President Bush: The Cowboy Ethic

E.A. Hoebbel, excerpted from Lila by Robert Pirsig | 2/21/03 | ffusco

[ffusco]

Consider the European view of our President. They call him a cowboy, whch is their euphamism for unsophisticated, boorish and dangerous. This opinion was popular among Victorian Europeans in the 19th century when America was seen as a brash upstart nation. But what is a cowboy and why does it upset the Europeans today?

Anthropologist E.A. Hoebbel started with the premise that American values were derived from Native-American Indian values and gave a brief description of the Cheyenne Indians to illustrate this point. I have substituted "George W. Bush" for "Cheyenne male" in the following except:

Reserved and dignified...George W. Bush ...moves with a quiet sense of self- assurance. He speaks fluently, but never carelessly. He is careful of the sensibilities of others and is kindly and generous. He is slow to anger and strives to surpress his feelings, if aggravated. Vigorous on the hunt, in war he prizes the active life. Towards enemies he feels no merciful compunctions, and the more agressive he is the better..Usually quiet, he has a lightly displayed sense of humor...He has a firm grip on reality. He deals with the problems of life in set ways while showing a notable capacity to readjust to new circumstances. His thinking is rationalistic to a high degree and yet colored with mysticism. His ego is strong and not easily threatened. His super ego, as manifest in the strong social conscience and mastery of the basic impulses is powerful and dominating. He is mature, serene and composed, secure in his social position, capable of warm social relations...He exhibits few neurotic tendancies.

I think this is a fairly accurate view of our President and I hope he continues to behave like a COWBOY!

Frank Fusco Houston, Texas

[Lauratealeaf]

What I find odd about Europeans sneering at "cowboys" is that Westerns and cowboy movies used to be extremely popular in Europe, especially Germany. They have odd musical taste too. They like people like Bon Jovi and Elton John.

[anniegetyourgun]

Yeehaw!

[caisson71]

Europeans could do well to learn some cowboy logic too, ie, "don't drink downstream of the herd" or "never squat with your spurs on".

[John H K]

No, they still do..NOBODY is more obsessed with Cowboy crap than Germany. It's a weird love-hate relationship with the US.

I was at the Grand Canyon a few years ago in January (not a popular time to visit) and in the restaurant hardly anyone was there but several dozen Germans in full "Dude Ranch" getup.

[Lauratealeaf]

We were stationed in Germany for three years and just got back last summer. That is true. We saw Germans dressed like cowboys!

[Parley Baer]

"Cowboy crap"!!! Long live the cowboy doctrine. Parley

[RLJVet]

Our German acquaintances are fascinated with the idea of the wide open spaces of our national parks.

[Bedford Forrest]

"don't drink downstream of the herd"

The Eurotrash states have been "drinking downstream of the herd" for at least a thousand years. The metaphor fits them perfectly in a dozen ways. Their hatred and envy of Real Americans is part of their essential corruption. And our very own national socialists [Liarman, Puff Daschle, Goobert, Senator Kohn, D-Mass,] all of them, never cease yammering that we should "listen" to the Euro trash!!!!!! Why, pray tell?

[outpost44]

Go listen to the song "Should've been a cowboy" by Toby Keith.

Cowboy up and 8 seconds. (you Cowboys will know what I mean)

[Lauratealeaf]

And didn't Mad Cow Disease originate in France?

[RLJVet]

Hey yeah, Hmm . . .

[Oschisms]

"All my Heroes are Cowboys"

[Marauder]

don't drink downstream of the herd.

Another related bit of cowboy advice is: Once you've taken a drink, don't ride upstream.

[WestCoastGal]

These are my favorite Toby Keith lyrics.

Artist Toby Keith
Album Unleashed
Song Courtesey of the red, white, and blue

American girls, and American guys
We'll always stand up and salute
We'll always recognize
When we see old glory flying
There's a lot of men dead
So we can sleep in peace at night when we lay down our head
My Daddy served in the army
Where he lost his right eye
But he flew a flag out in our yard until the day that he died
He wanted my mother, my brother
My sister and me
To grow up and live happy
In the land of the free
Now, this nation that I love has fallen under attack
A mighty sucker punch came flyin in from somewhere in the back
Soon as we could see clearly
Through our big black eye
Man, we lit up your world like the Fourth of July

Chorus:
Hey, Uncle Sam put your name at the top of his list
And the Statue of Liberty started shakin her fist
And the eagle will fly
And there's gonna be hell
When you hear Mother Freedom start ringin her bell
And it feels like the whole wide world is rainin down on you
Hey, brought to you courtesey
Of the red, white, and blue.

Oh, justice will be served and the battle will rage
This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage
You'll be sorry that you messed with the U.S. of A.
Cause, we'll put a boot in your ass
It's the American way

Chorus

[jpthomas]

I don't recall exactly where I read or heard it (the movie Patton, perhaps?), but I distinctly remember that during WWII, about two months after D-Day when Patton's 3rd Army launched the breakout from Normandy, Hitler called Patton a "cowboy general" and ordered a counterattack to cut off his tank advance. The German Army ended up getting boxed in and got the crap pounded out of them in the Falaise pocket.

Just another example of an American "cowboy" who handed a German SOB his head. Those Germans just never learn not to mess with a "cowboy".

[deport]

Skate boards are cool, but bulls are better.

[Tax-chick]

Toby's an OSU Cowboy, the best kind. Great Okie, great American.

Phooey on Europeans! What do they have, except ruins?

[fightinJAG]

excellent

[ffusco]

Thought you might enjoy this.