I was going to write about the media’s manipulation of the
facts with regard to the progress of the coalition’s mission in Iraq but
then something really important came to pass. Something happened that
created a moment for which we should stop, lament and pay some respect for
certainly the respect is warranted. Hopefully, we can learn something from
it, too. The other column can wait.
Legendary
comedian Bob Hope passed away late Sunday night at his home in Toluca Lake,
California just outside Hollywood, a town that was built as much by him as
anyone. He passed away just shy of two months after his 100th birthday. What
is lost in Bob Hope is what is lost in the majority of an entire generation
of Americans, the will to dedicate oneself to something that betters our
country without being obligated to do so.
I will try to recap an incredible life so that my point can be made. I can
almost assure that it will not do justice to what this man has done during
his lifetime.
Mr. Hope started his career in show business on the vaudeville stage. He was
a star on Broadway and went on to star in over 1000 radio programs, more
than 75 films and in excess of 475 television shows that would most often be
the hallmark of the Christmas holidays in the house where this writer lived
under the care of his Mother and Father. Mr. Hope’s talent garnered him the
title "Mr. Entertainment” and "King of Comedy” although Sid Caesar would
probably be just as comfortable with those titles as well.
By
all measures, Bob Hope had an incredible career. He remained a force in show
business, working though the eras of The Rat Pack (Sinatra,
Martin, Davis, Lawford & Bishop), the golden age of cinema,
Marilyn Monroe, the eclipse of
television, Judy Garland, the epidemic of televised charity golf events,
etc. Bob Hope had pretty much seen and done it all, and done it all as a
star, on his own terms and no one else’s. All in all, he led a very charmed
and full life. But that is not what made him special. That isn’t what earned
him the respect of not only his peers and his fans but also the respect of
those who could have made him or broke him in the entertainment industry.
What made Bob Hope special was his willingness to dedicate himself to
something that he wasn’t obligated to do.
Bob Hope committed himself to the task of entertaining our troops during
times of conflict.
Some of the more cynical of you may say the only reason he did it was for
ratings and to stay in the public eye as the focus of entertainment left his
era and moved on to another. To those of you who would believe that
sentiment I respectfully say sit down and shut your mouths because you have
no idea what you are talking about. I put it to you that he held a
conviction of the heart. That he had a love of country that is rare to find
in those who have stardom heaped upon them. I put it to you that he did
these things out of the kindness of his heart and for those who were doing
things for our country so that we could live under the flag of freedom. So,
be careful naysayers for you may just learn something here for as Mr. Hope
would say, "I just wanna tell ya…”
When
many of the "beautiful people” were throwing million dollar holiday parties
complete with glitter, champagne and egos galore, Mr. Hope was putting
together groups of people to travel to the lands that holidays seemed to be
passing over during any given year. He put together simple but heartfelt
entertainment shows for our troops, our young men and women who found
themselves so very far away from home, so very far away from their families.
He brought a little bit of home to people who otherwise would have no piece
of it during a time when we usually recharge our hearts with the messages
and the feelings that seem to wane at other times of the year. During the
times in the lives of those who served our country, when there seemed to be
no holidays to have, there was Bob Hope and his USO Shows.
Mr. Hope did this not once or a few times but his performances spanned an
incredible amount of times beginning in World War II and continuing through
Korea, Vietnam, and through the Persian Gulf War, putting him at 88 years of
age. He entertained during the Berlin airlift and found himself leaving
female entertainers behind in Bahrain when he became aware that Saudi law
forbade female entertainers.
This brings me to my point.
Where has the love of countrymen gone in so many of our entertainers? It was
very easy to see so many entertainers protesting a potential conflict as
long as it got them on television but only a handful of them actually put
"boots on the ground” over in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia
and the other established coalition bases helping to bring a piece of home
to those soldiers who are serving the way that Bob Hope did through other
world conflicts. This is the reality of the matter despite of all their
assertions that they "support our troops.” Meanwhile, the alphabet media is
stuffing reports down our throats about how bad the morale is among our
young men and women serving over there, if they are to be believed.
So,
I ask you, where is the love of their countrymen, and I suppose to be
politically correct although I loathe to be so with regard to verbiage,
countrywomen? What kind of thought process has led those who entertain for a
living to turn away from those who truly need a safe diversion from their
daily troubles? Our young men and women are experiencing troubles that are a
bit more intense than whether the spotted owl will be able to nest or
whether global warming will affect the earth in 200,000 years (despite the
fact that the Roth Ice Shelf has been measured to be growing) but this
doesn’t stop today’s performers from opting to put on elaborate benefit
concerts for these causes, most likely with an operational cost that pleases
their promoters instead of making a difference in the lives of those who
making a difference in other’s lives. Our troops’ contributions are
happening now, why shouldn’t our entertainer’s contributions come now as
well? Sadly, it is because it is too easy to rail against the machine while
having the luxury to go home and sleep in your own bed at night. "Great day
at work honey! Made no difference in the world, got arrested, had an hour of
face time on the TV - the agent called to congratulate me on that one. Well,
good night. Kiss-kiss.” Pathetic.
So,
I dedicate my column today and say, "Thanks for the memories, Mr. Hope.”
There are generations who appreciated you spending the holidays with them.
Whether home was temporarily in Berlin, Okinawa, Wosan, Nam Phong, Saigon or
Najif, your kindness and dedication made it a little more like home when all
around them all they could see was hell. And for those brave men and women
who finished their tours of duty on the God forsaken battlefields of war you
brought them a last glimpse of home, a glimpse I am sure in celestial
hindsight they appreciated. Perhaps, through your lifetime of good work and
unselfishness your message will finally get through to those who have no
vision of what is needed in our country today. I am just ashamed that you
couldn’t see it before you left us. God speed.Frank Salvato
is a political media consultant and the managing editor for The New Media Journal.us. He
is a contributing writer for The Washington Dispatch, GOPUSA,
OpinionEditorials, Men’s News Daily, Canada Free Press & AmericanDaily. His
pieces are regularly featured in Townhall.com. He has appeared as a guest on
The O’Reilly Factor, The Kevin Matthews Radio Show (Chicago) and The Brad
Messer Radio Show (San Antonio). His pieces have been recognized by the
Japan Center for Conflict Prevention and are occasionally featured in The
Washington Times and The London Morning Paper as well as other national and
international publications.
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