Fields: All Hail the New Chickenhawk King
BY SAM FIELDS
Someone has dethroned long-time champion Dick Cheney as “The King of the Chickenhawks”.
For those of you not familiar with the term, it was coined during the Vietnam War. It referred to those who defended that debacle, but conveniently excused themselves from joining the military.
They include, among others, Pat Buchanan, Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, Clarence Thomas, and George Will. And, until now, the undisputed King of the Chickenhawks….Dick Cheney.
Who will ever forget Dick Cheney’s 1987 interview justifying five Vietnam draft deferments proclaiming he had “other priorities in the 60’s than military service”?
But now we have a new war and a new Chickenhawk king.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, along with eight generations of his family….Mitt Romney.
Long Live the King
Romney is the man who has denounced President Barack Obama as soft on defense.
He’s a man who has proclaimed that, if elected Prez, he will expand the Navy by fifteen ships-a-year.
A man who will install a missile defense system…even if it costly, unworkable and pointless in an age of terrorist cells.
A man who has called for expanding the Marines by 100,000.
A man who never saw a war he did not like…for other Americans to fight.
The “suckers” in the Dunham family (Obama’s maternal family) risked life and limb defending the nation in The Civil War (Union side), WWI and WWII, etc.
The Romneys and Pratts (Mom’s family) have, without exception avoided all of our wars…except where there was a civilian job to line their pockets.
They avoided The Revolution, The War of 1812, The Mexican War, The Civil War, The Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Gulf I and II, Afghanistan and a hundred other military actions. And they did it by never enlisting and, where necessary, dodging the draft.
To be clear, for eight generations, going back to Obadiah Pratt, not one of Mitt Romney’s forebears has ever risked life or limb to defend this country.
What Makes A Chickenhawk?
What makes it even more of a lock for the title is Mitt himself.
Born in 1947, he was perfect cannon fodder for Vietnam. But when it was his turn to serve he discovered he needed a religious exemption so he could go to France and talk French boys and girls into becoming Mormons…at least until he was free from the draft.
But the coup de grace is his five sons Tagg, Matt, Josh, Ben and Craig. Born between 1970 and 1981, they were all of military age when the Twin Towers came down. All were ripe to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan.
And while the sons of Joe Biden, Sarah Palin and John McCain foolishly fought for our country, Mitt’s sons, like Dick Cheney, had “other priorities”.
And what were those other priorities? Back in 2007, while he campaigned for the White House, he was asked about why his sons did not enlist. He explained to a Cedar Rapids audience that his sons were serving the country: “One of the ways my sons are showing support for our nation is helping to get me elected.”
Now, isn’t that special?
I am sure that their sacrifice will go down in history with Valley Forge, Gettysburg, The Lost Battalion, The Bataan Death March, Pork Chop Hill, Khe Sahn and The Battle of Tora Bora.
A Seal Six unit going to get Bin Laden “got nothin’” on the sons of Mitt, who, loaded down with Daddy’s pamphlets, will now be expected to, once again, selflessly and bravely go “forward, forward, forward” into the breach…of the 2011 Iowa Caucuses.
xxxxx
(What did I do in my era’s war? I was drafted. Before I was called up, my records were destroyed by protestors led by Fr. Philip Berrigan, the anti-Vietnam War Catholic priest. Berrigan and his cohorts trashed thousands of draft documents with napalm and pigs blood at two Maryland draft offices. A few years later, I was given a high number in the draft lottery.
I didn’t serve, but I never backed the war, either. I wasn’t a Chickenhawk.)
October 13th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
So Sam Fields has a lot to say about people who avoided the military. Isn’t that just what he did? He could have volunteered when his draft records were destroyed by terrorists. He preferred to sit at home.
October 13th, 2011 at 4:59 pm
Sam – What branch of the military did Obama serve in? Or, is that question only relevant when it’s a Republican who is in favor of a strong national defense?
It never ceases to amaze me that Democrats who are in favor of every governmental spending program under the sun suddenly oppose spending if it has anything to do with strengthening our national defense.
While we’re on the subject of the wars, where are all of the war protesters we saw in 2007 and 2008? Those wars are still ongoing. One would think that the former protesters would be even more upset that the wars are still ongoing 3 or 4 years after their initial protests. Did the protests stop after a Democrat was elected? Maybe just the media coverage stopped?
October 13th, 2011 at 7:27 pm
Follow Up has a point. Obama didn’t serve, so why criticize Romney. Obama has been involved in three wars (Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq).
Your story is not up to your usual logical standards.
October 13th, 2011 at 8:45 pm
Shallow and insufferable. Save the digital bytes.
October 13th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
Mr Fields,
I really enjoyed your article. The naysayers will find points of dissension, but, Mitt, and Mitt’s kids, not only did not serve, but did not volunteer for other national initiatives, (Americorps, Peace Corps, etc.) There is no excuse for Cheney.
October 13th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
If Romney thought he could garner more votes by opposing a military build up, he would do so.
October 13th, 2011 at 10:22 pm
Ever notice Sam only criticizes Republicans/conservatives (and Catholics)on here?
Hey Buddy, can you find a Republican to balance Sam? He is predictable and has become a broken record for leftist rants.
Your blog would be a bit more enjoyable to know that we can read other articles that those from the far left
October 14th, 2011 at 12:43 am
Hmmmm…..never saw a picture of Obama in a military uniform. Or Clinton.
October 14th, 2011 at 8:47 am
Not winning any points with me Sam with the line below, and I really enjoy your writing.
“And while the sons of Joe Biden, Sarah Palin and John McCain foolishly fought for our country, Mitt’s sons, like Dick Cheney, had “other priorities”.”
It takes a very special type of young man or woman to join a volunteer military force and perform under fire. I have yet to meet a Vet who is a fool. There is a wide range of missions and deployments troops and officers are ordered to partake of.
Seperate their valor and honor from Bush Jr’s decisions.
Please consider editing your comments.
October 14th, 2011 at 9:06 am
I admit that Sam Fields is not a Chicken Hawk. He is just a Chicken Shit.
October 14th, 2011 at 9:13 am
ITS ABOUT CHICKENHAWKS…its not about who served..Its about avoiding service then pushing other people’s kids to war…Yes Obama and Clinton didn’t serve but they they are hardly chest thumpers for every conflict…
October 14th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
Then the fools are the chicken hawks and not the servicemen or women as Sam writes. Whatever Sam writes about chicken hawks is spoiled by his unfortunate choice of calling someone who volunteers to serve his country foolish.
I would like to see Sam make that clear or tell us why he thinks that enlisting in the armed forces is foolish and what the alternative is.
In another subject, anyone notice another one of Cheap AM radio Steve Kane’s sponsors, Barry Vitamins was arrested?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/boca-raton/fl-fake-boca-doctors-20111013,0,1607308.story
Before that there was British Diagnostics on the Steve Kane Show
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2007-03-14/news/0703130400_1_unlicensed-clinics-sheriff-doctor
Is this a good conspiracy for Brian Craig to uncover.
October 14th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
If you haven’t served in the military you have no standing to criticize those that didn’t serve.
The more articles you write on here, the more apparant it becomes that you are a racist liberal democrat sycophant criminal defense lawyer who never served his country. May I suggest you move to Canada, China or Cuba.
October 14th, 2011 at 4:35 pm
To say these people that are mentioned w/ emphasis on Mitt Romney all being “chicken-yawks is really streching it don’t you think? My father as big as a drunk that he was served in the Korean War(active duty-yes heard 100x spent his 19 birhday(aug.18) in a fox hole) and presently have a brother serving in Iraq right now(teaching the Iragi’s how to run an airport-good luck), and i myself served in the Navy(peace time)but had a difference w/ my Commanding Off. and received an OTH. So does that make me more patroitic then say someone who never served? Although I see your point I think to call them “chicken-hawks” is streching it. Don’t you think?
October 14th, 2011 at 4:35 pm
Sam, That is not fair. He was not a chicken. If he did serve, he would not have been scared because he would have had magic underwear to protect him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnVOK42o4E0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cbfgmorIGE&feature=related
October 15th, 2011 at 11:39 am
Let me see if I can put this in simple enough terms that even Republicans can understand.
There are four moral permutations:
1. I believe in a war or wars and have agreed to put myself at risk to fight the war or wars.
2. I don’t believe in the war or wars but will fight if called.
3. I don’t believe in the war or wars and will resist in every way being forced to fight the war.
4. I believe in the war or wars but will resist in every way being forced to fight the war.
If you do not understand the moral failure of being number four (see Mitt and 250 years of Romneys and Pratts) then that is a sad commentary on you and the upbringing your parents gave you.
October 15th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
Sam, you truly are a P.O.S. Moreover, from reading your classroom reviews you are a horrible college teacher too. So, your only ‘claim to fame’ is writing for a blog that has tens of readers, LOL!!!
Hopefully, you will soon choke on the vile words you spew.
October 15th, 2011 at 8:12 pm
Sam, you forgot #5.
5. My name is Sam Fields and I have no real respect for service people and I wet my pants at the thought of going in to battle.
October 15th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
“Small Sad Sam” for those who remember the 60’s tune that parodied “Big Bad John.” If he had a middle name, it would be Dick.
October 16th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
Looks like you hit a nerve Sam.
October 17th, 2011 at 8:21 am
I never fought for my country either Sam. However, I and my entire extended family as well as millions and millions of East European families are eternally greatful for the sacrifice of American Soldiers and their deployments around the globe.
I don’t think of Joe Biden as a fool and I have never heard or read of him denigrating a US soldier as a fool. There is a big difference between a Joe Biden and a Sarah Palin or Limbaugh as to who would be sending US troops for their fantasies of war.
That is a big difference between a foolish military bloviating policy and calling US troops fools.
Are you a lwayer or Mr T Sam? What is the big deal in just clarifying this for the historical record.
Is a member of the armed forces a fool?
Can you differentiate between the public figure delusional about War vs the actual soldier being sent to carry this out?
Should we welcome returning US military personel with a big parade featuring a
“Welcome Home Fools” banner?
You hit a nerve Sam because being a progressive to me does not include referring to our defenders as fools.
We mock fools Sam. Do you plan on doing some stand up mocking fools in their beds or in rehab at the VA hospital?
Leaders as fools? Absolutely. Mock them all you want.
I hope that this is a teachable moment for you and you choose your words more carefully and think of what they may mean to others. One reason I really enjoy reading Buddy is that he self corrects himself very fast and does pay attention to how his words can come across.
October 17th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
Chickenhawkism is a legitimate issue, because it is a window into a candidate’s character. Bush/Cheney were the worst kind, because by all reports they supported Vietnam at the time yet avoided service. I’m not yet ready to pin the chickenhawk label onto Romney without knowing anything about his view of Vietnam at the time he was avoiding it.
And c’mon folks, I’m reasonably confident that Sam’s “foolish” references were a dash of sarcasm. As a famous military leader, Sargeant Hulka, once memorably said, “lighten up, Francis.”
October 17th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Now that his law firm is folding, Sam Fields will actually need to work. The Marines is still looking for A Few Good Men, like they were when when Fields dodged the draft.
October 17th, 2011 at 4:54 pm
The reference to soldiers as fools was a notion of how the Romneys, who have avoided the military for the last 200 year, would see them
I regret if the sardonic notion was lost on some of you
At the request of an in-law, who is a military Chaplin, I have collected and shipped hundreds of pounds of toiletries to our troops in Iraq.
I can distinguish the difference between the troops who are doing their job, and the politicians who sent them into these two disasters.
and politicans who would send the troops into war but make sure they and their family can stay home and profit
I have still not seen one comment defending Romney. I do remember how Clinton was attacked for his failure to serve.
October 18th, 2011 at 7:41 am
“I can distinguish the difference between the troops who are doing their job, and the politicians who sent them into these two disasters.
and politicans who would send the troops into war but make sure they and their family can stay home and profit”
Thank you Sam and I would guess that the troops who recieved your packages are thankful. In a way, your concern for them includes not wanting to send our best to die or be maimed for misleading reasons. I do not think that this idea is in the minds of those who are chickenhawks who play toy soldiers with real live Americans and the consequences of what happens during war.
The other swine like action is when you send the best of America to war and then refuse to pay more taxes to pay for the damn thing and let others pay the price tag.
October 20th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
we need people like the berrigans.go way back with them danny baptized all three of my sons….it hasa beenone of the greatest joys of my life to have known them