Election 2016: Send in the Marines
— Richard Kelsey
I am an unabashed partisan … for marines. I grew up around Marines. Two of my big brothers were marines, and my father was a World War II marine. Marines filled my dad’s little coffee shop every day. I remember Pastor Dave Bulk, artist Had Langdon, big Asbury Brown, and the hero of the hill, Fred Walsak, who was present at the raising of the flag on Iwo. These were a few of the real men I was privileged to grow up around. The Marine Corps didn’t make these men … but they made them better men. My father joined the Marines at 17, barely making the minimum weight. He was raised on faith, hard work and a love of country. The Marines amplified those outstanding qualities… as they do with most who serve. My dad was a smart man and a voracious reader. He was not educated, except in right and wrong. His moral compass always pointed true north; and as I said at his funeral a few years back, he never knew the sensation of walking away from a situation wishing he had spoken up. Standing up for family, for country, for strangers … that’s who he was. This country needs more men and women to stand as examples of decency, courage, and sacrifice. The Kardashian era is over. America needs leadership, and the Marines have produced the perfect antidote to a sick, dying, corrupt, and untrusted American political system; His name is General James Mattis … a Marine.
I don’t know General Mattis. I never met the man. But I know this, he is one serious, credible, natural born leader who comes from outside a broken political system. If the establishment keeps you up at night longing for a man or woman with the courage to right all that is wrong with the system, then you have some choices. You could select Mr. Trump, a silver-spoon, spoiled billionaire working on his third wife, with a long history of making America cheesy, again and again. You could choose Hillary Clinton, a horrific, habitual liar who is the model of modern American political corruption. Or, you could choose an old socialist from Vermont who apparently was a loafer at his hippie commune. You could alternatively choose Ted Cruz, a man who at least understands the Constitution … but inspires no one. Who among these choices is going to make America great again? Really?
If we want to make America great again, we should start with a great American. Too many in our crumbling society think greatness, or even freedom, are birthrights belonging inherently to Americans. That is complete nonsense. We forge greatness in an environment where it can thrive. It needs to be nurtured. To be great one must rise to challenges, expecting more from him or herself and others. One must lead by example. One must seek failure, respect it, fear it, embrace it, rise above it, and vanquish it. General Mattis once famously said, “I cannot lose sleep at night over failure. I do not even know how to spell the word.” Greatness isn’t defined by TV ratings or acts of outrageousness, it is defined by moral clarity, courage, and acts of decency, civility, bravery, and vision. For America to be great again, it needs a leader who inspires trust and has earned our respect. We need a man of faith, of conviction, of intelligence. Right now, we do not have that prospective leader as our choice in either of the broken parties.
The harsh truth is that America cannot be great again because of one great American. One great American, however, can help us make more great Americans. Together, we can make a greater America. Marine Mattis has said many interesting things in his day, none more prophetic for America than this: “You cannot allow any of your people to avoid the brutal facts. If they start living in a dream world, it’s going to be bad.” Americans are living in a dream world, where success is an entitlement and the work and spoils of others are to be shared by force of government. If the great American experiment is to avoid the ash heap of history, we must destroy the political system that threatens our liberty and prosperity. Who better for such a job than a Marine.
Richard Kelsey is an attorney, an Assistant Law Dean, former Technology CEO, Constitutional Conservative and recovering Republican. He appears in print, on radio, and TV on political and legal issues. You can follow him on twitter @richkelsey. His opinions are his own, and do not represent any party, candidate group, entity, or institution.
