UNFIT AT HOME

THE CREED OF THE FILM "FAITH OF OUR FATHERS" IS THAT "MONEY CORRUPTS, THAT THE OFFICIAL STORY OF IWO JIMA IS A LIE, THAT PATRIOTISM IS A BUMPER STICKER." SO SAYS A FILM CRITIC, MR. SMITH. AS USUAL, HOLLYWOOD'S AGENDA PLAYS ITSELF OUT IN A PESSIMISTIC, ANTI-WAR FILM. NEVERTHELESS, THE REVIEWER OF THIS FILM RESTATES THREE TRUTHS. PROPAGANDA IS AS OLD AS WAR ITSELF, A NECESSARY EVIL IN A FORMULA FOR VICTORY. FROM A READING OF A REALISTIC ACCOUNT OF WAR, MOST POPULAR IMPRESSIONS AND OPINIONS ARE PUT TO THE LIE. THIRD, PATRIOTISM OUGHT TO BE PUT ON A BUMPER STICKER; WHERE ELSE OTHER THAN ON A SLEEVE, CAN YOU READ WHAT CITIZENS TRULY FEEL?

BUT HOLLYWOOD'S ANTI-WAR, ANTI-AMERICAN MESSAGE DOES NOT TROUBLE ME AS MUCH AS ANOTHER OBSERVATION OF THE CRITIC WHO SAYS THAT "DISILLUSIONMENT PERMEATES" THE MOVIE AND IS "APT FOR OUR TIMES." WE SHOULD BE DISILLUSIONED WITH CONDITIONS- NOT IN IRAQ - BUT ON THE HOME FRONT.

DURING WORLD WAR II, SACRIFICES WERE CALLED FOR ON TWO FRONTS. AMERICANS AT HOME RAISED $14 BILLION DOLLARS AVERAGING NEARLY $100 FROM EVERY PERSON WHEN THE ANNUAL INCOME WAS ONLY $1400. TALK ABOUT ASKING WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY? OVERSEAS ON NUMEROUS FRONTS, NOT JUST TINY IWO JIMA, SOLDIERS AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL CONTRIBUTED THEIR EFFORTS AND SOMETIMES, THEIR LIVES TO WIN THE WAR. MONEY, LIES, EXPLOITATION AND MANIPULATION (PROPAGANDA) AND PATRIOTISM NO DOUBT CONTRIBUTED TO GETTING THE JOB DONE, TO VICTORY.

NOTHING APPROACHING THIS MENTALITY EXISTS TODAY HERE AT HOME. YES, PATRIOTS ARE STILL WILLING TO GO OFF TO SOLDIER, TO SACRIFICE AND TO PERHAPS DIE IN WAR. BUT AMERICANS ON THE HOME FRONT, SELF-SERVE AND SPOIL THEMSELVES. CHECK OUT THIS STATISTIC. ABSENTEEISM IN THE WORKPLACE IS AT ITS HIGHEST PERCENTAGE SINCE 1999. DATA TELLS THAT ONLY 30% OF SUCH ABSENTEEISM IS RELATED TO ACTUAL SICKNESS. THE BALANCE OF THE MISSED DAYS ARE DUE TO STRESS, FAMILY MATTERS AND THE ENTITLEMENT MENTALITY. THE ENTITLEMENT MENTALITY? HOW DID WE GET TO WHERE WE ARE? IS THIS NOT A REVERSAL OF A SENSE OF DUTY? THE SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY IN AMERICANS HAS GONE SOFT AND FLABBY, MAKING THEM UNFIT FOR HONEST WORK. WHY DO TOO MANY AMERICANS ASSUME THAT THE SACRIFICES AT HOME AND THE FIGHTING ABROAD DURING SEVERAL PREVIOUS WARS, ENTITLE THEM TO THIS SPOILED LIFESTYLE AND THIS ABANDONMENT OF THE WORK ETHIC? WELL? A THERMOMETER ON THE FOREHEAD CAN NOW GIVE A GENTLE, ACCURATE READING. HOW SOFT OUR CULTURE GET WITH ITS PLETHORA OF SPINELESS, LAZY, SPOILED, SLACKERS.