Heinlein, Robert A – Expanded Universe

Armstrong’s first words in stepping down onto the soil of Luna: “One small step for

a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Let us note proudly that eleven of the Astronaut Corps are graduates of this

our school.

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And let me add that James Forrestal was the first high-ranking Federal

official to come out flatly for space travel.

I must pause to brush off those parlor pacifists I mentioned earlier . . .

for they contend that their actions are on this highest moral level. They want to

put a stop to war; they say so. Their purpose is to save the human race from killing

itself off; they say that too. Anyone who disagrees with them must be a bloodthirsty

scoundrel-and they’ll tell you that to your face.

I won’t waste time trying to judge their motives; my criticism is of their

mental processes: Their heads aren’t screwed on tight. They live in a world of

fantasy.

Let me stipulate that, if the human race managed its affairs sensibly, we

could do without war.

Yes-and if pigs had wings, they could fly.

I don’t know what planet those pious pacifists are talking about but it

can’t be the third one out from the Sun. Anyone who has seen the Far East-or

Africa-or the Middle East-knows or certainly should know that there is no chance of

abolishing war in the foreseeable future. In the past few years I have been around

the world three times, traveled in most of the communist countries, visited many of

the so-called emerging countries, plus many trips to Europe and to South America; I

saw nothing that cheered me as to the prospects for peace. The seeds of war are

everywhere; the conflicts of interest are real and deep, and will not be abolished

by pious platitudes.

The best we can hope for is a precarious balance of power among the nations

capable of waging total war-while endless lesser wars break out here and there.

I won’t belabor this. Our campuses are loaded with custard-headed pacifists

but the yard of the Naval Academy is one place where I will not encounter them. We

are in agreement that the United States still needs a navy, that the Republic will

always have need for heroes-else you would not be here tonight and in uniform.

Patriotism- Moral behavior at the national level. Non sibi sed Patria.

Nathan Hale’s last words: “I regret that I have but one life to give for my

country.” Torpedo Squadron Eight making its suicidal attack. Four chaplains standing

fast while the water rises around them. Thomas Jefferson saying, “The Tree of

Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots-” A submarine

skipper giving the order “Take her down!” while he himself is still topside. Jonas

Ingram standing on the steps of Bancroft Hall and shouting, “The Navy has no place

for good losers! The Navy needs tough sons of bitches who can go out there and win!”

Patriotism- An abstract word used to describe a type of behavior as harshly

practical as good brakes and good tires. It means that you place the welfare of your

nation ahead of your own even if it costs you your life.

Men who go down to the sea in ships have long had another way of expressing

the same moral behavior tagged by the abstract expression “patriotism.” Spelled out

in simple Anglo-Saxon words “Patriotism” reads “Women and children first!”

And that is the moral result of realizing a self-evident biological fact:

Men are expendable; women and children are not. A tribe or a nation can lose a high

percentage of its men and still pick up the pieces and goon. . . as long as the

women and children are saved. But if you fail to save the women and children, you’ve

had it, you’re done, you’re through! You join tyrannosaurus rex, one more breed that

bilged its final test.

I must amplify that. I know that women can fight and often have. I have

known many a tough old grandmother I would rather have at my side in a tight spot

than any number of pseudo-males who disdain military service. My wife put in three