He died June 11, 1979. The legacy of John Wayne is dead as well. The tough guy image and manly persona that has infected American politics and American society has finally run it's course.
The tough guy politics emulating John Wayne's persona has been the politics of choice for much of America following 9/11. Even logical, thinking people got swept up in the ultra-nationalistic, revenge culture that demanded our government to attack someone. Anyone.
I was even a part of those attacks, dutifully serving my country by dropping bombs on Afghanistan for 24 hours a day for four months straight. I was happy to do it because I felt we were dealing justice to the perpetrators of 9/11.
The tough guy phenomenon propelled GWB into ultimate power, allowing him to pass legislation that circumvented our Constitution. We allowed it to happen because we trusted that tough guy to do the American thing and kick the bad guy's ass. After all, it was the manly, tough thing to do and anyone who opposed this was obviously a traitor and a coward.
The problem with the badass mentality is that it lacks planning and logic. It doesn't always think out the actions before performing them. It is inefficient at best, negligent at it's worst.
Do you think you can beat Bill Gates in a bench pressing contest? How about a boxing match with Steve Jobs, or Paul Allen. You may be a tough guy, and you will probably win. OK, now let's compare bank accounts. Not so close, is it. Hell, the tough guys don't even get the girl anymore. Rich guys do.
These guys are not on top of the world because they have bludgeoned their way there (although Bill Gates can bludgeon some people economically). They are not successful because of their physical prowess or their intimidating physiques. They have been successful because of PLANNING, CALCULATION, RISK ASSESSMENT, LOGIC, INTELLIGENCE, and by outmaneuvering their opponents.
These are the processes that have been lost in the retaliatory fervor of the "War on Terror". The WOT must be failing, because I am terrified that I am going to lose my job, my house, and my ability to support my family. I am terrified that more of my friends will die needlessly in Iraq. No amount of tough guy posturing or "bring 'em on" attitude will prevent those things from happening.
Hubris, arrogance, and snap decision making is entertaining in John Wayne movies, but there is no place for those inadequacies in our government. John Wayne died because he smoked 5 packs of cigarettes a day and paid no attention to the effect of those cigarettes on his health. It is such a metaphor for the destruction of our American dream by the Bush Administration due to their tough guy hubris and unbridled arrogance.
John Wayne is dead. Let's let his legacy die as well when GWB leaves office.
The epitaph on John Wayne's headstone reads, "Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday."
Truer words were never spoken.