Perhaps it invokes that for you. My first thought was: they’re flying planes, so of course they are “above all”. The second thought was that it’s a play on that concept to imply that they are better than the other services, which is a recruiting ploy. America is already, by almost any definition, a military-industrial complex. To believe anything else smacks of ignorance and self-delusion. We assert our military might whenever we feel like it, it seems, with or without the consensus of our elected officials. We invade sovereign nations and kill their citizens when it suits us, and ignore genocide when it suits us. In some eyes of the world, we already have the stigma of being militaristic and opportunistic. A recruiting slogan is the least of our problems.
I agree that it provides fodder for those who wish to agitate others. It will draw criticism from the vocal minority and the AF may even withdraw it just to shut people up. It’s just not something I can get excited about. Now, if Congress decided that our country should have a motto of “Above All”, I’d be alarmed, even though, de facto, that’s the image we project.
Just because the connection seems tenuous to you doesn’t mean that it is not completely obvious to a lot of other people.
And yes, “above it all” is a phrase we use in English. But to use it as a slogan is different. And as Doors says, using it as a military slogan is a whole 'nother kettle of fish altogether.
I have a very strong negative reaction to Nazi symbology. Is that a “knee-jerk reaction?” Sure. But we have to consider that the Nazis were absolute masters of propaganda. They were brilliant at coming up with images and slogans that provoked reactions. Their “brand image” remains incredibly strong even after 63 years.
I really don’t know how to express to you how distasteful this new slogan is to me. I don’t think anyone would accuse me of being one of the “offenderati,” so maybe you and others will just have to trust me when I say that this slogan really really sucks.
I don’t know where you got this idea (and I’d like to see a cite), but even if you are right, that is, that concerns about the geographic extent of Germany in the song were a factor in the decision to go without the first stanza, it was not the primary reason. That’s clear from the letter exchange between the first chancellor of the BRD, Adenauer, and the president Heuss, in which Adenauer badgers Heuss to finally let them have the Deutschlandlied, and Heuss finally relents.
Right now I’m too lazy to find a translation of these letters. Maybe some other diligent soul might intervene, or if nobody does, I could put some work into the relevant passages, but the overall gist is: Adenauer wants the damn anthem, damn it (and hey, we’ll only sing the third stanza). And although the song was “misused”, remember dude that it was in the Weimar Republic that the song was first accepted as the national anthem. Heuss responds by acknowledging his fear of the relationship of the song with the Horst-Wessel-Nazisong. But then Heuss gives in and says, right-o, we can use the song - but if we’re use it, let’s play the hell of that baby so that everybody realizes that it’s Our Song.
Again, the Nazi connection is crystal clear, and their “Missbrauch” (misuse) is completely acknowledged. Not a word is mentioned of expansionism.
The only reason the original phrase bats an eyelid is that it is associated tenuously with the German national anthem when converted to German.
The 1933-1945 German rulers were not terribly nice people and they exterminated millions of Airman Doors’ wife’s religeous oriented civilian counterparts.
Ooh we’re in the pit … do you understand that concept you cunt!
Cool.
Now, while your surfer parody is both whacky and out there, you would not associate it with the extermination of 12 million people.
I personally think Airman Door’s is overreacting and the fact that his wife is Jewish caused this reaction. There is no crime in wanting to protect your loved ones.
However!
Deutschland! Deutschland! Uber Alles
And
Above All
Do not have the same connotation when read in context in English or German.
If you do choose to read that much into it then I’m sure getting hold of a German-English dictionary would shut you up for ever for fear of offending anyone.
Oooh, KNEEJERK!
Word phrases have meanings beyond that which you can find by looking up the individual words in a dictionary. You should learn to deal with such complexities, rather than ignorantly lashing out at anyone who knows better than you.
Y’know, Doors, back when I was an Army reservist, I was myself prone to raise a bit of an eyebrow at how so many individuals and units would affect to show toughness by putting on their t-shirts or painting on pieces of equipment one or another variation of the death’s-head. I don’t mean a pirate Jolly Roger, I mean a nasty, mean-looking death’s-head, sometimes with beret or boonie hat on or knife between the teeth or snakes crawling through the eyesocket. Couldn’t help but think to myself, does everyone here realize that people wearing the death’s-head used to be the enemy? But naah, they just were trying to be all hardcore and stuff and never mind as long as the median of the public doesn’t notice.
In any case, the military’s PR slogans have kind of a hit-or-miss nature to them. Only the Marines have had consistently good, on-message slogans (“We’re looking for a few good men” and “The few, the proud…”) I mean, USAF had “A Great Way of Life”, before the much better “Aim High”; the Army in the 70s had the all time lameness champ with “Today’s Army Wants to Join YOU”; later on came “Be All That You Can Be”, “Army of One” and now “Army Strong”; the Navy had “It’s not just a job, it’s an adventure” (which ranks with “A great way of life”) and lately had “Accelerate Your Life” which just left me wondering WTH. “Above All” is not as bad, taken on its own. (could be worse: could be “Above It All”, thus describing a military service that really doesn’t give a damn…)
Twenty words is too much for you, or is it the ‘and stuff’ you can’t grasp?
What is this ‘and stuff’ anyway? It sounds like something a teenager, ummm, sticks in their sentences to, you know, give themselves time to think.
You’re typing words on a keyboard now, so there’s no need to insert crap, unless you’re insecure about your dull 15 to 17 word offerings.
What’s your problem anyway? Does “totally tubular” offend you somehow? It’s just a phrase. It might not be the best possible slogan for the air force, but like “above all” it triggers associations for many of us. Chefguy seems to feel that such reactions are ‘kneejerks’ and deserving of nothing but scorn. That makes him a clueless fuckwit.
Sorry, Mr. Moto. My “ugly” fat friends won’t be seen in the company of conservatives such as yourself. Fortunately for the diversity of our country, not all conservatives are as shallow and rude in their comments about women as you are.
Or do you think you are typical?
As for the Air Force, how about some honesty:
“We Are Just Following Orders”
“Above All or Smithereens”
“Always Fateful”
Wherever you are and wherever you go, Airman Doors, I wish safety and peace for you.
Of course, I despise an institution that stockpiles more weapons of mass destruction than Saddam Hussein ever had, so I hope this “Above All” nonsense convinces the rest of the country that the AF is scum.
Actually, that’s far more offensive, theologically. God is Most High. The AF isn’t even as high as NASA.
Anyway, it’s not primarily the Nazi associations that are wrong with “Above All.” It’s the implied contempt for the rest of the uniformed services, the rest of the government, & law itself. I don’t care what your altitude is, you need to remember that you are under Congress & answer to them.
