On crime and the American way of life; Afghanistan and Vietnam; thoughts occasioned by Independence Day; and more
In the past, I’ve written about “the American way of life.” What does it mean? (Many things, of course.) And I’ve told a story. And I’ll tell it again. But I have a new one — America has a new one — to go with it.
Many years ago, I read about a school district in California that had canceled Friday-night football. (High-school football, I mean.) The games went on — but they began at 4, so that they would be over before nightfall. The school district had had trouble with gang warfare.
“The American way of life.” It’s not just a piece of Fourth of July oratory, or politician’s pap. It means, for example, Friday-night high-school football! For heaven’s sake.
Okay, the new story — as encapsulated by this headline: “Target, Walgreens make drastic changes due to increase in San Francisco thefts.” The article says,
Target has now acknowledged that San Francisco is the only city in America where they have decided to close some stores early because of the escalating retail crime.
The American way of life is being pummeled — at least dented — by crime. (Of course, you might argue that crime is very much part of the American way of life, and though you would be cynical, you would not be wrong.)
It can’t be said enough: The physical security of the citizenry is the No. 1 job of government, and government must not sleep on this job, or we are badly out of luck.
I say this, but does everything fall on the government? On mayors, police chiefs, presidents, and what have you? No. People at large are responsible for the culture we have. Everyone has a role to play.
But this is the subject of long, weighty books, and I am moving on . . .
• . . . to Afghanistan, which is disintegrating. Let me commend a Washington Post editorial: “Biden’s cold response to Afghanistan’s collapse will have far-reaching consequences.” The last paragraph of the editorial reads,
Mr. Biden has long been a skeptic of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, and he has stuck to that position even as the number of troops and expenditure dedicated to it have drastically shrunk. His view has been that the war against the Taliban is unnecessary and unwinnable. But the descent from stalemate to defeat could be steep and grim. We wonder whether he has fully considered the consequences.
U.S. forces have left Bagram Air Base. Richard Engel of NBC News quoted a Taliban commander as saying, “This is as a result of our sacrifices that the U.S. finally agreed to vacate Bagram Air Base. We heard they had destroyed each and every thing which they couldn’t take back to America.”
The commander’s statement made me think of the Arab–Israeli conflict, and a story I heard recently from Haviv Rettig Gur. He is an analyst with the Times of Israel.
You recall General Giap, of North Vietnam. Well, Palestinian fighters would visit him and ask, “How do we expel the Jews from our land? You expelled the French; you expelled the Americans. How do we do it?”
Giap would answer, “The French had France to go back to. The Americans had America to go back to. The Jews have nowhere else to go. You will never expel them.”
May it prove so.
I will never forget what Vernon Walters — our general, diplomat, and CIA man — said about Vietnam. I will paraphrase him: “For twelve years, bombs rained down on every town, village, and hamlet in Vietnam. No one moved. It took the coming of the Communist ‘peace’ to send almost a million people out into the South China Sea, on anything that might float, to risk piracy, drowning, dehydration, starvation, rape, murder, etc.”
That’s how bad the Communist “peace” was. I expect the next reign of the Taliban to be little different.
• A headline: “FBI launches flurry of arrests over attacks on journalists during Capitol riot.” Good. (Article here.)
• “Day of Rage: An In-Depth Look at How a Mob Stormed the Capitol.” Here. The problem is this: Those who will see this, know about January 6 already. Those who ought to see it, won’t.
• The 2024 Republican presidential race is a game of Trumpier-than-thou, at least for now. Nikki Haley is bidding fair to be La Pasionaria of Trump Nation.
She tweeted, “We have to save our culture and the American experiment because the Democratic Party is out to erase it.”
In my view, it is too soon for a Republican bigwig to be talking this way — too soon after January 6. Too soon after the whole period from November 3 to January 6. Were Trump and the GOP friendly to the American experiment? To our democracy? To the rule of law? Sometimes loyalty to party is disloyalty to country.
Haley went on Newsmax to decry the track-and-field athlete who turned her back on the American flag. (The athlete’s name is Gwen Berry, who has had an interesting life and career. Have a scan of her Wikipedia entry.) After her Newsmax appearance, Haley tweeted, “The Olympic Committee should make sure that no one goes to the Olympics who is not proud to represent America.”
Obviously, this kind of thing is a big vote-getter. And it’s the kind of thing you tell the Newsmax audience. But you may wonder: Is it the job of the U.S. Olympic Committee to measure pride? The job could get tricky . . .
• A headline: “Merkel’s likely heir favors her centrist path.” (Article here.) You could say that I’m stuck in the past, fixated on the 1930s and ’40s. You might well be right. But I have to say, I don’t mind centrism in Germany, at all. Or, to adapt a famous line: Moderation in German politics is no vice.
• Lou Cannon, that grand American political journalist, read the Declaration of Independence on July 4. “It’s a great read,” he commented to some of us. Yes, it is! The material is great. And the principal author, T. Jefferson? Boy, could he write. Wonderful marriage of mind and pen.
• In my observation, July 4 this year produced some really good writing (which has to be preceded by really good thinking, of course). Let me cite a few pieces — and forgive me if I leave out your favorite (or, indeed, your piece).
David French wrote an essay headed “Loving Your Country Means Teaching Its History Honestly.” I will paste the final paragraph:
So teach it all. Good and bad. Ugly and beautiful. Teach it all and understand that the greatest form of patriotism doesn’t depend on cultivating a national narrative but rather in appreciating our obligations to our national home. History lessons shouldn’t be designed to create patriots. They should be designed to educate citizens — secure in the knowledge that well-educated citizens are most apt to learn to love their nation well.
Linda Chavez is an old Reaganite who preaches the old-time religion. I love her for it. She wrote “To Be an American.” The subheading of that essay is, “This July Fourth, let’s remember the immigrants who were drawn to this country’s promise of liberty and who have contributed to its greatness.”
We used to say that immigrants had a special appreciation of America, because they chose the place, whereas the rest of us were just born here, and may be complacent. Well, Linda still talks this way, and her words, for me, were like mystic chords of memory.
(Bill Buckley was very fond of Linda Chavez. I had dinner with the two of them one night. Very happy experience.)
David Frum wrote a highly interesting essay called “The Other July 4.” It is part philosophical reflection, part history lesson. The lesson is on the United States in the Philippines. I have never known very much about this history. (Maybe I didn’t want to?) David’s piece enlightened me.
Its subheading is, “On July 4, 1776, the United States committed itself to a set of principles. It did not always live up to those words. But the words exerted their own power.” Oh, heavens, did they! (And they still do, in my opinion.)
Regular readers may know of my love for Arby’s. It is possibly my favorite fast-food chain. Give me a roast-beef sandwich, curly fries, and a jamocha shake, and I’m good to go.
So, my eyes widened when I read this title: “How the NFL, ‘Miami Vice,’ Tracy Chapman and Arby’s Made Me an American.” The essay is by Roger Bennett, who writes,
One particular institution established a special place in my heart: that remarkable 24-hour outlet crowned with a cowboy hat logo and emblazoned with the word “Arby’s.” When I held my very first Hot French Dip to my lips, took a bite as the gravy dripped down my chin and back onto the table, I could have sworn that the roast beef tasted of Democracy and Freedom. I was ready to eat my fill.
You’re damn right.
Nicholas Romanow is a student at the University of Texas. He wrote “Becoming an American in 2020.” The subheading of his piece: “I count my new American citizenship as the highest honor and privilege I’ve ever received. Here’s why.”
Finally, National Review’s editorial, “A Day to Celebrate the American Promise.” I feel I can hail it because I had nothing to do with it. As far as I’m concerned, it ought to be anthologized.
• Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter are celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary. A very interesting piece appears here. Remarkable marriage, and partnership. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were married for just short of 74 years. These days, ten years seems like a long marriage, doesn’t it? Or am I being cynical?
• A little music? I don’t have any fresh reviews or podcasts to throw your way. (I will next time.) Maybe I can offer a couple of songs — ones I circulated, via Twitter, on Independence Day.
Have you ever heard Marilyn Horne sing “You’re a Grand Old Flag”? That’ll get your juices flowing. Here.
And here is Leontyne Price, singing “God Bless America,” in 2001. This was right after the terror attacks. It was the last time I ever heard her, live. She had come out of retirement (age 74) for this special appearance. The event was a Richard Tucker gala, in Avery Fisher Hall (at Lincoln Center in New York City). The gala was televised, and I was in the hall, to review the evening.
When ’tyne rose to her final B flat, the crowd started to applaud, which irked me. I said to the woman next to me, “This is the last note I’ll ever hear her sing, and the crowd is drowning it out.” Price was really spinnin’ it, too.
Anyway, you can hear the note pretty well on television. A great experience, this late appearance.
• End with a video? Here is Julia Shiplett, portraying “your friend who’s really changed after the quarantine.” Brilliant.
All the best to you. Have a very good week.
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