Tervuren, Belgium—The following opinion piece is authored by Thomas K. Murphy, Ph.D., an educator, a long-time Department of Defense civilian with significant experience having worked on several U.S. military locations overseas, and a regular contributor to the Democrats Abroad Veterans and Military Families (VMF) Caucus. Dr. Murphy is a Maryland UOCAVA voter, resident of Belgium, and member of the Global VMF Caucus.

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     In politics, there are various ways and styles by which leaders approach government and the prospect of ruling large numbers of people.  They range from the constructive and positive to the deeply cynical and negative. Let’s talk about the positive first.

VIRTUE

     The political and historical term virtue means something specific. It dates from the Greeks, and it refers to an ancient concept of the responsibility of the governing over the governed. The translation of the word is not precise, but, essentially, it means that a person in a position of power has a moral “responsibility” towards the general good.

     The concept of virtue has ancient roots – from classical times: wisdom, courage and deliverance have been potent themes associated with it. It was adopted by the Framers of the American Constitution, most of whom had studied the storied Republic of Athens.

     What, today, constitutes virtue?

     Virtue starts as a sort of “public regarded-ness,” a sense of selflessness, and a willingness to sacrifice parochial concerns for the benefit of society as a whole; a systemic concern for the common well-being. A sense of empathy, a sense of community. The U.S. Armed Forces teach and abide by common set of virtues such as “service before self,” “honor, courage, commitment,” and so forth.

      It is, in essence, a social contract. Virtue was and is equated with wisdom and foresight, enlightened leadership and statesmanship. It is tied to the principle that the people give their leaders the right to govern – that they entrust them - and the leaders reciprocate by governing in the name of the people by thinking and acting responsibly. 

     Historically, virtue became intertwined with the Judeo-Christian virtues of faith, hope, and charity. People were motivated by a sincere interest in and love for one another, so that the freedom and pursuit of their own self-interest would be voluntarily channeled and constrained.

     As mentioned, virtue was a key concept during the Enlightenment period during which the U.S. Constitution was crafted. Among the framers of the Constitution, virtue was an inherited and essential quality to the formation of a viable Republic. It constituted a practical necessity for a people determined to govern themselves.

     More than the classical notions that emphasized such ideas as patriotism and willingness to fight and die for the state, public virtue represented voluntary self-restraint, a commitment to moral social order, intelligent governance, honesty and obedience to law, benevolence, and a willingness to respect the unwritten rules and norms of social life.

     Whether this was a Puritan or other denominational Christian-inspired view, or one of Deism (a prevalent ethic at the time among the Founders - one that posited that God was, in fact the embodiment of Nature) did not particularly matter to the polity as a whole. It was assumed that there was sufficient virtue – secular or religious – to make a system work based on individual liberty.

     Note:  the concept of virtue is based largely on the notion of unwritten norms; rather than codified laws, notions of virtue are rooted in history, tradition, and culture. Plato – himself a military veteran – first argued this concept which is still applicable today.

HONOR

     The concept of honor is related to that of virtue, but they are not the same thing. Virtue represents a contract to serve; honor describes a state of being, of one who has earned the esteem or respect from those around him/her. This is key; honor is earned. A virtuous person may be honorable, and an honorable person may exhibit virtue.

     The honorable person is upright, moral and perhaps selfless. Honor may be used as either a verb or noun. But it refers to an inner quality of decency; a quality that is conferred not by wealth or societal status, but by adherence to a dignified moral code; that code could involve heroism, bravery, restraint, wisdom, appreciation for history or countless other measures. But the honorable person pursues their goals with sincerity. An honorable person may be wrong. But, they are honest in their error.

    A person of honor does not pursue the easy route; they pursue the correct route. In the case of a public servant, the honorable official demonstrates clarity, direction and purpose to advance policies that advance the best interests of the community. While virtue sets the table and rules for enlightened statesmanship, it is honor that sees the policies of state through.

The Fascist/Authoritarian Social Order

    A society under Fascism is different from a virtuous society.

     Fascism can be many things, but, generally, it is associated with reactionary politics from the status threatened lower middle and working classes along with the rural populations. Enemies are produced – Jew, Blacks, Women, Asians, Trans. The Other.

      It is fundamentally a reactionary philosophy, and it opposes the status quo, modernism, liberalism, pluralism, advances for women and minorities; is often antisemitic, and harkens back to an (imaginary) time when the nation was “pure,” and not subject to the so-called “chaos of the present.”  Nazi Germany drew strength from the despair of the Great Depression, and from a vibrant Communist movement.

     As such, the concept of virtue plays no part in fascism, as the individual is seen only as a tool of the state. Public service is replaced by the notion of subservience to the Leader and State. Opportunity and community are replaced by surveillance and sacrifice.

     And of course, there is the persistent threat of violence. The means for holding together a regime that opposes a free society is to use violence – or the threat of it – at every turn. Violence can be linguistic, implied or actual. Trust is eroded, neighbors don’t trust one another; school curricula are infiltrated, institutions such as the representative bodies, the media and the judiciary are co-opted, perhaps thugs are sent to roam the streets (the Black Shirts of Mussolini’s Italy and the SA Stormtroopers of Hitler’s Germany – not to mention the actions of ICE and Border Guards in the U.S.).

As the regime develops and consolidates its power, crises may be constructed as a means of shoring up popular support. Even wars may be waged, if the Leader feels that the power of the state is slipping.

     A longtime Eastern European leader who was recently defeated in a historic election, strove to consolidate power by the means described, with some considerable success. Despite this, a popular movement of young people, anti-corruption advocates and others have brought an end to the regime.

America Today

     The U.S. today exhibits many qualities of a fascist state. Our media is under attack; lying by the Executive Branch has become the norm, foreign conflicts have been invented and threatened, judicial decisions and laws ignored or slow walked, and opposition politicians have been threatened with charges of treason, as happened recently with six Democratic legislators (who made a video reminding members of the military that they need not follow unlawful orders).

     More and more, our American government appears as an entity with a democratic form, but an authoritarian Executive Branch, which is working to stamp out all opposition.

     We already have an American version of the Black Shirts roaming our streets, brutalizing and arresting with impunity. Our media has been cowed with threats of lawsuits from the administration; lying has become normalized. And the entire, violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol in 2021 has been pardoned. Some stormers have even been hired to work in the Trump Administration.

Tomorrow

     Americans are starved for the return of a virtuous Republic; a time when public servants worked on behalf of the public interest, and didn’t just line their pockets while dividing the population against itself with threats of racism, sexism, fear and war.

      The culture is wounded; its unspoken rules and norms have been flagrantly violated. What can one do? 

       First, spread the word of the importance of the 2028 elections to the health of the American Republic.  Be selective in your news. Watch tested, reliable news sources – including those of the opposition. Talk to friends. Contact your member of Congress on a issue. Register to vote. Community in America is strained, but it is not dead. Are we indeed a virtuous people? Given the decades I’ve spent working alongside other American patriots, I’d like to think so. We can take the country back, but it will take all of us to do it.

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U.S. citizens living abroad, both civilian and military, are highly encouraged to check your voter registration status and request your ballot for any upcoming elections in your home voting state that you are eligible to vote in. 

The Global VMF Caucus has a membership of over 1,400 members located in dozens of countries and proudly consists of veterans, military family members, Department of Defense civilians, other national security professionals, and strong allies of veterans and military family causes.