Civil War quote relevant today

W

WAMom68

10-Year Member
Founding Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2006
Messages
1,139
I came across the following quote today. I think it is very relevant now even though it is 144 years old!

"It appears we have appointed our worst generals to command forces, and our most gifted and brilliant to edit newspapers! In fact, I discovered by reading newspapers that these editor/geniuses plainly saw all my strategic defects from the start, yet failed to inform me until it was too late.

Accordingly, I'm readily willing to yield my command to these obviously superior intellects, and I'll, in turn, do my best for the Cause by writing editorials - after the fact."

-Robert E. Lee, 1863

Any thoughts on this?
 
Great Post! Times haven't really changed, and some people still believe everything they read in the paper. Wasn't it around the same time that it was said "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time."? A little of that still coming over the AP wire every day too.
 
Proof positive that the only time Robert E. Lee erred was when he ordered an attack on Cemetery Ridge on July 3rd, 1863.
 
Speaking of quotes; here's one I came across today:

"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else."

Theodore Roosevelt
 
nosmileysforme said:
Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else.
Click to expand...

He must be rolling in his grave to see what passes for "legitimate criticism" these days. :rolleyes:
 
Perhaps, but I do think they were more SINCERE.

Nowadays it's next to impossible to find someone in politics who actually means what he says and says what he means, and that's on EITHER side of the aisle.

One side can't do it for fear of having their asses handed to them by the electorate. The other is composed of so many cowards that they fear the media more than they fear ticking off their voters.

The result? A whole lot of crap. :mad:
 
There's was the "no-spin" zone ... or era ... or centuries. Ours isn't.

I suspect our forefathers ... and mothers like mine ... were more inclined to acknowledge bovine excrement when it was apparent.

And no doubt, it's this cultural phenomenon that may make the USNA notion of honor quaintly dated and oh so current and essential in a world capable of self-destructing at a moment's notice. The military must operate in a manner far above that of its governors.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top