Wednesday, September 2, 2009

The troubling sentiment

I’ve been trying to locate the sappy patriotic video shown by Chancellor Raghu Mathur two weeks ago at his fall opening extravaganza. It presents a series of more-or-less patriotic images—including bald eagles and Americans experiencing hard times—and is accompanied by Lee Greenwood’s execrable “God Bless the USA,” a clumsy, bombastic anthem that seems to be “de Bomb” in Redneckville and environs.

I haven’t located the exact video.

I tried to remember the troublesome sentiment with which the video ends, and it appears that it is the following:

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you—Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

That’s right. Jesus Christ. This inarticulate blather ("defining forces" that make "offers"?) is making the rounds among the usual suspects.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I vaguely remember Tony Orlando and Dawn having a prime-time TV show in the 1970s...does anyone else? Was it any good?

Anonymous said...

It was not good. It was very bad. Tony milked his 15 minutes for all it was worth.

Anonymous said...

As I recall, 70s TV was a wasteland - Sonny and Cher - hey, even the Osmonds had their own show - or was it just Donny and Marie?

Anonymous said...

Then there was the one shining light that was the Carol Burnett Show.

13 Stoploss said...

I take great offense to any "patriotic" boob who has never served and suggests that myself or my battle buddies are willing (OFFERING?!) to die for "insert cause." We are NOT willing to die for the freedom of Iraqi's and Afghani's, no matter how you spin it to equate it to something to do with American freedom and protection from terrorism. (Tell you the truth, I'm not willing to die for you guys either) I don't mean to take that out of context, but it makes us sound like one great, big pool of disposable heroes (friend used the analogy of a box of condoms). Insert your .85 into the vending machine and choose the next selfless patriot, now with bendable arms and legs.

I don't know why more soldiers are not insulted...

Anonymous said...

Good points, 13 Stoploss, as always.

but why haven't you also commented on the state of TV in the 1970s?

or is this when you tell us you weren't born yet?

How's UCI treating the proud IVC transfer student?

Anonymous said...

Stoploss, thank you so much for saying what is often unexpressed--that the average military personnel are NOT all worked up about fighting to preserve democracy in some sandy shithole. Outstanding comment.

Anonymous said...

Bob Newhart, Mary Tyler Moore, and The Prisoner.

Anonymous said...

I loved the Mary Tyler Moore show.

How about "That Girl"?

13 Stoploss said...

UCI begins its Fall Quarter in the last week of September. So far, the transition has been great, though not on IVC's end (http://rucksacktobackpack.blogspot.com/2009/08/hallelu-what-fuck.html).

I'm old for college, but not quite that old. My earliest TV days will go back to the Dukes, though I was an avid follower of a certain elite Special Forces unit on the run (which, btw, has nothing to do with my own mil exp).

Anonymous said...

MASH!!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow, Jason, I had no idea what happened to your transfer. I followed it back to the post where you attached your email correspondence with the college - eek.

Your blog is great by the way. I'll have to follow your exploits there. Good luck.

Anonymous said...

Good luck at UCI, Stoploss 13. Your blog is great.

Anonymous said...

This prayer lawsuit made me think of something - it's from the "Butter Rebellion" of 1776:
"That the Butter was bad and unwholesome no one can deny: had it been the first time, or had it happened rarely, we should have been content. This, however, was not the case."
ES

Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...