"Moral Authority" - or the lack thereof
The idea that someone has some sort of greater “moral authority” based on their life experiences, and that their opinion on matters is somehow given greater weight because of those life experiences, has always bothered me. For example, some may say my experiences in Iraq give me a greater moral authority to speak on issues involving Iraq. I would say emphatically NO to that. Why? Because no two people who’ve been to Iraq will agree on our policy there and how we should handle that situation. I had plenty of debates with other soldiers about what our policies should be. If we have the same “moral authority”, who is really right?
The left has decided that anyone who supports their view, and happens to have a life experience that complements that view, suddenly has the “moral authority” and now must be speaking the higher truth - despite the fact that others with similar experiences may disagree. Cindy Sheehan is a perfect example.
Personally, I think St. Cindy is a nut job. I’d come back and haunt my mother if she was acting the way Sheehan does. If I had died in Iraq, I would have died doing something I believed in - answering my country’s call, serving America, and doing a job I wanted to do. As a soldier, it’s not my place to question every decision my civilian leaders make - Democrat or Republican. My job is take on the dangerous missions my country asks of me. If I can’t handle that, then I shouldn’t be in the military.
Another example of the so-called moral authority is a political ad by VoteVets, which I described here. Turns out, one of those vets in the original ad, Josh Lansdale - you know, with the moral authority - is a fraud. Meaning, members of his own unit have said that most of the Iraqi experiences he claims to have had are a lie.
This isn’t the first time the left has embraced military frauds who said things they wanted to hear. John Kerry’s stories have famously been shot full of holes. Of lesser renown was Jesse Macbeth, who claimed to be a former U.S. Army Ranger and told all sorts of stories about atrocities he supposedly saw and committed in Iraq. Turns out, Macbeth was kicked out of the Army before he even completed his initial boot camp.
Words to the wise - choose your spokesmen and women carefully.
Category :
Uncategorized 
Tags :
Similar Posts:
- Anti-war military frauds
- MilBlogger dies in Iraq, leaves humerous posthumous post
- Sheehan says “I quit!”, both political parties cheer
- Lying bastard charged with faking war record
- “New Republic’s” Scott Thomas is a real soldier - and a real a**hole
- Mother Sheehan takes off the gloves with the Democratic Party
- Fake veteran goes to prison
- Sheehan says she’s in charge
- An excellent read
- St. Cindy goes on the road
I found your blog from tfboggs, I hope you don’t mind my reading it.
But I really wanted to tell you two things.
1) Thank you for your sacrifices that you have endured and for keeping us all safe,
&
2) I really like this post! No one person can take away from the experience of another the identical thought, feeling, pain. We can only imagine and a lot of times the imagination leaves much to be desired.
I like your blog, I have much to say about CS, John Kerry, and those who pretend to know. I find those two in particular to be insensitive and quite annoying.
Hope you don’t mind me returning.
Please do, the more the merrier.
Sorry, had to ask, something in me about blog etiquette???? And harrassing commentors.
If you’re interested though here’s a couple of links to some blogs you might like?
http://theredvoice.blogspot.com/
http://takeastandagainstliberals.blogspot.com/
http://lesenfantterrible.blogspot.com/
The way you write just makes me think you might like these.