What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Historian Paul Johnson, quoted this past weekend in the Wall Street Journal:
You can have all the right ideas and the ability to express them. But if you haven't got guts, if you haven't got courage the way Margaret Thatcher had courage—and [Ronald] Reagan, come to think of it. Your last president had courage too—if you haven't got courage, all the other virtues are no good at all. It's the central virtue.
Quite how the present moment will sort itself out, no one knows--and the possibility that we're witnessing a last convulsion instead of a rebirth cannot be denied. But I'd like to pause for just a moment to recognize that cardinal virtue, courage. Through an extended act of courage, Scott Walker, still in his first weeks in office as governor of Wisconsin, has transformed the national debate. Through a similar act of courage, Cong. Paul Ryan--defying the press, the experts, many of his fellow Republicans, and, for that matter, the whole spirit of the times--has demonstrated that the federal budget can be brought under control. Now Cong. Peter King is preparing to open hearings on a vital aspect of national security, already having suffered days of mockery and vituperation--and showing the mettle to ignore it.
Courage--real courage. It's a stirring and beautiful thing to behold, isn't it?
*The headline? From the famous speech by the Cowardly Lion in which the answer to each of his questions is, simply, "courage." The speech is hilarious--"What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the 'ape' in apricot? Whatta they got that I ain't got?"--but the Cowardly Lion has a point. When you think about it, courage--the courage of all those who have fought for it--really does seem to make the flag on the mast to wave.
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Feb '11
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
The Fourth Turning grinds on.
Surely I can't be the only person here to have read that book, can I?
EDIT: I suppose I should add for clarity's sake that what inspired my comment was this: "Quite how the present moment will sort itself out, no one knows--and the possibility that we're witnessing a last convulsion instead of a rebirth cannot be denied."
Edited on Mar 9, 2011 at 10:34pmJul '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Courage? Allen West.
Jan '11
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
I'd like to take a moment to praise the rise of conservative media. It wasn't that many years ago that conservative stands were political suicide, because the public would only be told that the conservative politician was McCarthy or Jim Crow or Ebenezer Scrooge. Now we have a competitive conservative media, and they've gone a long way to cut the liberal home field advantage. The liberals still hold the media advantage, but it ain't nearly what it was. I'd argue that breaking the media stranglehold on the public conversation made these conservative stands possible.
To be sure, the Kings and Ryans and Walkers deserve praise. Indeed they do. But I'd say this was a team effort.
(Of course, we haven't won yet. Keep attacking!)
May '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Peter's comment re Scott Walker seem even more apropos tonight, eh?
Edited on Mar 9, 2011 at 10:55pmRe: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Him, too. For darned sure.
I concur with every word of that, KC. Although there's still something singular--to me at least--about the courage required of elected officials. Nobody else stands in the firing line in quite the same way.
Dec '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Dr. Johnson's comment in fuller context:
Pessimists, he points out, have been predicting America's decline "since the 18th century." But whenever things are looking bad, America "suddenly produces these wonderful things—like the tea party movement. That's cheered me up no end. Because it's done more for women in politics than anything else—all the feminists? Nuts! It's brought a lot of very clever and quite young women into mainstream politics and got them elected. A very good little movement, that. I like it." Then he deepens his voice for effect and adds: "And I like that lady—Sarah Palin. She's great. I like the cut of her jib."
The former governor of Alaska, he says, "is in the good tradition of America, which this awful political correctness business goes against." Plus: "She's got courage. That's very important in politics. You can have all the right ideas and the ability to express them. But if you haven't got guts, if you haven't got courage the way Margaret Thatcher had courage—and [Ronald] Reagan, come to think of it. Your last president had courage too—if you haven't got courage, all the other virtues are no good at all. It's the central virtue."
Edited on Mar 10, 2011 at 1:05amDec '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Unfortunately, this reminds of Dan Rather’s final sign-off. When I heard that his final word was courage, I could think of nothing but the cowardly lion saying: “Courage”.
Jun '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
"Courage--real courage. It's a stirring and beautiful thing to behold, isn't it?"
Yes!
Jul '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
"Yet the end which courage sets before it would seem to be pleasant, but to be concealed by the attending circumstances, as happens also in athletic contests; for the end at which boxers aim is pleasant -- the crown and the honours -- but the blows they take are distressing to flesh and blood, and painful, and so is their whole exertion; and because the blows and the exertions are many the end, which is but small, appears to have nothing pleasant in it. And so, if the case of courage is similar, death and wounds will be painful to the brave man and against his will, but he will face them because it is noble to do so or because it is base not to do so. And the more he is possessed of virtue in its entirety and the happier he is, the more he will be pained at the thought of death; for life is best worth living for such a man, and he is knowingly losing the greatest goods, and this is painful. But he is none the less brave, and perhaps all the more so..."
Aristotle, Ethics
Oct '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
"...the possibility that we're witnessing a last convulsion instead of a rebirth cannot be denied."
Finally, after a lifetime of seeing the conservative movement on the defensive, even cowering at times, we are at last witnessing conservatism on the offensive. 'Tis a beautiful thing. Now that the battle is slowly beginning, we dare not believe, even for a moment, that we have yet won anything. We have only seen our side prevail in a few skirmishes. But oh what joy!
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers". Perhaps a bit over the top, but still, I can feel it.
Jan '11
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Makes us appreciate Reagan-Buckley all the more, doesn't it? These days, we're blessed with a growing number of effective conservative politicians, and very popular media stars. In Reagan & Buckley's time, they didn't have much but each other. And yet they fared pretty well, I'd say.
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
"...But I'd like to pause for just a moment to recognize that cardinal virtue, courage. ..."
This can't be over emphasized. It is a virtue to be applauded and encouraged. In fact, I hope it is contagious. In fact, I'd like to see an epidemic of it that spreads faster than the NYT editorial board can concoct an antidote.
The courage this time came from the ground up. It started with regular folks in the streets. It led to the election of what can be a remarkable group of people to Congress. They need to be heard, and I'm not talking about measured tones for the benefit of David Gregory. I'm talking about standing up against over $100 billion in funding for the implementation of Obamacare that is tucked away in obscure corners of proposed 2011 spending legislation. I'm talking about standing up to the old guard too. There is literally no time to waste. The elimination of $61 billion out of trillions being spent is a start,...but only that. Our survival as a nation depends on hunting fiscal big game. Reticence is suicide.
Aug '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Too bad Mr.Johnson is not an American, because he is a national treasure for America.
Jul '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
"One Man with courage makes a majority."
Dave says He hopes courage is contagious. I think it is. Its Leadership that ignites it.
Dec '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
"Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because it is the quality that guarantees all others"
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm."
- Winston S. Churchill
May '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Thanks, Peter.
It looks like you guys have covered the bases. I particularly like Churchill's advice about remaining determined after repeated failure.
All I will add is that it takes courage to follow, not just to lead.
May '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Bravo, Peter.
Speaking of courage, I cannot help but think of those 18 Republican State Senators in Wisconsin, along with Gov. Walker. I try to think of what I would do about my family if I were in their shoes right now. Fly the children out to Grandma's house in Florida until things settle down?
Oct '10
Re: What Makes a King Out of a Slave? What Makes the Flag on the Mast to Wave?*
Stuart Creque:
"And I like that lady—Sarah Palin. She's great. I like the cut of her jib."
The former governor of Alaska, he says, "is in the good tradition of America, which this awful political correctness business goes against." Plus: "She's got courage. That's very important in politics. You can have all the right ideas and the ability to express them. But if you haven't got guts, if you haven't got courage the way Margaret Thatcher had courage—and [Ronald] Reagan, come to think of it. Your last president had courage too—if you haven't got courage, all the other virtues are no good at all. It's the central virtue." · Mar 10 at 1:03am
Edited on Mar 10 at 01:05 am
Indeed, Sarah Palin stands tall above the sniveling cowards who engage in vile personal attacks against her family and who disdain her for having the "wrong" social and academic credentials. Long ago, Andrew Jackson said "One man with courage makes a majority." So, too, does one woman.