Patriotism

[OnMyWay]

It was 1973 and is even more applicable today.  Worth your time to read the whole thing.

 

Our world is in turmoil and it seems like we are not protecting our own.  IMHO, In the U.S., there is a current lack of patriotism in the executive branch.  Many Western countries are being overrun by immigrants of questionable quality.  I am not anti-immigrant, but I want immigrants to be people of good character with aspirations to improve their adoptive country and adapt to the culture.

 

To all of our members who are current or ex-military, thank you for your service and patriotism.

 

Robert Heinlein, Speech at the Naval Academy on Patriotism, 1973

 

(To the Brigade at large:)
Why are you here?

(To a second plebe:)
Mister, why are YOU here?

Never mind, son; that's a rhetorical question. You are here to become a naval officer. That's why this Academy was founded. That is why all of you are here: to become naval officers. If that is NOT why YOU are here, you've made a bad mistake. But I speak to the overwhelming majority who understood the oath they took on becoming midshipmen and look forward to the day when they will renew that oath as commissioned officers.

But why would anyone want to become a naval officer? In the present dismal state of our culture there is little prestige attached to serving your country; recent public opinion polls place military service far down the list.

It can't be the pay. No one gets rich on the pay. Even a 4-star admiral is paid much less than top executives in other lines. As for lower ranks, the typical naval officer finds himself throughout his career just catching up from the unexpected expenses connected with the last change of duty when another change of duty causes a new financial crisis. Then, when he is about fifty, he is passed over and retires... but he can't really retire because he has two kids in college and one still to go. So he has to find a job... and discovers that jobs for men his age are scarce and usually don't pay well.
Working conditions? You'll spend half your life away from your family. Your working hours? 'Six days shalt thou work and do all thou art able; the seventh the same, and pound on the cable.' A forty-hour week is standard for civilians - but not for naval officers. You'll work that forty-hour week, but that's just a starter. You'll stand a night watch as well, and duty weekends. Then with every increase in grade your hours get longer - until at last you get a ship of your own and no longer stand watches. Instead you are on duty twenty-four hours a day... and you'll sign your night order book with: 'In case of doubt, do not hesitate to call me.'

I don't know the average week's work for a naval officer but it's closer to sixty than to forty. I'm speaking of peacetime, of course. Under war conditions it is whatever hours are necessary - and sleep you grab when you can.

Why would anyone elect a career which is unappreciated, overworked, and underpaid? It can't be just to wear a pretty uniform. There has to be a better reason.

As one drives through the bushveldt of East Africa it is easy to spot herds of baboons grazing on the ground. But not by looking at the ground. Instead you look up and spot the lookout, an adult male posted on a limb of a tree where he has a clear view all around him - which is why you can spot him; he has to be where he can see a leopard in time to give the alarm. On the ground a leopard can catch a baboon... but if a baboon is warned in time to reach the trees, he can out-climb a leopard. The lookout is a young male assigned to that duty and there he will stay, until the bull of the herd sends up another male to relieve him. Keep your eye on that baboon; we'll be back to him.

Today, in the United States, it is popular among self-styled 'intellectuals' to sneer at patriotism. They seem to think that it is axiomatic that any civilized man is a pacifist, and they treat the military profession with contempt. 'Warmongers' - 'Imperialists' - 'Hired killers in uniform' - you have all heard such sneers and you will hear them again. One of their favorite quotations is: 'Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.' What they never mention is that the man who made that sneering remark was a fat, gluttonous slob who was pursued all his life by a pathological fear of death.

I propose to prove that that baboon on watch is morally superior to that fat poltroon who made that wisecrack. Patriotism is the most practical of all human characteristics. But in the present decadent atmosphere patriots are often too shy to talk about it - as if it were something shameful or an irrational weakness. But patriotism is NOT sentimental nonsense. Nor is it something dreamed up by demagogues. Patriotism is as necessary a part of man's evolutionary equipment as are his eyes, as useful to the race as eyes are to the individual. A man who is NOT patriotic is an evolutionary dead end. This is not sentiment but the hardest of logic.

To prove that patriotism is a necessity we must go back to fundamentals. Take any breed of animal - for example, tyrannosaurus rex. What is the most basic thing about him? The answer is that tyrannosaurus rex is dead, gone, extinct.

Which brings us to the second fundamental question: Will homo sapiens stay alive? Will he survive?
We can answer part of that at once: Individually h. sapiens will NOT survive. It is unlikely that anyone here tonight will be alive eighty years from now; it approaches mathematical certainty that we will all be dead a hundred years from now as even the youngest plebe here would be 118 years old by then - if still alive.

Some men do live that long but the percentage is so microscopic as not to matter. Recent advances in biology suggest that human life may be extended to a century and a quarter, even a century and a half - but this will create more problems than it solves. When a man reaches my age or thereabouts, the last great service he can perform is to die and get out of the way of younger people.

Very well, as individuals we all die. This brings us to the second half of the question: Does homo sapiens AS A BREED have to die? The answer is: No, it is NOT unavoidable. We have two situations, mutually exclusive: Mankind surviving, and mankind extinct. With respect to morality, the second situation is a null class. An extinct breed has NO behavior, moral or otherwise.

Since survival is the sine qua non, I now define 'moral behavior' as 'behavior that tends toward survival.' I won't argue with philosophers or theologians who choose to use the word 'moral' to mean something else, but I do not think anyone can define 'behavior that tends toward extinction' as being 'moral' without stretching the word 'moral' all out of shape.

We are now ready to observe the hierarchy of moral behavior from its lowest level to its highest. The simplest form of moral behavior occurs when a man or other animal fights for his own survival. Do not belittle such behavior as being merely selfish. Of course it is selfish... but selfishness is the bedrock on which all moral behavior starts and it can be immoral only when it conflicts with a higher moral imperative. An animal so poor in spirit that he won't even fight on his own behalf is already an evolutionary dead end; the best he can do for his breed is to crawl off and die, and not pass on his defective genes.

The next higher level is to work, fight, and sometimes die for your own immediate family. This is the level at which six pounds of mother cat can be so fierce that she'll drive off a police dog. It is the level at which a father takes a moonlighting job to keep his kids in college - and the level at which a mother or father dives into a flood to save a drowning child... and it is still moral behavior even when it fails.

The next higher level is to work, fight, and sometimes die for a group larger than the unit family - an extended family, a herd, a tribe - and take another look at that baboon on watch; he's at that moral level. I don't think baboon language is complex enough to permit them to discuss such abstract notions as 'morality' or 'duty' or 'loyalty' - but it is evident that baboons DO operate morally and DO exhibit the traits of duty and loyalty; we see them in action. Call it 'instinct' if you like - but remember that assigning a name to a phenomenon does not explain it.

But that baboon behavior can be explained in evolutionary terms. Evolution is a process that never stops. Baboons who fail to exhibit moral behavior do not survive; they wind up as meat for leopards. Every baboon generation has to pass this examination in moral behavior; those who bilge it don't have progeny. Perhaps the old bull of the tribe gives lessons... but the leopard decides who graduates - and there is no appeal from his decision. We don't have to understand the details to observe the outcome; baboons behave morally - for baboons.

The next level in moral behavior higher than that exhibited by the baboon is that in which duty and loyalty are shown toward a group of your kind too large for an individual to know all of them. We have a name for that. It is called 'patriotism.'

Behaving on a still higher moral level were the astronauts who went to the Moon, for their actions tend toward the survival of the entire race of mankind. The door they opened leads to hope that h. sapiens will survive indefinitely long, even longer than this solid planet on which we stand tonight. As a direct result of what they did, it is now possible that the human race will NEVER die. Many short-sighted fools think that going to the Moon was just a stunt. But those astronauts knew the meaning of what they were doing, as is shown by Neil Armstrong's first words in stepping down onto the soil of Luna: 'One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.' Let us note proudly that eleven of the Astronaut Corps are graduates of this our school. And let me add that James Forrestal was the FIRST high-ranking Federal official to come out flatly for space travel.

I must pause to brush off those parlor pacifists I mentioned earlier... for they contend that THEIR actions are on this highest moral level. They want to put a stop to war; they say so. Their purpose is to save the human race from killing itself off; they say that too. Anyone who disagrees with them must be a bloodthirsty scoundrel - and they'll tell you that to your face. I won't waste time trying to judge their motives; my criticism is of their mental processes: Their heads aren't screwed on tight. They live in a world of fantasy.

Let me stipulate that, if the human race managed its affairs sensibly, we could do without war. Yes - and if pigs had wings, they could fly. I don't know what planet those pious pacifists are talking about but it can't be the third one out from the Sun. Anyone who has seen the Far East - or Africa - or the Middle East - knows or certainly should know that there is NO chance of abolishing war in the foreseeable future. In the past few years I have been around the world three times, traveled in most of the communist countries, visited many of the so-called emerging countries, plus many trips to Europe and to South America; I saw nothing that cheered me as to the prospects for peace. The seeds of war are everywhere; the conflicts of interest are real and deep, and will not be abolished by pious platitudes. The best we can hope for is a precarious balance of power among the nations capable of waging total war - while endless lesser wars break out here and there. I won't belabor this. Our campuses are loaded with custard-headed pacifists but the yard of the Naval Academy is not one place where I will encounter them. We are in agreement that the United States still needs a navy, that the Republic will always have need for heroes - else you would not be here tonight and in uniform.
Patriotism - Moral behavior at the national level. Non sibi sed Patria. Nathan Hale's last words: 'I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.' Torpedo Squadron Eight making its suicidal attack. Four chaplains standing fast while the water rises around them. Thomas Jefferson saying, 'The Tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots'' A submarine skipper giving the order 'Take her DOWN!' while he himself is still topside. Jonas Ingram standing on the steps of Bancroft Hall and shouting, 'The Navy has no place for good losers! The Navy needs tough sons of bitches who can go out there and WIN!'

Patriotism - An abstract word used to describe a type of behavior as harshly practical as good brakes and good tires. It means that you place the welfare of your nation ahead of your own even if it costs you your life. Men who go down to the sea in ships have long had another way of expressing the same moral behavior tagged by the abstract expression 'patriotism.' Spelled out in simple Anglo-Saxon words 'Patriotism' reads 'Women and children first!'

And that is the moral result of realizing a self-evident biological fact: Men are expendable; women and children are not. A tribe or a nation can lose a high percentage of its men and still pick up the pieces and go on... as long as the women and children are saved. But if you fail to save the women and children, you've had it, you're done, you're THROUGH! You join tyrannosaurus rex, one more breed that bilged its final test.

I must amplify that. I know that women can fight and often have. I have known many a tough old grandmother I would rather have on my side in a tight spot than any number of pseudo-males who disdain military service. My wife put in three years of active duty in World War Two, plus ten years reserve, and I am proud - very proud! - of her naval service. I am proud of every one of our women in uniform; they are a shining example to us men.

Nevertheless, as a mathematical proposition in the facts of biology, children, and women of child-bearing age, are the ultimate treasure that we must save. Every human culture is based on 'Women and children first' - and any attempt to do it any other way leads quickly to extinction.

Possibly extinction is the way we are headed. Great nations have died in the past; it can happen to us. Nor am I certain how good our chances are. To me it seems self-evident that any nation that loses its patriotic fervor is on the skids. Without that indispensable survival factor the end is only a matter of time. I don't know how deeply the rot has penetrated - but it seems to me that there has been a change for the worse in the last fifty years. Possibly I am misled by the offensive behavior of a noisy but unimportant minority. But it does seem to me that patriotism has lost its grip on a large percentage of our people. I hope I am wrong... because if my fears are well grounded, I would not bet two cents on this nation's chance of lasting even to the end of this century. But there is no way to force patriotism on anyone. Passing a law will not create it, nor can we buy it by appropriating so many billions of dollars. You gentlemen of the Brigade are most fortunate. You are going to a school where this basic moral virtue is daily reinforced by precept and example. It is not enough to know what Charlie Noble does for a living, or what makes the wildcat wild, or which BatDiv failed to splice the main brace and why - nor to learn matrix algebra and navigation and ballistics and aerodynamics and nuclear engineering. These things are merely the working tools of your profession and could be learned elsewhere; they do not require 'four years together by the Bay where the Severn joins the tide.'
What you do have here is a tradition of service. Your most important classroom is Memorial Hall. Your most important lesson is the way you feel inside when you walk up those steps and see that shot-torn flag framed in the arch of the door: 'Don't Give Up the Ship.' If you feel nothing, you don't belong here. But if it gives you goose flesh just to see that old battle flag, then you are going to find that feeling increasing every time you return here over the years... until it reaches a crescendo the day you return and read the list of your own honored dead - classmates, shipmates, friends - read them with grief and pride while you try to keep your tears silent.

The time has come for me to stop. I said that 'Patriotism' is a way of saying 'Women and children first.' And that no one can force a man to feel this way. Instead he must embrace it freely. I want to tell about one such man. He wore no uniform and no one knows his name, or where he came from; all we know is what he did.

In my home town sixty years ago when I was a child, my mother and father used to take me and my brothers and sisters out to Swope Park on Sunday afternoons. It was a wonderful place for kids, with picnic grounds and lakes and a zoo. But a railroad line cut straight through it.

One Sunday afternoon a young married couple were crossing these tracks. She apparently did not watch her step, for she managed to catch her foot in the frog of a switch to a siding and could not pull it free. Her husband stopped to help her. But try as they might they could not get her foot loose. While they were working at it, a tramp showed up, walking the ties. He joined the husband in trying to pull the young woman's foot loose. No luck.

Out of sight around the curve a train whistled. Perhaps there would have been time to run and flag it down, perhaps not. In any case both men went right ahead trying to pull her free... and the train hit them. The wife was killed, the husband was mortally injured and died later, the tramp was killed - and testimony showed that neither man made the slightest effort to save himself. The husband's behavior was heroic... but what we expect of a husband toward his wife: his right, and his proud privilege, to die for his woman. But what of this nameless stranger? Up to the very last second he could have jumped clear. He did not. He was still trying to save this woman he had never seen before in his life, right up to the very instant the train killed him. And that's all we'll ever know about him.

THIS is how a man dies. This is how a MAN . . . lives!

'They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old;
age shall not wither them nor the years condemn;
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we shall remember them''

[Jake]

Triple LIKE OMW!  I believe the annual Marine Corp Ball is coming up at Pechanga Casino (Temecula, CA).  Gotta love them grunts!  I have recognized a couple Purple Hearts (wounded warriors) walking around in their sharp dress blues, their wife or GF in their arms and definitely an outward attitude of pride from within.  I personally introduced myself to their head Mofo -- a black Master Guns, looks like a bulldog but projected a fatherly figure to all his Marines. Yeah, like in all species in the animal kingdom, the predominant male or female deserves to be at top of the food chain, especially when his followers continue to respect his leadership.  But not necessarily him.......(like our current govt leaders). 

 

I guess the meaning of patriotism denotes respect beyond the family, groups of family and ultimately for a nation as a whole.  When Mr Heinlein made that 1973 graduation speech at the Naval Academy, try to think back about our US history in time of war.  Vietnam was never in the hearts and minds of the people and soldiers alike.  You got drafted to survive just one tour as a snake eater and many came home in a body bag. Or even worst than that, in today's moral behavior (one ingredient of patriotism), the wounded warriors are forgotten or neglected.  Many are roaming the streets of Los Angeles homeless while the leadership at the veterans affairs department (cabinet members, senators and congressmen) have their thumb up their ass saluting the US flag with their morals already tarnished a long time ago. This sense of duty and sense of pride should be overhauled, starting at the top levels of govt.  They don't know the meaning of patriotism.  

 

As a Filipino with a US mindset, many of my neighbors share my thoughts about patriotism to a nation. We are all fed up. We will not rely on the federal or state govt to protect us anymore.  Within a small corner of a small community, we will stand our ground protecting the one on my left and the one on my right.  We need to break down patriotism back to the basic level.  

 

In order to become a great leader, you need to become a great follower first.  That is where patriotism should start -- as a son admiring his father who leads by example.  

 

Edited to add some more thoughts......

 

Respectfully -- Jake 

Edited October 30, 2015 by Jake

[scott h]

Robert Heinlein had more leadership, knowledge of patriotism (his writings can apply any person and any country) and sense of duty in his toenail shavings than most political and military leaders before or since.

 

As a 13 year old, when board when the folks were visiting Grandma, Dad gave me a whole $1.75 to go for a walk, in the drug store I spied a book called "Starship Troopers" (yes same book as the movie.) Bought if for $1.50 and did with out my ice cream soda.

 

I can honestly say that that book changed my life, I decided then and there I wanted to serve my country. I read that book so many times and purchased so many copies over the years I lost count.

 

When it became my turn to lead young men I would purchase a copy for each of my sergeants and over time the change in these young men was astounding.

 

God Bless you Mr. Heinlein I doubt we will see your like again. :cheersty:

[BrettGC]

OMW, you know I'm going to reply to this in great detail, some positive, some negative, I just have so much going on right now.  I will precis a little and say yes, I agree, but no I don't at the same time.  Most of you that have known me for a long time will understand where I'm coming from; and as long as our disagreement on a very few issues can be respected I'll be happy with that.  

 

At it's core, I agree with Heinlein, been a fan of his since I first read "Stranger in a Strange Land" at age 14.  But being proud of an accident of birth confuses me.  Be proud of achievements, not because we're told to be.  

 

Anyway, as I said, more to follow when I have the time.

 

Tom (JGF), please don't close this thread down when we start to debate but still respect each other.  

 

PS No, I'm not winding up for one of my rants, but please close it down if blind dogma appears.  

[stevewool]

To much for me to take in.Sorry boys I will pass on this one

[OnMyWay]

Brett, I am curious to hear your take on it, especially as a veteran.  I tried to avoid politicizing it as much as possible.

 

My main takeaways were:

 

1.  His boiling down the definition of patriotism to our basic animal instincts.  Surely there can be more definitions as it is a fairly abstract concept.

 

2.  In 1973, patriotism seemed to be waning, as it seems it is today.

 

In 1973, I was a devoted anti-war liberal who was worried about being shipped off to Vietnam at age 17.  While I still think huge mistakes of many types were made in Vietnam, I have grown and now realize we must support our military men and women 110% when we or our elected officials ask them to do a job.  When we hold them back, like we do now, we risk their lives and others.

 

 

OMW, you know I'm going to reply to this in great detail, some positive, some negative, I just have so much going on right now.  I will precis a little and say yes, I agree, but no I don't at the same time.  Most of you that have known me for a long time will understand where I'm coming from; and as long as our disagreement on a very few issues can be respected I'll be happy with that.  

 

At it's core, I agree with Heinlein, been a fan of his since I first read "Stranger in a Strange Land" at age 14.  But being proud of an accident of birth confuses me.  Be proud of achievements, not because we're told to be.  

 

Anyway, as I said, more to follow when I have the time.

 

Tom (JGF), please don't close this thread down when we start to debate but still respect each other.  

 

PS No, I'm not winding up for one of my rants, but please close it down if blind dogma appears.  

[earthdome]

Let me preface my remarks by mentioning I am a huge fan of Heinlein. My favorite Heinlein book is "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress."

 

One man's patriot is another mans domestic terrorist. It all depends on how patriotism is defined and your personal perspective.

 

Blind allegiance to national leaders due to patriotism or nationalism can be very dangerous and lead to human tragedy on a scale hard to comprehend. For example consider the millions of their own citizens Stalin, Hitler, Mao and Pol Pot murdered in the twentieth century.

It makes no difference how governments and leaders are chosen. Whether they take power in a coup or are democratically elected. No government or leader deserves blind allegiance.

[BrettGC]

Heinlein's definition of patriotism is pretty out of left field.  It doesn't take into account the blind nationalism, as Earthdome mentions, that can occur.  It's a very delicate thread we weave finding a balance between the two.  As much as I love Heinlein's definition I think it's as naive as the people he criticises in the dialogue.   

 

As you guys know, I served for a long time.  I found myself in situations where I did not agree with the government of the day as to being there at all, yet in the same 12 month period I was in another theatre, not too far away, with a belief in my gut we were doing the right thing.  I don't want to say, but those with half a clue will know exactly where I mean.  Yet I still served.  

 

Where is this all going?  I'm still typing my full response.  

 

Just so you know, I, like all of you, salute all those that serve or did in the past.  I would hope that is a given, but it is the internet and you never know who may take things out of context.  

[Jake]

Heinlein's definition of patriotism is pretty out of left field.  It doesn't take into account the blind nationalism, as Earthdome mentions, that can occur.  It's a very delicate thread we weave finding a balance between the two.  As much as I love Heinlein's definition I think it's as naive as the people he criticises in the dialogue.   

 

As you guys know, I served for a long time.  I found myself in situations where I did not agree with the government of the day as to being there at all, yet in the same 12 month period I was in another theatre, not too far away, with a belief in my gut we were doing the right thing.  I don't want to say, but those with half a clue will know exactly where I mean.  Yet I still served.  

 

Where is this all going?  I'm still typing my full response.  

 

Just so you know, I, like all of you, salute all those that serve or did in the past.  I would hope that is a given, but it is the internet and you never know who may take things out of context.  

Roger that CWO!  We were probably in the same battle group bitchin' and moanin', like good sailors that we were.  I love it when we took pride for a job well done or mission accomplished.  And then, get sent back out to the Persian Gulf again which cancelled or delayed our arrival back home.  The wife or GF was more pissed off than we were!

 

I would follow a gunnery sergeant anyday rather than a stiff collared senator or congressman.  Talk about white collar criminals with their false sense of duty called patriotism.  

[OnMyWay]

 

Heinlein's definition of patriotism is pretty out of left field.  It doesn't take into account the blind nationalism, as Earthdome mentions, that can occur.  It's a very delicate thread we weave finding a balance between the two.  As much as I love Heinlein's definition I think it's as naive as the people he criticises in the dialogue.   

 

As you guys know, I served for a long time.  I found myself in situations where I did not agree with the government of the day as to being there at all, yet in the same 12 month period I was in another theatre, not too far away, with a belief in my gut we were doing the right thing.  I don't want to say, but those with half a clue will know exactly where I mean.  Yet I still served.  

 

Where is this all going?  I'm still typing my full response.  

 

Just so you know, I, like all of you, salute all those that serve or did in the past.  I would hope that is a given, but it is the internet and you never know who may take things out of context.  

Roger that CWO!  We were probably in the same battle group bitchin' and moanin', like good sailors that we were.  I love it when we took pride for a job well done or mission accomplished.  And then, get sent back out to the Persian Gulf again which cancelled or delayed our arrival back home.  The wife or GF was more pissed off than we were!

 

I would follow a gunnery sergeant anyday rather than a stiff collared senator or congressman.  Talk about white collar criminals with their false sense of duty called patriotism.  

 

 

I would like to think that Heinlein was starting with the premise that he (we) are good human beings who understand right from wrong, good from evil, etc. 

 

Patriotism in this sense would not mean blindly following an immoral leader, e.g., Hitler, or following an order you know is immoral, such as, go kill those children over there.  In fact, your patriotism should lead you to fight against and expose those who issue such orders.  Not an easy task in the military where following orders is such an important part of the structure and discipline.