Friday, August 27, 2004

Patriots and not-so-girly-men

The Village Voice notes that many top Republicans in the government didn't serve in the army. Point taken, until Arnold Schwarzenegger's alleged lack of patriotism due to lack of army service comes up. The army he failed to serve in, according to the Voice, was the Austrian army. His reasons for not serving--he was competing in a body-building competition--is certainly dippy.

And that's supposed to prove what, exactly? That he's not especially loyal to Austria? Given that he's currently an American politician, one who apparently some people would like to see as U.S. president, would it be a point in his favor if he'd served in another nation's army? Let's say a person had been extremely patriotic...in Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Would such a person make a more respectable American politician?

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