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It was recently announced the U.S.MilitaryAcademy at West Point would remove the “Duty, Honor, Country” motto from its mission statement.
Republicans,conservatives,andpeople of faith rightfully erupted in dismay over this latest movetothe “woke” by the famed institution.
Rachel Campos-Duffy, co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend,” observed: “West Point announcing they’ve gone full globalist.”Tobe sure, millions of Americans agree with her, including thousands who graduated from there.
Cadets stand as President Obama congratulates graduates of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York, on May 22, 2010. (AP)
As I read about this latest wave of wokeness washing over our nation’s serviceacademies, two questions popped in my mind asked about 250 years ago: “If not now, when? If not us, who?”Those were the two most important questions askedandanswered by the 56 men who went ontosign the Declaration of Independence.
WOKE LEFT WILL ERASE AMERICAN HISTORY UNLESS WE STOP THEM
Two years ago, I authored a book intendedtoprevent the cancellation of those heroes by the far left. It was titled: “The 56 – Liberty Lessons From Those Who Risked Alltoign The Declaration of Independence.”
In doing research for the book, what struck me was the self-awarenessandpure courage of thewealthyamong those 56 who chosetoaffix their namestowhat was tantamounttoa death warrant.Men such as Thomas Jefferson, John HancockandBenjamin Franklin.They literally pledged their lives, their fortunesandtheir sacred honor.
VideoThe vast majority of thewealthyback in the colonies around 1776 were loyaliststothe tyrannical Crown.They did not wanttorock the boat.They did not want their wealth or privilege threatened.They did not wanttolose favor.
They had neither courage nor convictions.They were satisfiedtotake the silverandgold covered crumbs being swept off the tables owned by the Crown into their mouths.Andsadly, they were just fine with another man of wealth stepping uptofight the fight they knew must be waged.
CANCEL CULTURE IN CONGRESS DATES BACK TO JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, WHO REFUSED TO BE GAGGED
I thought of those 56 men, their genius, their courage,andtheir sacrifice, while reading extensive background fromwealthyconservativesandalumni of our serviceacademiescriticizing thoseacademiesfor “going more woke by the day.”For it is not just West Point, but also the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academyandthe Coast Guard Academy.
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, May 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Back on July 4, 2022, I was up at West Pointtodiscuss my book The 56 on “Fox & Friends” weekend with – fittingly enough – Rachel Campos-Duffy.Soon after my segment finished, a senior officer at West Point quietly approached meandasked if he could speak with me in confidence.After we walked offtothe side, he outlined in detail how his alma mater was not only “going far left but eliminating or watering down one standardandtradition after the other.”With tears in his eyes, he begged metoget the word out.
Since that time, it has only gotten worse.
But alltoo often – at least in my experience – Republicans,conservativesandpeople of faith tendtowring their hands over their disappearing rights, freedomsandtraditions. They complain loudlytoeach other, but oftentimes choose nottojump into that “Arena” made famous by Teddy Roosevelt in his 1910 “Man in the Arena” speech.
VideoRoosevelt stressed: “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongstothe man who is actually in the arena…”
Fartoo many Republicans,conservativesandpeople of faith are contenttosit in the standsandwring their hands while criticizing the few who daretojump upon the floor of that arena.Including, as I am discovering, many who are outraged by the far-left turn ourmilitaryacademiesare taking.
But…other thanwhiningamong themselves – what are they truly doingtoreverse this course of action which does threaten the national security of our nation?Not much.
CRISIS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES: WHAT UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS CAN LEARN FROM THE FOUNDING FATHERS
An entrance to the U.S. Naval Academy campus in Annapolis, Maryland, Jan. 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
I have a simple suggestion:Start your ownmilitaryacademies.
In doing basic research, I have discovered that between the various multimillionairesandbillionaires who espouse conservativeandfaith-based values, collectively, they have over one trillion in wealth.As in, over one thousand billion dollars.
Andyet, like thewealthyback in 1776, many seem content with the crumbs being swept into their mouths by the far-left CEOsandactivists who control much of Big-Techandother industries in our nation. They don’t wanttorock the boat.They want another person of enormous wealthtojump onto the floor of that arena.
The Cadet Chapel at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. (iStock)
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As I have written, over the course of the last five decades or more, the leftandfar left have gained majority control over what I call the “five major megaphones” of our nation.The media, academia, entertainment, scienceandmedicine.
None of it happened in a vacuum.Much of it came about via blatantandillegal discrimination by the left.
But here we are.Conservatives, Republicansandpeople of faith with tremendous wealth can continuetowring their hands or they can choosetotake that one trillion dollars out for a spin.Emulate thewealthymen who risked alltosign our Declaration of Independenceandask yourselves: “If not me, who? If not now, when?”
A painting depicting the Declaration of Independence’s signing is seen in the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 16, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Michael Robinson Chávez/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Newmilitaryacademiescan be started.Newcolleges can be started.Newentertainment studios can be started.
Like Jefferson, FranklinandHancock, Republicans,conservativesandpeople of faith with such money have the powertosave our nation.All they must do is jump into that arena.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DOUGLAS MACKINNON
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the book: “The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence.”
