:: The Red Baron ::
Many of us grew up in the
age when we learned of Baron Manfred von Richthofen in Charles
Schulz's Peanuts comic strip rather than on the battlefield. Every
couple of Sundays we’d open the paper to Charlie Brown’s precocious
beagle Snoopy dreaming of shooting down the Red Baron and writing his
memoirs of the glorious fight. The successful comic strip story line
would later go on to be a cartoon set to music that many of us could
still hum today: Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or more; The
Bloody Red Baron was rollin' up the score; Eighty men died tryin' to
end that spree; of the Bloody Red Baron of Germany!
Only later did we learn the historical story of the infamous German
airplane fighter that lived during our parent’s generation. During
World War I, Manfred von Richthofen was a skilled pilot in Imperial
Germany’s military. By April of 1917, Richthofen had shot down 21
enemy aircraft, more than any German pilot before him. And as the
Baron’s success grew, so too did his pride in his achievement. To
celebrate each of his victories, the Red Baron would purchase a silver
trophy engraved with details of the kill to collect along with
hand-picked souvenirs from the wreckage sites.
With time, Richthofen craved the public recognition that his personal
trophy collection could not afford him. With an arrogant boldness,
Richthofen painted his plane bright red, making it a literal target in
the sky. For Richthofen, each new kill held a thrill. And with each
goal met, a new and bigger goal seemed just within reach. Shooting
down plane after plane, the young German’s achievements made him both
a hero to his people and a propaganda tool for Imperial Germany.
As Richthofen's fame spread rapidly throughout the world, numerous
names developed for the feared fighter pilot – the Red Devil, the Red
Knight, the Bloody Baron or most commonly the Red Baron. Wild rumors
sprang up about the feared enemy. Morale soared in his unit and among
the ranks of Germans across Europe.
On April 21, 1918, the day after the Red Baron had shot down his 80th
enemy aircraft, Manfred von Richthofen boarded his bright red airplane
to confront several British aircraft near the war front. Once in the
air, Richthofen quickly set his sights on a single airplane headed out
of the air fight. Inside the fleeing plane was a young Lieutenant,
who, having discovered his guns were jammed, was quickly exiting the
battle scene.
Richthofen swiftly honed in on the easy target. Locking in on the
inexperienced pilot, the skilled Red Baron pursued him singularly.
Flying close to the mountainous terrain, skimming over the trees, it
was quickly apparent that the young Lieutenant would stand no chance
against the skilled Red Baron…and, in a split second, the plane was
barreling towards the ground below.
But it wasn’t the British plane that went down that day. Instead, the
blaze red of Richthofen’s plane was seen spiraling to the ground in
defeat.
So focused on his enemy, what Richthofen hadn’t noticed was a second
British plane that had broken from skirmish to rush to the aide of his
comrade. Swiftly approaching from the Red Baron’s rear, unnoticed by
the overly focused Richthofen, the plane approached and with ease sent
a single bullet through the chest of the famed Red Baron killing him
instantly.
That day the Germans lost a skilled pilot, a hero to their people, and
a symbol of their strength. Many Germans would go on to lament how
much more the Red Baron would had been worth to the embattled Germans
had he just pulled up his plane that day – had he just been able to
let go of his prey. Germany would go on to lose the war. And with time
the legend of the Red Baron would fade into a fable of his demise and
the subject of a cartoon dog’s daydream of glory.
This week as I traveled back to Washington D.C., I pondered how the
fate of the Red Baron is not so unlike the fate of many partisans in
Washington. Like the Red Baron, many come to Washington skilled at
their trade, proud to serve their county and anxious for results. But
with time many become emboldened by power, and with each political
victory they become more brazen and their appetite for prestige and
position becomes insatiable.
Many in Washington are locked in just as Richthofen was in pursuit of
the fleeing plane. Their sights are singularly set on destroying a
political enemy, increasing their numbers in the polls, or shifting
public opinion with talking points. But with blinders on, the
immediate dangers around them go unnoticed
–
the security threat of an immigration system gone sickeningly wrong –
the quiet danger of terrorism drowned out by a 24-hour news cycle
– the rising costs of health care eating away at the
pocketbooks of Americans and seriously jeopardizing our health care
system, to name a few.
Often, the underlying cause of this tunnel vision is arrogance. In
Washington D.C., this arrogance stems from the belief that the view
from the beltway offers a better plan for America’s future than the
view from the hearts and eyes of Americans. This is inherently false.
How much more could Congress accomplish if their focus was not on
themselves and the other party but on the needs of the nation and
those they represent! How much more could be accomplished if each
public servant searched for compromise consistent with their values
and beliefs rather than letting political bargaining and partisanship
obscure their view!
But as was the case with the Red Baron’s final flight, the political
targets which many so passionately pursue
–
the targets which many feel they must pursue
–
are not indeed the fatal enemy. And in the end, despite all his
trophies, despite his brightly colored plane, and despite his
fear-inspiring slogans, we all know the fate that met the Red Baron.
:: Thank
you ::
Even the most seasoned
firefighter cannot imagine the panic and helplessness that existed
that day. The attacks on September 11, 2001 made each of us feel
fearful and afraid of what might happen next. Nevertheless, firefighters
and law enforcement personnel began the rescue work when the first
call rang, before the attacks even had a known source. Amidst the
danger and debris these brave rescue
workers climbed stairs as office workers clamored down, only to
never make it out of the building.
But as a result of the senseless attacks, Americans found a renewed
sense of patriotism. American flags began to fly not just from
flagpoles, but they appeared in windows, on doors and vehicles. Just
hours after the attacks, men, women and children all across the
country held vigils and waved flags showing support for those who lost
their lives. The terrorists took many lives and caused our nation to
grieve, but through that grief Americans rose up and refused to let
those terrorists take away their spirit and love of America.
Terrorists may have shaken the foundations of some of our biggest
buildings but they also awakened the senses from deep inside the heart
of America. That heart refuses to be shattered. To fire, rescue and
law enforcement personnel in Virginia's Fourth District and around the
nation – you are living proof of that unwavering heart. As you stand
in your uniform, answer to the call of the pager when another
emergency occurs and continually commit your self to be a part of that
team, you stand in the face of terror and perform your duties,
unwavering. On the fifth anniversary of September 11, we take this
opportunity to say, "Thank you."
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