of independence and tolerance.

           Even the Winter Soldiers of the 1970s knew that when the transition is made to civic spheres of life, the bonds of brotherhood forged in war must make way for citizenship. Many of them were swept into the Vietnam War via the type of broad-scale recruitment/enlistment activities which started with the Jamboree.

           When war is on the way, those in the government wish to transition from citizenship to militarism, and this is understandable. But the question of political honesty or dishonesty is always on the table.

We have seen in the history of the United States this transition to happen is to rev up the engine of Love of Country, of defending, of Brotherhood, and the liberal use of the word Patriotism.

Friday, November 8, 2024

DONALL TRUMPETTE, THE U.S.'s 'MINI-ME' AND “TRUMP-O RICO” - An Excerpt From "MORALIC ACID- Truth and Satire"- eBOOK NOW $0.99

TRUMP-O-RICO,
THE U.S.s Mini Me

Now that the secret FBI emails are being released, Donnall Trumpette is sure that his existence will be revealed.
I am Donall Trumpette, “DonaldLarge Me’s Mini-Me”.
Do not misunderstand. I may be smaller than DonaldLarge Me in height, but I have a much, much larger frontal cortex than DonaldLarge Me.
I pack the brains, he packs a big mouth and large, signature-style hair. (It is not a comb-over, it is a Trump-over.)
I played a very LARGE role in the DonaldLarge Me campaign and now in the White House while DonaldLarge Me is, of course, playing an extraordinarily super-sized role in the advancement of all mankind!

I carry a 3”X5” card in my wallet on which I make careful, tiny notations, of DonaldLarge Me’s contribution to the species. This is not about “survival” of the fittest, we’re way beyond that. DonaldLarge Me is much larger than Darwinian thinking! DonaldLarge Me is advancing the species!
His unmatched personal capacities make him the model human being against which all others will be measured. He’s big... really big. Just ask us.
He can’t help but make America Great Again, it is what will happen in his vapor trail! Greatness. Total BigGreatness. AltGreatness as Kellhyann would say. Why, DonaldLarge Me’s aroma makes America smell nice again. And, he makes Canada and Mexico smell better, too. All of North America smells nice because of him. It is Eau de Trump-o, the smell of richness, the vapor trail of success.

DonaldLarge Me is accused of hating Mexicans, Syrians, Muslims, people he fires on the Apprentice, people throws out of his rallies, and a few million others.
Nothing is further from the Truth. The Truth is that DonaldLarge Me has said over and over again that he LOVES Mexicans. He hires them! He LOVES Muslims! He has a Trump Tower in Saudi. He LOVES everyone!
 As Donnall Trumpette, DonaldLarge Me’s Mini-Me, I can tell you that DonaldLarge me is BIG on loving! BIG! America will be great again when everyone else loves as much as DonaldLarge Me!
No other candidate had a Mini-Me, except for DonaldLarge Me right?
When you elected DonaldLarge Me, America became so great that our country needed a Mini-Me, too! A U.S. Mini-Me!
I suggested that DonaldLarge Me simply designate Puerto Rico as America’s Mini-Me!
How’s that? DonaldLarge Me loves the Puerto Ricans (they’re not Mexicans, right?). And, Puerto Rico is up for sale! So, DonaldLarge Me will cut a deal with Congress to tow P.R. up here and park it right outside of New York City harbor, a short walk from Trump Tower, just like the Chinese are doing off Japan. Why not?
It will be renamed Trump-o Rico! DonaldLarge Me has agreed everyone will do the Mini-Me Pinky Kiss to get onto Trump-o Rico. Residents will have their hair dyed like DonaldLarge Me.
This is really something to look forward to! He told me that he was in love with my little idea!



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Wednesday, April 24, 2024

“Who Is Margo Jones? She’s…
JOAN OF ARC, GENE AUTRY & NITROGLYCERINE”
– Said Tennessee Williams

            This is a phrase that Tennessee Williams used to describe Margo Jones, the dynamic theatre visionary and producer who elsewhere was called “The Sweet Tornado.” Jones, indeed, made a lasting impact on theatre, but Williams’s trilogy is so powerful, I thought I’d speculate as why Williams put these three together.

            Joan of Arc – A visionary who was led by her Angelic, spiritual inspirers to do battle with the forces seeking to dominate and control the free human being. We all need a vision for our lives and our communities and freedom. We need courage. To have courage means we, like Joan, need those imaginative sources and resources, those ideals backed by the good Angels to which we can reliably turn, without doubt, without worry, when life gets tough, because life will get tough. Probably tougher than it is when you start out. Anytime you try to change your world, or yourself, counter forces will arise to attempt to destroy your vision, cause doubt, fear, anger. The bigger your vision, the bigger the counter forces. You need Joan of Arc-sized spiritual inspiration.

        Gene Autry – The original “straight shooting” cowboy star of radio, television and film. Autry created a moral “The Cowboy Code” for the “young” (or old) listeners of his radio program:

1.         The Cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.

2.         He must never go back on his word, or a trust confided in him.

3.         He must always tell the truth.

4.         He must be gentle with children, the elderly, and animals.

5.         He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas.

6.         He must help people in distress.

7.         He must be a good worker.

8.         He must keep himself clean in thought, speech, action, and personal habits.

9.         He must respect women, parents, and his nation's laws.

10.       The Cowboy is a patriot.[1]

            The Cowboy Path is a path of self-directed moral behavior which we can use to guide our vision, our inspiration. This is the kind of thing Aristotle would have suggested to young Athenian “cowboys” with his admonition, to “Be Good, Do Good.” This also rolls along side the “12 Steps” program or other moral anti-addiction programs practiced today.

 

            Nitroglycerine -  Invented in 1847, nitroglycerine has been an active agent in the manufacture of explosives since that time. Highly unstable, it was terribly dangerous when first compounded and caused hundreds of deaths before controlled. For a while, it was banned in some parts of the world. When mixed with organic substances, it can be more easily handled and used in munitions as a propellant. This is one aspect of one form of nitroglycerine –explosive, unstable, needs to be handled with care.

But still, if required, nitroglycerine is what you need for blasting the fixed, the stuck, the things which are in the way and need to be removed. “Moralic Nitro” for destroying the large stoppers in life.

            Another aspect is that for over 130 years, nitroglycerine has been used as a cardiac vasodialator to treat heart conditions, angina pectoris and chronic cardiac failure.  It modulates the out of control rhythms of the heart.

            So what in one place is useful for blasting and destroying and may lead to tragedy and death if misused; in another place, in a smaller dose, may lead to strength and health.  We all need the capacity for maximum force, on occasion; and, on other occasions, we nee (dare I mention another cardiac function) the ability to be tender - to love?

 

        Joan of Arc, Gene Autry, nitroglycerine – thank you, Margo Jones for inspiring Tennessee Williams! Take these qualities to heart and we all will be inspired, straight shooting firecrackers!  Yee hah!

 

© Copyright 2017 – Jean W. Yeager – All Rights Reserved.



[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Autry