# Presidential Medal Of Freedom



## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I saw on the national news tonight, that Trump presented Tiger Woods with the Presidential Medal Of Freedom. In one of the news articles, Trump stated that Woods was one of the greatest athletes ever. Athlete? Really? 

This is just another sign of how this society of ours is headed straight for the crapper. My wife is one of the most level headed and non-judgmental individuals I've ever met, almost to a fault! She too, was watching the news. She asked me, how can that happen? What has Woods done ever for this country?

She's a Trump fan and supporter, so I had to kind of pick & choose my words carefully, when I told her how I saw it. I did so, in such a way that I didn't make it sound like Trump was too big of a horse's ass.

It's times like this, that I find it rather difficult to take as much pride as I would like in this country of ours. 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-award-tiger-woods-presidential-medal-freedom/story?id=62852596


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

The Medal of Freedom has become a PR stunt


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

It's all about _Free To Be You and Me_. (Do you remember Marlo Thomas's book?)
Woods played freely among the women, just as he played freely on once-restricted golf courses, including the once-very-Southern Masters' Tournament course.

That last part might be worth a Medal of Freedom.
Not too long ago, the best he could've hoped for would have been to caddy for some White competitor on the same courses upon which he now plays so freely.


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

I remember when I figured the Medal of Freedom was a big deal - the highest honor medal awardable to a civilian. That ROTC kid in the news is a _much_ better candidate for that medal than Woods - and the award would fit his circumstances better than a 'full honors' military funeral.

DAMN, I hate politics.


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## rickclark28 (Apr 14, 2019)

I am not impressed with the honor we today bestow on individuals anymore that do not deserve the honor. Mr. Woods may or not be a good example for our youth. It is up to you to decide. I lost friends in the Vietnam war that did their service and paid with their lives and we did not honor them as we should have. They did NOT get the burial they deserved at the time buried without Military honors. These days we give a Military graveside burial to "heros" who only served in ROTC. They may deserve the honor but what about those that really served and gave their all. I agree with Hillman that man deserves the medal more than a Tiger Woods. I too hate politics and do like any politician they are a waste. We need to get this country back on track and preserve what we have for those that gave their all and those that come after us. Just my opinion here-> Protect the Second Amendment!!!!


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I too, believe that we need to get this country of ours (and world) back on track. But, I also believe that we have gone too far and it will be next to impossible to recover from.

We humans are our own worst enemy. We are destined to take something good and then proceed to beat the Hell out of it, in an effort to make it even better.

We are a society in serious decline. There's no going back.


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## aarondhgraham (Mar 17, 2011)

paratrooper said:


> We are a society in serious decline. There's no going back.


The fall of the Roman Empire is most often attributed to "Bread and Circuses",,,
Free basic sustenance and spectacles to occupy the citizens time.

I say we have the same problem,,,
Just that now it's "Welfare Programs and Professional Sports".

Most of our populace cares more about who Kim Kardashian flashed her boobs at,,,
Than what our politicians are doing to their personal rights and well being.

When in this planets recorded history has any nation/populace/government system ever recovered.

I'm glad I'm 67 years old,,,
I have nothing but heartfelt pity for the youth of this world.

Aarond

.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

aarondhgraham said:


> The fall of the Roman Empire is most often attributed to "Bread and Circuses",,,
> Free basic sustenance and spectacles to occupy the citizens time.
> 
> I say we have the same problem,,,
> ...


Sounds as if you and I went to the same life school. I turn 65 in October. I too, am very glad that I'm as old as I am.

I figure another 20 yrs. at most. I've been around the block enough times by now to know that there's nothing new left to see.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

aarondhgraham said:


> ...When in this planets recorded history has any nation/populace/government system ever recovered...


The arc of most nations' history seems to consume about 400 years, although a few other civilizations have gone on for a longer time.
I believe that we reached our peak in about 1960, and we've been on our way downhill ever since.

The parallel with the history of Rome is evident, although not in the small details. However, many modern historians seem to want to deny that.
As Santayana pointed out, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." And that's us, folks.

...And the Kardashian boobs are nothing, um, earth-shaking enough to warrant writing home about.


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

The free bread and circuses may have been a deliberate ploy to 'passivate' the plebeians, but the upfront reason some social historians give for her collapse was the absence of Romans in the ranks of her armies; they were nearly all of them mercenaries.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

paratrooper said:


> ...I turn 65 in October...I figure another 20 yrs. at most...


Oh, I dunno...
I'm now going toward 82, and I feel as if I've got almost another 15 years in me.
You might last a lot longer than you're prepared for.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

hillman said:


> The free bread and circuses may have been a deliberate ploy to 'passivate' the plebeians, but the upfront reason some social historians give for her collapse was the absence of Romans in the ranks of her armies; they were nearly all of them mercenaries.


Well, there was also the debasement of the Empire's coinage, and the usual resulting inflation...and, finally, hyperinflation.*
Add to that the, um, debasement of the Empire's leadership (which might sound familiar, when you consider Pelosi, Schumer, and Trump).

*The US dollar, worth a dollar when it was created in 1774, and again worth a dollar in 1900, is now worth less than 3¢.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Oh, I dunno...
> I'm now going toward 82, and I feel as if I've got almost another 15 years in me.
> You might last a lot longer than you're prepared for.


For me, it's a matter of choice. My father had Alzheimer's, as did his two uncles. It runs in his side of the family.

Between the Alzheimer's and the way society is heading, I really don't want to be around too very long. And, I'm okay with that.

The best part of my life is now behind me. From this point on, it's just a matter of putting up with what remains.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Lighten up, they hand them out like candy. 
It's not the congressional medal. ✌✌
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom_recipients


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

pic said:


> Lighten up, they hand them out like candy.
> It's not the congressional medal. ✌✌
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Presidential_Medal_of_Freedom_recipients


I can't! Lighten up I mean. It's not in my nature.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

_ can't remember the name of the book but it lays out the 5 stages of a empire we are now in the fifth stage. Steve maybe able to help with the name of the book. _


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

I believe that it's _The Five Stages of the Empire Model_, by David Murrin.
See: https://www.davidmurrin.co.uk/article/the-five-stages-of-the-empire-model-by-david-murrin

The stages in Murrin's model are:
1. regionalisation;
2. ascension to empire;
3. maturity;
4. overextension; and
5. decline and legacy.

Other authors and thinkers have seen the rise and fall in seven stages, eight, and nine.
Murrin's "overextension" is sometimes augmented by a stage named "apathy."

One source lists its nine stages thus: "The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been two hundred years. These nations have progressed through a nine stage sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to great courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to complacency; from complacence to apathy; from apathy to dependence; from dependency back again into bondage."
This source posits that we are now in the seventh stage, _apathy_.

A famous series of paintings by Thomas Cole, created at the beginning of the Victorian Era, as England's empire began its years of growth, serve as graphic illustrations.
See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Course_of_Empire_(paintings)

In answer to the question, "How long do empires usually last?", Wikipedia says: "The average length of time that a civilization lasts is *349.2 years*. The median is *330 years*. The civilizations that lasted the longest seem to be the Aksumite Empire which lasted *1,100 years*, and the Vedic Period of India which lasted *1,000 years*."
(It looks as if my own off-the-cuff guesstimate of 400 years, noted a few posts above, is pretty close to the accepted estimate.)


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Thanks Steve it has been way to long since I read about those. My excuse is I raised 4 children and children cause insanity.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

paratrooper said:


> I can't! Lighten up I mean. It's not in my nature.


lol I know what you mean. 
You married a very smart woman, like tony says it a PR thing. 
But nobody gets pounded like Trump. 
Trump knew it was coming, so did Tiger. 
Hats off to them both. 
We must take issue with media brainwashing.
People are seeing through this media assimilation to the left
Being road patrol, you ought to know the political wind direction .
Were you a pig in a blanket wrapped up like bacon.??
Stand for something, or sit down, and we'll take care of your struggling brotherhood.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and 1.1 million dollars for no reason that I can discern. Imagine how many good people were passed over to get that done.

GW


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