Redstate

By Flyover Country Posted in The Parties — Comments (0) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Below is a story of courage that we are all familiar with, and how the lessons learned there will enable us to achieve victory in the long war of ideological struggle for the American soul.

In 480 B.C., King Leonidas of Sparta led a small, rugged band of warriors against the mighty Persian army of Xerxes at Thermopylae ("Gates of Fire"). The Persians had already rolled up most of southern Asia, the Middle East and the eastern Sahara and Lower Nile regions, and were knocking on the door of Greece. If Greece fell, so would all of Europe. Thermopylae would be the keyhole that would unlock Greece, and allow Xerxes' forces to roll on through to Athens, the greatest of all Greek city-states, and the last refuge of the nation's hope.

Knowing this, Leonidas led three hundred of his best warriors to the pass at Thermopylae. He was joined in combat by roughly 5,000 other Greek warriors. 5,000 Greeks against a force that (by most current estimates) numbered over 700,000. The forces of Greece fell to the last man at the Gates, after a battle that raged for three days, and cost the Persians significant losses. Athens used the delay to gather their forces at Salamis (while the Persians sacked Athens), and eventually crushed the Persian navy at Salamis. Later, a Spartan-led force of Grecians annihilated the Persians at Plataea, finally pushing them out of Greece.

We all know the story, and the legend that has emerged from the mists of history about brave Leonidas and his three hundred warriors. Why do I bring it up here, after so many popular depictions and re-tellings have watered down the legend?

Read on...

Because the lesson I've taken away from the events at Thermopylae is not one of mythical heroism in the face of overwhelming odds. Rather, it is a lesson of utilizing superior tactics, courage and strategic sacrifice to achieve a greater end.

I'm not going to drill down into a deep tactical analysis of the battle. However, it would be beneficial to hit some (extremely brief) highlights:

- Leonidas chose the Gates of Fire for a reason - excepting the goat path that led to the betrayal and defeat of the Greeks, Thermopylae was a stronghold that bottlenecked the vast Persian army, and forced them to fight on the Greeks' terms

- Leonidas and his men went to fight knowing beyond all doubt that they would die - their only request was that their families would move on, but never forget the cause

- The Greeks succeeded in using the phalanx formation, where each warrior locks his shield with his mates to the right and left - it is a near-impenetrable tactic that relies on every man holding the line, come hell or high water

- The battle was never intended to decimate the Persians, or even offer a glimmer of victory - its sole purpose was as a strategic sacrifice of a few, trading those precious three days for the armies and navies of Greece to regroup and prepare (ultimately, it was the Athenian navy and Spartan hoplites that carried the day, with those three crucial days buying them the time to prepare)

What is the point here? The way I see it, conservatives in America are under assault on multiple fronts, by forces superior in size, but not tactics. Activist judges, moneybags like George Soros, a repackaged Socialism masquerading as environmental activism, pretty faces with assuredly improper intentions (Obama being the leader of that particular group) and a weak, capitulating political representative class on the Right that will not stand on principle (save a few minor exceptions).

So, here is what we do...

Well, as roadmaps go, I can't spell it out any better than E Pluribus Unum's excellent post aimed at the Fredheads in the community (of which I remain proudly one).

In my previous diaries, I proposed the concept of utilizing the political center to develop a super-majority Republican base, motivated by the desire to be "left alone", which is the layman's phrase for federalism and strict constructionism. I see first principles as the path to victory, enabling each leg of the conservative stool to achieve their specific ends, while greatly improving the quality of life for everyone.

We conservatives are surrounded by the Persians of the Left, a vocal (and insane, IMO) demographic animated by failed ideologies, religious fervor and a majority of Americans who've simply stopped caring. They are well-funded, organized and currently in control of the government. However, we have our Thermopylae in this election and our flawed Leonidas in McCain. Like him or not, he is a lion, and he will battle for some (some fiscal, all defense, some social) conservative principles (although his maverick tendencies often enough poke conservatives in the eye). I concur with EPU's argument for voting for McCain, as it will allow the true conservatives to buy some time and develop a cohesive, unifying platform based on first principles and all three legs of true conservatism.

And when the gutless, brainless, spineless eunuchs on the Left come to destroy our principles and our nation, we will scream "Molon Labe!" - "Come and Get Them!"