Posted on 06/05/2007 10:05:20 AM PDT by pissant
Roy Rogers' recent death, untimely to millions of Americans who loved him, was, in a tragic sense, symbolic of the death of an era of wholesome television entertainment. Actually, the era of good TV has long since passed.
But the black and white clips of Roy Rogers' Hollywood in this week's memorial reviews, provide a jolting look at how far we have slipped.
Roy Rogers was wholesome. His episodes never offended decency. Any child could watch Roy Rogers without a nervous parent monitoring the show to quickly "click off" the bad parts as is so necessary with TV today.
Roy used good language and was never profane. In his films, he unfailingly demonstrated his own fidelity to courage, honesty, and the Christian value of helping one's neighbor.
Roy's weekly mission of "rounding up the bad guys" was always altruistic; self-reward was noticeably absent. His treatment of women was always courteous and respectful. The frontier image of manhood was effectively reflected by Roy Rogers in such a way that any boy emanating him would receive an "A" in civility from his mom.
This in contrast to the recent newspaper headline which read: "11-Year-Old Who Raped 5-Year-Old Says He Learned Sex From Cable TV."
Roy Rogers has been criticized by today's film makers as unrealistic. "Filthy words, savage attacks on women, and selfishness as the primary human motivator," they argue, "represent the real America and are box office winners."
This is, at once, the real lie of Hollywood and its dereliction of duty.
"America is great, because America is good," wrote the Frenchman Alexis De Tocqueville several hundred years ago. His assessment of American character has since been validated a million times: The nation that left 38,000 Americans dead and wounded in one day at Antietam Creek to free the slaves; MacArthur's G.I.s walking the streets of a defeated Tokyo and, instead of returning the brutality of Tojo's forces, handing out Hershey's bars to Japanese children as prelude to massive humanitarian aid; tens of thousands of American service clubs, charities, churches, and individuals, giving help, food, medical aid and comfort during every major disaster this century.
Indeed, Americans give more in charitable donations than all the other nations of the world combined.
Who is right, Roy Rogers or the cynics? The undeniable, historic record of the "good America" of Roy Rogers justifies the next question: Which qualities are the more appropriate model for our TV-viewing children, Roy Rogers' or the cynics'?
Roy Rogers' America did exist and still does.
Every time a boy addresses a woman as "Ma'am," an elder as "Sir," every time there is an act of kindness, every time honesty is practiced, every time one fights valiantly for what is right...Roy Rogers' America exists. And we win.
Happy Trails Roy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bob Hunter is the Congressman's father
That sounds like a great memory!
It not that they are real or perfect.
It was an Ideal to live up to.
We all screw up we are all sinners.
BUT WE MUST ALL KEEP TRYING...
An 80% solution is better than a 100% that is never realized.
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Great article!
I thought it worthy. :o)
Interesting perspectives here, and definitely one with absolute morals front and center.
Another example of Hunter’s great writing style.
GodVoter.com Endorses Duncan Hunter
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1945598/posts
Duncan Hunter answer the “BIBLE” Question - RE: CNN/YouTube debate
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 5, 2007
San Diego, CA – Presidential candidate and U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) took the opportunity today to respond to a question posed to candidates at the CNN-YouTube Republican Presidential debate that occurred last week that he did not have an opportunity to answer. Holding a Bible, Joseph Dearing from Dallas, Texas, asked the candidates, “Do you believe every word of this book? Specifically, this book that I am holding in my hand, do you believe this book?” Congressman Hunter has sent Mr. Dearing the following letter in answer to his question:
December 3, 2007
Dear Mr. Dearing:
At last week’s CNN-You Tube debate, you asked the question of all of us “Do you believe in every word of this book?” meaning the Bible. As you know, the moderator called on my fellow candidates Governor Romney, Mayor Giuliani and Governor Huckabee to answer, but I myself was not given an opportunity. Allow me to respond directly to your question now. Do I believe every word of the Bible? Yes, by faith.
I find the center of the Bible to be these words: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life,” John 3:16. If you believe in this promise, which so obviously is not scientifically provable, then is there any other event in the Bible that God’s hand cannot accomplish?
On June 28, 1787, at the Constitution Convention when the delegates appeared to be hopelessly deadlocked, old Ben Franklin made a speech, the central sentence being the following: “The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid?”
Following this statement, Franklin made a request resulting in the delegates approving a motion by James Madison to open every session with a prayer. The U.S. Constitution was thus born and this document, which delivers to every American the freedoms we enjoy, was produced by men of great faith and who very strongly believed in the Bible. Our further freedoms have been defended by American soldiers, 619,000 of whom were killed in battle during the last century, and a vast majority I feel believed the Bible.
I am sending you a book which I hope you will find instructive and persuasive, “A Third Testament” by Malcolm Muggeridge, chronicling the lives of great intellectuals in history who became followers of Christ and who believed in the Bible.
When I am asked by those who pride themselves on the reliance on provable scientific facts regarding the validity of the scriptures, I answer with one such set of facts. There are an infinite number of atoms on the head of a pin, each of which are circled by electrons. Who placed those electrons there? I hope their attempt to answer this question helps them to understand my three-word answer to your original question. Do I believe every word of the Bible? Yes, by faith.
Thank you again Mr. Dearing for your question. Sincerely, Duncan Hunter
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