Some of the Folks that Always Seem to Get the US Into Trouble

* Adam L. Silverman, PhD

Given some of the recent posts and remarks about drumbeats pertaining to Iran, advisors to presidential candidates, the quality of forein policy advice, bloodthirsty columnists and bloggers, I thought it was appropriate to remind everyone of the public service that the New Hampshire Gazette is performing by maintaining the Chickenhawk Hall of Shame.  The Chickenhawk Hall of Shame is intended to enshrine:

"When an American male (or an especially belligerent female) makes the challenging transition from late adolescence into early adulthood, he is faced with many decisions. One certain, specific combination of choices will result in his becoming a chickenhawk: choosing to “support” war, while also choosing not to serve in the military. His motto becomes: “Let’s you and him go fight; I’ll hold your coat.”

Depending on external circumstances, such an individual may become one of three varieties of chickenhawk:
• If there is no draft, and the nation is at peace, the individual becomes a Common Chickenhawk;
• If there is a draft, and the nation is at peace, the individual becomes a Chickenhawk First Class;
• If the there is a draft, and the nation is at war, the individual becomes a Chickenhawk First Class with Distinguished Fleeing Cross.

We currently have 154 Chickenhawks listed in our database. Here they are, listed alphabetically. Click here to see them listed by date of birth."

Click on over and check out the members of the 101st Chairborne Division...

*Adam L. Silverman is the Culture and Foreign Language Advisor at the US Army War College.  The views expressed here are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the US Army War College and/or the US Army.

Comments

[Jose]

I love this post, but wasn't religious obligations considered public service in lieu of military service during The Vietnam War?

[Medicine Man]

Quite a rogue's gallery.

The one that jumped out at me was John Wayne. I've never quite understood the veneration of him in some quarters. While I found a few of his movies entertaining enough, he always seemed like a bit of a media creation to me; basically just an actor who clothed himself in the mantle of American resilience and eventually came to believe his own image. Regardless, it never occurred to me to ask someone who's been shot at for their opinion of "The Duke". Is it true that he was generally not well regarded by soldiers in Viet Nam (Republic of)?

[Basilisk]

From some of the inclusions on this list one might get the impression there is an inverse relationship between loving war and having actually experienced it.

[Paul Escobar]

Medicine Man said:

While I found a few of his [John Wayne's] movies entertaining enough, he always seemed like a bit of a media creation to me; basically just an actor who clothed himself in the mantle of American resilience and eventually came to believe his own image.

I think Humphrey Bogart would have agreed with you:

"I don't approve of the John Waynes and the Gary Coopers saying 'Shucks, I ain't no actor—I'm just a bridge builder or a gas station attendant.' If they aren't actors, what the hell are they getting paid for? I have respect for my profession. I worked hard at it."

[steve g]

Don't be a "John Wayne" or he acted like one
referred to the faux gung ho or stupid action
on ones part in a combat situation. Possibly
taking unnecessary risks. Most Viet Nam vets
were raised on his movies. As a VN Marine,
the Sands of Iwo Jima was the classic. Many
joined because of that movie and others of the
post WWII era. Once reality bit, you knew it
was all bluff and bravado.

[Babak Makkinejad]

He was quite popular in Iran before the Iranian Revolution.

Also, he spoke Spanish and spent a lot of time in Mexico.

He was not some ignorant redneck cowboy.

He and many of his film crew died of a variety of cancers; perhaps caused by the close proximity of the filming locations to US nuclear test sites.

[Mike Martin, Yorktown, VA]

I nominated my fellow Kentuckian, Addison Mitchell McConnell, Jr. to the list. He did three weeks of basic training for the reserves back in 1967 before Senator John Sherman Cooper's office got him discharged for "optic neuritis."

[arbogast]

Wow. That's a chilling list. Essentially the entire leadership of the "Right" in the US.

[Matthew]

Campaign poster: "Vote Republican And Get Another War We Cannot Afford." See http://www.lobelog.com/romney-team-iran-hawk-lays-out-%e2%80%98case-for-striking-before-it%e2%80%99s-too-late%e2%80%99/#more-10401

[Medicine Man]

Babak M.:

I wasn't implying that John Wayne was an ignorant hick. I was saying that he seemed to "become the mask" or slowly transform into his own public image. This is a phenomenon that is quite recognizable in media persons these days. Half the reason I bring it up is I wonder if I'm projecting.

[Babak Makkinejad]

Not you, but many did.

Once I mistakenly walked into the wrong theathre looking for a John Wayne movie; I think it was "She wore a yellow ribbon".

They were showing the "Times of Harvey Milk" and I asked two young women there where the John Wayne movies was.

They said no but they clearly thought that I was some sort of deranged wierdo.

Now, you have to understand that these girls where wearing print skirts and had un-shaven arm-pits. [Do not know if they were AC-DC or not, could not tell.]

You had to be there.

[Fred]

Babak

I believe it was lung cancer from a lifetime of cigarette smoking.

[Medicine Man]

I noticed that too. Not surprising though, as the rhetorical crimes of "Lefties" tend to run in other directions.

[confusedponderer]

IMO that's one of the best bits of the chickenhawk gallery, on William "Bill" Kristol:

Bill Kristol's old man, Irving -- who served as an infantryman in the 12th Armored Division during WW II -- once told Columbia University Professor Ira Katznelson that he had gotten his son William a slot at Harvard by talking to a friend there, then got him an internship at the the Nixon White House by talking to Pat Moynihan, then got him a job at the RNC by talking to his friends there, then got him teaching jobs at Penn and the Kennedy School by -- wait for it -- Yes! By talking to friends in both those places. Katznelson then asked Kristol what he thought of affirmative action. Kristol said he opposed it because "it subverts meritocracy."

And he most certainly said that without blinking.

Thanks for linking to that site.

[securecare]

Thanks for pointing to this list. Something to keep in mind for future reference.