The military parade planned today in my sort-of current hometown city, Washington, D.C., creates no valid basis for criticism…well, except for the Trump Deranged, the foes of the U.S. military, the pacifists (aka.”the deluded”) and in general the same people who find expressions of American patriotism distasteful because they detest the United States, its core values (not socialist or communist) and those who are and have been prepared to defend it.
My father, were he alive and not 105 years old which is what he would have been today if he hadn’t died in 2009, would have gone to see the parade, and not been particularly diplomatic with anyone who protested or criticize it. Dad was U.S. Army through and through (he was also a Boy Scout and family man through and through). He would get up and march all by himself at Fourth of July concerts on the Mall when they played a Sousa march. He would hang out at the W.W.II Memorial wearing his medals, so visiting school groups could see, meet and talk to “a real Second World War Army veteran.”
Yes, Jack Marshall, Sr. would have loved seeing, and, if possible, being a part of President Trump’s grand parade today to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. Making veterans young and old feel proud and appreciated by their country, its Capital and its President is, all by itself, justification for a parade.
Even if this were not the Army’s birthday, Flag Day alone would justify a parade today. The nation has some apologetic grovelling to do after the many examples of disrespect and slander over the decades by such despicable creeps as Colin Kaepernick and his pack of kneelers.
Best of all, from my perspective, is the fact that this is, absurdly, another Pride Month, which features parades and other “Look at us! Aren’t we great?” exercises of narcissism based on how one happens to have sex and whom with. In contrast, veterans really have done something worth celebrating and honoring, and they stand for values and ethics: those who cheer Pride parades and virtue-signalling are ethically estopped from saying a single discouraging word about today’s parade.
Nevertheless,
Your Ethics Alarms Ethics Quiz of this July 14th is…
Is it responsible and prudent for President Trump to be holding this parade today?
I see many reasons why some of you might want to answer “No.” An incomplete list…
- This is also Trump’s birthday. Trump Derangement mandates that sufferers assume that the parade is really a Big Beautiful Birthday Party for a sitting President, and the United States no longer even celebrates the birthdays of the dead Presidents we should be honoring yearly: Washington, Lincoln and oh all right, FDR. And, frankly, knowing Trump as we all do, it wouldn’t be surprising if the coincidence of his was just a teeny-weeny bit of a factor in his decision.
- Through no fault of Trump’s, the parade happens to come at a time when there is already civil unrest in support of illegal immigration, Trump’s (appropriate ) use of the National Guard is contentious, and Israel just attacked Iran with the U.S.’s backing. Therefore the parade’s messaging is diverse, to say the least. It could be read as a warning to Iran and others (and that could be a good thing.) It could also be seen as a warning to sanctuary cities (not that there’s anything wrong with that, either.)
- The parade is a discretionary expenditure of government funds while cost-cutting elsewhere is being defended as necessary. “President Donald Trump’s multi-million dollar festival and parade celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army kicks off Saturday morning,” USA Today writes. When was the last time the cost of an official celebration was given such prominence? But this is what the Axis does, and has to be considered,
- Washington, D.C. is one of the worst imaginable cities in which to hold such a parade in 2025. About 95% of the city’s residents have been raised to hate Trump, conservatives, Republicans and everything associated with them, like the military. The citizens most likely to want to come to see the parade are in the suburbs, and, after the ordeal I went though just trying to drive around D.C. last night, I could easily imagine the event being ridiculed by the Axis media as “What if they gave a parade and nobody came?” As if that weren’t enough, it looks like there will be thunderstorms in the area.
- The Trump Deranged and various assholes and leftist groups have been organizing a mass protest as competition for Trump’s parade. It is, of course, one more tantrum over losing the election they richly deserved to lose (and lose much worse than they did). If there has ever been a “heckler’s veto” that deserved a clear and distinct “Bite me!” this is it. However, this is not a propitious time to “poke the bear,” as much as the President enjoys doing that.
I think this is a close call.
Ethics Alarms 
I do not find it to be a close call. This is the 250th anniversary of the foundng of the Army who withstood cold , hunger, sometimes defeat not just in 1776 but in every war and battle since.
This is the anniversary of the blood, and life spent here and on foreign soils so that others and we may enjoy the freedom to protest peacefully when we feel agreived: the right and obligations to vote in fair elections, the ability to pursue Life and Liberty.
I salute all who have served for the past two and half centuries. Our army was never an Army of One, It was and always should ever be a unit of persons, with a unity of purpose, exhibiting a unity to sacrifce that should be honred today and all days.
We are a ONE that must be honored pridefully. “Salute the Army, Past and Pressent!”
The fact anyone would consider the feels of the radical left as a reason not to hold the parade is the problem. An example of how people have become conditioned to shrink in fear because of what the woke mob may think or do. They thrive on capitulation and like ISIS et al, only respect strength and power. The answer is to always be well prepared for violent protests. Violence is the language of the radical left. They’re bullies.
We all should be extremely grateful to live in the USA as evidenced by the mass influx of illegals hoping for a better life than what they had in their shithole country. More parades not less is the answer.
Have a nice weekend and keep the faith…đź¤
I’ll tell you after I finish shooting it.
From Politico today: “The Last Time DC Had a Military Parade No One Raised a Ruckus. What’s Changed?”
Wow. Talk about an easy question! All that’s changed is that Donald Trump was elected President, so even when he does things that other POTUSes have done without controversy, it must be evil because he did it. Politico says the difference is that the 1991 parade celebrated the US victory in the first Gulf War. But Trump and the US today have a victory to celebrate too…
I might also add that all the talk of the streets being damaged sounds like a bunch of hype and hooey. I did watch 28 M1A2 Abrams tanks go past yesterday together with a number of other tracked vehicles, such as Bradley armored fighting vehicles and a few vintage tanks and half tracks, and there was not a single mark on the street after they had all passed. That was actually the first time I have seen those particular vehicles in motion (I did see a rather extensive tank display in the UK in 2014, but of course the vehicles involved were almost all UK tanks) rather than as static display. They are pretty massive and the level of noise they create is deafening.
FTR: Flag Day’s Origin Is From A Small Town In WESconsin
“United States Flag Day was first formally observed in Waubeka (Waw BEE ka), WI. On June 14, 1885, Stony Hill School teacher and Waubeka-native Bernard J. Cigrand instructed his students to write essays about what the flag of the United States meant to them to commemorate the Continental Congress’s 1777 adoption of the flag as a national symbol. It was the first formal observance of Flag Day.”
The small Ozaukee County town on the Milwaukee River is now unincorporated, and a Fredonia, WI mailing address. Residents (one a client) are dutifully proud, and its main street (Memorial Drive) probably has more U.S. flags per sf than any other place in the known Universe; today it will, leastways.
PWS
Of course it’s not irresponsible.
It’s only responsible if we’ve decided it’s better to keep ceding chunks of our civilization to anti American anarachist progressives who rely entirely on anarchy to set the conditions for their preferred totalitarian state.
But if we decide that’s better then it’s actually more ethical to surrender now and avoid the chaos.
Otherwise screw their chaos, let’s celebrate America.
Edit: “It’s only *irresonsible if…”
AHA! A Jack Marshall Ethics Alarms typo!
“Washington, D.C. is one of the worst imaginable city’s in which to hold such a parade in 2025. About 95% of the cities residents have been raised to hate Trump, conservatives,. . . “
Let me rewrite that. Washington DC is the worst imaginable city in which citizens should be allowed to live. It was designed to be a place for all Americans to celebrate achievements and make their voices heard in the hall of Congress or in the streets. It is not just for the elite few that hold power and the servant/dependent class.
In an enclave specifically carved out for government activity, having residents create unnecessary issues such as taxation without representation and a reliance on federal funding to support residents well being. That was never expected to be the case when Maryland offered its land to house the government.
But you didn’t fix my typo, using “cities” instead of “city’s”! I just did, on your comment as well as the original post. Re-examining it, I realize I was careless: there were several annoying typos. I think they are all fixed. Sorry.