EGO

WEST POINT

Here are some quotes from Bush's address at West Point:

"If we wait for threats to materialize, we will have waited too long."..."We must take the battle to the enemy, disrupt its plans, and confront the worst threats before they emerge."

An al Qaeda spokesman, Sulaiman bu Ghaith, has recently stated: "So beware, America. Get ready. Get prepared. Put on the safety belt."

I hope that the United States Military Academy graduates have been given the right philosophical ammunition. I have problem with the last part of USMA's mission statement: "...and a lifetime of selfless service to the nation."

Ayn Rand said the following at an address given to the graduating class of USMA, on March 6, 1974:

"You have chosen to risk your lives for the defense of this country. I will not insult you by saying that you are dedicated to selfless service�it is not a virtue in my morality. In my morality, the defense of one's country means that a man is personally unwilling to live as the conquered slave of any enemy, foreign or domestic. This is an enormous virtue. Some of you may not be consciously aware of it. I want to help you to realize it." ["Philosophy: Who Needs It," Philosophy: Who Needs It, page 10.]

Click here if you want to have a free audio cassette recording of Ayn Rand�s address, Philosophy: Who Needs It.