Forgotten words

Bob Wright · Oct 18, 2021

I was on a Facebook page and in response to a post a correspondent used the words "Duty. Honor. Respect."

My comment was, in effect, words seldom heard today. Duty? What's that? No one seems to have a sense of duty today. Help another person? What's in it for me? Pick up a piece of trash in the street? No way, man!

Honor? What's that? Keeping your word? Living up to your obligations? Honoring your papers, lease agreements, loan payments, backing your checks? Old time stuff!

Respect? Who needs it? I'm going to do my thing no matter what.

Seems like to me society as a whole today doesn't give two whoops and a holler about these words.

God help us all.

Bob Wright

Jeepnik · Oct 18, 2021

When the people you see on the TV have none of the above you can't expect the young to understand.

As an example, if you can find three members of the senate, house of representatives, supreme court or the executive branch that haven't failed to live up to the oath they have taken I'd be amazed.

Pal Val · Oct 18, 2021

Part of my ROTC commissioning ceremony (1974) was a reading of a speech given by Gen. Douglas MacArthur to a West Point class in 1962, his last official appearance at West Point. It is titled "Duty, Honor, Country". Here is a small portion:

"...Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.

Unhappily, I possess neither that eloquence of diction, that poetry of imagination, nor that brilliance of metaphor to tell you all that they mean.

The unbelievers will say they are but words, but a slogan, but a flamboyant phrase. Every pedant, every demagogue, every cynic, every hypocrite, every troublemaker, and, I am sorry to say, some others of an entirely different character, will try to downgrade them even to the extent of mockery and ridicule.

But these are some of the things they do. They build your basic character. They mold you for your future roles as the custodians of the Nation’s defense. They make you strong enough to know when you are weak, and brave enough to face yourself when you are afraid..."

I can think of no better way to describe those Americans who have served in the military. Also, no better guide for everyone to make our country better. Thanks, Bob, for bringing on this memory!

'Nuff said!

Fox Mike · Oct 18, 2021

Back when I was a Boy Scout, a long time ago, we had an oath: "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."
I believed in it then and still do. There are some that should take it under advisement.

RSIno1 · Oct 18, 2021

Bob Wright said:
I was on a Facebook page and in response to a post a correspondent used the words "Duty. Honor. Respect."

Surprised they didn't ban him/her for such a radical unpopular statement.

contender · Oct 18, 2021

Good post Bob.

An excellent addition Pal Val.

And FM; That's still the Scout Oath,, but sadly,, the top tier leadership fails to follow that in their actions. But there are many, many Scouts that, in their heart, that do try & live the Oath.