“It was one of the greatest parades I’ve ever seen,” Trump told reporters. “It was two hours on the button, and it was military might, and I think a tremendous thing for France and for the spirit of France.”Seated next to Macron, Trump added: “We’re going to have to try to top it.”
I bow to nobody in my admiration for the gallantry and elan of the French armed forces, and I'm pretty darned proud of our own men and women, too, for that matter. And on first consideration, this seems like smart politics.
Still ...
There is something very, shall we say, Trumpian about this proposal. Companies of infantrymen and battalions of tanks rolling past, as fighter jets tear up the sky overhead, while the president stands on a dais surrounded by his generals (some from the Pentagon, some from his Cabinet) ... it seems like the ultimate ego stroke for a president whose ego's appetite to be stroked may be insatiable.
And while I believe the president that the French display was the spark for this idea, what I am picturing in my own mind as I think of what this will look like is not Paris but rather Moscow or Beijing or Pyongyang. Or, perhaps not really so long ago, Berlin or Rome.
This is the United States friggin' military. Does it really need to go on parade to remind everyone of its awesome capabilities? Well, no. But as I say, I don't think our military is the needy one in this picture.
[UPDATE 2/7/2018]: Rick Noack of the Washington Post surveys some European reactions to Trump's plans Perhaps not surprisingly, they seem largely skeptical - and echo some of the views expressed here. Even when they agree with us, I confess that I have the bad grace to bristle when I hear European elites looking down their noses at us.
His base will absolutely eat it up. I notice he's doing everything he can to keep them purring along contentedly.
ReplyDeleteThe man is like a toddler. I say whatever can be done to distract him and let Congress, which seems to be in a bipartisan mood, try to get some things done, is money well spent.
ReplyDeleteHe wants to shut down the government and have a military parade. Sounds banana Republican, two ways, to me.
ReplyDelete"Banana Republicans". Dang it, why didn't I think of that for a headline? Tom, in your journalistic career, were you ever the Editor In Charge of Thinking Up Snappy Headlines?
DeleteYes. I'm using "Banana Republicans" at Friday's Frankford Arsenal Alumni monthly luncheon, with proper accreditation, of course. That should elicit stiff expressions from half the contingent and large guffaws from the other half.
DeleteStanley, enjoy. Jim, When Cardinal Cushing announced he was finished building schools and churches, I wrote, for NCR, the headline: "Cushing throws in the trowel." That was one of my best.
DeleteI have always admired good headline writers. Never had the knack, but some of my students were whizzes. If things got boring, I had a file of news stories I would hand out and have a contest to see who could come up with the best header for daily bonus points.
DeleteDidn't Nixonius Rex redesign the White House guard uniforms to be almost as lavish as the KofC garb? No ostrich plumes, but lots of gold braid and buttons. Yes, he did. And those uniforms ended up as college band uniforms in Utah.
https://washingtonmonthly.com/2013/08/19/richard-nixons-palace-guard/
Tom - very nicely done :-). Jean - when Rehnquist was Chief Justice, he had his robe gussied up to resemble the Lord High Chancellor's - not the actual LHC's, but a character in a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta - apparently the Chief Justice saw a production of Iolanthe and was so smitten with the costume that he wanted one for himself.
DeleteThis pleasantly irreverent article by Robin Givhan of the Washington Post recaps those circs and then transitions from catty-judgy mode to make some astute observations of the meaning of judicial robes. She doesn't make any biblical or liturgical allusions, but much of what she says could serve as a springboard for discussion of our baptismal clothing, the alb.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/08/AR2010100806588.html
In my previous comment, I assumed that "Robin Givhan" was a woman. A quick search of Google photos confirms that assumption, but one shouldn't assume. My bad. I see that she was fashion editor for the Post, and won a Pulitzer for criticism. If the article I linked to is representative, I can see why.
DeleteThanks for the Givhan article. Not attire, but reminds me that Catholics and Episcopalians use a simple pall on caskets. I'm sure there are layers of meaning there, but I have always get that a) it is a sign that dust gets us all, whether we're in a deluxe Slumber 9000 with the electronic satin headriser pillow or just flocked chipboard with polyester lining, and b) we all try to die under the cross.
DeleteJim, the Givhan was good. Her comment that a plain robe equalizes the people under it, no matter how impressive their inner clothing is, reminded me of the rules for length of lace on monsignors' surplices, as opposed to priests' or bishops'. I know a lot of that is gone now, but it's fascinating how often uniforms that should theoretically symbolize equality can be tweaked into symbols of "greater-ness" for the wearer.
DeleteJean - quite so. The pall should call to mind the baptismal garment which we received at baptism, which is the alb. Baptism immerses us into the paschal mystery, and so, at the time of our death, the pall is a sign of hope that our death is not the end. Indeed we have a sure and certain hope that it is not.
DeleteTom - yes. The alb should have that same equalizing impact - in this case, equality among the gathered community and before God. I love this passage from Revelation:
"After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice:
"“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”
"All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed:
"“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
"Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
"I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.” He said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.""
So. Having heard that the president of the United States wants to have his military toys paraded whenever the Pentagon can get ready, Kim Jung Un had his military parade today. It is so embarrassing when the president gets beaten at his own childish games by the dictator of a failed state. I am chagrined.
DeleteTom: Ha! Just you wait: ours will be biglier, and betterer, and baderer, than Little Kim's, or Crooked Kim's, or whatever name we're taunting him with these days.
DeleteLittle Rocket Man is the preferred term.
DeleteHas anyone else seen the comment from military sources that running tanks on Pennsylvania Avenue will tear up the street. Doesn't happen in France because their streets are paved with stones (and some of them with gold!).
ReplyDeleteI automatically assumed there would only be wheeled vehicles but Il Duce probably wants tanks. But, yes, even with the rubber pads on the treads, 50 tons will damage the street though probably not wreck them. I'm not sure there are any tanks in the Washington area. They'd have to transport them in by train. Maybe they can satisfy him with one tank doing a car crush. That's always fun.
DeleteI like Stanley's idea, and in fact would suggest that we just turn it into a monster truck rally instead of a military parade. The former probably would appeal to Trump's core constituency, as long as there is no competing professional wrestling event that evening.
DeleteJim, a combo monster truck rally and pro wrestling event instead of a military parade would save us so much money. I think it would be cooler yet to explode a nuke on the moon on July Fourth. Musk's next Falcon Heavy test.
ReplyDeleteA mud rally would be fun. Or is this just a Michigan thing like euchre?
ReplyDelete