Rep. West makes a once-universally understood historical reference that no one gets

Karl D. writes:

Gates of Vienna has a video posted about a story concerning Congressman Allen West that is both good and bad. CAIR sent West a letter asking that he repudiate his connections with so called “Anti-Islamic” groups. Perhaps they are trying to ride the wave of Anders Breivik. West’s response was classic. He wrote a letter back to CAIR that contained just one word: “Nuts.” Of course I immediately got the reference. But just like the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge when they received Gen. Anthony McAuliffe’s one-word response to their demand that he surrender, the CAIR representative had no idea what West was talking about. The sad part is that it seems the media didn’t immediately get the reference either, nor did the man on the street shown in the video.

LA replies:

Talk about the loss of cultural literacy.

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JC from Houston writes:

It is sad that no one remembers this famous episode. I have a family connection to it. My Dad’s brother, my late uncle, fought at Bastogne as a member of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne. The letters he wrote home to my grandmother from there make riveting reading even today.

August 19

Daniel S. writes:

I am not even thirty years old yet, but even I understood the reference right away. I have known of the great World War II hero General McAuliffe and his response to a Nazi surrender request since I was a youth. One also need only watch the movie “Patton” starring George C. Scott in which the event is referenced. Of course, that the Arab Muslim who leads the branch of CAIR in Florida didn’t understand the reference is itself telling, as American history and culture are clearly alien to the man.

Mark Jaws writes:

To me it is not important whether or not the majority of young, uninformed Americans or members of CAIR understood the impact of the superb “Nuts!” response. The important thing is that WE recognized its meaning. Among my military-oriented circle of friends in the 30-60 age bracket that lone word has hit the mark and achieved its desired effect by drawing Congressman West even closer to our hearts. He is truly a man with whom this former paratrooper would charge into a flash mob with bayonets fixed.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at August 18, 2011 04:52 PM | Send