And it happens again! This time it's veteran talker Dick Cavett who laments the lack of humor displayed by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker during their appearances before the Senate Armed Forces and Foreign Relations Committees. Additionally, the two used too many words which were outside of Mr. Cavett's vocabulary.
But of course, Mr. Cavett couldn't resist take a shot at the general's rack.
I can’t look at Petraeus — his uniform ornamented like a Christmas tree with honors, medals and ribbons — without thinking of the great Mort Sahl at the peak of his brilliance. He talked about meeting General Westmoreland in the Vietnam days. Mort, in a virtuoso display of his uncanny detailed knowledge — and memory — of such things, recited the lengthy list (”Distinguished Service Medal, Croix de Guerre with Chevron, Bronze Star, Pacific Campaign” and on and on), naming each of the half-acre of decorations, medals, ornaments, campaign ribbons and other fripperies festooning the general’s sternum in gaudy display. Finishing the detailed list, Mort observed, “Very impressive!” Adding, “If you’re twelve.”And I can't read the words of small, ignorant males as they snipe at their betters without thinking of the word 'eunuch.'
Is it too difficult for such a towering intellect as Mr. Cavett to open a dictionary or have one of his assistants look up Army regulations and discover that the general is bound by those regulations to wear all of his accoutrements on that particular uniform combination? Apparently it is. But the type of knits that Cavett and Debord are picking indicates something more than willful ignorance. I mean, what Real Man do you know of who complains about such things?
When you're soon in that rest home, Mr. Cavett, you can spend your remaining days thinking about how you have wasted your life; something which better men than yourself--like General Petraeus and General Westmoreland (RIP)---will never have to do.
Something to look forward to.
(Thanks to Cassandra at Villainous Company)
