Seeing off the President of Ar-
gentina this week, the American
head of state and his present
wife graciously conducted them
to the diplomatic portico, guard-
ed as a matter of honor, always,
by a United States Marine. Here,
the humiliation we all enjoy as
private citizens is experienced
as an arrestingly undisciplined
abuse by an inconceivably negli-
gent commander. One doesn't ever
pet a Marine on the lats in one
hand, and grasp his waist with
another, for doing his duty to
his Commander in Chief. May no
one say, this just isn't done?
Condescension, as if to a car
hop, is not acceptable there.
How hideously he extends this
pat, for service which isn't
remotely personal. Back-slaps
and caresses, for the soul of
service? Insult, of degenerate
shallowness, for that radiance?
It is this idiot's occupation,
now, to be certain of the dis-
cipline of the forces of this
republic, and to direct them,
wholly unsentimentally and ut-
terly unsensually, to protect,
preserve, and defend the state.
He plainly cannot discharge it.
Possibly, Catherine the Great,
who assassinated her sovereign
for toying with their soldiers,
could drop into his fantasies
of munificence, and edify them.
He could cut her a deal on used
Marines; she could get a refund.
Go tell Aunt Rhody
Go Tell Aunt Rhody
Go tell Aunt Rhody
That dignity is dead.
Reuters
April 27, 2017©
The Washington Post
April 28, 2017
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