by Steve Rogers
It’s funny how the same people who are furious with President Trump for inviting our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines to be honored on the National Mall this Independence Day seem to be just as upset that he didn’t send our troops into harm’s way in some far-flung corner of the world.
There’s nothing remotely “un-American” about a military parade like the one our Commander-in-Chief is planning as part of a July 4th “Salute to America,” along with a host of other tributes to our military. We’ve had them for centuries, especially around the Independence Day holiday. Remember, there never could have been a Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, if there hadn’t been a Continental Army, founded almost exactly a year earlier.
In fact, that army’s commander-in-chief, George Washington, would lead about 500 of the same men who fought with him during the Revolution in a parade through New York City as he occupied the same public office that Donald Trump now occupies.
If there were liberals and detractors condemning that parade as “un-American,” that fact went unrecorded by history.
The best part about military parades — even more uplifting than the triumphal pageantry, rich traditions, and the opportunity to honor those who volunteer to serve our great republic — is that they almost always happen in peace!
This Independence Day salute — complete with an Army drill team display, a Blue Angels flight demonstration, military bands, and more — is not a farewell to departing conquerors, but rather a celebration of the professionalism and patriotism of our men and women in uniform.
But because Donald Trump is the President, and not a Democrat like Barack Obama or a neoconservative Republican like George W. Bush, some commentators are making some very bad, very disingenuous arguments about how President Trump is “hijacking the Fourth of July.”
Take Bill Kristol, one of the most notorious warmongers in recent history. He has been whining about the prospect of a military parade in Washington for more than a year.
Where does Bill Kristol think American troops should be, since he doesn’t want them celebrating their country’s anniversary with the American people in our nation’s capital?
If Kristol had his way, they’d be in the skies over Iran, risking their lives to avenge the tragic loss of an unmanned reconnaissance drone — they might even be on the ground, waging a ground war against a country of 80 million people.
In the minds of these parade-haters, President Trump is a militaristic madman because he wants to show off the pride of America’s armed forces, even though he hasn’t started any wars, and in fact has demonstrated remarkable restraint on the foreign policy front. Their argument is almost too silly to take seriously, but they all appear to be earnest.
It shouldn’t surprise us, then, that the other argument trotted out by Donald Trump’s enemies in the liberal press — who can be counted on to gush over every “free” government program that costs trillions of dollars — is that a parade might cost “millions.”
They provide no hard figures of course, and every year’s Independence Day celebrations on the Mall cost “millions.” Few of these critics, in their rush to whine about tanks, mention the private donations that will give Washington the biggest fireworks show the town has ever seen.
This Commander-in-Chief loves our fighting men and women, and has been loathe to put any of them in harm’s way as he has skillfully manages to promote peace across the globe.
Despite all the caterwauling about President Trump’s “Salute to America,” in the end, it’s their loss if they don’t want to come and watch. It’s going to be a great show, and I wouldn’t miss it for all the oil in Iran.
– – –
Steven Rogers is a retired U.S. Navy intelligence officer and a former member of the FBI National Joint Terrorism Task Force. He is a member of the Donald J. Trump for President 2020 Campaign Advisory Board.
I’m just looking for an answer.
OK so I get it when you say if you see something that is not right you should tell the authorities. And I know that doesn’t just pertain to terrorism, it’s also witnessing a crime and testifying,, being a victim and so on. So who do go to when you see something that is illegal, dangerous, harmful to others and the people doing the illegal activities are the very people YOU say we should contact? Say you witness the police involved in illegal activities and you call the police department to report it and they come after you, who do you contact for help?. Internal Affairs? what if they are Involved? The head Sheriff of your town? What if he’s involved? What if you start getting threats on your life and no officer of the law will come and take a report, your animals are being killed, no one will come. So you decide you will file that complaint, because it is after all the “the right thing to do”. Now you have police agencies, (plural) on your property and you and your family are being severely beaten and arrested on trumped up charges by the very officers that you filed the complaint against. Tell me, Who do you call? Your Congressman, Assemblyman Governor, Senator? Or maybe the United States Attorney. No that response, if you get one, will be that’s not my job. You have to know that this is no exaggeration, just watch Oxygen & ID channel, or ask me to elaborate. There are so many families that have been subjected to Police Brutality & there is no denying it’s true. So when President Trump said “If you see Illegal Narcotics, call your local Law Enforcement Agency”, but what if law enforcement are the ones moving the illegal narcotics? Then who do you call? I would like to talk further with you, if you would like. I would also like to get President Trumps perspective as well.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who lost their loved ones at the hands of those sick individuals. I just think this issue goes hand in hand and should be addressed as well. Feel free to share it with our President, who by the way is doing a great job in my book.
Maybe this isn’t the correct venue, but I’m wanting to say that the President, whom I strongly support, must get big tech under control otherwise the election will be stolen. I certainly believe the president has a plan (he always seems to) and that it will be revealed soon. Too much is at stake if President Trump does not remain in office. Thank you.
[…] (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); […]