The Power of Words

Nixon is constantly amazed by the power that words can convey, either when written or spoken. The Obamateur was elected POTUS by repeating the words Hope and Change.

In Nixon's favorite Sci Fi and Military Sci Fi books, there are some pretty killer lines. In Jerry Pournelle's Empire of Man series (The Mote in Gods Eye is part of this), the ruler of the Human Empire had a really cool title. The planet Sparta was the capitol of the Empire. Thus, " His Majesty Leonidas IX, By the Grace of God Almighty King of Sparta and Emperor of Humanity". Emperor of Humanity. Now there is a job title Nixon can appreciate.

Before there was the Empire, there was the CoDominium, the result of the USA and a restored USSR deciding that they would prefer to rule the Earth and later the stars. During the Helot War in 2096, the Helot leadership and the Spartan Government were summoned to a meeting. Any action against each other would be "considered an attack on the CoDominium requiring your extermination". Strong words. In Ian Douglas's 9 book future story of the Xul versus the US Marine Corps, a gunnery sergeant was heard to say when told the Corps had no chance to beat the advanced Xul, " Hell Sir, every enemy the Corps has ever faced has said the same thing. If we can shoot it, and if it bleeds, we can kill it. OOH RAHH!". The Corps eventually beat the Xul, after a 2000 year conflict. At the final ceremony ending the war, the ancient words "From the Halls of Montezuma, to the Ochre Sands of Mars" were sung by the assembled Corps. They never forgot they were the elite, the best, the Few, and The Proud.

And of course, perhaps the two greatest lines ever in movie history were:

1. Miami Vice the Movie. Sonny Crockett is asked who knows him and his partner by a drug dealer they are infiltrating. Sonny's response, "My mommy and daddy know me" delivered in a dead pan go to hell voice. Absolutely abusive.

2. Escape from New York. Snake Plisken is told the POTUS has gone down in New York and they need him to rescue him. Snake responds, "The President of What?", reflecting his view of the fallen status of the USA.

Cool words worth remembering. Even the Bible contains them"Behold the Son of Man shall return and sit in judgement over every one and everything".