Mr. President, You Need a Timeout!

It has been two weeks since a crazed Muslim fanatic attacked two military locations in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I am still in shock. Not so much for the terrorist attack; that is part of today's world. We are at war with a dangerous and deadly foe—radical Muslim extremists worldwide, including right here at home regardless of whether or not our feckless president recognizes the threat, which he does not. My shock is a result of the handling of this tragedy by our president. He seemingly brushed it off as an annoyance, another interruption in his agenda to implement his liberal ideals while he still has time. He was blatantly negligent to two main presidential responsibilities in a time of national crisis.

The president did not immediately call the family members of the slain military men nor did he take immediate and appropriate action to honor them by ordering into effect a longtime custom in such matters—lowering our nation's flag to half mast. He did so eventually after intense press and public scrutiny in addition to pressure from veterans groups. However, it was five days before he responded to the tragedy—an inexplicable delay, an egregious lapse of presidential custom and courtesy, which allows, mandates even, our flag be lowered to half mast in honor, respect, and recognition of those military members—and distinguished United States citizens or select foreign dignitaries—who have died tragically, or in this case were killed in combat.

Yes, Mr. President, you heard me correctly! Combat right here in our own country. Did you think it could not occur here, not to us safely living in such nice, comfortable cities as Chattanooga? Do you not read their manifestos? Do you not watch their videos? Do you not listen to their leaders?

Like it or not my fellow Americans, we are at war right here in the United States—even if our obtuse president steadfastly refuses to even utter the word "terrorist" to describe these radical Muslims worldwide, and here in our very country. And we better get used to it for it will happen again. We had better be observant, we had better be vigilant, and we had better lay hard on our leaders in Washington, D.C., especially this spineless, uncourageous president.

Headlines, Tuesday, July 21, Washington Post: "Under fire for inaction, Obama orders flags lowered for Chattanooga victims." The Washington Post goes on to say, "President Obama, facing growing criticism from conservatives and some veterans, ordered all American flags on federal grounds to be lowered to half-staff for the remainder of the week to honor the five service members killed at a naval reserve center in Chattanooga, Tenn. The move was announced Tuesday, five days after the shooting rampage and just minutes after Obama delivered a speech here at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in which he defended his Iran nuclear deal, called for more military spending, and criticized Republicans for relying too heavily on military force and threats instead of diplomacy."

("Relying too heavily on military force…"? Is this man serious, or delusional? He at all times resorts to blaming someone else for his missteps, oversights, or just plain incompetence—always, as if that will assuage the critics. Anything rather than accept responsibility and act accordingly. While he was referring to his Iran deal, he was actually intent on damage control for the increasing criticism he was getting for the flag incident.)

To be perfectly clear and fair, according to flag regulations and traditionally accepted circumstances, the president was not obligated to lower our national emblem. Such recognition, respect, and honor is normally preserved for high ranking American dignitaries or even a select few of those of foreign origin. However, in accordance with formal procedures of flag etiquette, "...the president may order half-staff display of the flag after other tragic events." Such is the case normally and should have been the case in this instance—excepting the president's low esteem for the military itself as an instrument of statecraft and members of our military as needless and costly burdens on American society as has been obvious throughout his term in office. He is a typical left-wing liberal—even more so than some— who believes money spent on defense could be better used for his liberal social welfare programs.

Indicative of this president's priorities was the bathing of the White House with lighting in the pride colors of the gay flag on Saturday following the Supreme Court decision to legally recognize gay marriage as acceptable and legal nationwide. Speaking at a joint news conference Tuesday after the ruling, Obama declared it "…a victory for America." Somehow, he was equating it with our success in wars fought for freedom, erringly and disrespectfully elevating a social issue to our military's hard-won battles in such places as Belleau Wood, Normandy, Iwo Jima, Khe Sanh, Fallujah, Bagdad, and countless other battlefields across the world where our dead rest by the tens of thousands in cemeteries abroad.

First off, Mr. President, it seems to me that you must constantly be reminded that the White House is not your house—it's my and every other citizen of this country's house. For you to despoil our house—even briefly—in such a crass and repulsive manner in celebration of what many find objectionable, as well as contrary to their religious beliefs, is truly indicative of your disregard for deference to the office which you hold, and an utterly unacceptable denigration of a world-recognized symbol of the dignity representing the very pinnacle of American democracy. The time and effort you and your staff spent—not to mention the cost to taxpayers—to visibly display what are the colors considered the flag of a divergent minority of our total population and not take even one minute to order our true national colors to be lowered in the case of the five members of our military killed in Chattanooga is abhorrent to the majority of Americans everywhere.

Perhaps even more egregious than not acting as our "Commander-in Chief" in a timely, sensitive, and competent manner by ordering the flags to half staff immediately, was his failure to call the families of those killed. I watched as several family members were interviewed on national television. Not one said the president had spoken to them—on the contrary. One mother could not even answer the question as to whether or not the president had called her. Instead, she thought for a moment, and then burst into tears.




You can bet your last dollar that when the tragic shooting deaths occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, Obama was on the phone almost immediately to each and every family member, probably including any distant cousins, in-laws, or anyone even remotely connected to the victims of that nightmare.

Mr., President, you need a time-out. You need to go find a quiet, solitary room in "our" White House and reflect on your priorities, reassess your office as president and the responsibilities that come with it, and reset your goals and objectives for your remaining time in office rather than improvidently pandering to the ultra-liberal segments of our society.

To revitalize your appreciation of our nation's service men and women—if in fact you ever possessed that virtue—whose gallant history of bravery, courage, and sacrifice as part of our long road to becoming the world's most prominent model of democracy, as well as to reinvigorate your slacking in your duty as Commander-in-Chief to our military members, may I suggest, some late evening, you take a short, incognito journey across the bridge and down the road to the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, sited across from Arlington National Cemetery where countless rows of white crosses, stretching endlessly, row upon row, perfectly aligned as in a military formation, provide a final resting place for thousands upon thousands of those brave souls who have given their last full measure fighting for the ideals of this country. As you come upon what is commonly referred to as the Iwo Jima Memorial, look down at the base of it where you will see, chiseled in granite, the words, "In honor and in memory of the men of the United States Marine Corps who have given their lives to their country since November 10, 1775."

On the front (West side) you will see more words inscribed on that monument that may cause you to be indebted for the sacrifice others who have come before us, particularly men who fought a determined enemy on a far off island in the Pacific Ocean somewhere distant to our shores. In a 36-day assault that would be immortalized by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, who, having observed the battle at close hand from his Naval command vessel offshore, observed,"Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue."Sobering verse isn't it, Mr. President?

More than 68,000 Americans perished on that miniscule island during that brief but ferocious battle, just one of countless others over the two hundred forty plus years of our history. That, Mr. President, was "a victory for America"—not so of a court ruling in favor of a social pressure group of a small minority of malcontents.

Stand there silently in the cool evening air and let your eyes drift upward to the six bronze figures atop the granite base, hands symbolically outstretched for eternity as they struggled in the afternoon on 23 February 1945 to raise the flag of our country on that island early in the campaign. Of the six who are depicted, three would die on the sands of Iwo Jima during their fighting for a "victory."

Continue looking skyward, Mr. President, and you will see a tilted pole, the object the six brave men thrust upward in defiance of enemy Japanese soldiers dangerously and lethally close at hand. At the very top of that staff, waving in the evening breeze, you will observe our star spangled banner, even at night, proudly exhibited for the entire world to see as was the flag on that remote isle more than seventy years ago. In 1814, Francis Scott Key, in the familiar, pleading words of his song, asked, "Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave… O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

Yes, it certainly does, Mr. President, and a whole lot of Americans are very proud that is the case. Something about seeing that flag raised makes one all patriotic and goose-bumpy, even to the point of bringing a little moisture to one's eyes. Well, for most that is. Others, and they are an insignificant minority, a pitiful assortment of complainers and ungrateful ne're-do-wells, would rather parade around with their offensive rainbow flag as if that were an equivalent—simply, they are nothing more than a self-absorbed gaggle of narcissists intent on forcing their gay agenda and lifestyle on others.

Obviously, they have taken hold of you, Mr. President, and coaxed you into committing a most-foolish public display of overindulgence wholely to appease those who consider themselves "victims" of sorts as you neglect the bona fide victims—five dead young men who did nothing more wrong than serve their nation. While you neglect your presidential duties, and while you shine their rainbow "flag" on our White House," effectively masking our true colors—red, white and blue—those five men are quietly buried with little fanfare.

Look closely at the top of that pole at one of the most recognized symbols of America in the world, Mr. President. Yes, that star-spangled banner still waves at the Marine Corps War Memorial as it does all over the world at all of our military facilities, even at our far-flung outposts in the most perilous locations.

What you do not see—and never will see—atop that pole is a rainbow flag of any color or hue. And it should never have been projected onto our national "Home of Presidents." Not for one minute, not for any such cause or celebration, not under any circumstances, Mr. President.

Both lapses—the flag and not contacting the families—further portray this president as careless, insensitive, and wanting of the dignity commensurate to the office he was elected to, inattentive to duty, and a complete and utter failure as a leader.

Obama, the consummate politician, continually in campaign mode, perpetually pandering to his liberal minority followers is a disappointment; I have never been so disenchanted in a president in my entire life—and that includes Jimmy Carter!

After his first inauguration in 2009, I published an article which ended thusly: Post Script: After the President's inaugural speech, the TV cameras zoomed in on a gentleman in the audience. He was dressed in an old, worn camouflaged military jacket. He appeared to be in his late fifties. Perhaps a Vietnam Vet? Under the military garment he wore a t-shirt. On it were the words "At Least It Isn't Hillary!"

Man, was I ever so wrong in that!

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About the Author

Dennis Copson

Major Dennis Copson is a retired US Marine living in Oceanside, CA. He is an editor and a feelance writer available for work