On the walls of the Old Cadet Chapel at West Point are plaques honoring general officers who served in the American Revolution. One plaque lists no name, only a rank, “Major General,” and the date “1740.” This is Benedict Arnold’s plaque. Commemorating the service, but not the man.
His service, by any definition, was extraordinary: The capture of Fort Ticonderoga with Ethan Allen; Leader of an epic expedition through the wilds of Maine to attack Quebec; Commander of the fleet (built under his direction, he was a seaman – and a pharmacist – prior to the revolution) on Lake Champlain that, although unsuccessful in battle, delayed the British expedition against Ticonderoga for a full year; Reliever of the Fort Stanwix siege and true architect of the great American victory of the war at Saratoga; Seriously wounded three times in combat. Arnold was arguably the best military commander on either side; only Nathanael Greene might be considered an equal contender for that honor.
But then, of course, there was that little business of giving up West Point to the British. Not to mention becoming a pretty effective Brigadier General for them afterwards. Arnold’s became the most hated name in American history. Following the war no lasting opprobrium was attached to American Tories, or to British Officers (even those accused of “war-crimes” like Banastre Tarleton, the role model for the villain in Mel Gibson’s The Patriot), nor even to hated Indians like the Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant. Benedict Arnold remains our once and future “Judas.”
Robert E. Lee (turncoat and traitor) became a sainted hero, Bedford Forrest (war criminal at Fort Pillow and founder of the KKK) a grass-roots military genius, William Boney (back-shooting degenerate) a miss-understood kid, Jessie James (thief and murderer) the last defender of a lost-cause, Wyatt Earp (corrupt gambler and killer) a western icon, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow (killers and incompetent thieves) working class, depression-era heroes; Donald Trump (egotistical creep) a financial beau-ideal, etc, etc. All too many etceteras. Yet Benedict Arnold, almost alone, continues to occupy the lowest ring of an American hell.
The take-home message seems to be that Americans will forgive almost anything . . . anything but betrayal. Especially betrayal from those from whom much was expected.
Barack Obama might take heed.
Putting up with Bush’s policies from George W. Bush and his gang of sleazy, money-grubbing, immoral incompetents was one thing. Those on the Left never expected anything better – the “kinder, gentler” image put forth to steal the fraudulent 2000 election was never all that creditable – and George certainly didn’t disappoint. But Progressives voted for Obama as “one of us” and expectations were high. Probably too high – way too high. But we certainly didn’t expect Bush II, Bush’s policies masquerading as “Hope and Change.” Sarah Palin asked “how’s that hopey-changey thing workin out for ya?” The answer from progressives is “not so good.”
There was no claw back of eroding civil rights from the “Constitutional” lawyer. Guantanamo is still going strong, ditto “rendition,” and we’ve added Presidentally-sanctioned murder to the list. Harry Truman ended segregation in the military with a stroke of his pen, but gays are still having to suffer with “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Labor got nothing except an up-and-coming tax on “Cadillac” health plans. Wall Street and the banks were saved (thank you, Barack, for bringing back all those Clinton advisors who set the stage for the great collapse and the Goldman-Sachs groupies who facilitated the bailout), but our government couldn’t even manage bankruptcy mortgage modification for ordinary folk.
Bob Dylan sang about “those who rob you with a fountain pen,” but the bankers and brokers whose greed destroyed trillions of “Main Street” wealth not only got off scot-free, but walked away laughing . . . back to the bank. New regulations to prevent a repeat are mostly a joke and do nothing to protect the public interest – we’ve converted banks “too big or too important to fail” into banks that are even bigger and more important. In America we don’t seem to make much, or accomplish much, these days, but our corporations have gotten very much better at mining the Federal purse.
And then there’s his vaunted health care bill . . . Obamacare. Yes, the left finally did came around to supporting it. Reluctantly. While holding their collective nose. But only as a foot-in-the-door first step, something to be later modified and improved – like Social Security had been – not because it represented any intrinsic accomplishment (and we may be very much mistaken about opportunities for improvement). And to get this miserable piece of legislation the administration bought off the drug companies (no more talk of importing drugs from Canada nor reducing costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate prices) and the insurance industry (no removal of their trust exemption and a gift of 30 million new customers – with most of these new premiums paid with tax dollars). Not to mention assorted other commercial interests and numerous senators. No “single payer,” no “public option,” no “Medicare-for-all,” no separation of health insurance from employment, no long-range cost control. Instead we’re to be forced to buy insurance and practically guaranteed increased future costs. And, adding insult to injury, most of its provisions will not come into effect for years. Thanks again, Barrack.
On the positive side it’s nice having an articulate and intelligent President. Instead of a sneering douchebag. And college loans were removed from the predatory claws of the banks. That campaign promise was kept. Unfortunately, almost the only other promise kept was to invigorate and magnify the war in Afghanistan. It would be nice if, in his efforts to show some backbone, he’d stand up to Republicans instead of Progressives. The President may feel he can ignore his base, that they have nowhere to go; he should keep in mind that the base can even more easily ignore him. We don’t have to go anywhere. We can just stay home. The choice between tweedledum and tweedledee is no real choice at all.
I began with a Revolutionary War theme, let me end with one. Patrick Henry in a speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses said “Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First his Cromwell; and George the Third . . . may he profit by their example.” Barrack Obama should keep in mind that Lyndon Johnson had his Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy; and Gerald Ford his Reagan. He should profit from their example; unless, of course, he wants to go home to Illinois in 2013.
(The photos, counter clock-wise from the top: A monument to Benedict Arnold’s boot on the Saratoga Battlefield; the inscription reads "In memory of the most brilliant soldier of the Continental army, who was desperately wounded on this spot, winning for his countrymen the decisive battle of the American Revolution, and for himself the rank of Major General." Arnold’s name is not mentioned. A portrait. The John Trumbull painting of Burgoyne’s Surrender at Saratoga on October 17, 1777 (painted in 1822). Needless to say, Arnold is not included; he lay seriously wounded in hospital and remained an invalid for seven months.)
His service, by any definition, was extraordinary: The capture of Fort Ticonderoga with Ethan Allen; Leader of an epic expedition through the wilds of Maine to attack Quebec; Commander of the fleet (built under his direction, he was a seaman – and a pharmacist – prior to the revolution) on Lake Champlain that, although unsuccessful in battle, delayed the British expedition against Ticonderoga for a full year; Reliever of the Fort Stanwix siege and true architect of the great American victory of the war at Saratoga; Seriously wounded three times in combat. Arnold was arguably the best military commander on either side; only Nathanael Greene might be considered an equal contender for that honor.
But then, of course, there was that little business of giving up West Point to the British. Not to mention becoming a pretty effective Brigadier General for them afterwards. Arnold’s became the most hated name in American history. Following the war no lasting opprobrium was attached to American Tories, or to British Officers (even those accused of “war-crimes” like Banastre Tarleton, the role model for the villain in Mel Gibson’s The Patriot), nor even to hated Indians like the Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant. Benedict Arnold remains our once and future “Judas.”
Robert E. Lee (turncoat and traitor) became a sainted hero, Bedford Forrest (war criminal at Fort Pillow and founder of the KKK) a grass-roots military genius, William Boney (back-shooting degenerate) a miss-understood kid, Jessie James (thief and murderer) the last defender of a lost-cause, Wyatt Earp (corrupt gambler and killer) a western icon, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow (killers and incompetent thieves) working class, depression-era heroes; Donald Trump (egotistical creep) a financial beau-ideal, etc, etc. All too many etceteras. Yet Benedict Arnold, almost alone, continues to occupy the lowest ring of an American hell.
The take-home message seems to be that Americans will forgive almost anything . . . anything but betrayal. Especially betrayal from those from whom much was expected.
Barack Obama might take heed.
Putting up with Bush’s policies from George W. Bush and his gang of sleazy, money-grubbing, immoral incompetents was one thing. Those on the Left never expected anything better – the “kinder, gentler” image put forth to steal the fraudulent 2000 election was never all that creditable – and George certainly didn’t disappoint. But Progressives voted for Obama as “one of us” and expectations were high. Probably too high – way too high. But we certainly didn’t expect Bush II, Bush’s policies masquerading as “Hope and Change.” Sarah Palin asked “how’s that hopey-changey thing workin out for ya?” The answer from progressives is “not so good.”
There was no claw back of eroding civil rights from the “Constitutional” lawyer. Guantanamo is still going strong, ditto “rendition,” and we’ve added Presidentally-sanctioned murder to the list. Harry Truman ended segregation in the military with a stroke of his pen, but gays are still having to suffer with “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Labor got nothing except an up-and-coming tax on “Cadillac” health plans. Wall Street and the banks were saved (thank you, Barack, for bringing back all those Clinton advisors who set the stage for the great collapse and the Goldman-Sachs groupies who facilitated the bailout), but our government couldn’t even manage bankruptcy mortgage modification for ordinary folk.
Bob Dylan sang about “those who rob you with a fountain pen,” but the bankers and brokers whose greed destroyed trillions of “Main Street” wealth not only got off scot-free, but walked away laughing . . . back to the bank. New regulations to prevent a repeat are mostly a joke and do nothing to protect the public interest – we’ve converted banks “too big or too important to fail” into banks that are even bigger and more important. In America we don’t seem to make much, or accomplish much, these days, but our corporations have gotten very much better at mining the Federal purse.
And then there’s his vaunted health care bill . . . Obamacare. Yes, the left finally did came around to supporting it. Reluctantly. While holding their collective nose. But only as a foot-in-the-door first step, something to be later modified and improved – like Social Security had been – not because it represented any intrinsic accomplishment (and we may be very much mistaken about opportunities for improvement). And to get this miserable piece of legislation the administration bought off the drug companies (no more talk of importing drugs from Canada nor reducing costs by allowing Medicare to negotiate prices) and the insurance industry (no removal of their trust exemption and a gift of 30 million new customers – with most of these new premiums paid with tax dollars). Not to mention assorted other commercial interests and numerous senators. No “single payer,” no “public option,” no “Medicare-for-all,” no separation of health insurance from employment, no long-range cost control. Instead we’re to be forced to buy insurance and practically guaranteed increased future costs. And, adding insult to injury, most of its provisions will not come into effect for years. Thanks again, Barrack.
On the positive side it’s nice having an articulate and intelligent President. Instead of a sneering douchebag. And college loans were removed from the predatory claws of the banks. That campaign promise was kept. Unfortunately, almost the only other promise kept was to invigorate and magnify the war in Afghanistan. It would be nice if, in his efforts to show some backbone, he’d stand up to Republicans instead of Progressives. The President may feel he can ignore his base, that they have nowhere to go; he should keep in mind that the base can even more easily ignore him. We don’t have to go anywhere. We can just stay home. The choice between tweedledum and tweedledee is no real choice at all.
I began with a Revolutionary War theme, let me end with one. Patrick Henry in a speech to the Virginia House of Burgesses said “Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First his Cromwell; and George the Third . . . may he profit by their example.” Barrack Obama should keep in mind that Lyndon Johnson had his Eugene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy; and Gerald Ford his Reagan. He should profit from their example; unless, of course, he wants to go home to Illinois in 2013.
(The photos, counter clock-wise from the top: A monument to Benedict Arnold’s boot on the Saratoga Battlefield; the inscription reads "In memory of the most brilliant soldier of the Continental army, who was desperately wounded on this spot, winning for his countrymen the decisive battle of the American Revolution, and for himself the rank of Major General." Arnold’s name is not mentioned. A portrait. The John Trumbull painting of Burgoyne’s Surrender at Saratoga on October 17, 1777 (painted in 1822). Needless to say, Arnold is not included; he lay seriously wounded in hospital and remained an invalid for seven months.)
