On Anniversaries
Yesterday marked the second anniversary of the signing of President Obama’s health care takeover, a law which now hangs in the balance before the Supreme Court. The White House, which held events to mark the six month anniversary, and the one year anniversary, chose not to hold any official events marking the second, for some reason.
But there was another anniversary yesterday, too, and one far more meaningful in the course of human events.
It was 237 years ago, in Virginia, that Patrick Henry gave a speech that rang out through the colonies and urged the people to stand up for their liberty. The speech is doubtless familiar to all of you. But there is a line that comes before the more famous conclusion which I have always loved.
In making his case that the colonists should be willing to stand even against the armed might of the British Empire, which had put down so many colonial rebellions in the past, Henry urged the Virginians on, saying:
The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.
To which I would add: Whether this younger anniversary matters a few years from now depends in large part on us remembering the counsel of the older one.
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Comments:
May '10
Re: On Anniversaries
When someone points out how much worse some third-world country has it than American citizens, I think of America's exceptionally high standards of freedom and worry that we will accept much lower standards (than we already have) before drawing a line in the sand. If we wait too long, many citizens are likely to forget those exceptionally high standards altogether. Can any modern American imagine life without an income tax or government welfare program?
All peoples deserve freedom. Not all recognize it.
Feb '11
Re: On Anniversaries
I was surprised there was only 1 comment on this post, until I realized that Aaron Miller, and Ben Domenech, pegged it. All the rest is commentary.
Dec '10
Re: On Anniversaries
Ben, Aaron, and Mama,
"Give me Liberty or give me Death."
One might conclude that an absense of Liberty is a kind of Death. Thus making Patrick Henry's closing statement all the more to the point.
Regards,
Jim