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Words
To Live By
By
Monty Rainey
February 5, 2003
Last night, I was reading a book; I won’t give the name just yet, about an event that happened some 229 years ago. By simply rearranging a few of the words, I found the event could easily apply to the situation facing America today. The words rang true to our founding fathers, but my fear is, they do not hold the same reverence today.
As I read these hallowed words; This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery. And in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our
country, I was struck by the marked similarity of our national agenda today.
The question of whether or not to attack Iraq may well be a question of freedom or slavery for America and many other parts of the world. During the Cuban missile crisis, people couldn’t sleep at night knowing that Castro had parked Russian nuclear warheads some ninety miles off the southern coast of Florida. If Saddam Hussein gets his weapons of mass destruction into the hands of al-Qaeda, they can bring a suitcase bomb into this country with ease. Enough to give Rip Van Winkle insomnia. Such action of instilling terror into the minds of Americans effectively makes us slaves. Slaves to terrorism.
I read on; …it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth…as no doubt, countless Americans and American allies have done. There are actually still people out there saying we need to give the inspectors more time. These people are in total denial of reality.
Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?
I believe for many Americans, the realization of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction do not concern their temporal salvation. But the men and women who were working at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, probably were unaware of that reality as well.
Further on, I read; I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British (Iraqi) ministry, for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition (UN Resolution 1441), has been received? Trust it not, sir, it will prove a snare at your feet. The orator could have just as easily been speaking of Saddam Hussein.
As I read on, this paragraph of the text stood out; And what have we to oppose them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty, and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? These words seemed particularly fitting today and I would ask the detractors, “What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted?”
The oration continued; Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves longer. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have partitioned, we have remonstrated, we have supplicated, we have prostrated
ourselves,… and I would ask, what else can the President do? We have done everything humanly possible to persuade Saddam Hussein to dispose of his weapons of mass destruction. Had he done so, he would gladly provide the evidence to support his actions.
The book goes on to describe all that was said by the orator that day before the continental Congress, but it is not intention to simply rewrite those famous words, so I will skip to the final paragraph;
It is in vain sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry peace, peace, but there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms. Our brethren are already in the field. Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take,
but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!
If only Patrick Henry were here today to speak once more, before Congress, perhaps his words would open the minds of many as they did over two centuries ago. Yes, of course, these words are from Patrick Henry’s famous speech, given before the Continental Congress, March 20, 1775. I was reading from the book, Give Me Liberty: The Uncompromising Statesmanship of Patrick Henry, by David Vaughn.
The irony is, as I sit here at my desk, finishing up this commentary, inspired by the great words of Patrick Henry, my focus turns to the television beside my desk, where on Fox News, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) is trying desperately to stammer through yet another plea for more proof, more patience, more inaction. God help us all, and God Bless America.
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