For the second time this month, events are moving so fast that a Musing I wrote seems bland compared to rapidly moving events. Lacking time to write a new Musing, I am going to run the one I prepared. However, I need to mention the chilling effect that Brandon Straka’s arrest had on me. I have written a few times about the #Walkaway Movement, and his arrest resonates with me as reminiscent of the tactics of the Soviet Union.
Now to today’s Musing.
About two years ago I began comparing President Trump to General Patton. Other than learning about the World War II leader as a part of overall history, my first closer look came when I started to watch the movie Patton starring George C. Scott. Very shortly into the film I turned it off, repelled by the offensive language. My first assumption was that the profanity was added by Hollywood in order to interest adolescent boys (of all ages). However, a quick search revealed that the foul language had actually been tamped down.
Why did General Patton use such vile words when addressing young, untested soldiers? It turns out that this was a purposeful choice. Knowing that many of these young men were religious and upright, he wanted to deliberately shock them. Having been raised to be loving and gentle, they now needed to become killers. The alternative was the enemy killing them. Working against time, General Patton administered a form of shock therapy to jolt these soldiers into their new reality.
This idea meshed with the other things I read about him. Reports spoke of his soldiers’ loyalty to him and of their mothers’ gratitude that their sons were serving under him rather than under other generals. A brash leader, often unpopular with his peers and scorned by the Washington elites, the people actually on the battleground adored him. The similarity to President Trump is obvious.
General Patton’s brusqueness, his conviction that his tactics were best, and his lack of working through the proper channels did not always serve him well. There were times his actions and words were “beyond the pale.” In 1945 he notoriously sent soldiers on a disastrous mission that is assumed to have been undertaken in an attempt to free his son-in-law who was a German captive.
Yet—he was a great general who commanded loyalty and love from his troops. He was also successful in most of his war-time efforts. The analogy to President Trump is clear.
Donald Trump did not fit the presidential mold. Those who see him as having destroyed the GOP are forgetting that before his candidacy the GOP was on life-support. It was gasping for breath and increasingly ignored by its natural constituents. My husband and I aren’t the only Republicans who voted third-party, kept our checkbooks closed, and groaned as one uninspiring presidential candidate after another was pushed forward. A Jeb Bush, John McCain or Mitt Romney presidency most likely would have been a swan song for the GOP in the unlikely event they were ever elected.
President Trump breathed enthusiasm and fervor back into conservative America. He revived a dying political brand. In doing so, he spoke brashly, alienated many, made missteps and was devoutly hated. He pulled back the curtain on Leftism and the pretense that this country still has unified, agreed upon American values. I think he mishandled the COVID crisis (though the world leaders who handled it well are few and far between and I doubt any American politician would have done better), and ran a poor second campaign. He also had unprecedented media forces allied against him and the question remains exactly how effective the voter fraud that occurred was. Like General Patton, the very qualities that led to his success also led to his failure.
Wouldn’t it have been wonderful if President Trump would have stopped tweeting, made more domestic alliances and been guided by others? Yes—and he wouldn’t have been the president he was with so many outstanding accomplishments. Had he followed more experienced advisors, he probably wouldn’t have been president at all. The good and the bad go together and the greater a person’s potential, the greater his upsides and downsides.
I am not enough of a student of military history to conjecture as to what World War II would have looked like without a General Patton. The fact is that the civilized world survived an ominous threat. America is severely internally threatened today, which naturally will lead to external hostility as well. Any elected Republican who thinks that getting rid of President Trump is the solution to the nation’s problems is squandering the advances of the past four years.
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Outstanding and very much emotionally refreshing, especially when contrasting the visceral reactions since the inauguration. Thank You!
Bill, it is impossible to know what is the news and what is a parody, and it is getting worse every day.
Wow everything covered pretty well. Great job Susan.
I would just like to reiterate that God has His plan that may or may not be our plan. I feel that Trump did and accomplished everything God wanted him to. As was mentioned helped make Jerusalem the capital. This had to happen for the time line we are in. Trump did what no other president would of done. Now that is done its time to move on. Biden and his people will now do their part to destroy USA and help bring Satan into power. It’s all part of God’s plan like it or not. Of course we chose the worse of our destiny. Its done. Make D– (one of Patton’s strong words) sure you are rebirth into Heaven when Jesus comes calling.
From my thinking Patton used very strong langrage to get peoples attention and hold it. And you were right it was a matter of live or death if you did not listen or missed it. God used a similar method for the Ten Commandments. Burning bush and a very loud voice from the sky or Heaven. I often wondered why God allowed His Son to die the way he did. We obviously need strong ways to make a lasting impression. Sorry if I keep going it will turn into a book.
Vulgarity aside, having been trained as an 8404 Corpsman (take the time to look it up) at the end of Viet Nam(You know that war that was propagated by LBJ and CONGRESS agreed then gave the victory away-look up Dennis Prager’s talk on Viet Nam.) The lessons I learned no civilian job could never teach. Now I can heckle former Marines having served with them. As to Patton, the muzzle the system held him back, after Germany’s fall(Berlin) he wanted to conscript German soldiers and go after Moscow. Gee, how many lives would have been saved. GOOD and EVIL are always in the details. I could go on….enough for now-HUGS 2 you and my Rabi.
Have a wonderful weekend, Carl.
I would like to see an expansion on this statement: ” He pulled back the curtain on… the pretense that this country still has unified, agreed upon American values.”
I would like to see your list of shared consensus American values, when they lost that status and why. It’s probably an entire book you read or even wrote!
Gidon, that would be an interesting list. It has reached the point that some on the Left are claiming that hard work is a white supremacist value. It’s hard to share a society with those who believe that.
excellent essay on Trump!
SUSAN ~ The GOP will undergo a real reckoning here shortly. Upwards of 75 million Trump supporters will never go back to a party with no fire in the belly and they will certainly not support your typical politician in a future Presidential bid. The left is sending an unmistakable message to any young, original, bright, energetic patriotic rising star: DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT…WE’LL DESTROY YOU. Despite all his warts and wrinkles I know that God sent us the humble vessel we needed at this time in history. It will be very interesting to watch history unfold as 2022 looms ahead and 2024 won’t be far behind. Conservatives will only take so much of the attempt to cancel us out, our ability to communicate, be treated fairly in the market place and God forbid we expect a fair election they’re signalling. God be with us all.
Kristin, the world seems to be spinning out of control quite quickly. God is certainly the only constant. How He deals with our misdeeds is the scary part.
Touche! Mrs Lapin-Well written and written well- Tks for your thoughts!
Thanks for taking the time to write, Valerie.
Susan you are so correct!! May ALL conservatives unite under the Republican banner, forget third party efforts, and work diligently for these next two years to make certain we elect true conservatives with steel backbones to Congress!!
With all do respect, I failed to see the comparison between formal President Trump and General Patton. I can’t even compare the foul language because the venues, situations and setting are completely different. Gen. Patton’s speech was to unify his troops; not to create or cause strife and division in our country.
“A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment. A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart. When the wicked comes, contempt comes also; And with dishonor comes reproach. The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook. It is not good to show partiality to the wicked, Or to overthrow the righteous in judgment. A fool’s lips enter into contention, And his mouth calls for blows. A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.” Proverbs 18:1-7 NKJV
Why are we still speaking on voting fraud? We can’t have it both ways. It’s okay when we win and not okay when we loose. If the Russians are friends with former President Trump; why would they attempt to sway voters to the Democratic Party?
Respectfully
Louis, I appreciate that your conclusions differ from mine and that you still feel comfortable writing. I’m afraid that answering your points would need an essay, rather than a reply. My guess is that our sources of information are quite different.
On the foul language, my intention wasn’t to excuse any of the President’s unrefined language – I was relating my introduction to General Patton. I often disliked the way the President spoke, but I preferred not liking his manner of speaking to smooth-talking politicians whose actions I abhorred. That’s what I meant by taking the good with the bad.
“The good and the bad go together and the greater a person’s potential, the greater his upsides and downsides.”
This is so very true, not just of President Trump, but of every one. (I was also stunned when I read that Brandon Straka was arrested. And Dr. Simone Gold, too.)
Kristyn, I have been reading the news less and less, but I know it’s so important to face what’s going on.
I agree with you on most of your comments. There were the times President said things I wish he had not. He wanted to run America like a business and that is what was needed. I may have been most impressed with moving the Embassy in Israel along with making peace between Israel and Middle East countries that I thought would not happen. In his handling of Covid he could have acted sooner and had it turned out to be nothing the Dems would have used it against him. He would have been wrong no matter what he did. I read a wonderful book For God and Country written by a Christian Pastor that spent a great deal of time with President Trump. The last chapter of the book listed everything he accomplished in his term and let me say it is a long list! None of these were covered by the Left Wing Media. President Trump kept all his campaign promises. I watched all of his State Of The Union Addresses and the very people he helped were always in the audience to prove it was true! The vast majority of Americans will never know 10 percent of what he accomplished. I still believe The Lord has a plan for America and when one door closes another one will open eventually.
Matthew, I think he was an amazing president and truly didn’t understand he got up some days when surrounded by so much hatred. His State of the Union speeches were excellent. I kept on wishing he had done a COVID speech of that variety early on.
BRAVO! BRAVO!
:))
So true, so true. Each was brilliant in performing his mission, but not perfect. We will never have a perfect general nor a perfect president. Trumps tweets were a poor way to get his message across, but perhaps the only way left to him considering the state of the disinformation media and cancel culture. He tried to make domestic alliances, but had few willing to sign on without secretly (or not so secretly) putting their self-interest ahead of loyalty to the president or to the people. Oh, if he had only had a few more able and enthusiastic elected leaders and appointed officials… Fraud, what fraud, don’t look here, don’t listen there, don’t speak about those things… When do we start burning books, people? Dark days ahead, hold on to your beliefs, and keep your friends and family close. We shall overcome, but we will pay a terrible price for allowing the Biden crime family and their minions/handlers to take power.
Robert, it is hard work not to feel dismal.
I think President Trump worked his tail off. He was constantly attacked by Democrats, MSM and Republicans for 5 straight years 24/7. No other person could have taken the slander and backstabbing that he took. It’s amazing what he accomplished in spite of constant resistance and sabotage. Covid 19 started during his impeachment, Pelosi and Schumer encouraged people to go out and when Trump stopped the flights from coming to US they called him Xenophobic, he could nothing right in their eyes. They accused him of trying to take the focus off the impeachment. No other President has worked harder or done more for the American people than President Trump. We probably don’t even know half of everything he’s done because you never hear anything positive about President Trump. Pelosi and her minions say far more offensive things than Trump ever did and I’m glad he didn’t take their bullying. Their goal was to destroy him.
I think you and your the Rabbi are wonderful people, I watch your program Ancient Jewish Wisdom, it was wonderful.
Jo-Ann, thanks for making the point that President Trump is one of the hardest working presidents, if not the hardest, in our lifetimes. One of the things I enjoyed about Sarah Huckabee Sander’s book was being reminded of so much that he did that barely got mentioned.
You are very smart! Carol
I’m quite sure not everyone thinks so, Carol, but I do always try to keep learning and growing.
Many (nearly 60) years ago, our Pastor taught us that
PERSONALITY is a gift of G-d.. our CHARACTER is our gift to Him… that was helpful to me
I really like this message, Vanaly, and they are wise words to live by.
I will always be proud of my support for President Trump. He was like the founding fathers that risk their lives, their fortunes and sacred honor to do what is right for Americans. He was willing to risk everything. His brand of courage and determination is rare.
Linda, I love this point. You are right that he risked and relinquished so much to serve this country.
I believe Pres. Trump did a wonderful job because he wasn’t like the rest of Washington DC he accomplished much. I believe and praying for God to surprise us all with his return.