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October 31, 2006
Judging the Book by Content
by Tina Grazier
He has been called any number of names, names that ridiculed his intelligence, his character, his lack of polish and western flair and his inclination for verbal blundering. He has been criticized by his political opponents as well as his political peers. The hatred leveled at this man is perhaps understandable as he governs during extremely difficult and trying times. But is the criticism well-founded? I will not seek to defend or support him here but simply to
ask you to compare his words to the words of others that have filled the presidential shoes. Will you judge him by his cover or will you look within to discover the content? His vision is one shared by other great presidents:
"At the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between alternate ways of life. The choice is too often not a free one. Our way of life is based on the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, free elections, guarantees of individual freedom, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression. The second way of life is based upon the will of the minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. It relies upon terror and oppression, a controlled press and radio, fixed elections, and the suppression of personal freedoms. I believe that it must be the policy of the United States to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures."
"I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three quarters ago. The world is very different now... And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forbears fought are still at issue around the globe-the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God. Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty."
"We must be staunch in our conviction that freedom is not the sole prerogative of a lucky few, but the inalienable and universal right of all human beings... It would be cultural condescension, or worse, to say that people prefer dictatorship to democracy."
These are the words of Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan respectively. They convey the substance and greatness of the American ideal which is to live free, being resolute so that others may also live free. After 911 this concept is born not only of tradition and desire but also of survival. It is a theme held by the generations of Americans who came before us and it must remain so for the benefit of future generations.
America has a chance, once again, to declare our intentions to the world. The world will be watching as we go to the polls. Our president is not in fact on the ballot but as far as the world is concerned he is on the ballot in spirit. Let us consider the words of our president and frame them within the context of the words of these former esteemed presidents determining the outcome our votes will ascertain. The following quotes were taken from the second Inaugural Address given by President George W. Bush:
"We are lead, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world"
""...it is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture..."
"Some, I know, have questioned the global appeal of liberty-though...Americans, of all people, should never be surprised by the power of our ideals. Eventually the call of freedom comes to every mind and every soul... America will not pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that women welcome their humiliation and servitude, or that any human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies."
The leadership of the Democrat Party has abandoned these ideals of American freedom. Too often they seek or support the power of the few rather than lending support to those who champion the ideal of freedom. Because of this they cannot read or comprehend our president, they fail in their judgment of the book because they are too concerned with the peccadilloes of its cover.
Reference: "A Masterpiece of American Oratory" by Norman Podhoretz, The American Spectator, November 2006
Posted by Post Scripts at October 31, 2006 09:15 PM