Military Officer - January 2006 - (Page 68)

O 68 MILITARY OFFICER the naysayers of today will be every bit as embarrassed by history as those who once predicted that Irish immigration, the income tax, racial integration, or Japanese purchases of American real estate (remember those fears?) would lead to the demise of the United States as we know it. Never underestimate the power of the American dream and the transformative genius of our country’s soul. Far from being in decay, we are headed for even greater might, wealth, and moral stature. The 21st century will not belong to China or to any other foreign power. It will be yet another American century. Despite living in the most revolutionary society in history, we rarely pause to consider the degree to which we Americans have altered fundamental human patterns that prevailed for millennia. The real revolutionaries of the past century weren’t Che Guevara, Mao, or Lenin, but middle-class Americans going about their daily lives. We have broken barriers to human progress that, A Marine, seen here through a bulleta century ago, appeared eternal. shattered window at the American Embassy The most powerful strategic adin Kabul, Afghanistan, stands his post. vance has been the emancipation of women. Within the lifetimes of most readers of this magazine, the ne sin common to diehards scope of opportunity for women has broadened with breathtaking on both the political left and speed. Previously, half of America’s right is pessimism, the unfound- human capital was restricted to a few narrow ﬁelds of endeavor. Today, women ﬂy military aircraft, sit on the ed conviction that our country Supreme Court, lead corporations, is in decline. Whether spreading hold cabinet positions, or work at the local convenience store — but they the left’s dread that government all contribute. As a result, we now operate at an unprecedented level of economic efﬁciency. The change in the role of women in agents will force every American to go to Sunday school, our country and a handful of other nations constitutes or the right’s insistence that immigration is destroying our society and values, alarmist voices insist that our glory the greatest social revolution in history. That revolution threatens traditional, male-as-masdays are over and we’re headed for a bleak, uncivil future. ter societies in which women are viewed as property We’ve heard such arguments since the 18th century. (essentially as slaves). While we are not conditioned to The only difference is that, in the past, the hysteria was think in such terms, women’s liberation in the West is usually more articulate. The prophets of doom have althe single most frightening aspect of our civilization for ways been wrong. And barring cataclysmic acts of God, JANUARY 2006 PHOTO: STAFF SGT. GREGORY K. FUNK, USMC

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Contents Features Departments From the Editor Chairman's Page Board of Directors Nominations Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Member Books Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: On the Edge Storm Stories Our Brilliant, Bloody Future eXtreme Seniors Pages of History Information Exchange MOAA Scholarship Donors Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps MOAA Member Services Encore

Military Officer - January 2006

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