by Andy Jones
Near the start of the 1992 film Patriot Games, retired CIA agent Jack Ryan is vacationing with his family in London when he encounters members of a radical IRA splinter group attacking and attempting to kidnap members of the British royal family. An American, Ryan charges into the gunfight, tackles and disarms one of the terrorists, shoots another, and disrupts the plot before the authorities arrive to restore order. The result of this heroism? The Queen of England makes him a member of The Royal Victorian Order, which I found a strange honor for an American, and a number of armed and vengeful Irishmen seek to have a word with him back in the states. As I recently discovered, Patriot Games is available for streaming on Netflix.
Saving royals is typical for an American in Europe, the Tom Clancy film seems to tell us. This self-congratulatory idea of “American exceptionalism” comes up in high school AP American history classes, and in Republican debates. Our country was “conceived in liberty,” Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address argues, and since then (and before, as we can see in the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville), pundits have asserted that our country is like that “city upon a hill” whose light cannot be hidden.
Of course, doesn’t every country think it is special, and perhaps the most special? History has presented us with (some) haughty Parisians who scoffed at all others, (some) bellicose Germans who believed that a master race of proto-Aryans came were descended from residents of Atlantis, and (some) citizens of homogeneous Japan who believe that outsider visitors cannot act with sufficient decorum and respect. Our pop culture favorites have commented upon such nationalistic chauvinism, as well. The national anthem sung by Borat reminds us that “Kazakhstan [is the] number one exporter of potassium! Other countries have inferior potassium.” We smile as we agree with Geoff Mulgan, the Chief Executive of the (British) National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts, who once said, “All of nationalism can be understood as a kind of collective narcissism.”
That said, I found myself swelling with nationalistic pride this past weekend when reading about the young men from Sacramento who, like Jack Ryan in Patriot Games, stepped up to stop the terrorists when Europeans needed them to. As you no doubt have heard, three locals are being celebrated by the heads of the U.S. and French governments because of their quick thinking. This is how the story began in Saturday’s Sacramento Bee:
Three childhood friends from the Sacramento area were hailed as international heroes Saturday after thwarting a gunman armed with an assault rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. French officials said the man was planning mass murder on a high-speed train bound from Amsterdam to Paris.
Anthony Sadler, Spencer Stone and Alek Skarlatos, who had known each other since middle school, said they first heard shattering glass, then realized a man was brandishing an assault rifle in the train aisle. They jumped into action.
“My friend Alek just told Spencer, ‘Go get him,’” and “Spencer gets up in a split second and runs down the car and arrests the guy before he can shoot,” Sadler told reporters Saturday.
The three men, with help from another passenger, tackled the gunman, wrestled him to the ground, then hogtied him, saving themselves and other passengers.
As I said to my wife yesterday, it was a good thing that three Americans were nearby when a terrorist was loading his guns and looking for trouble. Peggy Noonan once wrote in The Wall Street Journal that “America is not exceptional because it has long attempted to be a force for good in the world; it attempts to be a force for good because it is exceptional.”
It’s not every day that I agree with Peggy Noonan or the Wall Street Journal, but when it comes to heroic and exceptional young men from the Central Valley of California, I find myself swelling with patriotic pride and gratitude.
Andy
I share your celebration of the actions of these very brave young men. It is a wonder to me that when most will run in terror, there are those amongst us who will run towards the problem in order to take care of it. I am very proud of these young men.
However, I see a problem in attributing this trait to the nationality of the men. Do we believe that three men of similar training and friendship from another country would not have acted the same ?
I do not feel any vicarious pride in the actions of these individuals. Just as I do not feel vicarious shame when an American does an act that I feel is immoral. I do not feel that their heroic actions are a reflection on me as a person any more than I feel that the actions of American terrorists are a reflection on me as a person. I believe strongly in individual virtue and responsibility. I do not believe in national exceptionalism of any kind be it American or that of any other nation.
Tia,
When there is a story of three men from another country that do a similar act we can celebrate them. Can you concede that they acted based on how they were raised and educated in our society? The values that they learned growing up in an America were put into play. Two of these young men were members of our military which trains its soldiers and airmen to take initiative to solve a proplem. And that is what they did when they charged the armed terrorist and disarmed him.
zaqzaq
“When there is a story of three men from another country that do a similar act we can celebrate them.”
This is exactly my point. Would their actions be any more or less laudable because they were from another country ? I do believe that they acted on how they had been raised and the values they were taught. I just do not believe that these are uniquely American values, nor do I believe in collective acceptance of praise, but collective rejection of blame which is what we too often hear expressed.
You mean the Afghani soldiers training to defend their own country who shot American soldiers ? Do you mean the Iraqi soldiers who, without Americans to stand beside them, dropped their weapons and ran in the face of Daesh forces? Same weapons, same training, and our youngsters go into the fight instead of running in fear. Do you mean the people who will not come forward in Afghanistan to serve their country because they make more money growing poppies for the world?
It might be laudable for people from another country, if it ever happens. Courage has no country, so celebrate it when you find it.
And then there’s folks like these:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/11/08/the-afghan-village-that-saved-navy-seal-marcus-luttrell.html
There are heroes everywhere. It’s a nice story when some of them are ours.
Very nice Mr Shor, and underscores the weasels that run the Army. Ask the Native Americans about their “commitment” or respecting treaties. If they built what was promised the whole area could be transformed, instead, it seems they dump on their friends.
Tia… you are absolutely correct to eschew the jingo-ism of ‘americanism’.
Yet, I’m surprised that you celebrate these ‘actions’, which were violent. I thought you eshewed violence, yet these men abused the civil liberties of a person. The victim was assaulted by three “Christian” young men! The victim was not given any ‘due process’ prior to being viciously assaulted, and “hog-tied”. Where is your outrage? Yet, you say you share in the ‘celebration’?
Your views on this matter seem somewhat inconsistent with posts on other subjects regarding the use of violence.
Hpierce
I believe that if you went back and actually looked at my posts, you will see that I have stated an exception for self defense or defense of others under immediate life threatening circumstances. I would certainly apply that to this situation.
Miwok
no it was not any of the groups you named that I had in mind. I was actually thinking of the Brit and the French national who also were involved, but whom our media have chosen to hardly mention.
Tia, my point being that other countries are sometimes vilified by the youth who epitomize their real actions. I think we celebrate these Sacramento youth because we would rather not point out the Detroit and Chicago war zones.
As far as the media in America, I eschew reading it, since a plane with hundreds of people can crash and it does not hit the news unless there are Americans on board.. AlJazeera and BBC do a better job, and AlJazeera is now an American version which censors the news for the USA audience, so they are impossible to read now. The Fourth Estate has sunk to a new low..
There are rumors that some Europeans ran away.
Given statistics, if we were all the same, then the persons who stopped him should have probably been German (they love to travel), French, Canadian, or from another country. There are certain truths that aren’t even discussed. If all things were equal, 1 or 2 of the heroes should have been European women for that matter.
I heard one man comment on the transformation of France, that they descended from the Gauls, terrific warriors, but that time, and socialist teachers feminized their culture / men.
Wow. You never cease to amaze me.
Merci.
How egalitarian of you. To me, patriotism is rather like family loyalty: While both have inherent costs and dangers, both can be the cement that holds a unit together. Thanks and congratulations to our most effective ambassadors.
;>)/
Thanks Andy Jones, it’s nice to read something patriotic and uplifting in the Vanguard for a change. I’m proud of these men and I’m proud they’re from America and Sacramento. Be ready though Mr. Jones, there are those who will scoff at any mention of American patriotism.
BP
“there are those who will scoff at any mention of American patriotism.”
Please let me be clear. I do not scoff at the beliefs of others with regard to patriotism. And I agree with Biddlin that patriotism can be the cement that holds a unit together. I just feel that the “units” we have chosen to define as countries are arbitrary, often defined by violent actions either in the past or present, and do more harm in the world than good. I would choose a different unit for solidarity. I would choose humanity as my unit of cohesion. And now let’s see whose ideas are met by scoffing.
“… often defined by violent actions either in the past or present, and do more harm in the world than good.” So the brutal actions of three rogue americans, and at least one other bystander should be excoriated, rather than celebrated. Let’s face it… those three americans had no right to ‘arrest’, under color of authority, to do what they did. Obviously religious zealots (all three have been described as ‘devout Christians’).
Thank goodness those two white boys and their African American friend took down that Polish terrorist. (Tongue firmly planted in cheek.)
I am so proud of these three Americans, and a guy from the UK who assisted them. I believe one of the reasons they were so effective at taking the bad guy down was two had military training. One of those Americans who brought the bad guy down was severely injured for his trouble. This reminds me so much of the passengers on the plane who took the shoe bomber down. Normal every day citizens are not going to put up with evildoers harming innocents.
Tia Will: “However, I see a problem in attributing this trait to the nationality of the men.”
I am at a complete loss as to why this comment was made. Where in the article does it equate bravery to the nationality of the men? The author merely expressed his national pride at the actions of his fellow countrymen. Why shouldn’t the United States be proud that it produced such brave young men, just as Great Britain should be proud of the gentleman that assisted taking down the bad guy. Good grief! Since when is national pride in this context a bad thing?
I felt the same way, I didn’t see the need to make that point.
Maybe Tia would have swelled with pride if it were three Finnish women that stopped the attacker?
Or, you know what would have really caused a celebrations… maybe a ticker-tape parade in Manhattan… three Palestinian women that stopped the attacker!
Unfortunately it was just three of those privileged American white males.
Actually Frankly, one was black. Imagine, two white privileged men traveling with a black childhood friend and all three end up being heroes. I guess that doesn’t play into the America is racist theme that liberals like to espouse.
you act like because some people point out specific acts where blacks are disproportionately treated that that therefore means all americans must be racist. that’s a mighty fine strawman you’ve created.
Wonderful read this morning.
Exactly.
But this will lay bare one profound source of division in this country. Those Americans that for whatever reason… and I think we can probably define and count them… don’t agree. They exist in every country and as an excitable and vocal population that serves a useful purpose to prevent the type of overheated patriotism that leads to no good. But when they multiply beyond a vocal minority they begin to tear a country apart in a “misery loves company” tragic comedy.
As the good communist Nikita Khrushchev said:
“We do not have to invade the United States, we will destroy you from within.”
We can only hope that there are enough Americans like these three young men to prevent it.
I have absolute faith in this country and its people. We are strong, and when attacked, stand together, no matter race, religion, sex, etc.
That’s what Robert E Lee said.
Sorry you are so cynical. I choose to be more optimistic. Makes life much more bearable!
Frankly: Where would you say American exceptionalism comes from?
Rather than this question, I would ask what would destroy it and then what needs to happen to prevent it from being destroyed.
American exceptionalism began with the initial settlers… call it geographic and migratory eugenics… the filtering of the type of people that would make the journey and then establish a life in a new land significantly so open to to creative freedoms and free enterprise. Then a revolution to protect it, and a design of a republic system of governance to ensure its longevity. And for decades the continued flow of self-determined people immigrating here… and those that returned because they discovered that they needed more of a nanny government… that the cost of freedom was too much for them to bear. And then this led to American values. Many of them unique compared to other older cultures. http://www1.cmc.edu/pages/faculty/alee/extra/American_values.html
And we are at risk of losing American Exceptionalism because new immigrants are those aware of the new nanny state. Some are attracted to this country for the old reasons and are quick to adopt our values, but more are attracted to being cared for and bring with them their old socialist values to partner with American liberals to destroy what is and “reform” it to what makes then feel more comfortable. They don’t assimilate. They don’t adopt our core values. Yes, I know these arguments have been made before at different times. In the 1920s there was a lot of similar complaining about Italians and Jews. In fact, some of the concern about Italians was well founded as they pushed a Fascist political movement. However, we were a much younger and under-developed country with land a plenty and untapped natural resources. We could “power through” those arguments and assimilate enough people to retain our values.
Today we have exceptional individuals… for example our military personnel and veterans. But as a country, we are losing ground being able to claim we are exceptional. This next election is a first step into taking steps to reverse the decline of American exceptionalism.
“In fact, some of the concern about Italians was well founded…”
And much of that concern was not. My Italian in-laws, (Father, Mother, and Brother) were your kind of American, Frankly. First generation father in law had 8th grade education, still managed to scrimp, save and start his own successful business while wife worked part time as a bookkeeper and raised 3 successful children. One of whom started his own sporting goods company in a barn, turned it into a multi million dollar business, and provided hundreds of jobs. Refused to move his company overseas. Refused to sell it to anyone who would not keep all his same employees. Provided good salary & benefits to his employees, too.
When I read in the other article comments about unions being made up of thugs, I can’t help but laugh because I think some folks are thinking about the old days of labor unions and some Italians who would not fit the above description. Then I think about my SEIU union, and the image of those folks being thugs, by any stretch of the imagination, just cracks me up.
To get back on topic, I am grateful to the three young Americans and the two non-Americans for saving the day on that train.
Wow, Frankly… Any “whites” are ‘non-native’ in this hemisphere. The Pilgrims were as about as “socialist” as you can get. Or have you forgotten the history?
Assimilation? The history of the US is not “assimilation” to who originally lived here, closer to anihilation. We did not accept the “core values” of the indigenous people. Your focus on “assimilation” reminds me of the Borg. Good luck with that.
African American man beaten by SEIU Union Thugs in St. Louis at townhall protest
http://wn.com/seiu_union_thugs_attack,_hit_camera_woman_in_her_face!
hpierce, I believe that any group here were non native … people having migrated here from Asia, if I recall. There is a very interesting PBS special where they trace the history of man via our DNA starting in Africa. Kennewick Man scenarios also come into play.
“Union” is a term that reflects the organization, and not necessarily the temperament of its members. Just as “Democrat” is the political party and the politicos in charge, and not necessarily representative of the temperament of the its members.
Unions have a long history of thuggish behavior. And it has generally been the union bosses and a minority of members responsible for it.
But I consider striking as thuggish behavior in this day and age of union employees all getting significant higher compensation than they deserve when compared to the overall labor market.
Ha! No, think of assimilation into American culture as the opposite. Freedoms from the oppressive control of the collective and the tyrannical and corrupt government. For example, the Obama administration and the modern Democrat Party.
We just need to get back to more measured and practical McCarthyism to help combat this slide downward.
Frankly: Charles Murray, in his book, Coming Apart, argues that moral virtue (which I would partially equate with the concept of the American psyche as it relates to American exceptionalism in this discussion) was more readily taught in public schools through the early part of the 20th century. He gives as a prime example the heavy use of the McGuffey Readers as standard textbooks of the day. You can read electronic copies of the books at Google Books.
In modern parlance, these were lessons in developing soft skills of good citizens. But it’s all a leftist plot according to you.
The author of this article missed an opportunity to drill down to the real reason these guys are heroes. It’s not that that they’re American, it’s that they’re from Sacramento. Let’s always remember that we hate vast swaths of America–the parts that don’t think precisely as we do. But these guys, they’re three of ours. They know all the same stores, etc.
So, especially in the greater Sacramento region–this teeming cultural mecca, this bastion of diversity, cutting-edge thinking, and innovation–we have earned the right to swell with pride when three of our own succeed in disarming a homeless man who doesn’t know how to shoot a firearm. Indeed, one of his guns was not even loaded.
Nothing was ginned up in this heroic narrative, at all. So appropriate to begin this “article” with a reference to a masterpiece of avant garde cinema! Everything is precisely as it seems! God bless Sacramento.
You’re kidding right? Are you saying they weren’t heroic? They charge a man with an AK47 with multiple magazines, pistol and a knife and you imply that’s not acts of heroism? One man received multiple cuts to the point that one of his fingers was almost severed. SMH.
They were heroes! And they were Americans! And they were Californians! And they were from Sacramento! God bless ’em!