Angels, 'Soul of America' Battle Fear

By Bill Doughty

"Peacemakers" Sherman, Grant, Lincoln and Porter, painted by George Healy, 1848.

The United States Navy is an unintended undercurrent running through "The Soul of America" by Jon Meacham (Random House, 2018). It starts with the book's front endpaper as soon as you turn the cover.

There is Admiral David Dixon Porter sitting next to President Abraham Lincoln and Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman in George Healy's painting "The Peacemakers," memorializing a meeting aboard the War Department's commissioned steamer River Queen.

The War Between the States was a crucible, an identity-defining event for the United States. Sailors of the Federal Navy played a key role in saving the Union and securing liberty for all, as they had done in fighting the British in the Revolutionary War and War of 1812.

Subtitled "The Battle for Our Better Angels," from Lincoln's First Inaugural Address, where the sixteenth president sought to unite a divided nation, Meacham's book shows how the United States has made progress when its leaders and especially its citizens focused energies on hope, optimism and inclusion instead of fear, hate and rejection of others.

"Progress in America does not usually begin at the top and among the few, but from the bottom and among the many," Meacham writes. He shows how good presidents like Lincoln, Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Lyndon B. Johnson were instrumental in America's progress, while other presidents like Woodrow Wilson, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard M. Nixon were moved only after being pressured by the American people into expanding human rights and protecting civil liberties.

After every action, there is a reaction and sometimes unintended consequences.

In the aftermath of the Civil War came Reconstruction and "extreme, racism, nativism and isolationism, driven by fear" – a stormy period in America's past that included lynchings, white supremacy and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan.

President Andrew Johnson

President Andrew Johnson undermined the legacy of Lincoln in years after of the War Between the States.

Meacham reports how Johnson "delivered an angry, self-pitying speech" Feb. 22, 1866 at a campaign-style rally on George Washington's Birthday.

"Resentful and impassioned, Johnson also riled up the Washington's Birthday crowd with claims that his opponents were considering having him assassinated. Rather than offering reassurance to an anxious public, then, Johnson chose to foment chaos and promulgate fears of conspiracy."

According to historian Eric Foner, who Meacham cites, Johnson made "probably the most blatantly racist pronouncement ever to appear in an official state paper of an American president." In Meacham's words, Johnson "asserted that blacks were incapable of self-government."

Andrew Johnson, who "never seemed entirely stable," was later impeached, but one vote in the Senate trumped his conviction.

President Grant, on the other hand, "in contrast to Andrew Johnson, appreciated the bigness of his office and of the times." Grant supported the 15th Amendment, granting the extension of voting rights to African Americans. And he cracked down on the KKK's reign of violence and terror in the South.

Confederate naval officers James and Irvine Bulloch, TR's uncles.

A president who continued championing human rights, Teddy Roosevelt, was a former Assistant Secretary of the Navy and a man who, ironically had two uncles who served in the Confederate Navy. One was an admiral who helped build the warship CSS Alabama, and the other was a midshipman who served aboard the Alabama.

A flawed but passionate defender of freedoms, including the First Amendment, TR said, "To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

Yet, during times of national stress, particularly during wartime, the "better angels of our nature" have been silent, and leaders have resorted to fear, hate and exclusion.

One hundred years ago President Woodrow Wilson and the Congress enacted the Espionage Act of 1917 and the Sedition Act of 1918 during World War I, "restricting freedom of expression in the name of national security." Wilson's Justice Department indicted and put on trial the Industrial Workers of America.

"Speech itself was under siege. It was illegal, according to the 1918 legislation, to 'utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United States, or the Constitution of the United States, or the military or naval forces of the United States.'"

Thanks to strong women such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Carrie Chapman Catt, Lucretia Mott and Alice Paul, women received the right to vote over the intransigence and foot-dragging of President Wilson.

National Endowment for the Humanities composite of Roosevelts.

Teddy Roosevelt's fifth cousin Franklin, also a former Assistant Secretary of the Navy, witnessed the aftermath of a terrorist bombing attack by an anarchist on the home of his neighbor, Attorney General Michael Palmer.

As president, FDR faced twin existential threats to the nation – the Great Depression and the Second World War, brought about by Nazi fascism in Europe and Imperial Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941.

FDR feared a military coup by General Douglas MacArthur on the right and Senator Huey Long on the left.

The threat of a coup was real, especially from "America First" isolationists who opposed FDR's behind-the-scenes help to Britain's Winston Churchill, including trading U.S. Navy destroyers for bases and conducting an "undeclared naval war in the Atlantic" during Britain's fight against Hitler's Germany.

American hero Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler, USMC.

In fact, a "small group of rich Wall Streeters" actually attempted to put together a coup. They tried to recruit retired Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler to remove FDR by force. Butler, ever the hero, reported the plot and plotters to the FBI.

After WWII started, acting out of fear, FDR committed his greatest error when he imprisoned more than 100,000 Americans of Japanese Ancestry.

But FDR, followed by Truman, took a huge step toward integrating the military, instituting the GI Bill of Rights, setting up the New Deal that led to the Fair Deal, and setting the stage for the formation of the middle class and greater prosperity for millions of Americans.

"The product of both government action and of market forces, the creation of the post-WWII middle class was one of the great achievements in history," Meacham writes.

FDR, who designed the porch of his cottage in Warm Springs, Georgia to resemble the prow of a ship, was about the Navy's USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) for a fishing trip, when he came up with the Four Freedoms speech: Freedom of speech, freedom of religion,  freedom from want and freedom from fear.

Navy Chief Graham Wilson expresses grief at FDR's death in 1945.

When FDR died in 1945, Navy Chief Petty Officer Graham Jackson became America's face of grief, weeping openly.

Fortunately, Presidents Truman and Eisenhower and especially Navy veterans John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson righting the residual racism and discrimination of the Lost Cause of the Civil War, pushing for greater equality and voting rights for all. Once again, the people, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., pushed for progress and LBJ listened.

LBJ was "Determined to preach the gospel of inclusion," Meacham writes. "Now was the time, the president said, to rise above racism. 'Whatever your views are, we have a Constitution and we have a Bill of Rights, and we have the law of the land. (LBJ said,) I am not going to let them build up the hate and try to buy my people by appealing to their prejudice.'"

MLK and LBJ meet in the White House Dec. 3, 1963 (Photo by Yoichi R.Okamoto). LBJ Library.

Johnson created the Great Society and signed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 and the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964.

"Leadership is the act of the possible, and possibility is determined by whether generosity can triumph over selfishness in the American soul," Meacham writes.

Meacham quotes Senator Daniel Webster: "When the mariner has been tossed for many days in thick weather, and on an unknown sea, he naturally avails himself of the first pause in the storm, the earliest glance of the sun, to take his latitude, and ascertain how far the elements have driven him from his true course," Webster said in 1830. "Let us imitate this prudence, and before we float farther on the waves of this debate, refer to the point from which we departed, that we may at least be able to conjecture where we now are."

"The Soul of America" revealed some "found haiku," one by Meacham himself:

The things we hope for

can come to pass. The things we

fear can hold us back

Here's another Abraham Lincoln found haiku (see also Navy Reads Lincoln's found haiku blog):

Cherish a just and

lasting peace among ourselves

and with all nations

And this reflective unintended haiku comes from LBJ:

A president can

appeal to the best in our

people or the worst

In Meacham's conclusion he offers five prescriptions for achieving progress and enlisting "on the side of the angels" in a time of crisis: enter the arena (use your First Amendment rights), resist tribalism (hear and listen to all sides), respect facts and deploy reason (recognize and reject lies), find a critical balance (being humble and open), and keep history in mind (read books and practice critical thinking).

Meacham was inspired to write this book after seeing the white supremacy demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia in August 2017 that caused the death of counter-protester Heather Heyer and resulted in the the deaths of two Virginia state troopers.

In a rare move, the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff responded to the Charlottesville tragedy with statements condemning the racism and violence.

Navy Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, was the first of the military chiefs to respond. On Twitter he said the events were "unacceptable and mustn't be tolerated." Richardson then called the events "shameful" and said, "Our thoughts and prayers go to those who were killed and injured, and to all those trying to bring peace back to the community. The Navy will forever stand against intolerance and hatred. For those on our team, we want our Navy to be the safest possible place — a team as strong and tough as we can be, saving violence only for our enemies."

The Found Haiku of John McCain

By Bill Doughty

In recent years Navy Reads  posted blogs on the found haiku of Abraham Lincoln, Mike Krzyzewski, Marshawn Lynch and other leaders, coaches and philosophers. "Found haiku" are discovered in the writings or utterances of others and fit the three-line 5/7/5-syllable rule and goal of communicating deeply but in few words.

Sen. John S. McCain III reenlists Sailor of the Year ET2 Michael Papapietro in Cam Ranh, Vietnam
aboard destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) June 2, 2017. (Photo by MC3 Joshua Mortensen).

Senator and former U.S. Navy aviator John S. McCain III, who was held as a Prisoner of War during the peak of the Vietnam War, has written a number of memoirs and endorsements of others' books, which provide the source for the found haiku that follow.

Like all humans, he is not perfect, and he is the first to admit so. In fact, his self-awareness and self-assessment provide a treasure-trove of words from which to find these found haiku gems.

Most of these words reflect McCain's thoughts about war, service, sacrifice, captivity, character, resilience and reflection. The Vietnam War understandably casts a long shadow in his life as it does for our nation.

Leading with honor

is about putting service

to others ahead

Immortality ...

the aspiration of my

youth has slipped away

Time to examine

what I have done and failed to

do with my career

All people, even

captured enemies, possess

basic human rights

For two centuries

men of my family were

raised to go to war

Freedom: America's

honor, and the honor comes

with obligations

A few stories from

my misspent youth that I had

managed to bury

If you valued them,

and held them strongly, love and

honor would endure

In Vietnam I (came)

to understand how brief a

moment a life is

Defying death's call

in ... (the) bamboo cages of

South Vietnam haunt

There are some stories

of the soul that extend far

beyond prison walls

We paced the open

compound at Plantation Camp

together, waiting

communicating...

affirmed our humanity.

It kept us alive

communicating

was the indispensable

key to resistance

It was best to take

the long view (that) we would get

home when we got home

Glory belongs to

the act of being constant

to something greater

To a cause, to your

principles, to the people

on whom you rely

Before Vietnam

the truth of honor ... courage ...

obscure to many

I learned the truth in

war: there are greater pursuits

than (just) self-seeking.

I have managed to

prevent bad memories of

war from intruding

(I regretted)

I hadn't read more

books so I could keep my mind

better occupied

The headstones bear the

names of people of every

ethnic origin

The final resting

places of professional

soldiers and conscripts

Rich and poor, Christian,

Jew, and muslim; believer

and non-believer

The last three found haiku come from McCain's "13 Soldiers: A Personal History of Americans at War" (Simon and Schuster, 2014, written with Mark Salter). Salter has served on McCain's staff for more than two decades.

John McCain reassesses in 1973.

Other haiku are from McCain's "Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir" (Random House, 1999), "Worth the Fighting For: A Memoir" (Random House, 2002), the foreword of "Glory Denied" (by Tom Philpott, W.W. Norton, 2001), the foreword of "Leading with Honor" (by Lee Ellis, FreedomStar Media, 2012) and the Senate Floor statement published in "The Official Senate Report on CIA Torture: Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program" (Skyhorse Publishing, 2015).

McCain, with collaborator Mark Salter, just published another memoir, "The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights and Other Appreciations," to be published May 22 and to be featured in a future Navy Reads post.

NPR published an excerpt that brings forth more John McCain found haiku, and in the classic form – bringing forth nature themes:

I'd like to go back

to our valley ... see the creek

run after the rain

cottonwoods whisper

in the wind ... smell rose scented

breeze and feel the sun

I want to watch the

hawks hunt from the sycamore

and then take my leave

Hear the truth, passion and peace in McCain's words and voice. 

McCain's memoirs show how much he revered his grandfather, respected his father and loves his mother, Roberta. He feels especially close to his mom. 

Happy Mother's Day 2018.

John McCain and his mother, Roberta, on NBC's Meet the Press in 2007.

No So Pacific

Review by Bill Doughty

Shortfin Mako Shark (PBS)

Mako sharks, designed by natural selection to make fast out-of-nowhere attacks; carnivorous plants that "developed an appetite for meat;" predatory vultures and feral dogs that feed on baby turtles; "meteorological monsters" that destroy by wind and rain; and the wolf eel whose jaws crush armored food prey.

When sharks circle you, close their mouths, lower their dorsal fins and disappear, "you need to get out of the water."

The Pacific (peaceful) Ocean, so named by Ferdinand Magellan, is not so peaceful after all – above and below the surface, within the reefs and even ashore.

In the gorgeous companion picture book to the Public Broadcasting System's documentary series of the same name author Rebecca Tansley captures the passionate, voracious, mysterious, violent but ultimately wonderful world's largest ocean in "Big Pacific" (2017, Princeton University Press).

Other dangers at sea exist in poisonous Red lionfish, great white sharks, peppered moray eel (which hunts for its food ashore), saltwater crocodiles and invasive species, "intricate intruders," like fan worms and Nomura's jellyfish, expanding to other regions thanks to overfishing, pollution and other growing impacts of humans.

Zero threat, now a habitat. (PBS)

Indeed, humans are one of the biggest dangers to life in the region, especially since World War II, when war raged from Hawaii and Midway to the South Pacific and throughout the western Pacific.

"One relic of these violent times now rests peacefully below the waves above which it once wreaked havoc. This 'Mitsubishi Zero' – the same type of plane as used at Pearl Harbor – was likely landed at sea off the coast of New Guinea after its pilot became lost and ran out of fuel. The 'Zero' or 'Zeke,' was an exceptionally agile and speedy fighter plane. Between 1937 and 1945 the Japanese built 11,500 of these aircraft and they became the plane of choice for Japan's notorious 'kamikaze' suicide pilots – young volunteers who would fly their planes directly into enemy ships. This plane, however, was destined for a different future. The small cockpit in which its pilot once guided the aircraft towards a controlled sea landing has found new life as a marine community. Eventually it will be claimed entirely by the sea, becoming a plane-shaped reef of coral and sponges, giving life in exchange for those it may once have taken."

In the 1950s, the United States tested a hydrogen bomb 1,000 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, and today scientists are studying the effects over generations of sea life at the genetic level. Humans are also responsible for plastic pollution and overfishing. Some primitive societies fish with explosives, which is particularly damaging to the ecosystem, including precious coral.

But the U.S. Navy, working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, is now part of the solution, particularly in the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative to enforce treaties and laws at sea, including fishing laws. USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) recently completed an OMSI initiative before returning to its homeport in Pearl Harbor.

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Jasen Morenogarcia of a U.S. Coast Guard inspector with USS Michael Murphy on an OMSI mission in March, 2018.

Nature has seen an evolution of species in the Pacific that is mind-boggling. Look at the frogfish (such as the one at left) as one example – strange camouflage, different colors, using a lure to attract other fish as prey.

Coconut crabs climb trees, Darwin's so-called "finches" evolve to small niches in order to survive, Galapagos's marine iguanas expel salt through their noses, and Shedao pit vipers set elaborate patient-but-powerful traps to feed on songbirds.

Endangered dugong.

This book offers amazing photographs and insightful prose as a complement to the PBS series.

We see the secrets, mysteries and wonderment of whale sharks, humpback whales and blue whales, tree lobsters of Lord Howe Island, firefly squid, Chambored nautilus, Chinese white dolphins, Olive ridley turtles, grunion, dugong "mermaids," and yellow-eyed penguins.

Then there's the humble White spotted pufferfish. The stay-at-home male builds and decorates an artistic circular nest (below) as part of the species' elaborate mating ritual. Then the male stays to guard the fertilized eggs.



Evolution is the ultimate artist and, in the author's opinion, a hope for the future as scientists discover more mysteries and reveal more truths about how life develops, adapts and survives in a changing environment.

Lionfish (PBS)

"We would do well to remember that the ocean is the evolutionary cradle from which our distant ancestors first crawled from millions of years ago. Although we may now consider ourselves masters of that watery universe that birthed not just us but all life, we still have much to learn from it, and our tenure on Earth grows ever more tenuous the more we ignore our impact on the ocean. The truth is we humans are merely scratching at the surface of the Big Pacific. Beneath its waves, an ocean of secrets awaits us."

The Big Pacific is a place to appreciate the diversity of life on our precious planet and perhaps find greater humility.