Today's MOZEN: Perspective

The Roman triumph (triumphus) was a civil ceremony and religious rite of ancient Rome, held to publicly celebrate and sanctify the success of a military commander who had led Roman forces to victory in the service of the state or, originally and traditionally, one who had successfully completed a foreign war.

A Roman Triumph

The comparisons between The United States of America and the Roman Republic - then Empire - are clear and often astounding. One need not be a scholar of ancient history to acknowledge it. Just look at the amount of Latin we use in our National identity (see: E Pluribus Unum) to our very legal system. The great majority of our official National Architecture is in the Romanesque style and our leaders are immortalized as heroes, carved in marble as did the ancient Romans. Who has not seen at least of photo of the marble statue of Julius Caesar?

The Romans practiced elaborate rituals to support their system of government and, therefore, their way of life. The Triumph described in my intro was just one example of many. Funerals of the famous were also elaborate affairs, attended by huge, grieving and adoring crowds. Many of these affairs were drawn out over days. All of it was orchestrated to reaffirm the power and authority of the ruling or, Patrician, class.

Sound familiar?

We are currently experiencing the American version of a Roman ritual.

George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States recently died at the age of 94. His one-term Presidency was one of decidedly mixed results. He did some worthy things like helping to orchestrate the end of the Cold War. However, he also committed some egregious mistakes like the Iran-Contra affair, the Willie Horton blatantly racist campaign ad, and indifference to the devastating AIDS epidemic. He was also a decorated WWII Navy pilot and a dedicated family man.

He also came from one of the most politically connected families in American history. Bush went to exclusive private schools, including Yale and lived a modest, but privileged life in Connecticut, Texas, and Maine. One son also became President and the other, Governor of Florida. In other words, like the ancient Roman leaders, he was a Patrician.

An official day of morning has been declared and memorial events will be held over the course of a week. Tributes are pouring in from every corner of the Country and world. Platitudes are given in abundance. 

Now, there are many who feels this right, just, and well earned - that we need to laud those who serve, and, especially, those who LEAD. But, I see danger in this. When we place our leaders on such a lofty pedestal, we risk losing touch with them and the policies they implement to govern us. And, worse still, they in turn, stop caring about us. With their legacy sealed, literally in granite and marble, their motivation for true SERVICE is compromised. Perspective is lost - was he TRULY a good man or, rather, just a FAMOUS one?

Let give an example of how perspective is lost: my father was a WWII Army veteran who served with Patton's Third Army and survived the Battle of the Bulge. But, he was just a grunt - not a hot shot Yalie Navy pilot. His family lived modestly in Cliffside Park, NJ and had no family compound in Kennebunkport, Me. (as the Bush family has). After his military service, my father eventually became a Bergen County Sheriff's officer where he continued a life of dedicated service until he retired. After his death, he received a modest funeral with a military honor guard. My family was then given the neatly folded flag that draped his coffin. That was it. And, that was enough.

So, was Mr. Bush's life and service SO much greater than my father's and the million of others who have dedicated their lives in service to others? Must we respect his legacy so completely and blindly without so much as a review of what he did right AND what he did so very wrong? But, there is this overwhelming momentum, often fostered by the media, that this is the RIGHT thing to do - it's good for THE COUNTRY. It just HAS to be. I mean where would we be without our heroes? THIS is the same things the Romans did - continually reinforce the image of power and glory held by the only ones with the means, desire, AND pedigree to rule, i.e. The Patricians. And, we, like the Romans buy it completely.

Look, there is a time to mourn. A man has died. His family is in mourning. I respect that. But, I also realize he was a just a man - no more or less than any other. Let's start acting like it.