Today I was sent the following from a close friend of mine:

Subject: Navy Seals

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Two things Navy SEALS are always taught:

1. Keep your priorities in order
2. Know when to act without hesitation

A college professor, an avowed atheist and active in the ACLU, was teaching his class.
He shocked several of his students when he flatly stated that for once and for all he was going to prove there was no God. Addressing the ceiling he shouted: “GOD, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I’ll give you exactly 15 minutes!!!!!”

The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by.

“I’m waiting God, if you’re real, knock me off this platform!!!!”

Again after 5 minutes, the professor taunted God saying, “Here I am,God!!! I’m still waiting!!!”

His count down got down to the last couple of minutes when a Navy SEAL, just released from the Navy after serving in Afganistan and Iraq and newlyregistered in the class, walked up to the Professor.

The SEAL hit him full force in the face, and sent the Professor tumbling from his lofty platform.

>The Professor was out cold!! The students were stunned and shocked.
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They began to babble in confusion. The SEAL nonchalantly took his seat in the front row and sat silent. The class looked at him and fell
silent…waiting.

Eventually, the professor came to and was noticeably shaken. He looked at the SEAL in the front row When the professor regained his senses and could speak he asked: “What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you do that!?”

“God was really busy protecting America’s soldiers, who are protecting your right to say stupid shit and act like an asshole!!!

So he sent me!!”

Upon reading the above I wondered what the underlying meaning of this parable is; granted, just asking that question casts me as the villain of the story. Anyway I came up with three main points:

1. Intellectuals are arrogant, indecisive and ineffectual. Note that the professor is cast as an arrogant buffoon and students are ineffectual and helpless, whilst the Navy SEAL is cast as strong, powerful and decisive.
2. Alternate belief systems are not to be trusted as they do not respect yours. Note the fact that the professor is described as being an Atheist and the crux of the tale focuses on his openly mocking God.
3. Physical demonstrations of strength and violence are the preferred medium to convey one’s message. Rather than engaging in a debate with his teacher, the student decides the best course of action is an act of violence.

This story is certainly in vogue at the moment given the liberal bashing climate and the fervent nationalism that currently grips the nation but before stones are cast at me lets play with the story a little bit. What if the professor was cast as something other than atheist ACLU supporter? For example, “A college professor, an avowed Jew and active in the Anti-Defamation League, was teaching his class.” Does it change the tone of the story? Alter its message? Yes but only by casting it in a less acceptable light. Why should it be less reprehensible to rely on the tired stereotype of the nebbish, arrogant intellectual?

One of the marks of a militarized society is the passing along of messages such as the above, they are used to curb thought and reaffirm the belief that might equals right and that those different from you are a threat. Throughout history there are many examples of increasing militarization and anti-intellectualism going hand in hand, recent history points to the activities that took place in the middle of the last century all over the world, from Japan, Germany, to the Soviet Union. The United States has been no exception to the trend, having many moments in its history that was marked by hysterical jingoism and xenophobia, not to mention holding an extreme dislike of any and all intellectual pursuits.

As for the friend that passed this along, I am disappointed that you would find humor or wisdom in the story as well as feel that others should partake in its unabashed aggression and hate.